| Headstand (salamba shirshasana) is one of the yoga | | | | For Half Shoulder stand: |
| poses that are considered inversion poses. Inversion | | | | * Lengthen the exhale |
| poses involve any asanas that lift the feet above the | | | | * Don't lock the chin |
| head. Other inversion poses that are well known | | | | * Keep your weight not on the head but on the |
| include shoulderstand (salamba sarvangasana) and half | | | | wrists and elbows |
| shoulder stand (viparita karani). But even lying on the | | | | * Don't try to pull your torso (and legs) into the |
| floor with your legs on a chair is an inversion pose. | | | | vertical like in full shoulder stand if you have |
| The concept behind inversion poses is expressed in | | | | difficulties with your neck. By doing so, you're placing |
| yoga texts as viparita karani. Viparita karani is | | | | more pressure on your neck. |
| translated as meaning 'opposite process'. This simply | | | | * Make sure you do the appropriate balancing |
| means facilitating a different perspective. From the | | | | postures afterwards. These include shalabhasana and |
| purely physical point of view, this different | | | | bhujangasana |
| perspective in inversion poses is literal - in terms of | | | | For Shoulder stand: |
| looking at the world from a different physical | | | | * Don't worry so much about keeping your elbows |
| viewpoint - as well as involving the body being | | | | and arms parallel. This will create more tension in your |
| supported in a different way. | | | | neck if you're not proficient in this posture. |
| But as yoga is more than simply physical exercises, | | | | * Do the appropriate balancing postures. These are |
| there are other processes that are assisted. A lot of | | | | the same as for half shoulder stand. |
| yoga is designed to help us change mental habits as | | | | For Headstand: |
| well as physical habits. Through increasing our ability | | | | * Don't ever make adjustments whilst in headstand. |
| to adapt to change, instead of being stuck in old | | | | If you feel your alignment is not quite right, come |
| habitual responses, we increase our capacity for | | | | down and do it again. |
| growth and transformation. This applies in all areas of | | | | * Never do this posture first up, or without the |
| our lives. | | | | prerequisite postures. It will lead to stiffness in the |
| There is a theoretical concept in yoga about why | | | | neck at best, and injury at worst. And the negative |
| inversion postures help. Ayurveda considers that | | | | effects can build up over time. This posture is never |
| many of the body's impurities are in the lower | | | | done traditionally without preparation, and there is |
| abdomen. When we raise our feet above the head, | | | | reason for this. |
| gravity is assisting us to move these impurities | | | | * Use a wall for support as a learning stage |
| towards what the Ayurvedic system calls agni, or | | | | * Support your head with all of your fingers, including |
| 'fire'. Agni particularly relates to our 'digestive fire', and | | | | the little fingers and thumbs |
| is thus located above our lower abdomen. | | | | * Finding the right position for your head will make |
| So, by being upside down, and by using the deep and | | | | sure weight is distributed evenly, and ensure you |
| slow breathing typical of yoga, we help 'burn off' the | | | | don't have to overly press down with your elbows |
| impurities that were previously stuck. | | | | to compensate |
| Improved circulation is a more readily apparent and | | | | * Think of the support for the whole body as being |
| less 'esoteric' benefit of inversion yoga poses. | | | | distributed evenly across both elbows and the head |
| Whilst inversion postures have many health benefits, | | | | * Don't hold your weight too much on the back of |
| the ability of an individual to receive those benefits | | | | your body. It will place too much pressure on your |
| depends as much on their capacity to comfortably | | | | neck. |
| hold these sometimes difficult postures. For example, | | | | * Don't use props that allow the neck to be free. It |
| headstand and shoulder stand should simply not be | | | | will lead to the neck muscles contracting |
| done if people are pregnant, have neck pain, high or | | | | * Use the balancing postures. Shoulder stand is the |
| low blood pressure, neck injuries, or are menstruating. | | | | traditional, but Mohan recommends half shoulder |
| And neither of these postures should be attempted | | | | stand instead |
| without the appropriate preparatory postures. | | | | * Rest your neck before doing the balancing |
| Otherwise the risk is there that an injury, or | | | | postures, however. Lie down with your legs bent. |
| stiffness, particularly to the neck area, will result. | | | | * Other balancing postures include chakravakasana, |
| Likewise, if doing these postures is very | | | | dvipada pitham with the arms, and shalabhasana |
| uncomfortable and difficult, more benefit will be | | | | There may be fears or a sense of limitation about |
| derived from doing either the modified versions, or | | | | doing inversion poses that will be confronted. |
| simply working on other yoga poses that strengthen | | | | Sometimes, it's best to start an asana gradually. |
| these areas. | | | | Shoulder stand comes with a few variations that you |
| There are several important prerequisites for getting | | | | can use to build up strength and flexibility, as well as |
| the most benefit fro inversions. The first one, a | | | | overcome any fear based feelings about the posture |
| strong neck, I've mentioned. The others are a strong | | | | and your ability to do it. |
| back and abdominal muscles, and the capacity to | | | | Overcoming the fear, and finally being able to do a |
| breathe well whilst in the posture. The latter is going | | | | difficult pose that you thought you couldn't, can |
| to get better with practice, both of yoga itself and | | | | create positive psychological effects. When we prove |
| the inversions. It is also somewhat tied into having a | | | | to ourselves that our fears don't bind us, that we |
| strong back. Our back and stomach muscles will | | | | can move beyond our limitations, we are more able |
| provide the support to hold the legs straight, which | | | | to make changes in other areas of our lives where |
| inturn opens up the thoracic cavity, and increases our | | | | before we thought it just wasn't possible. |
| ability to breathe well whilst upside down! | | | | References: A.G. |
| Tips for Doing the Inverted Postures | | | | |