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BALASANA - Child’s Pose

Pronounced Bah-lah-sah-nah.

Also called Child’s Pose, ‘bala’ means ‘child’ in Sanskrit. This pose is a resting pose to re-energize yourself. Kneel on the floor with big toes touching and sit back on your heels, bringing your knees to hip width. Exhale, laying your torso down between your knees and lengthening your tailbone toward your toes while the fronts of your shoulders touch the floor. Rest your forehead on your mat.

Balasana - Child's Pose

BANDHA - Lock

Pronounced Bahn-dah.

A bandha is a bind in yoga, meant to regulate and improve prana (life energy) flow within the body. There are four different types of bandha you may encounter in a yoga class, each meant to affect a different energy channel or chakra.

Bandha - Bind or Lock

  • Jalandhara bandha: The chin lock, practiced by bringing your chin down toward your chest.

  • Mula bandha: The root lock, practiced by engaging your pelvic floor muscles.

  • Uddiyana bandha: The abdominal lock, practiced by pulling your abdominal muscles in and lifting your chest up toward the sky.

  • Maha bandha: Translated as the great lock, supreme lock or triple lock, this bandha is practiced by performing the other three bandha simultaneously.

Jalandhara_Bandha - Chin Lock

Mula_Bandha - Root Lock

Uddiyana_Bandha - Abdominal Lock

Maha_Bandha - Great Lock, Supreme Lock or Triple Lock

BHUJANGASANA - Cobra Pose

Pronounced Boo-jang-gah-sah-nah.

Bhujanga means snake in Sanskrit, so this is known as Cobra Pose. Lie face down with legs straight, pressing the tops of your thighs and feet into the floor. Place your hands under your shoulders and hug your elbows to your sides. Inhale, lifting your chest like a cobra and maintain floor contact from your public bone through your legs.

Bhujangasana - Cobra Pose

BITILASANA - Cow Pose

Pronounced Bee-tee-lah-sah-nah.

Also known as Cow Pose, Bitilasana is usually paired with Cat Pose. For this pose, begin on all fours with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Start with a flat back and inhale, lifting your sitting bones and chest toward the ceiling, while your belly sinks to the floor. Exhale and come back to a flat back.