Gomukhasana - Cow Face Pose

Every day, you count on your body to help you serve the purpose of your life.  Hopefully you might take around 15,000 breaths, walk between 5,000 and 10,000 steps, and open/close your mouth between 2,000-5,000 times to express yourself and take in nourishment. When basic body functions are impaired, health, vitality, and positive outlook are derailed and the physical body begins to be affected by wear and tear.

What would happen if you can be consistent with practicing functional movement, and incorporate care to include mind and spirit?  You would nourish the physical body, maintain healthy structure, build strength and ensure proper functioning.  Imagine what your life would be like if moving your body was more graceful and filled with freedom throughout range of movement, rather than tedious or laboring.  Freedom of movement would carry over to mind and spirit.  One way to get there - yoga! 
 
Gomukhasana is a pose that creates freedom in the shoulder girdle, as it both stretches and strengthens the muscles that provide both inward and outward rotation of the arm.  Even if you do not have a shoulder injury, daily stress and anxiety is held in the neck and shoulder.   

One arm reaches from over the head and aims down the back body.  The other arm reaches from below and up the back body.  If you can hook three fingers, tug lightly, breathe deeply and try to stay 20 to 40 seconds.  If you cannot hook three fingers, use a strap to hold the hands as close to each other as possible and again, tug, breathe and build time working on both strength and flexibility. Take care not to hyperextend the lower back, to engage the legs to help engage the core and,...enjoy maintaining and building freedom in the shoulders. 

Gomukhasana will help you access what your arms help you to do:  carry, serve, reach, drive, clean, eat,...and embrace the ones you love!


Essential oil to use:  Cypress and Eucalyptus