The Ananda Balasana yoga uses different principles of asana and pranayama to awaken, energize and control the subtle energies that we have within ourselves, which if channelized properly can have immense positive benefits. It uses the inner energies of the body to harmonize its different parts and uplifts the mind and brings it to a higher level of consciousness and awareness. It is more of an inward experience than an athletic practice. Its main goal is to prepare the body for deep medication. Its helps you to energize your body, mind and soul and creates a perfect harmony between them. It is beneficial for both beginners and advanced students and anyone can try this pose. With a little bit of dedication and discipline one can easily master this pose.
The following step by step process needs to be adapted to perform that asana -
Lie on our back. As you inhale bend the knees into your belly.
Inhale and then grip the outsides of your feet with your hands. After that open your knees slightly, a little wider than your torso and then bring them up towards your armpit. In the beginning if you face difficulty while holding the feet directly with your hands, then use a belt that is looped over each side.
Then position each ankle directly over the knee ensuring that your shins are perpendicular to the floor. After that flex through the heels and then gently push your feet up into your hands or the belts, as you pull your hands down to create a resistance.
After this is done coax your thighs in towards your torso and down toward the floor as you lengthen the spine. Then release your tail bone towards the floor and lengthen the base of your skill ensuring that it moves away from the back of your neck.
Once you attain this pose hold it for 30 seconds to one minute and then release the feet back to the floor with an exhale. After that rest for few breaths.
The main anatomical focus of this asana is the hips. It brings immense benefits to the hips and helps to keep it flexible and strong.
There are several benefits of this asana. Some of them are as follows-
It helps to stretch the inner groins and the back spine which helps to keep it healthy and flexible.
It helps the calm down the brain and helps to relieve stress and fatigue.
It releases the low back and also stretches the hamstrings.
With all the stress and fatigue it makes you feel like a baby, happy and tension free, and that is how it gets its name as well.
By making the body calm and tension free it also helps to cure depression.
It strengthens your legs, thighs and hip muscles.
One needs to be careful and exercise caution with this asana especially during pregnancy. If not done in the right way it might cause knee injury or neck injury.
At the beginning it might be difficult to perform this asana. If beginners are not able to hold the feet with their hands, they can use the help of a yoga strap which can be looped around the middle arch. It should also be kept in mind that all yoga poses should be learned from a trained and licensed yoga trainer to ensure that the poses are correct and right techniques are followed.
If it becomes difficult to reach up to the toes, especially for beginners, you can use a piece of cloth or a scarf to do the same action. While in this pose gently rock from side to side with your lower back pressed into the earth for a nice and gentle self massage.
A piece of cloth or a scarf can be used to facilitate the pose, mostly for beginners.
Avoid this pose if you are pregnant or have neck, spine or knee injury. Aged people who have different ailments should consult a trained yoga practitioner before practicing it to see if it is good for them.
Before performing this asana one can perform basic preparatory poses like Balasana (Child's pose) and Virasana (Hero's Pose).
Its follow up pose is the Adho Mukha Svanasana.
While performing this asana it is very important to keep your mind free and feel like a baby to derive maximum benefit from it.