I think I will explore Bound Angle (Baddha Konasana) this week. I have 4 different supported options and I'll post one each day. For today:
Semi-Upright, Supported Bound Angle Fold
To come into the pose:
Sit on the floor in front of a chair in Bound Angle Pose - soles of the feet together while the knees drop out to each side. Feet can be as close to or as far away from the body as is needed for comfort. Sit on a wedge or a blanket to give a lift to your sit bones which allows your pelvis to tilt forward into a forward fold. Position blocks or blankets under your knees on each side if needed. Rest the arms and head on the chair's seat or add a block to the chair's seat in order to forward fold with comfort.
To come out of the pose:
Gently roll your spine up, push the chair away from you, bring the knees together, and ease yourself to your next pose or toward getting up.
Gently roll your spine up, push the chair away from you, bring the knees together, and ease yourself to your next pose or toward getting up.
Sara's note: This version of Bound Angle is a supportive option for folks who have a hard time forward folding in Bound Angle without props. Using a wedge or a blanket under the sit bones will help lengthen the spine and using a chair to lean toward will offer a nice amount of height to allow a gentler opening. Resting the forehead on the block on top of the chair (as shown) decreases the pressure of the forward fold even more by creating enough height to keep your body long and aligned. Adding blocks or pillows on each side, under the outer thighs/knees, creates even more ease.