Gomukhasana (Cow Face Pose): Introduction, Steps, Benefits, Precautions, Expert Tips & Alterations

What You Should Know Before You Do Cow Face Pose (Gomukhasana) pose?

It is best to perform the Gomukhasana first in the morning. It has numerous benefits. Your stomach should be empty and bowels must be clear prior to practice this asana. Ensure that you have your meals before 10 to 12 hours prior to your practice.

• Yogasana Level – Basic
• Yogasana Style –  Hatha yoga
• Yogasana Repetitions –  once with your right over left then vice versa
• Yogasana Strengthens – back and chest
• Yogasana Stretches –  Shoulders, Hip, Thighs, Thorax, Ankles, Triceps brachii muscle, Axilla

Effect of Cow Face Pose (Gomukhasana) on Tri Dosha

• Effects on doshas and its subtypes – this posture stabilizes vata dosha.
• This pose significantly has a strong impact on the thorax region and also opens up the trunk and heart and also improves the lung and heart functions.
• Thus, it’s useful in balancing the doshas of thorax region i.e. vyana vata, udana vata, sadhaka pitta and avalambaka kapha.
• Since it maintains the stretchability and mobility of the joints and muscles so, it’s good for the health of shleshaka kapha and vyana vata.
• It has a great impact on the digestive system and it improves the functions of the digestive and hence is good for maintaining the stomach and gut doshas i.e. vata(samana), pitta(pachaka), and kapha(kledaka).
• This pose also influences the urinary system and hence it helps in balancing the functions of pachaka pitta and apana vata.
• As this pose is the best one to relieve the individual from anxiety, stress and negative feelings, calms and relaxes the system. It’s the best one for maintaining prana vata, sadhaka pitta, tarpaka kapha and vyana vata.

How To Do Cow Face Pose Yoga Posture/Asana?

1. Sit erect on the ground with your legs stretched out in front of you, preferably in Dandasana.
2. Now gently and slowly first bend your left leg, and out it under your right buttock.
3. Place your right leg over your left thigh.
4. Move your knees close together as they are stacked one on top of the other.
5. Place your left arm gently behind your back.
6. Put your right arm on your right shoulder, and stretch as you can it reaches your left hand. With practice, you will be able to not just reach, but also catch your left hand.
7. Keep the expand your chest and make the trunk erect and lay slightly back.
8. Breathe slowly and deeply and hold this pose for as long as you are comfortable. Concentrate on your breathing.

Benefits Of Gomukhasana Posture/Asana?

• This asana helps to make your back more flexible by stretching it.
• It is used in treatment of stiff shoulders and it also helps in reducing the cervical spine.
• Regular practice of the Gomukhasana also helps to cure the sciatica.
• It enhances the functions of the kidneys, thereby it helps the patients of diabetes.
• It acts on the pericardium and make them accessible
• Its regular Practicing of this asana may reduce stress and anxiety.

Contraindications And Precautions Of Cow Face Yogasana  Posture/Asana?

• People with injuries of subscapularis, teres minor, supraspinatus, and infraspinatus (rotator cuff) and with knee pains must avoid practicing this asana or can do a suitable modification.
• In case of backache, First consult a doctor before doing this asana, and practice only under the supervision of a certified expert yoga instructor.
• If your shoulders are tight and you fail to grasp your fingers behind your back, you can use a strap between your hands. Starting this pose with a strap draped around your shoulder of the lower arm. Slide the lower arm to the back, then hold the free end of the strap with the upper arm.
• In case of other restrictions, practicing this exercise may be difficult. But don’t worry. Instead, start small. You can start with trying to take your hands backward, holding elbow to elbow, and simply stretching your legs and crossing one over the other. With time, practice and patience, you will be able to do this asana perfectly as by time it makes the body flexible and easy to stretch.

Science Behind Posture/Asana?

• It involves the most common house of tension like your shoulders and hips and also for the chronic pain. This asana, quite important, increases the degree of motion in the shoulder joints. In case you have tight shoulders, and you can practice this asana continuously, in a range of a few months, your shoulders will relax out. This asana is used during treatment and it helps to release pressure.
• Gomukhasana, or the Cow Face Pose, relaxes the muscles and report a sense of calm. When you try to pull your hands in this pose, the stress in the muscle-tendon joints of your body gets accelerated. After this tension, effect the spinal cord sends signals to the muscles for relaxation. This pose creates stretch which results in endorphins release that induce relaxation feeling both in your body and mind
• A study held in The Chinese University of Hong Kong, where it was found that Hatha yoga (a part of Gomukhasana) can improves cardiovascular endurance, flexibility, and muscular strength

Beginners Tips For Gomukhasana Posture/Asana?

• In Beginning, it is found difficult to get the sitting bones to rest evenly on the floor. This makes piling the knees smoothly over each other is quite tough. The spine cannot stretch itself properly when the pelvis is angled. So, you can use a blanket or pillow to support and lift the sitting bones.

Advanced Pose Alterations

• You must have flexible shoulders to increase stretching in position. Move your hands slightly away from the back of the body. Lean in forward direction and laying your torso on the inner part of the thigh on top and by doing this make the full posture. you can hold this posture for 20 seconds, and inhale as you come up.

Related Yoga Poses/Asanas –

1. Baddha kona sana
2. Garodasana

Reference:-

• https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.stylecraze.com/articles/gomukhasana-cow-face-asana/%23:~:text%3DGomukhasana%252C%2520or%2520the%2520Cow%2520Face,signals%2520the%2520muscles%2520to%2520relax.&ved=2ahUKEwj2kunaov3wAhVMcCsKHbxcAjwQFjABegQIBBAF&usg=AOvVaw0j5ra28z-kFWJ0HDudMVAl&cshid=1622785752401