The first 200-Hour Teacher Training I ever went through was all about learning how to get students into shapes in a straight forward, efficient manner. Although it had areas for improvement, almost 15 years later I still think it was the best way for me to dive right in and get comfortable with teaching yoga classes.

I was taught to teach a set sequence. My appreciation for memorization loved this approach. I found myself getting more and more confident in my skills as the weeks passed because I was a pro at following rules.

This sequence had students begin in Extended Child’s Pose - Balasana. In training we were encouraged to remind students that they could always return to Child’s Pose whenever they felt like they needed to rest or catch their breath. Being the good rule-follower that I am, for probably the first 4+ years of teaching yoga I started every single one of my yoga classes in Child’s Pose and probably mentioned something about how Child’s Pose could be their resting shape throughout practice. I did this because this is what I was told to do and it’s really all I knew.

But, here’s the thing, I don’t really like how Child’s Pose feels when I do it in my own body. Especially when I start a practice in the shape. It’s rare that the shape feels restful or comforting to me unless I use blankets or a bolster to rest my abdomen and chest.

With time I started taking yoga classes that started in Down Dog, Table Table, and various reclined shapes. I found that I enjoyed those practices much more than when I started a practice in Child’s Pose. I also found that without the usual “you can rest in Child’s Pose” prompt from my teachers, I would find a more natural resting position when I felt like I needed to take a breather.

If you love Child’s Pose and you use it as your place to pause, great! Continue to make it your go-to resting shape!

If you’re more lukewarm on the shape, consider these other options:

Sit on your shins - Hero’s Pose
Cross your legs and sit on your mat or a block - Easy Pose
Lay on your back - Savasana or Constructive Rest
Lay on your belly - Crocodile Pose
Lay on your side - Fetal Pose
Stand up - Mountain Pose

There’s many ways to rest in your yoga practice. It’s okay if it’s not Child’s Pose.