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