New Moon Yoga - Cat and Cow Poses

New Moon Yoga – Cat and Cow Poses

Cat-Cow

This movement is a combination of two poses, and is a development from a starting place of Table Top pose. In Sanskrit it is referred to as Bitilasana Marjaryasana and it is a flow between two positions. So let’s take a look at each position and the flow movement.

This short sequence works well at times of the new moon, but is one of the simplest ways at any time to increase back mobility and strength, and to help you find calm, so don’t just keep it for new moons. We start in a very stable, grounded position and then move the whole spine bringing fluidity, grace and a connection with the breath. We can take our time or move more quickly, and as we have nice a stable base we can really focus on noticing small movements in the pelvis, back, neck, belly and arms, discovering strength and concentration as well as the calming, stress relief that comes with breath connection.

Cat-cow has similar physical benefits to Table Top pose as well as additional ones from the movement between the two poses. These include strengthening the arms and back and neck muscles, as well as stretching and strengthening the abdominal muscles. Flexibility of the spine from the pelvis to the skull is encouraged through both flexion and extension, and the throat and chest are opened in Cow pose. The big psoas muscles which lie deep in the pelvic area, running from the lower back to the top of the thigh bone, are activated, and the small muscles in the hands and wrists get a work out too. 

 Start in Table Top Pose

Cat Pose

How to find Cat and Cow poses

Take Table Top pose. You can let the tops of the feet be flat on the ground or you can tuck the toes under – whichever feels good for you. From this starting place, where the spine and neck are neutral and the belly is slightly lifted, tilt the tail-bone, or coccyx, down towards the floor. This is done by literally rocking or tilting the whole pelvis, so the mid-back lifts skyward as the tail drops down. Use the lower back muscles to find this rocking motion and then the tummy muscles to help the middle of the back draw up and feel supported. At the same time allow the rest of the spine to ripple naturally so the head drops downwards as the mid-back lifts, and the back of the neck lengthens, the gaze is looking back towards your thighs. This is Cat pose. You can push through the palms, fingers still spread wide and all the knuckles still flattened into the ground. Even though the head lowers, the shoulders are engaged, drawing down the back, as you push through the whole of the arms, feeling strong and grounded. The hips stay directly above the knees and the shoulders stay above the wrists – the shape all comes from the tilt of the pelvis and the flex through the spine. 

Toes tucked option of Cat pose

Cow Pose

To move from here to Cow pose, rock or tilt the pelvis back up the other way, sending the tail-bone up towards the sky. Let the spine ripple through again so the mid-back dips downward now and the neck and head lift forward and upwards. Feel the chest lifting and opening up and out and release the belly a little to allow it to stretch. Engage the muscles of the mid-back to help find this arch and push through the arms and hands again at the peak of this pose, drawing the shoulder blades down the back to help with stability and openness across the shoulders. The focus will be out in front of you and maybe slightly up, but just let the neck follow the natural line of the spine, and don’t tilt the chin up over much. 

Oh, and if you were wondering why Cow pose is so named, then forget about the more European or Western cows and envisage many Eastern or Indian cattle and you’ll notice their dipped back and then the analogy makes much more sense. Perhaps it will help you to remember the names of the two poses, too.

Close up of the Cow Pose on the New Moon Yoga print by Moon Phase Studios

Other options

Options for the basic Table Top pose are in another blog but obviously these can be applied in Cat-Cow too, so have a look at the suggestions there.

If you are starting from a seated version of Table Top, the feet stay grounded, the motion is very similar through the spine, and the hands can be placed on the thighs to help with stability and the sensation of being grounded or connected. Alternately you could press the palms together in a prayer gesture, noticing how the chest moves closer to the hands in Cow and further away in Cat. The pelvic tilt described above starts the spinal ripple and you may find the buttocks feel as if they are tucking underneath as the mid-back moves back out behind you and the head curls down towards the chest, coming into Cat. Remember to use the abdominal muscles to help pull the tummy back too. Moving back to Cow, rock the pelvis and push the tail bone and lower back down and away behind you to arch the spine, release the tummy and open up the chest and throat into the arching and open Cow pose. 

Chair-based variation of Cat pose

Chair-based variation of Cow pose 

How to breathe in the pose

Breathing in this Cat-Cow sequence can be truly divine. The simple rule is that if the front of the body is opening up you are breathing in, and if it is closing in you breathe out. So moving into Cat pose, with the head and chest folding inwards, let the breath be squished out of you and try to fully empty the lungs if you can, using the tummy muscles to help. As you move into archy-Cow pose then let the breath be sucked back in as the body opens up, and the belly stretches and relaxes to accommodate the fullness of the lungs with a full breath in. You can try to let the breath and the movement take the same length of time, matching the movement to the breath or vice versa. It can become very meditative with practice. Great for the new moon. Try taking several flows through the two poses, back and forth, breathing in and out, settling into the rhythm. Mmmm, so good for body, mind and spirit. 

Moving on

There are lots of options to follow on after these two poses. After completing our Cat-Cow flows come back to neutral Table Top, so there is stillness and stability from which to move on. We will explore a couple more flow options we could take from here in these Essential Yoga blogs, looking at Balancing Table and Thread the Needle, or we can tuck the toes under and push back into Downward Facing Dog from here, or we can let the hips sink back over the heels and slide into Child’s Pose. As always, there are seemingly endless further options, such as stepping one foot forward into a lunge, taking juicy hip circles, or moving forwards onto our belly and perhaps on to Sphinx or Cobra pose. See what feels the right option for you at the time.

Make sure you always look after yourself when doing yoga.

It’s important to always listen to your body and only work within your personal limitations. You are fully responsible for your own safety and wellbeing. Make sure your surroundings and your practices are safe. Do not attempt to take a physical posture that is outside of the scope of your practice. If you have any specific medical conditions, injuries, surgeries or are pregnant you should check with your GP or appropriate medical professional before starting any exercise. Keep in mind that yoga might be challenging at times, but it should never be painful. You must stop if you experience any pain, and you should consult your GP if you experience anything untoward such as dizziness or feeling faint. Rest or leave anything out that you need to avoid or that does not feel right.

Louise xx