Cow Pose

Another teacher and I are trying to find out what the exact translation of the sanskrit name for this pose is. We know it isn't "cow" because sanskrit for cow is "go"... Anyone know this? What does "bitila" mean?

Regarding Nina's question: yes, I have heard of this! Most of us practice Cat/Cow by inhaling cow, exhaling cat because it flows naturally with the opening of the chest on the "cow" part, and releases on the "cat". However, I took a class with a teacher who had us try the opposite for a couple of reasons: the inhale on cat may bring some ease into the lower back if one has problems there; and to encourage students to explore the breath, so you can see how YOUR body feels and decide for yourself how and why you might do a movement a certain way. As long as you take a care for safety first, exploration can open up new ways of doing things, or confirm why an established way works. And of course, you can always ask your instructor. Hope this helps!

Whenever I do this pose, I always think of peaceful cows grazing in a pasture full of beautiful flowers.
It's very stress-relieving for me...plus...I absolutly ADORE cows for some non-specific reason.
Thanks for sharing this pose with me!