Gomukasana (cow face yoga pose) is an incredible experience of physical heart opening and simultaneous rooting.  Its form is representative of the face of the sacred cow that offers sustenance and sustainability as well as a powerful connection to the earth.  Traditionally, the cow in Indian culture revered as a holy animal, and represents nourishment, abundance, and the embodiment of the sacred.  In the Hindu tradition, the cow, Nandi, is the vehicle upon which Lord Shiva rides, and is also a central figure in the life of Krishna, an incarnation of Vishnu who is the sustainer of the universe.

Many of the asanas in our repertoire have a fascinating mythology behind them.  Perhaps one of the most well known stories is the one of Hanuman, the monkey king and loyal devotee to Lord Rama, who lept across the sea from India to Lanka to reassure Ram’s wife, Sita that she will be rescued.  He is represented in Hanumanasana (Seated Splits) as making that great leap of devotion, and as we practice we are often called to embody that devotion in ourselves. But, for many of today’s modern practitioners, the idea of devotion is a foreign one.  Many yogis in the west can understand the theory, but cannot quite experience the practice.  Maybe one of the biggest hurdles is feeling comfortable offering that much of your heart to another, often unseen and unproven, object of worship.

Life is a series of revolutions.  Usually that word has connotations of conflict, fighting our way through situation after situation, or even in struggling for liberation, but more it can also mean that every event and action is a series of cycles meant to bring us back to our source.  How we choose to deal with each revolution is a defining point in the difficulty or ease of our lives.  When we choose to muscle our way through these revolutions, we notice that we keep fighting the same fights over and over again.  It is possible that the circumstances or the players change from situation to situation, but the underlying experience remains the same.  What we learn from an asana like Parvritta Parsvakonasana (Revolved Side Angle Pose) is that the more we surrender into the experience, the more effortless and accessible it becomes, and the more we are able to sit within our challenges to see that surrender is our greatest path to the source.

Utthita Hasta Padgangusthasa (Extended Hand to Big Toe Pose) is about staying connected to the foundation of ease and equanimity that is always within us while we work with the deep strength of our core, the flexibility of our periphery, and the openness of our hearts.  And in being aware of all of these processes, to experience the feelings of solidity and expansion that constantly emanate from a center of balance.  Wow.  That is big.  And the experience of this pose, when entered into fully is big.  You can move into this asana feeling weak or imbalanced, and after a few moments of dedicated practice, you will find your roots, your strength and be able to expand and open more than you realized possible.