Last updated: December 21, 2023
What Does
Utthita Balasana Mean?
Utthita balasana is a restorative, gentle and restful posture which has calming benefits for the body and mind. The name is derived from the Sanskrit utthita, meaning "extended," bala, meaning "child," and asana, meaning "pose."
To enter the pose, begin by sitting back on the heels with the knees hip-width apart and the palms on the thighs. The torso is then lowered toward the thighs while the arms stretch forward and the forehead and palms rest on the floor.
The English name for utthita balasana is extended child’s pose.
Yogapedia Explains Utthita Balasana
Utthita Balasana is a good posture to connect more consciously with the breath, and to deliberately breathe into the back of the body and lungs. Every inhalation domes the back of the body upward, and every exhalation lengthens the torso and spine.
It is a cooling and calming posture, particularly good for re-centering after a challenging asana practice, or as a restorative pose. The gaze can be taken down or inward to encourage the introspection of this forward bend.
This posture is said to be calming for the muladhara chakra, and helps to settle the earth energy in the pelvis area. It is also said to calm the vata energy in the body because of the lowered position of the head.
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