Child to Cobra Pose

1. Start in Child’s Pose:
- Begin by kneeling on the floor. Sit back on your heels, allowing your buttocks to rest against them.
- Extend your arms forward on the floor, lowering your torso towards the ground. Your forehead should rest lightly on the mat.
- Keep your knees apart for comfort and to allow for your torso to sink deeper.

2. Transition to Cat Pose:
- From Child's Pose, rise up onto your hands and knees. Your wrists should be aligned under your shoulders, and your knees under your hips.
- As you inhale, arch your back upwards, tucking your chin towards your chest to create a rounded back. This is the Cat Pose.

3. Move into Cow Pose:
- On your next inhale, drop your belly towards the floor while lifting your head and tailbone towards the ceiling, creating a gentle arch in your back. This is Cow Pose.
- Hold for a moment to feel the stretch through your spine and open your chest.

4. Shift into Cobra Pose:
- Lower your pelvis to the ground, extending your arms straight. Push through your palms to lift your chest off the floor, creating a gentle backbend. Your elbows can be slightly bent and kept close to your body.
- Look slightly upward, ensuring your shoulders are relaxed away from your ears.

5. Return to Child’s Pose:
- Slowly return to the starting Child’s Pose by tucking your toes, sitting back on your heels, and lowering your torso back down towards the mat.
- Take a few deep breaths, feeling your back release.

6. Repeat:
- Continue to flow through these positions—Child’s Pose, Cat Pose, Cow Pose, and Cobra Pose—while coordinating your breath with each movement. Aim for 3-5 cycles, focusing on smooth transitions and gentle stretches.

Tips for Beginners:
- Keep your movements slow and controlled to maximize the benefits of each stretch.
- Always listen to your body and avoid pushing into any discomfort.
- If you feel strain in your back, consider lowering your Cobra Pose or taking deeper breaths in Child's Pose.