There's an important expression used by yoga instructors that cautions, "You only do what you can do." In other words, when attempting to complete the full version of any pose we never force the body to go beyond what it is ready to do. In order to sit in the full version of "Cow-Face Pose" (Gomukhasana) not only must the hip joints be ready to externally rotate and relax, but the shoulders, shoulder blades and arms are working to rotate in opposing directions for the upper body portion of this intermediate pose. But don't be afraid to try the full pose in stages because the expansion experienced in the hip and shoulder joints can be blissful.
With regular and constant practice (abhyasa) the hip joints will eventually release in full external rotation (away from center) enough to sit upright with the knees stacked over one another so that they resemble the narrow portion of a cow's face. Then it's time to open the upper body to form the cow's ears (one pointing upward and one downward). Okay, I admit that this image may challenge your imagination, but go with me on this. The arm position for Gomukhasana involves all those tense muscles that tighten when driving or working on the computer, or even chopping and dicing over a kitchen counter. Students who are new to this shoulder and chest-opening arm position are advised to use a belt or a strap held in the hand of the upper arm to avoid over-stretching the shoulder joint. The full version of "Cow-Face Pose" is safe for prenatal students with the use of a strap to avoid over-stretching the area across the abdomen.
With regular and constant practice (abhyasa) the hip joints will eventually release in full external rotation (away from center) enough to sit upright with the knees stacked over one another so that they resemble the narrow portion of a cow's face. Then it's time to open the upper body to form the cow's ears (one pointing upward and one downward). Okay, I admit that this image may challenge your imagination, but go with me on this. The arm position for Gomukhasana involves all those tense muscles that tighten when driving or working on the computer, or even chopping and dicing over a kitchen counter. Students who are new to this shoulder and chest-opening arm position are advised to use a belt or a strap held in the hand of the upper arm to avoid over-stretching the shoulder joint. The full version of "Cow-Face Pose" is safe for prenatal students with the use of a strap to avoid over-stretching the area across the abdomen.
- Physically---Once the leg position for "Cow-Face Pose" (See last week's blog.) has become comfortable enough not to be a distraction, the upper portion of the body is ready to open and relax. If the bottom portion of this pose remains too uncomfortable, you can just practice the arm and shoulder opening in a comfortable seated position such as "Adept's Pose" or "Staff Pose", or even while standing in "Mountain Pose." Search my previous blogs for descriptions of these positions.
- Begin by inhaling the arms straight above the head while grounding downward to create extension through the spine. At the top of the breath bend both elbows and release the right hand to the left elbow, drawing the flexed left elbow back behind the left ear until the resistance is felt in the back of the left upper arm (tricep muscle) and the left shoulder blade (scapula) opens to release externally with the softening of the left back muscles (rhomboids and latissimus.dorsi.) The upper left elbow is pointing upward when the right knee is on top of the left knee in the leg position, and vice versa. Remain here for 3-5 breaths to experience the external rotation in the left arm and shoulder joint before adding the bottom arm.
- If this is the first time you've tried this arm and shoulder stretch place a belt or strap in the upper left hand to be held firmly with the fingers aligned along the upper spine. Then inhale the right arm straight out to the side at shoulder height and rotate the right shoulder joint internally (toward center) as the right elbow bends. During the exhalation, roll the right hand, palm facing outward, up the center of the spine as you feel the muscles in the upper right back (subscapularis and posterior deltoid) lengthen enough to reach the fingers of the upper hand, OR the strap held in the upper hand. Remain in this shoulder-opening position for 8-10 breaths, directing each breath into the chest and upper back in order to intensify the stretch in all of the connective tissue. Inhale deeply to stretch the top elbow upward before exhaling to slowly release the grip that binds the opposing rotations.
- First reverse the lower leg position for "Cow Face Pose" as described in last week's blog before inhaling the arms to reverse upper body arm position. If the left knee is now stacked on top of the right knee then the right elbow will be flexed behind the right ear and the left arm will slide up the back of the spine to reach the right hand OR a strap now held in the right hand. Always move slowly and cautiously into this upper body stretch to avoid overmobilizing the shoulder joints and remain long enough to experience the opening and release of the upper back, shoulder and arm muscles.
- Mentally---With the intention to explore and discover any tension held in the upper body, rather than strike a perfect pose, it will be beneficial to practice truthfulness (satya) when approaching the upper body portion of Gomukhasana. back of the arms (triceps) or in the muscles between the shoulder blades (scapulae) called subscapularis rhomboids. Focus the attention on maintaining a smooth and rhythmic breathing pattern, especially to expand three-dimensionally through the rib cage on each inhalation as the arm, back and shoulder muscles work eccentrically while lengthening.
- Spiritually---If the flexed elbows represent each of the cow's ears in this "Cow-Face Pose"--- one perked and attentively pointing upward with the other relaxed and grounding downward--- this can be a wonderful expression of the battle to find balance between meeting the needs of opposing forces. We aim to strike a harmonious balance between our heavenly desires and our earthly needs. The upper ear or body can represent heaven within us and the lower ear or body can easily be seen as a grasping of earthly pleasures that can destroy and lead to hell on earth. My parents often preached their philosophy, "Don't be so earthly minded that you're no heavenly good, nor so heavenly minded that you're no earthly good." We live in both worlds, but as the philosopher Seneca, the younger said, "You cannot escape necessities, but you can overcome them." Be mindfully aware of all opposing forces.
