1. Extended Child's Pose - Yoga Mudra Variations

  1. Yoga Mudrasana (Extended child’s pose)


  • Begin on your hands and knees with the knees wider than your shoulders and big toes touching.
  • Sit back so that your buttocks touch your heels. (Note:  If this is not possible,  you may use a blanket thinly folded, placed in the knee crease.  If it is still difficult, you can sit back on a pillow placed between the thighs and calves.  If the ankles or feet hurt, you can place a towel roll under the ankles for support).
  • Lift the chest and feel that you are lengthening the body forward as you walk your hands forward without letting the buttocks come away from the heels.
  • Place your hands on two blocks or books.  
  • Keep the neck parallel to the floor by folding a blanket and putting support under the head.  This prevents tension in the neck and collapsing of the spine.
  • Make sure the hands are even so both sides of the trunk are long. 
  • Press the palms down onto the block and energize the arms so the elbows are straight.
  • Inhale into the chest and lengthen more as you melt the upper back towards the floor.
  • Lengthen both sides of the waist.
  • Hold for 15-30 seconds and come back to an upright seated position on the heels.


Second Variation:

Parsva Yoga Mudrasana (Child’s pose to the side): For a right scoliosis

Note:  for a left scoliosis you would move to the left side twice as much as to the right.  For an even curve, practice on both sides emphasizing the area you need to lengthen on each side.


  • Move the blocks and head support to the right side.
  • Lift the chest, inhale and lengthen the front body, then walk hands to the right, pressing the left buttocks back onto the left heel.
  • Put hands on the blocks
  • Reach the left hand forward, lengthening it more than the right side.
  • Hold for 15 seconds.
  • Then turn the left block up to vertical, and twist to the left absorbing the right ribs into the body.
  • Make sure the hips shift over to the left heel.
  • Breathe into the left side of the rib cage, inflating the left lung.
  • Hold for 30 seconds.
  • Repeat to the left for 15 seconds lengthening evenly through both arms.
  • Go back to the right side and add the twist again. Hold for 15 seconds.
  • Come back to the center and hold  for 15 seconds lengthening both sides equally.  We always want to end with general lengthening of both sides to create balance and come back to center.




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