Sirsasana
Encyclopedia
IAST
The International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration is a transliteration scheme that allows a lossless romanization of Indic scripts as employed by the Sanskrit language.-Popularity:...
: Śīrṣāsana), or Headstand, is an asana
Asana
Asana is a body position, typically associated with the practice of Yoga, originally identified as a mastery of sitting still, with the spine as a conduit of biodynamic union...
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In the Supported Headstand (Salamba Sirsasana), the body is completely inverted, and held upright supported by the forearms, while the crown of the head rests lightly on the floor.
Sirsasana is nicknamed "king" of all the yoga poses.
Etymology
The name comes from the Sanskrit words Shirsha (शीर्ष, Śīrṣa) meaning "head", and Asana (आसन, Āsana) meaning "posture" or "seat".Description
The wall may be used initially for support in the pose. Some yoga teachers offer props that allow practitioners to perform a modified version of the pose. Dolphin pose (ardha sirsasana) can be used to build the upper body strength required for Sirsasana.To achieve this asana, begin by sitting on the knees in Hero Pose
Vīrāsana
-Etymology:The name comes from the Sanskrit words vira meaning "man" or "hero" or "chief", and asana meaning "posture" or "seat".-Description:...
, bend slowly forward, as if coming into Child's pose
Balasana
Balasana , Child's Pose, or Child's Resting Pose, is an asana.- Etymology :The name comes from the Sanskrit words bala meaning "child" and asana meaning "posture" or "seat".- Description :...
, gently placing the fore-arms on the ground with the hands interlaced. The elbows and hands should be making an equilateral triangle on the ground, and one should keep the elbows directly underneath the shoulders throughout the entire pose. If needed, one can wrap a strap around the upper-arms (near to the elbows) to prevent them from opening out to the sides. Keep the palms upturned, so that you can place the back of your head gently inside the cup of your hands. Determining the point of contact on the top of the head is skill that is developed with time and practice. Ideally, try to identify the spot on the head that is two to three finger-widths back of the hairline. This helps to maintain an appropriate amount of natural curvature (lordosis) in the cervical spine. (DO NOT TURN THE HEAD while inverted of inverting).
From this position, walk the feet back toward the face, stacking the hips over the shoulders. As the hips come over the shoulders, press down through the elbows Slowly, bring the hips back, allowing the pelvis to be directly over the shoulders. Keep walking the feet and pelvis back until there is no weight in the feet. Slowly, bend one knee and then the other so that both knees are pulled into the chest. Hold here, and experiment with the position of the pelvis, until a state of balance is felt. This state of balance becomes obvious when the yogi senses equal pressure on both elbows and gentle pressure on the top of the head. Remember To Breathe!
It is possible to do this with your back near to a wall. Just be sure to keep enough distance from the wall to allow the pelvis to stack correctly over the shoulders.
Once this bent-knee headstand position feels settled, slowly inhale the knees up, while keeping them bent, and keep the heels tucked in toward the hamstrings as close as possible. This adds another component of challenge to the balance and control of the posture. Observe the breath. Is it calm and even, is it erratic and hurried? Are you breathing at all? If the breathing is an issue, lower the knees and work with the first position until you have complete control of the breathing.
Once the first two steps are reasonably comfortably, and breathing is easy, take a deep inhale, and 'breathe' the heels up, coming into the full expression of the posture. The legs are Active when fully extended. This means gently holding the legs together so that the feet touch. Use subtle corrections in the posture to maintain balance. Remember: equal pressure on each elbow with slight pressure on the head and neck.
It is impossible to intellectualize a headstand. Sirsasana is about motor skills and spatial awareness. As with all asanas, the breathing guides the movement. Use the inhale to create lift, and use the exhale to release fear. When we find our balance in this asana, the amount of muscle energy required to hold the pose for a few minutes decreases dramatically.
After finishing this asana, come back down into Child's pose and rest. Control the breathing and bring the heart rate down gently.
Knowing how to fall out of the posture is critical to one's safety! Take the time to practice falling backwards and remember to immediately tuck the chin into the chest to prevent neck injuries!
Benefits
Practitioners of yoga believe that, like most inverted positions, the practice of sirsasana may increase the flow of blood to the brain, improve memory and other functions of the cerebrum. Included in the physiological benefits are the drainage of blood and lymph which are held in reserve in the legs. Any inversion, when the legs are held over the heart, helps to move stored fluids into the core for oxygenation, filtration and elimination of metabolic/cellular wastes.Psychologically, an inversion such as sirsanana (headstand) or sarvangasana (shoulder stand) gives us the opportunity to experience another perspective, an inverted way of seeing the world, situations and life itself. As time is spent in practice of either of these two highly transformative asanas, we begin to feel the benefits... As life throws us challenges, they begin to become less unsettling; less disruptive. Sirsasana is a very calming posture, once it is performed with any degree of confidence.
"The posture becomes perfect when the effort of achieving it vanishes."
Contraindications and cautions
The pose is contraindicated in the following situations: high blood pressure, heart palpitations, glaucoma, detached retina, conjunctivitis, brain disease, brain injury, menstruation, obesity, neck injury, and back injury. If you are pregnant, consult with your physician or qualified yoga instructor before doing this pose. This pose must be exited immediately if one is about to cough, sneeze or yawn. This pose is not recommended for young children.Consult with a qualified yoga instructor before attempting Sirasana. This is an advanced pose and should not be attempted until one has practiced a good deal of the less demanding asanas such as forward and backward bends, twists, etc. and developed a good deal of muscle strength in the neck, back, and shoulder regions. Breath control and balance are also essential.
Variations
Salamba Shirshasana 2 (Headstand 2)Salamba Shirshasana 3 (Headstand 3)
Baddha Hasta Shirshasana (Bound Hands Headstand)
Baddha Konasana Shirshasana (Bound Angle Pose in Headstand)
Eka Pada Shirshasana (Single Leg Headstand)
Mukta Hasta Shirshasana (Free Hands Headstand)
Parivrttaikapada Shirshasana (Single Leg Revolved Headstand)
Parshva Shirshasana (Side Headstand)
Parshvaikapada Shirshasana (Single Leg Headstand)
Upavishtha Konasana Shirshasana (Bound Angle Pose in Headstand)
Urdhva Padmasana in Sirsasana (Upward Lotus in Headstand)