Poorna Titali Asana (full butterfly)

 Poorna Titali Asana (full butterfly)

Sit in the base position.

Bend the knees and bring the soles of the feet together, keeping the heels as close to the body as possible. Fully relax the inner thigh muscles.

Stage I Clasp the feet with both hands.

Gently bounce the knees up and down, using the elbows as levers to press the legs down.

Try to touch the knees to the ground on the downward stroke. 

Do not use any force.

Practice 30 to 50 up and down movements.

Stage 2: Keep the soles of the feet together.

Place the hands on the knees.

Using the palms, gently push the knees down towards the floor, allowing them to spring up again.

Do not force this movement.

Repeat 20 to 30 times.

Straighten the legs and relax.

Breathing: Normal breathing, unrelated to the practice.

Awareness: On mental counting, movement, and relaxation.

Contra-indications: People with sciatica and sacral conditions should avoid this asana.

Benefits: Both stages prepare the legs for mastery of padmasana and other meditative asanas. The inner thigh muscles hold a lot of tension which is relieved by these asanas. They also remove tiredness from long hours of standing and walking.