HEAD STAND POSE (Sirsasana)

 

Headstand (Sirsasana) is a great yoga posture with tons of benefits that help a practitioner (Sadhak) stay fit and healthy and improve the posture. Standing on your head in proper alignment not only strengthens the whole body but calms the brain. If it is performed before meditation session, it makes meditation practice extremely beneficial.

Method: Headstand requires the whole body weight to be borne on the head that assists in the integrated development of the body, calms the brain, and expands the horizons of the soul. Place the folded mat close to the wall. Now learn the correct steps to performing a headstand and garner the amazing benefits:

Step 1: Coming to your knees, make a triangle with your hands placing them with the wall. Locate your forearms on the floor and interlock your fingers. Make sure your elbows are shoulder-distance apart.

Step 2: Place the top of your head against the clasped hands. Place the crown of your head on the mat, supporting it with the interlocked fingers.

Step 3: Bring your body into an upside-down “V” position. Walk your feet nearer to your elbows, heels raised. In this position, bring your feet closer to your face such that your head and back are in a straight line and your thighs are placed against your stomach. With an Inhalation, uplift the knees off the ground.

Step 4: Slowly, lift your feet off the ground and bring your knees closer to your chest. Lift one leg up, followed by the other. Gradually, try lifting both legs simultaneously. If you are unable to do it, use the wall for support by lifting your legs and placing them against it.

Step 5: Gently extend your legs upward. Keep them vertical to the ground. Push more of the weight into your forearms and shoulders, and use your strong core to lift the toes away from the mat.

Step 6: Evenly distribute your weight between the forearms and remain in this pose for a few seconds. Eventually you will be balancing on the top of your head, but most of the weight should be in the forearms, supported by your shoulders.

Step 7: To release the posture, Exhale; come down to the floor without lifting your shoulder blades from the ground and rest the feet on the yoga mat.

Variations in Sirsasana: Try the variations to make it more challenging. Have fun with it!

Extend your legs wide apart, and then zip them up together. Bring the soles of your feet to touch, knees out to the sides. Bring your legs into a lotus position.

Observe the following precautions: If you are a beginner, practice near a wall; place the short end of your yoga mat against the wall. Make sure there is no furniture or other objects around you that you could potentially fall on.

Do not practice Headstand if you have uncontrolled hypertension, headaches, neck pain or injury, glaucoma, a recent stroke or aneurysm in the brain.

The following people should not practice it: Children under the age of 7 years old, as their skull can still be soft and is prone to injuries. Pregnant women, because there is a high risk of falling out of the pose. People with Glaucoma, because it can increase the pressure in the eyes.

Absorb the benefits of practice: Headstand is a pose with many health benefits! It relaxes blood flow to the lower extremities improving swelling and venous congestion, releases the adrenal glands and kidneys, allows the heart to relax in the pericardium, and increases blood flow to the head, neck, and face. It stills the turbulence of the mind, perfects the physical health, and makes you extra focused and luminous in life.

It stimulates Brain Function. The brain is the place of intelligence, wisdom, power, and knowledge. The skull encases the brain which regulates the nervous system and other organs of the body. Headstand yoga pose increases the supply of pure blood to the brain cells making them healthy and rejuvenated. Healthy brain cells result in an improvement in cognitive functioning, enhance focus, and clear the thoughts.

It invigorates the Mind. It is a natural way to calm the stress. The persistent stress takes a toll on the physical health and leads to an imbalanced livelihood. It increases the flow of oxygenated blood to the brain that activates the pituitary gland and pineal gland that efficiently alleviates all the worries, depression, insomnia, and revitalizes the mind. Its performance is a great remedy for people suffering from hypertension. The inverted position greatly increases the blood flow and normalizes the blood pressure.

It is an amazing yoga pose if you want to optimize the flow of nutrients and blood to your scalp region. Perform the upside-down headstand yoga pose that enhances the supply of nutrients to the hair follicles, preventing hair fall, and grants the practitioner with strong and luscious hair.

It treats sexual disorders. It is well-known that the headstand enhances the blood flow to the head, glands, and other organs of the body. It carries positive effect for some of the sexual disorders like menopause syndrome, menstrual cramps, sperm deficiency, and other sexual problems. It drains out the blood from the endocrine glands and results in optimal functioning of the sexual glands.

It improves vision. Going upside down increases the blood flow rich in vitamins and other essential nutrients to the sensory organs including the eyes and prevents the onset of various eye abnormalities such as myopia, cataract, astigmatism, and macular degeneration.

It strengthens the body and improves your posture. As you hold yourself up on the head in it, you utilize the strength of your arms, shoulders, and back to keep the pressure off from your neck and head. By encouraging you to lift your own body weight, it improves muscle endurance and uplifts the upper body strength.

Final Position: At this moment relax your body.