Posture of the month: Tittibhasana (Firefly Pose)
Taking flight again
In September, we will practice Tittibhasana, an advanced yet fun arm balance that requires focus, strength and endurance. Time to warm up and get ready to fly!
The Sanskrit name consists of two syllables: Tittibha (small insect, firefly) and Asana (seat / pose / posture). To practice it, you will need both a strong core and flexibility in your hamstrings, as you extend your legs forward like the antennae of a firefly.
The benefits of practicing Tittibhasana
Like every arm balance, practicing Tittibhasana will challenge your core and require a strong focus and good balance. It is recommended to engage your bandhas strongly when practicing the Firefly pose. Here are the benefits you will reap when mastering Tittibhasana:
Image source: Canva
As you are building up your skill to practice Tittibhasana, you will stretch your hamstrings and back muscles. (Careful: if you suffer from a lower back injury, or issues with your elbows or wrists, please ask your teacher for an alternative pose to practice.)
Gain strength in your arms and wrists, as well as your hip joints.
It stretches your inner groins and the connective tissues behind your knees.
Strengthens your abdominals, so it will help tone your tummy. In addition, the massage of the abdominal area helps balance the metabolism and helps with your digestion.
Increases your focus and balance - make sure you pick a drishti point!
According to Ayurveda, Tittibhasana helps balance your Prana Yayu and Udana Yayu and thereby helps calm the mind and ease stress and anxiety.
Lastly, it is recommended to practice this pose with fun and light-heartedness, taking yourself lightly in the process. Few people master it upon their first attempt, so make sure you have fun and enjoy the process…
Tittibhasana and your chakra system
Practicing the Firefly Pose stimulates the Swadhisthana Chakra (or Sacral Chakra), located in the hip area, at the centre of your sacral spine. Some call it the “emotional hub of our body”, and it is associated with the element of water, so it’s all about flow, flexibility and freedom of expression.
When healthy and “in flow”, you feel juicy, creative, sensual and in flow, and will be warm, cheerful, confident and open. You are able to express grace, acceptance, and compassion towards yourself and others.
The biggest block for this chakra is fear, so when challenged in this area, you are more likely to shut down, have difficulty coping with emotional challenges, and isolate yourself from the world. Being the centre of sensory pleasure, when imbalanced we can fall into seeking fleeting sensory gratification, e.g. in excessive eating, unhealthy sexual activities, and the use of drugs. You may feel a momentary sense of power and significance, but it almost always leads down a spiral that ends up in deficiency, guilt and shame, and an (emotional) hangover. Definitely no pleasure at all.
To come back into balance, allow yourself the space to freely express our emotions, without judging yourself. Less rigidity and more gentle presence is the way to go. Instead of avoiding your emotions and finding external distractions, face your fears and name them. Be present with yourself like you would be with a small child in your care, soothing and reassuring them. If who you are and what you feel is allowed to just be, validated and loved unconditionally, your Sacral Chakra can recover with ease.
Image by Yanalya
So are you ready to put your head down into Tittibhasana? Then come along to Flex regularly and practice with us! There are over 25 classes/week, and we will practice the Firefly daily during all of September 2022!
This month, we acknowledge Dr. Prem, Liza Laird and Christina Sell at Yoga International for their helpful insights that have informed this blog article.