Sit Comfortably In Meditation With The Buttafly
A Well-Aligned Spine Is Key To Meditation
Sitting cross-legged on the floor is the position most associated with meditation and many people want to meditate in this position whether or not they are used to sitting on the floor.
In many schools of yoga, it is often taught that the physical practices (asanas) are merely the preparation for meditation.
Certainly, good flexibility of the spine, hips, knees, and ankles is necessary for the body to be able to sit cross-legged.
The Buttafly is designed by Loulou James, a leading physiotherapist and yoga teacher, to help you sit with comfort and ease during meditation and pranayama.
Like a stable building, the key is in the foundations. When it comes to your body, this means setting up the pelvis correctly.
A pelvis that rests in the neutral position automatically facilitates good alignment of the spine, helping you achieve the stillness that is necessary for an effective meditation practice.
The Ergonomically Designed Buttafly
- Gently sloping upper surface provides the right foundations for good posture;
- Unique groove at the back avoids pressure on the tailbone;
- Indent at the front provides space for the feet.
What Is Good Posture?
Essentially, good posture constitutes a well-aligned spine so that its three natural curves are all in place.
This will mean:
- The head balances atop the neck
- There is no tension in the neck or back muscles
- The postural muscles are working as they are designed to
- The movement muscles are relaxed
- The shoulders, neck and jaw are free of tension and holding
- The belly is soft
- The breath is free and unlaboured
REMEMBER: A relaxed body encourages the nervous sytem to relax too.
Top Tips For Sitting Well On The Buttafly
Choosing The Right Buttafly For You
When you sit cross-legged without any support, if your knees are this high off the ground we recommend the Standard Buttafly will likely be best for you.
When you sit cross-legged without any support if your knees are this high off the ground we recommend the Tall Buttafly.
Alternatively, you could use a Standard Buttafly stacked with a Flat one which makes the same height as a Tall.
What you choose will then depend upon whether you wish to use the Buttafly for purposes other than sitting.
When you sit cross-legged if your knees are this high off the ground we recommend the Tall Buttafly together with the Flat Buttafly.
Still Not Sure? Watch Our Video
1. Sit on the Buttafly with your legs out straight.
2. Bend one knee, sliding your foot along the mat; wrap both hands around the shin to gently bring the heel as close as you can towards your bottom. This helps protect your knee.
3. Use your hands to support the knee and ankle as you turn your hip to bring your leg into the cross-legged position.
4. Repeat with the other leg to come into a beautifully aligned sitting pose.
5. Breathe into your belly and SMILE!
Can The Buttafly Be Used On A Chair
We get asked this question all the time, and the answer is, YOU BET!
There are yoga teachers out in the world teaching Chair Yoga using the Buttafly.
The only necessity is for the chair to have a relatively flat seat – and choose the Standard Buttafly, as shown here in the photograph.
As with using the Buttafly on the floor, place your sit bones towards the back edge of the block.
Have your feet flat on the floor and your feet and knees hip-width apart.
Are you an Allied Health Professional or a Massage Therapist & keen to explore new ways to support your clients?
The Buttafly Effect refers to the release of the spine that occurs as a direct result of careful positioning the Buttafly block in supine lying.
With proper application, the Buttafly Technique is effective in providing relief from back pain and associated symptoms.
We invite you to learn how to incorporate this outstanding new technique accredited by the Complementary Medical Association into your work for back care and relief of pain.
