Yoga Poses for Travel and Pelvic Health 2.0: Butterfly and Puppy Dog Pose

I’m on the last leg of 18 hours of travel. My booty is sore, but my heart is excited to land in Africa to get to my first international yoga retreat which I’m co-leading with the great Brianne Grogan of Femfusion in Morocco! As I sit here stuck in the back row of a packed airplane I’m thinking about the classes I’ll be sharing with women who will assemble tomorrow. There’s woman and her baby spilling half way into my seat on my left and a little boy vomiting into paper bags on my right. Needless to say I am dreaming of these poses right now!

Disclaimer: Not all yoga poses are appropriate for all bodies. These poses are meant as suggestions vs. prescriptions so if you have any health concerns or special questions please make sure to consult with your physical therapist or physician before practicing.

BUTTERFLY POSE

This may be my all time favorite yoga pose!

Benefits include:

• Opening tight adductors (inner thighs) and facilitating pelvic relaxation.

• Focus on the breath allows the nervous system to relax into a parasympathetic (rest and digest) state.

PRACTICE:

1. Find a comfortable spot to lie down. I find doing this pose on the floor can be very grounding after traveling all day, but it’s a nice one to do in bed too.

2. Start by lying on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Take a few breaths here, notice your sacrum and feet resting on the floor, the pace and depth of your breath, and what it feels like to have your back supported.

3. Place the bottoms of your feet together, inhale and as you exhale let your knees gently open apart from each other. You may want to use blocks or pillows to support your legs for full relaxation.

4. Place one hand over your heart and one hand over your low belly. Notice what it feels like to breath down into and fill up your low belly and pelvic region. Use your inhalations to notice and feel what your groin, inner thighs, genitals, perineum, buttocks, hips, and pelvic floor feel like. Use your exhales to invite softening into you these areas.

5. Relax and breath here for 5-10 minutes if you’re taking the supported restorative version of this pose. Focus on gently and gradually opening and melting in your entire pelvic region.

PUPPY DOG POSE

I like to call this pose the sexy version of child’s pose.

Benefits include:

• Great for reversing forward/rounded upper back posture.

• Heart opening.

• Facilitating pelvic floor opening and relaxation.

PRACTICE:

1. Start on your hands and knees in a table top position. Feel free to pad the knees if needed.

2. Maintaining the position of your hips over your knees walk your finger tips forward towards the top of your mat (or the floor in front of you).

3.Keep walking your fingertips forward until your chest starts to come close to making contact with the floor.

4. You may rest your chin or your forehead on the ground depending on your flexibility

5. Keep your chest opening towards the floor as your arms remaining active and straight.

6. Notice your sitting bones and your pelvic floor. Inhale to feel a gentle opening and softening of the perineum and pelvic floor- a widening of the sitting bones. Exhale to gently pull your pelvic floor up and in, hugging the sitting bones towards one another. Repeat for 8-10 breaths.

Remember to breathe into every pose and appreciate the journey (not just the destination) whether it’s on your mat or across the world! Check out my retreats page for opportunities to go on those journeys with me as your guide!  Next stop is Michigan for the fall colors!

Namaste friends,
Casie