Asana of the Month: Reclined Bound Angle Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana)

Why I Love This Pose

Reclined Bound Angle Pose feels is an invitation to slow way down, with hips softening, breath deepening, and the body melting into the earth. It reconnects us to the softness in our bodies and minds--a reminder that opening doesn’t always require effort. And for me, it resonates with the spirit of "refuge in our inner light" that I hold dear in my teachings at Whole Heart Yoga.

How to Practice

1. Lie down on your back. Bend your knees, and place the soles of your feet together, allowing your knees to fall open to the sides. Your feet can come toward the pelvis or stay farther away--adjust to whatever feels right in your hips.

2. Let your arms rest alongside your body, palms facing up. Allow your shoulders to soften away from your ears, and let your back gently settle on the mat (or a bolster if you’d like more support).

3. Close your eyes. With every inhale, feel subtle lengthening through your spine; with each exhale, invite your hips to soften, and your inner thighs to melt. Focus on breath as a gentle guide.

4. Stay for several minutes (start with 5–10 deep breaths, or even longer if you’re using props for support). When you’re ready to come out: draw knees together, rest for a moment.

Props & Modifications:

• Use blocks, blankets, or bolsters under the knees or sacrum if hips are tight or you want a softer, more supported sensation.

• A strap around the feet or a bolster beneath the spine can help the body settle more fully if you hold tension.

• Always invite ease! Aim for comfort, not force. If anything feels sharp in knees, groin, or low back, back off or use props.

Why Practice Reclined Bound Angle?

• Opens hips, groin & inner thighs. Helps release tension and increase flexibility in these often-held areas.

• Supports pelvic health & abdominal organs. The gentle opening and soft stretch can stimulate circulation to the pelvis, supporting reproductive, urinary, and digestive organs.

• Calms the nervous system & soothes the mind. As a restorative posture, it helps quiet the rhythm of thought, ease stress or anxiety, and bring a sense of grounded calm.

• Helps regulate menstruation discomfort. It’s often recommended for easing menstrual discomfort and promoting balance in the lower abdomen and pelvis.

• Invites emotional release and inner opening. Because hips often store emotional tension, soft, slow‑held opening poses like this can help us sense and gently release held energy.

Your Invitation

Take Reclined Bound Angle Pose wherever you need a pause. Bring your hands to your belly or chest to connect with your breath, feeling it rise and fall with each inhale and exhale. Try this at the end of a flow to let the body integrate, in the morning to open your hips and heart, or midday to release tension.

Use props for extra support--a folded blanket under the knees, a bolster along the spine, or an eye pillow for deeper surrender. Stay as long as your body asks, and notice how mindful breath paired with gentle openness can restore calm and create inner space.