Karen Watson Reeves demonstrates Cow Pose while Krista Machen jokingly offers her a handful of hay. Photos by Fred Padilla.
By Karen Watson Reeves
To begin this article, I ask the same question that started last month’s feature, but in reverse: can one even do Cow Pose without Cat Pose (October’s yoga pose)? And the answer repeats last month’s with a resounding yes, but we seldom do. Another repeat from last month is I am again grateful to Krista Machen for the setting for Cow Pose.
What are some of the benefits of practicing Cow Pose? The arms, shoulders, and wrists are strengthened, along with the core muscles as they are engaged. Tension is relieved around the lower back, middle back, neck, and shoulders. Flexibility of the spine is improved.
Cow Pose is a back bend, thus helping counter poor posture and excessive bending or slouching forward. It helps relieve tension in the upper body and creates a strong front body stretch, from chin to pubic bone.
When Cow Pose is paired with Cat Pose, it is a great way to warm the body, particularly the spine, for other poses. Students are often cued to breathe deeply and slowly and synchronize the movement with the breath, inhaling into Cow, exhaling into Cat for several breath repetitions.
Another fun cue into Cow Pose is to create a sway back, lifting the hips high, dropping the belly low, bringing the chest forward, and lifting the head like a cow mooing. Krista made the photo shoot fun by offering my cow a bite of hay.
During November our thoughts turn especially to gratitude and thanksgiving. Food to eat is always near the top of most of our gratitude lists. During the fall and winter months, cows are grateful for hay to eat as the green grass of summer has died away.
Spend some time this month moving your spine between Cow and Cat to keep your spine more flexible and take some moments each day of November to add something new to your gratitude list.
Karen Watson Reeves has called Hot Springs home since 2006. Owner of The Yoga Place, at 301 Whittington Avenue, she became a registered yoga/children’s yoga teacher in 2011. When not on the mat, Karen enjoys the beautiful outdoors of the National Park, especially from her bicycle. Find more information about her studio and her schedule of classes at www.theyogaplacehs.com.
