1. Make a Cow-Face
The Cow-Face yoga pose is called "gomukhasana" in the Sanskrit language; "go" means cow, "mukha" means face and "asana" means position. When you assume the pose you look a little like a cow with one horn pointing up and one curving down. To get into gomukhasana, sit on the floor with your legs out in front. Bend your knees moving the left foot under the right thigh up near your hip. Cross the right leg over the left so that the knees are on top of one another. Bring the right foot up along side the left thigh. Then sweep your right arm around to the side and behind you. Lay the back of the right hand against the center of your back and slide it upward. Raise your left arm straight overhead, and bend the elbow to aim the left hand down toward your shoulder. Make the left palm face your back. Join the palm side of the hands and grip the fingers together. Sit in the pose this way and then release and change the cross direction of the legs and reverse and re-position the hands.
2. Bring a Belt and a Blanket
It is important to sit with both hip bones evenly on the floor when in the Cow-Face pose. However, this is difficult for some. Sitting up on a folded blanket can help even out the hips. If your hands do not come together, use a belt between them. Grip the belt with both hands, and gradually work you hands along the belt toward each other.
3. Top to Bottom Flexibility
The Cow-Face pose promotes ankle, knee and hip flexibility. It stretches thigh, shoulder and upper arm muscles, and broadens the front of the chest. As the chest stretches the lungs expand, so this is a good pose for increasing respiratory capacity. It relieves tension in the shoulders and neck, so it is good for people who are at computers for long hours. The Cow-Face pose can alleviate some forms of knee pain, but because the pose puts pressure on the knees it can also aggravate a new knee injury or one in the process of healing.
4. Challenging Varieties Available
When you are very experienced with this pose and can sit in the position comfortably for several minutes, you can add variations. One variation is to move the hands away from the back slightly. Another is to slowly bend forward from the hips while sitting in the pose. Both of these variations deepen the stretches the pose offers.
5. Not Everyone's Animal
People with sciatica must use caution in gomukhasana, because the hip stretch can exacerbate the condition. Sit in an upright position on a folded blanket and just extend the legs in front of you. Those with active shoulder injuries or shoulder conditions such as a torn rotator cuff should not do this pose.
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