Asanas and their Description

Bidalana Asana (Cat Pose): Yoga

Cat Pose initiates movement from the center and coordinates movement and breath.

1. Start on hands and knees and then place the hands beneath the shoulders, the knees directly beneath the hips. Spread the fingers fully with middle fingers pointing straight forward. Gaze at the floor after making the back horizontal and flat. This is called ‘neutral’ positioning. When the pelvis is in neutral stage the spine becomes fully extended.

2. Press each arm downward into the hands and lift upward out of the shoulders. Repeat the same several times till fully understanding the movement. Exhale and sag into the shoulders and do the incorrect action. Inhale and lengthen the arms and lift out of the shoulders and do the incorrect action.

3. Cat Tilt: When readied to begin, breathe deeply. Turn the hips into ‘Cat Tilt’. To do this, pull the abdominal muscles gently backward towards the spine, tuck the tail bone down and under and gently contract the buttocks. For staying lifted from the shoulders, press downward with the hands and then press middle of the back towards the ceiling, rounding the spine upward. Thereafter curl the head inward and gaze at the floor between the knees.

4. Dog Tilt: Turn the hips into ‘Dog Tilt’ while inhaling. For this, release the grip of the buttocks, reverse the tilt of the pelvis and curve the spine into a smooth arch-like back bend.

5. While inhale turn the hips into Dog Tilt. For this, release the grip of the buttocks and then reverse the tilt of the pelvis and curve the spine into a smooth back bend arch.

6. To increase the curve, tilt the pelvis more. Then move the spine deeper into the back and bring the curve up the back. This has to be done without sagging into the shoulders. Finally, maximum arch the spine.