The half butterfly pose and the half dragonfly are forward folds performed seated. To practice, bend one leg and place the sole along the inner thigh of the opposite extended leg. The names of these poses are often used interchangeably, so I included both in today’s video.
These forward folds help open the back, hips, and inner legs, which correlate 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 target different areas of the back. Elevate your sitting bones if you have tight hamstrings or a tight lower 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 let your neck hang unless it causes 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 the full butterfly pose here.
