Staying in My Head Too Much. Gomukhasana - Cow's Head Pose
GOMUKHSANA [ Cow's Head Pose ]
This pose is called, "Gomukhasana" or Cow's Pose. The symbolism behind this pose is nonviolence, nurturance and generosity. The discovery of true Self.
It is aimed to balance the first four chakras with the sixth chakra is activated with the gaze.
Benefits of this pose lengthens the musculature of your shoulders, hips and butt, supports the reproductive and eliminatory systems and massages your lymph nodes of the groin and underarms which supports immunity. It integrates your lower and upper body and cultivates a balance between the physical and spiritual aspects of being.
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This was a hard pose for me to get into, over the past couple of weeks. In fact, many of the poses that my body seemed to know and was going into with ease were also difficult for me to complete.
There could be a number of factors as to why my body wasn't moving as fluid as I had wanted it to:
**1. Poor diet.**
Over the holiday season, party food isn't always healthy and body friendly food. Diet can either hinder or help a practice and over the holidays, my diet definitely did not help my practice.
**2. Not making time for my practice.**
There were a couple days where I didn't have the opportunity to be on my mat. So when I tried to get back into the swing of things, my body, though familiar with the moves, was not as well "oiled" as I had previously kept it.
**3. Staying in my Head.**
My mat is my sanctuary. Being on my mat -that space is sacred to me. It is mine and mine alone. I try to leave all worldly worries, stresses, and violence to self, to mind and to others off my mat. I let it dissipate. But, over the break, there were times where I wasn't successful in leaving those worries off my mat. I allowed it to pollute my space and it would continuously flow into my thoughts while in practice. Because I wasn't at ease mentally, my physical body was also suffering. I wouldn't be able to hold a pose, or it would be difficult for me and I would be brutal to myself because of it. Then my mind would wander into current events happening in my life and it would unsettle my breathing. I was in my mind far too much.
There are many factors as to why I wasn't able to practice with ease, but that's what yoga is all about, right? Whether it felt like my time on my mat was a good one or not, it was still part of my practice.
I personally felt that my mind was just far too clouded over the holiday break. It was busy, it was loud and at times, very negative. Though I feel a little defeated because of it, I cannot let this myself judge the next time based on my last experience. Our minds and our bodies won't always be one with each other. There will be times where we lay on our mat after savasana going, "What happened? Shouldn't I be feeling better?" Allow yourself to feel it. Allow yourself to feel the defeat.