Yogis Anonymous

Gomukhasana

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Cow Face Pose Gomukhasana

Advanced

By

Ally Hamilton

Gomukhasana, or Happy Cow Face Pose is a hip-opener which can be too intense for people with knee issues, so please listen to your body! It is also an intense shoulder opener, and you might like to have a strap or towel handy. Nothing should hurt. If you can't breathe deeply, you've gone too far!

Class details

Benefits

Opens the hips, especially the gluteus medius
Strengthens the core
Opens the shoulders

Key Alignment Points

Sit up tall with your legs extended straight out in front of you.
Bend your right leg, pick it up, and stack your right knee on top of your left, flexing your foot.
If your knees feel comfortable, bend your left leg, flexing that foot as well.
Root into your sit bones, and make a long spine.
Extend your left arm toward the sky (you may want to hold one end of a strap in your left hand).
Bend your left elbow so your forearm is behind your head.
Extend your right arm to the right, pivot your palm to the back of the room, drop the arm and bend the elbow, moving your right hand gently toward the space between your shoulder blades.
Clasp the strap, or the left hand.
Fold forward, so your chin rests on your top knee.

Contraindications

Knee and shoulder injuries
Disc issues may be better upright

Ready to work it?

Here are some classes featuring Cow Face Pose.

30 minutes

Light Stretch, Deep Breath

By Brent Laffoon on Jul 10, 2025

Gentle Yoga Intermediate

A great practice post-workout, post-run, or anytime you're looking for a light stretch and deep breathing. Expect to release your shoulders, hips and hamstrings. You may want a strap and/or a block. Listen to your body, breathe deeply and enjoy before bed, after a run, or before a tough conversation :)
49 minutes

Move, Breathe, Meditate

By Brent Laffoon on Apr 1, 2025

Meditation Intermediate

Thought twice about whether to put this practice in the Meditation or Gentle Yoga section. Truthfully, it could be in both! This is a beautiful session that explores what happens when we sit and observe sensation in the body. The most consistent sensation is the breath. And the more we can attune our minds to noticing subtle sensation, the more we're able to be present, curious, and immersed in what's happening from moment-to-moment - in other words, the more able we are to suck the juice out of every moment. In this session, we intersperse deep stretching and breathing with periods of sitting quietly and breathing. There is hip opening with breath, then sitting. Shoulder-opening with breath, then sitting, breathing, and witnessing. There is hamstring opening and conscious breath, and seated meditation once again. Each time you stretch and breathe, and then sit and breathe, you may observe the mind as it quiets more easily and willingly, until the fluctuations cease, and your mind is smooth, like the most placid lake at sunrise, before even the birds are awake. Enjoy, yogis. You may want blocks, straps or blankets for any of the shoulder and hamstring opening.
59 minutes

Move, Breathe, Release

By Ally Hamilton on Feb 28, 2025

Hatha Intermediate

We start out with some grounding and breathing, a few minutes to "arrive" in the body and connect to sensation. We move into a slow and steady flow, and then a standing sequence that is foundational, with long holds so you can feel your way in and stay curious. We build enough heat to get to the floor and deeply open the hips, shoulders, and hamstrings. Please be sure to have two blocks and a strap handy. There are options for everything, and building blocks as well. Hip opening includes double pigeon, gomukhasana, and half lotus variations if appropriate, or knee-friendly poses if not. You may want the strap for shoulder opening or for some of the wraps. This practice is designed to calm your nervous system and open every major muscle group, deeply. Lots of love xx
60 minutes

Overall Strength + Stretch

By Lauren Peterson on Jan 9, 2025

Vinyasa Flow Intermediate

We start slow, then flow. Lots of stretching, strength, standing poses with an emphasis on hips and sacrum. Enjoy eagle and cow faced pose. Finish up with backbends, an inversion, and twists.
39 minutes

A Little Self-Love

By Brent Laffoon on Apr 29, 2024

Gentle Yoga Intermediate

A slow, gentle restorative practice to help you loosen up your hips and lower back and calm your mind and nervous system. Please note, if you have any knee issues, threading the needle on your back instead of some of the half-lotus and reclining gomukhasana options may be better for you. Golden rule, it shouldn't hurt... enjoy, yogis :)
94 minutes

Let's Shift Gears

By Ally Hamilton on Nov 20, 2023

Vinyasa Flow Intermediate

If you're looking for a deep reset right now, look no further. This practice begins with grounding and centering techniques and a short talk about the power of your inner voice and why it matters. We move into a flow that targets deep opening for the hips, shoulders, hamstrings and quads. There's core strengthening (but of course) and inversion playtime on your mat or at the wall. Building blocks for moving into handstand with two legs, and exploration of the wide straddle in your handstand are also included. We end with Yoga Nidra in Savasana. Take a little time to come back to center, we could all use that right now <3
97 minutes

Let's Get Deep

By Ally Hamilton on Oct 7, 2023

Vinyasa Flow Intermediate

Hello friends! This is a classic 90-minute practice with Yoga Nidra in savasana. If you're looking for a deep dive, you've found it. We do lots of shoulder, hip and hamstring opening, as well as the upper back and chest -no stone is left unturned. Once we're nice and warm we'll spend some time playing with inversions. As ever, I will give you tons of options so if you aren't comfortable on your hands or on your head, I'll give you some building blocks to play with! I do break down traditional headstand and how to lift (not kick! please don't kick your legs up into headstand) your legs up, which is what we want. But even if you don't want to go upside down today, this is a deep and thorough practice and I hope you enjoy.
64 minutes

Full-Body Freedom

By Ally Hamilton on Aug 15, 2023

Vinyasa Flow Intermediate

Perfect for days when you want to build some good heat, increase your energy, open deeply and release tension from every major muscle group! We do some extra fiery core and play with handstands if you're feeling it! A sweet cool-down leads us into a delightful savasana. Enjoy, yogis!
93 minutes

Full Body Fabulous Flow

By Ally Hamilton on Jul 8, 2023

Vinyasa Flow Intermediate

Intermediate-to-advanced here, friends! We play with advanced poses like cow-face pose, grasshopper and an eagle/handstand mashup, but options are offered for everything, so intermediate students looking to keep growing...this is perfect for you, too! Sneaky and not-so-sneaky core strengthening throughout to get you fired up to play on your hands. Breath-work but of course, a little yogasculpt woven in to build the heat and remind you of how strong you are...and Yoga Nidra in savasana because you earned it! Enjoy, yogis!
66 minutes

Good Heat Deep Hips

By Ally Hamilton on May 30, 2023

Vinyasa Flow Intermediate

Spoiler Alert: there's no prize for forcing anything. This practice gives you many good opportunities to build heat but you can also back off if you need to! The shoulders, hips, hamstrings and core get a lot of love in this flowing practice, you'll have reminders to keep breathing deeply and to listen to your body and respond with awareness and compassion. Two blocks may be very helpful to deepen some of the backbends and hip openers. Enjoy the good sweat and deep opening, yogis!