Marjaryasana

aka: Cat

Marjari = cat

Exercise: Hold yourself up on all fours and arch your back up now pushing your butt out and hips up. Switch between Cat and Cow at your own pace inhaling during Cat and exhaling during Cow.

Physical Benefit: Improves digestion and circulation.

Mental Benefit: Helps relieve anxiety.

Cat Pose

Cat Pose, or Marjaryasana, is sometimes paired with Cow Pose for an easy, rhythmic asana flow.

Step Into the Pose

To perform Cat Pose:

1. Position yourself on all fours, hands and knees in alignment with the hips and shoulders. Your back should be flat, with the stomach firm.
2. Straighten the neck and head as you look toward the floor.
3. Take a centering breath. Then, on the exhale, arch your back by tucking in the stomach and drawing the chin down to the chest.
4. Breathe, then on your next inhale, return to the flat back or tabletop position.
5. Repeat as often as you like.

This pose is often performed in conjunction with Cow Pose, which some instructors might also call Cat Lift. Feel free to combine the two postures by moving into Cow Pose instead of returning to tabletop.