Question

Some yoga poses are named after animals: cat, cow, camel, dolphin, and dog. Different people have different opinions on why these names are
used. After doing the poses what is your opinion?

Answer 1

Answer:

While there is no foolproof answer, most theories revolve around the idea that ancient yogis mimicked what they saw around them. In those simpler times, it’s understandable that they would have had many encounters with various live animals. Maybe they were hunting them, avoiding them, or simply observing them. Regardless, it’s not just animals that they learned from. A number of other poses exist that resemble items around them. Think: tree, wheel, and mountain.

It appears that the ancient yogis found imitating animals to be an enlightening experience for both the body and mind.

Answer 2

Answer: I think they named the poses because of how you look when you're doing the poses. In the cat pose, you look like a cat. Of course, in the downward-facing dog, you don’t look too much like a dog, so maybe that's not right. Yoga developed in India a long time ago, so maybe it has to do with animals in India. I'd have to do more research to find out.

Explanation: EDMENTUM