1. Applications Of Butterfly Pose & Precautions
The Butterfly Pose is also known as the Purna Titli Asana. It is also similar to the Bound Angle
Pose or the Baddha Kona Asana. This is a simple exercise that can easily be performed after
even with minimum instructions from your trainer. Targeting primarily the legs, it is the perfect
antidote to relax and stretch the muscles of the legs,...
...especially after a long day of work or after an intensive work out. Another variant of the yoga
Butterfly Pose is the Reclined Butterfly Pose.
Steps :
1. Start off by sitting in the Lotus Pose or Padma Asana.
2. Now position your legs so that the soles of your feet are touching each other. Your knees
should be bent.
3. Try to position your feet as close to your pubic area as possible; in other words, try to
pull your heels inwards.
4. Grasp your feet with your hands and sit up with your back as straight as possible.
5. Inhale and place a hand on each knee.
6. Exhale and press on your thighs until your knees touch the floor. This may not be
possible for everyone. Avoid over exerting yourself, and push down only as far as is
comfortable for you.
7. Inhale and allow the knees to come back up again.
8. Exhale and repeat this process 15 to 20 times.
9. You may speed up the lowering and raising of the thighs to further relax the muscles.
This flapping motion is what gives the Butterfly Pose its name.
Precautions :
Before starting any form of exercise it is a good idea to consult your doctor.

2. This is especially important if you are convalescing from surgery or a recent injury, if
you have any pre-existing medical condition, or are with child.
Yoga has great potential for good, but the potential for harm is equally present if it is not
performed properly.
If you are new to yoga, it is a good idea to perform these exercises under the guidance of
a trained yoga instructor.
This is one of the most important Butterfly Pose precautions.
Additionally, you must pay especial attention to the proper method if you have
experienced any injury to your knees or thighs.
Beginner’s Tip :
Initially you will find that you will not be able to touch your knees to the floor. Here’s a
beginners tip for the Butterfly Pose that will help you to open up your hips and thighs so that in
time you will be able to perform this exercise perfectly. Ensure that you have adequate padding
around the ankles; a good quality yoga mat will prevent your thighs from hurting and allow you
to perform the Purna Titli Asana with more ease. You can also try to roll up two towels and place
them under your thighs. As your flexibility increases, you can do away with the towels.
Benefit to Body Part :
This is a great exercise to relax and stretch those aching thighs after a long and hard day
at work. It is especially beneficial for those who run, walk or cycle for long distances, or
have a job that requires them to constantly be on their feet.
It also helps to open up the hips and thighs and improves flexibility.
This posture also stimulates the reproductive and digestive organs.
The Butterfly Pose is a great stretch for relieving stress and tiredness.
Therapeutic Applications :
This is an excellent posture for women during menstruation as it helps to relieve some of
the discomfort and pain associated with menstruating.
This posture is also supposed to be very beneficial for women after menopause.
The Butterfly Pose helps to open up the hips and genital areas and is very good for
pregnant women. Regular practice of this posture can help in easing the pain associated
with natural childbirth.
Regular practice of this posture is beneficial to the kidneys, bladder, prostate gland, and
ovaries.
Variations :
The Reclined Butterfly Pose, as the name suggests, is a variation of the standard Purna
Titli Asana that is performed while lying down flat on your back instead of while sitting
up. It is similar to the Supta Baddha Konasana (Reclined Cobbler Pose). This supine pose
provides a deeper sense of relaxation and is a good stretch for not only the thighs but also

3. the back and chest. This pose is very effective when you are tired and want to stretch
your back and legs at the same time.
The Cobbler Pose or Baddha Kona Asana (Bound Angle Pose) is another popular
variation of the butterfly pose. Where the Butterfly Pose is a mixture of static and
dynamic stretching, the Cobbler Pose involves mostly static stretching and allows you to
further deepen the stretch experienced by the Butterfly Pose. To perform this pose, clasp
the soles of your feet and concentrate on trying to open them as if you are opening the
pages of a book. At the same time bend forward while keeping your back rounded so that
the weight of your elbows on your thighs allows them to further open up.
Preparatory Poses :
There are no specific preparatory poses for the Butterfly Pose as it is quite a simple and basic
yoga posture. In fact, the Butterfly Pose may be considered to be a preparatory pose for the
Baddha Kona Asana or the Bound Angle Pose. You can practice the Lotus Pose or Padma Asana
before performing the Purna Titli Asana.
Follow Up Poses :
Once you have mastered the Butterfly Pose, you can move on to the Cobbler Pose to further
deepen the stretch and stretch your back as well. Once you have done so, you may revert to the
Lotus Pose. Other follow up poses include the Mandukasana or Frog Pose, which will allow you
to further open up your hips.
Yoga Butterfly Asana for Meditation:
a. Step-by-Step Instructions for Butterfly Asana:
Sit up straight and bring the soles of your feet together in front of you.
Wrap your fingers around your toes (illustration #1) and gently pull your
heels in towards your groin.
Keeping your back straight, lean forward from the waist as far as
comfortable.
You should feel a good stretch in your groin region.
Use your elbows as levers to push down on your calves or inner thighs.
You may do this stretch with the Breath of Fire or with Long Deep Breathing.
b. Duration for Butterfly Asana:
1 – 5 minutes.

4. c. Benefits of Butterfly Asana:
Excellent yoga asana to improve the flexibility in the groin and hips region. Both
important regions for helping to sit in meditation.
This asana transmutes sexual energy into higher frequencies, allowing it to be used
to nourish and heal the higher chakra points..
d. Practice Tips for Butterfly Asana:
A hand position variation you can use for this asana is shown in illustration #2. Here
I wrap my hands around my ankles instead. This technique can sometimes provide a
more intense stretch. Also, notice in illustration #2, how I am using my elbows to
accentuate the stretch by pressing down on my inner thighs.
Another variation to how this asana can be practiced, is by bouncing your knees
gently (like a butterfly flapping it’s wings), instead of holding the stretch steadily. In
this variation, make sure you don’t force the legs too much. To assist in this
variation you can also hold your knees and press down gently on the downward
stroke. This technique, helps open up the hips more.
As the end of this asana, you can inhale deeply, hold your breath and apply root lock
(or mula bandha) to help redirect the energy back into the spinal cord. Root lock is
described in the following article: Raja Yoga Set for Awakening Kundalini Shakti.
Benefits of Butterfly Pose (Badhakonasana)
A good stretch for the inner thighs, groins and knees, improving flexibility in the groin
and hip region
Helps in intestine and bowel movementRemoves fatigue from long hours of standing and
walking
Offers relief from menstrual discomfort and menopause symptoms
Helps in smooth delivery if practiced regularly until late pregnancy
Contraindications of Butterfly Pose (Badhakonasana)
If you are suffering from groin or knee injury, make sure you keep a blanket under the outer
thighs for support. Do not perform this pose without blanket support. Also, sciatica patients
should either completely avoid the pose or sit on a cushion to raise the hips. If you have any
lower-back disorders, do the posture only while keeping the spine erect. Avoid rounding up the
spine by bending forward.