Baddha Konasana (butterfly pose)

Baddha Konasana (butterfly pose)

To do this pose:

Come to sit on your mat with your feet out in front of you and your knees bent. Bring the soles of your feet together and let your knees fall to the side. You can put blocks or pillows under your knees or let them fall all the way to the ground. Hold onto your feet and as you inhale lengthen through the spine and as you exhale, bend at the hips and when you’re ready, you can round forward. You can rest on a pillow or bolster in front of you or let your head fall all the way to the ground. Breath in and let your inner hips open while you massage your third chakra, right between your eyebrows. 

How this pose is especially beneficial for nurses: 

• It stimulates your inner organs including your digestive organs and your heart. This pose is considered to be very healing because of the increased blood flow to these organs. Your heart pumps more oxygenated blood out to your body, helping it heal as well stimulating digestion to remove toxins. 
• It opens the hips. As we’ve discussed many times, you carry physical and mental tension in your hips and opening them up after a long shift can help you feel and release all these feelings. 
• It relieves anxiety and depression. Because of its healing nature, this pose helps to heal your mind as well. After an emotionally taxing day or when you’re feeling burnt out, do this pose and massage your third eye on the floor or on a block to help release those thoughts and feelings.