Seated Yoga, Sitting Balance: How the Buttafly Can Help

When people think of yoga props, they often imagine blocks, straps and bolsters being used on the floor. Yet one of the most valuable uses of the Buttafly is often overlooked: using it on a chair.

I was reminded of this recently when I had the pleasure of meeting a lovely group of ladies attending a seated yoga class for people living with Multiple Sclerosis.

For many people living with MS, balance can become less reliable. Sitting upright without support may require considerable effort, and the fear of losing balance can affect confidence as much as physical ability.

Yoga offers many benefits, but before movement can be explored, there must first be a sense of stability and support.

We often think of balance as something that matters when we’re standing or walking, yet balance is important in sitting, too.

When we’re sitting, it is easy to overlook because the chair provides support. We can lean against the backrest, rest our arms on the chair or subtly brace ourselves without even realising it. Over time, we may forget how much of our balance is being provided by the chair rather than by our own ability to organise ourselves in sitting.

Supporting the body’s natural intelligence

Although the Buttafly was originally designed to support comfortable floor sitting, it lends itself beautifully to use on a chair.

Many chairs position the hips and knees at roughly the same height. For some people, particularly those with stiff hips, this can encourage the pelvis to roll backwards, making it harder to sit comfortably and maintain an upright position.

By increasing the height of the sitting surface, the Buttafly increases the space between the trunk and the thighs, and reduces the range of hip flexion. This simple adjustment can make sitting feel noticeably easier.

The shape of the Buttafly also encourages body weight to be supported more correctly through the sit bones. As this happens, the pelvis often finds a more balanced position from which the spine can organise itself naturally.

Rather than asking the body to “sit up straight”, the Buttafly creates conditions that make upright sitting easier.
The natural curves of the spine can emerge without force. Breathing becomes less restricted. Movement requires less effort.

The body already possesses an extraordinary intelligence. Given the opportunity, it often knows exactly what to do. When the pelvis is well supported and the spine is free to organise itself naturally, many of the deeper postural muscles can begin to participate in the way they were designed to. We do not need to consciously activate them or think about them. Often the body simply responds.

A real-life example

During the seated yoga class, one lady was particularly concerned about her ability to sit unsupported.

Like many people whose balance has become less reliable, she lacked confidence in her body’s ability to keep her upright without assistance. When sitting feels insecure, the body often compensates by recruiting muscles that would ordinarily be at rest. Breathing may become more restricted, movements less fluid, and simply staying upright can require considerable effort.

As she settled onto the Buttafly, she gradually began to find her own balance. There was no instruction to hold herself differently and no attempt to force a posture. Instead, she was given a more supportive foundation from which her body could respond.

Over the course of the session, her confidence visibly increased. As sitting became less effortful, her head, arms and trunk appeared freer to move. Rather than using energy simply to maintain her position, she was able to direct more attention towards the yoga practice itself.

What was especially encouraging was her comment afterwards that standing up felt easier than usual.

This is something I have observed many times over the years. Sitting is not an isolated activity. When we are well organised in sitting, balance becomes more responsive, movement becomes easier and the body is often better prepared for what comes next.

For this lady, the change began not with trying harder, but with finding the support she needed to trust her own balance again.

If you’re interested in learning more about using the Buttafly for chair yoga, including how it supports the pelvis and spine in sitting, you may also enjoy our Chair Yoga guide.