Half butterfly pose and half dragonfly are forward folds that are done seated. To practice, bend one leg and place the sole of the foot along the inner thigh of the opposite extended leg. The names of these poses are oftentimes used interchangeably so I included both in today’s video.
These forward folds help to open the back, hips, and inner leg, which correlates with the Kidney, Liver, Gall Bladder, and Urinary Bladder meridians.
Half Dragonfly and Half Butterfly
From a seated position, bend one leg and draw the foot into your inner leg. Turn your torso towards either the centre, or your extended leg. You can fold forward at any angle to affect different areas of the back body. Elevate your sitting bones if you have tight hamstrings, or a tight low back. For trouble in the knees, or a pulled hamstring, engage the quads, and/or place a cushion under the knee.
As you fold forward, tilt your hips forward (into anterior tilt). As you fold, you can round the spine or keep the spine long. If you have an exaggerated thoracic curve (kyphosis), keep your back straight. If you choose to round forward, remember to keep space in and around the diaphragm. You can allow your neck to hang unless it creates strain. In that case, support the head with your hands, a block, or a bolster.
On an inhale slowly come up, and extend your legs out in front of you. You can lean back and breathe into the front of the body, or take a counterpose such as windshield wipers.
If you’re avoiding forward folding, you can practice various poses on your back, or against a wall, that will still open the backs of the legs.
You can also check out full butterfly pose here.
