After a full day it can be hard to switch straight into rest. The body keeps holding tension, the breath becomes shallow, and your thoughts keep drifting back to work.
Start with the breath
Lie on your back and take a few calm breaths through the nose, letting each exhale be slightly longer than the inhale. There’s no need to breathe deeply on purpose. What matters is that the breath gradually becomes calmer and freer.
Reclining Bound Angle Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana)
Lie back on a bolster or a firmly rolled blanket placed lengthwise under your spine. Bring the soles of your feet together and let your knees open gently to the sides. If the knees don’t settle comfortably, or you feel strain in the groin or thighs, support them with cushions or folded blankets. Rest your arms alongside the body or on the belly.
Stay for 5–10 minutes, quietly watching the breath. Don’t try to lower the knees as far as possible: the aim is a comfortable position in which the body gradually lets go of tension.
Why we use it in class
We often begin evening classes with this pose. It helps you leave the rhythm of the day behind, settle into the practice and move gradually from activity into recovery.
Read also: How to help yourself fall asleep and Why use props in yoga?
