Supported Bound Angle Pose
Supta Baddha Konasana, or supported bound angle pose, is one of the best poses for fertility, pregnancy and postpartum. This supported, reclining posture opens the pelvis and nourishes the reproductive organs. It also opens the heart and allows us to connect with our intuition. Staying in this pose for 5 to 15 minutes every day brings calm to the brain and nervous system. Especially if you are trying to conceive, this posture asks you to slow down and receive. Receive love from yourself. Receive the nourishment of your breath. Receive guidance from your intuition.
The Set Up
To set up, have a bolster the length of your spine, a blanket folded for your head and blocks, one under each outer thigh. If you don't have a bolster, you could use 2-3 neatly folded blankets or a firm pillow. Adjust the bolster or blankets so that the low back is comfortable and not cramped or pinching. You may want the bolster only under your chest/shoulders, or you may want it supporting your lower back (as in the photo above). If the low back is uncomfortable, you may also try turning the blocks to a higher level so that the knees are higher and the groins are not stretching. Be sure that your head blanket supports you in a way that allows the chin to be slightly lower than the forehead (so that your head isn't tipped back, making it difficult to breath). Rest your arms by your sides, some space between the ribs and upper arms, and the palms turned up. This setup should feel heavenly. If it doesn't, adjust your props until it does!
Meditation
As you recline into the posture, allow the body to relax, settle in and sink into the support fully. Relax the inner groins, the shoulders and arms. Relax your face, neck and throat. Bring your awareness to your belly, your womb. Notice what what kind of energy is there, perhaps giving it a shape, color, texture or sound. How does this part of your body feel? Does it feel open, stuck, tense, saggy? Notice what emotions arise as you feel into this area. Try not to overthink it. If there is any energy that you would like to clear from this area, begin to use your breath consciously. Imagine breathing in and surrounding your pelvis with a brilliant, warm, orange light. And as you exhale imagine sending out any gray, brown, gooey, sticky, icky energy (how ever it feels to you). Send it out through your vagina or out through your breath. Again breathe in and surround your pelvis with a warm, vibrant, orange light, and exhale the gray dirty junk that you no longer need. See the exhalation clearing the gunk and the inhalation filling that now-empty space with clean, pure, high vibration energy. Continue doing this for several more moments, for as long as you can concentrate on directing your energy to this place. When you're finished, bring your breath back to normal and allow your awareness to rest, no longer consciously manipulating thoughts or breath. After a few moments notice if there are any shifts or changes. If not, it's OK. Perhaps you will notice something later. Or perhaps you need to repeat this exercise daily until you truly do feel a shift. This is an excellent way to practice Supta Baddha Konasana if you are trying to conceive or if you need to let go of any negative energy from a birth experience. This could also be used to clear energy of sexual trauma from the reproductive organs.
If you are pregnant, you could use this clearing on your womb to let go of any fears about birth. Breathe in power. Invoke your power images, perhaps your mother or other ancestors, powerful feminine energy, or the image of Mother Earth. As you exhale, release any fears. Again, you could give a color, shape, texture or any description of this energy that needs to be released. It may take several breaths to gather the energy you want to release. Then send it out through your vagina with your breath. Repeat until every corner, nook and cranny has been cleansed and refreshed. After releasing your fears, take several moments to listen to baby. Notice how she feels now, and ask if she has any messages for you. Just listen without self-talk (that's just your ego creating doubt). Give gratitude for this time that you have set aside for your own health and well-being. Remember that self-care is the only way to take care of others.
Coming out of the pose
When you are ready to release the posture, extend your legs straight out in front of you and rest for a minute or so. Then slowly begin to awaken the body, moving fingers and toes. When you're ready, roll to your side and use your arms to press yourself up to sitting. Do this in a way that is gentle and maintains the calm, relaxed openness that you just created.
This pose is good to practice at any time during the day—first thing in the morning, when you need a break from your daily life, or at the end of the day to relax and prepare for bed. You may want to follow this posture with a child's pose, supported by the bolster, and perhaps if you have the energy, a downward facing dog. Or simply do a flat lying corpse pose, or side lying if you're pregnant.
