Butterfly pose is a nice way to get into our hips, groin and lower back. Our hamstrings may also get a nice stretch if the heels are further away from the groin. If you try the variation of Butterfly where you fold forward your spine gets a nice release as well.
Why is the pose called Butterfly pose you ask? Well our souls of our feet coming together, brings our legs to bend and creates a butterfly shape.
Holding poses roughly 1 minute or longer is considered, Yin.
There are many benefits to long holds and one of them is getting into the deeper connective tissues, which in our case with Butterfly pose our hips, groin and low back get a nice deep release.
Read more below for the benefits of practicing Butterfly pose from a Yin Yoga perspective.
But, first…
The Yin Yoga Practice
In Butterfly pose, not everyone will look the same in this pose (well any pose really).
It’s important not to go too deep into the pose at the start. Or go to an “edge” where we think we should be in.
As time creeps up, while you hold in relative stillness, it can make the posture really hard to be in it, if you go past your edge, going too deep and/or moving into an edge too quickly. All of a sudden you might get the urge to come out, rather than marinating in the pose for longer.
When we proceed slowly into our initial edge or just before our edge gradually approaching, we can stay and hold for longer, and thus getting more benefits.
We don’t want feel a strong physical intensity in the pose right away, as we want to marinate in this pose for at least 3-5mins (or longer if you’re doing okay).
Dull achy feeling is what we are after!
Approach your EDGE gradually, stay relatively STILL and hold for TIME.
TIME is our magic ingredient.
There are many ways you can be in and deepen Butterfly pose.
KEEP READING as the next sections outline different variations you can try with props to help you choose and modify the pose for YOU!
Keep in mind, practice with INTENTION and ATTENTION and only hold as long as you can still be breathing calmly and relax your muscles in the targeted area, which is the SPINE and HIPS in this case!
Pain is not gain in Yin Yoga!
Also to note, do this pose if you do not feel pain (pain can be defined as pinching, stabbing, numbing, stinging, tingling, sharp or warming sensations).
If you feel pain, back out right away. Only progress into a deeper version of the pose if you lose sensations (the dully achy feeling of the targeted area). If you are feeling a dull achy feeling, keep in relative stillness, anywhere from 3-5mins (if not longer). It is so important with anything to do with the spine to really be mindful and move slowly in and out of the pose, and again come out immediately, if you feel pain.
Pain is not gain in Yin Yoga.
AVOID THIS POSE if you have any spinal injuries or knee issues that would impede the movements discussed. Always consult your physician or doctor you’re working with, if any of the movements or longer holds could hurt you in any way.
Physical & Mental/Mindful Benefits of Butterfly Pose:
Hip release
When folding forward in seated, the spine gets a nice release
Stretches the low back
When your heals are closer to the groin you get more of a adductor muscles stretch
When your heals are further away from the groin the hamstrings, the back line of your legs, may get benefits of a nice stretch
How to get into Butterfly Pose?
From seated take the souls of your feet together
Take your heals further away from your pelvis, see how this feels, then try the heals closer to your pelvis
Choose a “Goldie locks position” where you feel something, but not too much or too little (coined by Bernie Clark) in the groin or inner thigh region.
Notice if you feel the targeted area (groin, hips and inner thigh region)
If you feel a dull achy sensation along the inner thighs, groin, or hip or spine, hold and stay (and breathe of course)
Relax again completely, holding in stillness so you can feel the effects of the posture
NOT deep enough? Try staying longer in the hold or removing a yoga prop if you were using one
When COMING OUT and bringing back movement proceed with caution and move SLOW!
Move into your COUNTER POSE.
Caution: make sure to not feel any pain in the hips, knees, spine or low back.
Counter Pose for Butterfly Pose
For counter poses move or don’t move, find what works for you, after you come out of a long held posture you will learn and know what you prefer, below are some ideas:
Lay on your back in corpse pose / savasana to observe the effects of pose
Ground your feet to the earth wider than hip bone distance, lean back on your hands and windshield wiper your bent legs back and forth
Take your legs straight out in front of you and lean back on your hands and bring the chest forward. Allow your head to go back if your neck feels okay to do so
Legs up the wall without a wall. Here you would take your legs straight up, souls of your feet point to the sky, as you’re laying down. This allows the blood to run down the legs (or up the legs depending how you look at it from a laying down position)
Each day is different, assess what you need in the moment, not where you think you should go. The body becomes vulnerable from holding the postures in stillness and for time.
Move out of the pose slowly, and choose your counter - move, don’t move!
Different Variations of Butterfly Pose
Butterfly as pictured in seated in the first image above
You can move into a forward fold slowly, or stay upright when doing Butterfly
Try placing your feet closer to your groin
Try placing your feet further away from your groin
Find that Goldie Locks Position!!!!
Butterfly on your back (supine), you won’t get the spine and low back release in this version, as you aren’t folding forward, but your hips and groin will get a benefit
Another variation is our Half Butterfly pose, which may be more accessible for you, if you want to fold forward or try a different isolated hamstring stretch
Come out of any and all Yin Yoga poses SLOW!!
Butterfly pose with using props!
If you struggle to stay in stillness and for time in this posture, try using props!!
You can also use no props, and try folding forward without a prop to see if you even need anything.
A general rule for using props BRING THE EARTH UP TO YOU.
Some suggestions for Butterfly pose:
Bolster in between your legs length wise, so that you can lean on it, or lay on it with time (as shown in the image above)
Bolster horizontally placed beneath your knees and you can rest your elbows on and in the middle of bolster
You can try no bolster, and only use a block (or two stacked) to be placed under your forehead, if you don’t like how intense the forward fold feels and don’t just like the head hanging
Blocks under your knees so they don’t open as wide, as for you it may be too deep too fast
Sitting up on a yoga block or bolster, or even a blanket folded to elevate your hips above your knees more, especially if you have any discomfort in the knees or low back
Try out different props you have, see what works best for you!! You may that person that uses every prop out there or maybe nothing. FINDING THAT GOLDIE LOCKS POSITION is key!!
Compare, and be curious to discover your pose.
Keep in mind, go to a place where you feel something, but not too much, and can hold for time. Anything longer than 1- 3mins is considered more Yin-like!
Enjoy the GROIN, LOW BACK AND HIP RELEASE!
ALWAYS KEEP IN MIND when practicing Yin Yoga, be the OBSERVER, move SLOW and with ease, slowly approaching your edge rather than striving to go to some defined EDGE.
Don’t feel pressure to look like anyone else.
Start your practice from within and ask yourself where do I feel it?
What does it feel like? Is it painful? Or is it offering a nice release?
Practice with intention and attention as the Yin yoga master, Bernie Clark would say, and intuitively you will know.
This doesn’t come easy, it comes with practice.
Namaste,
Marzena
More on the Blog - Discover and try other Yin Yoga poses
Sources & Other Resources
Yin Pose Info taken from The Complete Guide to Yin Yoga (Bernie Clark, 2005) ✔️Yinyoga.com
Bernie Clark’s videos on Youtube where he performs and explains BUTTERFLY pose very well.