SHOULDER STAND POSE (Sarvangasana)

 

Shoulder Stand Pose (Sarvangasana) has a favourable effect on entire body.

Method: Shoulder Stand Pose is safer and easier to perform. Here’s how to do Shoulder Stand Pose:

Step 1: Lie spine on the mat, feet together and hands resting besides the body. Keep the mind calm, body relaxed and take in a full breath. Exhaling, raise high the legs together enough to make a right angle with the body. Keep the legs straight in knees with toes pointing to the sky. Keep the knees straight and the body above the hip-joint on the ground undisturbed.

Step 2: At this stage, still exhaling, raise the arms and hold the waist and push the body up as far as possible. Put all the body weight on the arms and rest on the elbows, with the legs thrown upwards.

Step 3: When this position is firmly secured, by careful management, make an attempt to shift the hands slowly towards the waist, with the fingers extended to the back of the hip-bones and the thumbs pressed lightly on both sides of the navel.

Step 4: Set the chin in the jugular notch and place the full weight upon the shoulders, the neck and the back of the head. Complete the above steps in 4 seconds, while exhaling. Inhaling, raise the back and the legs up into a vertical position, placing the hands on the upper back for support.

Step 5: Try to keep the body in a straight line from the chest to the tips of the toes. The chin should rest against the chest, creating the chin lock. Make sure that the trunk is raised enough vertically so that the chin can comfortably rest against the chest. Fix the eyesight on the toes and maintaining the pose, continue normal breathing. Maintain this pose as long as convenient, breathe normally slow, rhythmic and natural.

Step 6: Return to starting position: slowly bend the knees and then gently lower the hips towards the mat, supported by the hands in 4 seconds, while inhaling. Release the hands from the back and assume the starting position. Take a few deep breaths and then rest a while, breath normally.

Special Tips: Emphasize the perfection of technique. Let it be performed just after Leg Raise Crunches exercise to get more flexibility and stamina.

For all head-low postures, great care should be taken to avoid any possible strain or jerks. Unguided and hurried attempt to perform pose may lead to undue pressure upon the heart, the respiratory organs and the brain, thus, causing giddiness or feeling of discomfort and enlargement of the calibre of the blood vessels in the head.

It should not be performed by people suffering from high blood pressure, heart conditions or brain diseases. It should be avoided during menstruation and pregnancy. It should be avoided if suffering from a much enlarged thyroid, enlarged spleen or liver as well as slipped disc, headache and weak blood vessels in the eyes.

Variations: For some beginners it may be difficult to raise the legs straight. If so then one can bend the knees a little while taking the position and then straighten out the legs. Some can take help of the wall to raise the legs. If there is tension in the back or neck then the feet can be slightly tilted over the head.

It's common in this pose for learners to press only the index finger sides of the hands against the back. Be sure to spread both palms wide against your back torso. Push in and up against the back ribs, especially with the ring fingers and pinkies. Periodically take your hands away from the back, press the shoulder blades in, and return your hands to the back a little closer to the head than they were before.

Benefits: The pranic flow is harmonized, increasing energy and having a positive effect on all the body systems. Improved efficiency of the organs of the body leads to youthfulness and anti-ageing effects.

It improves the function of the thyroid, parathyroid and pituitary gland due to the increased oxygen in blood. All of the other endocrine glands are regulated by the pituitary gland and so the overall function of the endocrine system is improved. This results in the improved functioning of all other systems of the body and the reduction of emotional and mental stress. It exerts wholesome effects of gravity-pressure on the various organs of the body above the waist including the vital endocrine glands. It stimulates the thyroid and prostate glands and abdominal organs. It balances the parathyroid glands which ensure regeneration and normal development of the bones. Due to the effect this pose has on the hormonal system, particularly the thyroid, it balances the circulatory, digestive, reproductive and nervous system. It normalizes body weight due to its effect on the thyroid. The thymus gland is stimulated which boosts the immune system.

Stagnant blood from the lower regions of the body, i.e. legs and abdomen‚ is drained to the heart thereby improving the supply of fresh blood to these parts and the whole circulatory system. Blood supply to the head area i.e. brain, eyes, ears, nose and throat, is improved thereby improving their functioning. Therefore all of the pelvic and abdominal area circulation, ear, throat and nose ailments are improved.

Toxins in the respiratory system are drained thereby improving the respiratory system. The lung capacity is increased as the diaphragm, which is the muscle of respiration, has to work against gravity in this pose, this helps in the abdominal respiration and is therefore helpful in the treatment of asthma.

Due to the increased blood flow to the head, the mind is tranquilized; stress and psychological disturbances are removed. It helps to stabilise the moods and make the mind peaceful. It calms the brain and helps relieve stress and mild depression. It makes mind attentive contributing to self-confidence and self-reliance.

It is beneficial for women regarding the reproductive system. There is fresh blood to the pelvic region as the stagnant blood is flushed from the organs and therefore increased efficiency of the reproductive organs. It strengthens the uterine ligaments as the gravity acting on the ligaments in this pose is in the opposite direction. It improves the functioning of the ovaries. Besides, it also helps relieve the symptoms of menopause.

Results of this pose and the preceding exercise may vary from person to person depending upon many factors such as technique used, availability of time, age, health condition, regularity, discipline, mood, interest and so on.

Final Position: Now enter into Natural Standing Posture and relax your body.