Marjari Asana - The Cat Pose

"Marjari" means 'cat' in Sanskrit.

 

Sequence:

1. Get down on all fours with your palms and knees on the floor and the back straightened out, forming a table top.
2. Keep your knees right below the hips.
3. Straighten your arms, so that the wrist, elbow and shoulder are in one straight line.
4. Keep your head in the center. Do not let the head hang down.
5. Fix your gaze on the floor.
6. Inhale.
7. Exhale and raise your spine so that it forms an arc.
8. Make sure your knees and shoulders are in position.
9. Bring your head down.
10. Inhale and bring the spine down to assume table top position.
11. Repeat 10- 12 times.

Note: It is better to combine Cat Pose with Cow pose for inhalation.

Caution:

• People with neck injury should avoid this pose.

Benefits:

• The spinal cord is stretched and gets massaged.
• The abdominal organs benefit from this pose.
• Practice of Cat pose helps reduce stress.

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Healing With Cat's Eye(Stone)

Cat's-eye is a gemstone that comes from the gem mineral chrysoberyl. The cat's eye is the gemstone of the planet Ketu and helps to overcome problems related to this planet.

Cat's eye is an aluminate of beryllium having traces of oxide of iron and chromium, which serve as coloring agents and give it brownish and greenish tinges. The chrysoberyl mineral produces three types of gems :

1. Alexandrite
2. Cat's-eye
3. Chrysolite

Some Qualities of a Good Cat's-Eye

1. smoothness
2. brilliance of chatoyance
3. high specific gravity - heavier than average stone of the same size
4. having three streaks of light, similar to the sacred thread worn by Brahmins in India
5. straightness of the chatoyance

Cat's eye is found in yellow, black, dark or smoky-green, and white. The only thing common to all shades is the band of light moving across the stone, the chatoyance. A gem having a white band of light is supposed to be best. Cat's-eye shines like the eye of a cat in darkness, but it does not shine in total darkness. 

Some Flaws of a Cat's-Eye

1. dullness - the cat's-eye that is not brilliant and is shining and flimsy is injurious for physical health and personal wealth
2. crack inside the gemstone - brings injuries from sharp-edged weapons
3. cobweb inside the gemstone - brings imprisonment and is harmful for the wearer
4. having five streaks or bands of light - brings misfortune
5. holes or dents - bring diseases of the stomach
6. flat - devoid of effect and therefore not suitable for wearing
7. uneven in shape - unlucky

Some tests for Identification of Real Cat's-Eye

1. If a real gem is put in a dark place, it shines like the eyes of a cat.
2. If a real gem is rubbed against a cloth, its brilliance increases.

Wearing a cat's-eye increases physical strength, radiance, stamina, happiness, wealth, and the joy of having progeny. Is saved from injuries caused by weapons Cat's-eye removes poverty cures illnesses caused by inauspicious Ketu. 

Some aspects of the Rituals for Wearing a Cat's-Eye 

A cat's-eye should be bought on a Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday when Moon is in Aries, Sagittarius, or Pisces or when Moon is in Ashvini, Magha, or Mul nakshatras, in the morning hours of an ascending moon cycle. The gemstone should be given to the jeweler the same day, and the jeweler should set it in a mixture of five metals: iron, silver, copper, gold, and zinc, as prescribed for hessonite or blue sapphire, or in iron. The weight of cat's-eye should not be less than 5 rattikas. The time to wear a cat's-eye ring for the first time is two hours after sunset, or in the evening. 

Some aspects of the medicinal utility of Cat's eye

 

Wearing a cat's eye increases physical strength, radiance, stamina, happiness, wealth and the joy of progeny. It cures illnesses caused by inauspicious Ketu, which may be the cause of skin diseases, leprosy, pain in joints, diseases of joints and nerves, excessive body heat, anxiety and accidents, among others.

Chief Sources of Cat's-Eye

India, Burma, Sri Lanka, Brazil.

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