Salamba Sirsasanaaka: Supported Headstand
(sah-LOM-bah shear-SHAHS-anna)
salamba = with support (sa = with
alamba = support)
sirsa = head
Supported Headstand, or Salamba Sirsasana, is a strengthening pose that, with concentration, is accessible for someone at an intermediate skill level.
Advantages
Salamba Sirsasana is derived from the Sanskrit word for "head," sirsa, and salamba, which translates to "with support."
Benefits of Supported Headstand include:
* Strengthens the entire body
* Reduces symptoms of asthma and insomnia
* Relaxes the mind to relieve stress and possibly mild depression
Step Into the Pose
1. Begin in Child's Pose, head resting on a mat or blanket.
2. Clasp your hands together, forearms on the floor, head between your fingers.
3. On an inhale, come up off the floor by moving your feet closer to your head, heels up, shoulder blades down into your back.
4. Exhale, and lift the legs up and together, activating the thighs firmly.
5. Extend the legs upwards, unfolding at the knee, toes pointed. Don't arch your back.
6. Stretch your legs upward to avoid compressing the tailbone.
7. Hold the pose for 10 seconds or more, based on your level.
8. Slowly come out of the pose by curling the legs down in a fluid motion, and release into Child's Pose.
Beginner Tips
Practice this pose against a wall to avoid placing too much weight on the head and neck. It's better to put more weight on your arms and only hold the pose for a few seconds than to risk injury.
Advanced Tips
Rise up onto your extended hands, instead of resting on the forearms, or extend your time.
Anatomical Focus
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Therapeutic Applications
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Benefits
* Calms the brain and helps relieve stress and mild depression
* Stimulates the pituitary and pineal glands
* Strengthens the arms, legs, and spine
* Strengthens the lungs
* Tones the abdominal organs
* Improves digestion
* Helps relieve the symptoms of menopause
* Therapeutic for asthma, infertility, insomnia, and sinusitis
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Contraindications and Cautions
* Back injury
* Headache
* Heart condition
* High blood pressure
* Menstruation
* Neck injury
* Low blood pressure: Don't start practice with this pose
* Pregnancy: If you are experienced with this pose, you can continue to practice it late into pregnancy. However, don't take up the practice of Sirsasana after you become pregnant.
* Sirsasana is considered to be an intermediate to advanced pose. Do not perform this pose without sufficient prior experience or unless you have the supervision of an experienced teacher. Some schools of yoga recommend doing Sirsasana before Sarvangasana, others vice versa. The instruction here assumes the former order.
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Beginner's Tip
Beginners tend to take too much weight onto the neck and head when coming into and exiting this pose, a potentially harmful situation. Prepare to do this pose as described above against a wall. To come up, set your arms in place and lift your head slightly off the floor. Move into the wall-supported position with the head off the floor, then lower it lightly onto the floor. Support 90 to 95 percent of your weight on your shoulders and arms, even if it means staying for only a few seconds. Gradually, over time, take more and more weight onto your head, but proceed slowly. Similarly, when you exit this pose, first lift your head off the floor, then bring your feet down. Eventually you will be able to keep your head on the floor when going up and coming down.
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Variations
One of the simplest Sirsasana variations is called Eka Pada Sirsasana (pronounced ACHE-ah PAH-dah, eka = one, pada = foot or leg). Come into the pose. Stabilize your left leg perpendicular to the floor. Exhale and lower your right leg parallel to the floor without disturbing the position of the left. The outer hip of the down leg (in this case, the right) tends to sink toward the floor. To correct this, turn the right leg outward, moving its sitting bone toward the left. Hold the two sitting bones close and rotate (from the hip joint only) the right leg back to neutral. Hold for 10 to 30 seconds, inhale the right leg back to perpendicular, and repeat on the left for the same length of time.
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Modifications and Props
Balance in this pose is difficult at first. Perform Sirsasana against a wall. Bring the knuckles of the clasped hands to the wall. If possible, do the pose in the corner of a room, so that the right-angled walls touch your shoulders, hips, and outer heels.
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Partnering
A partner can help you with your alignment in this pose. Have your partner stand to one side and look at the major alignment "landmarks" along the side of your body: the outer ankle bone, the center of the hip, the center of the shoulder, and the ear hole. These points should all be in one line perpendicular to the floor.
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Preparatory Poses
* Adho Mukha Svanasana
* Salamba Sarvangasana
* Uttanasana
* Virasana
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Follow-Up Poses
* Adho Mukha Svanasana
* Balasana
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Deepen The Pose
Check the position of the inner wrists in the pose. They tend to fall outward, shifting the weight onto the outer forearms. Turn the pinkies away from the back of your head, and bring the inner wrists perpendicular to the floor. As you firm the outer upper arms inward, press the wrists actively into the floor.
► ▼
Therapeutic Applications
► ▼
Benefits
* Calms the brain and helps relieve stress and mild depression
* Stimulates the pituitary and pineal glands
* Strengthens the arms, legs, and spine
* Strengthens the lungs
* Tones the abdominal organs
* Improves digestion
* Helps relieve the symptoms of menopause
* Therapeutic for asthma, infertility, insomnia, and sinusitis
► ▼
Contraindications and Cautions
* Back injury
* Headache
* Heart condition
* High blood pressure
* Menstruation
* Neck injury
* Low blood pressure: Don't start practice with this pose
* Pregnancy: If you are experienced with this pose, you can continue to practice it late into pregnancy. However, don't take up the practice of Sirsasana after you become pregnant.
* Sirsasana is considered to be an intermediate to advanced pose. Do not perform this pose without sufficient prior experience or unless you have the supervision of an experienced teacher. Some schools of yoga recommend doing Sirsasana before Sarvangasana, others vice versa. The instruction here assumes the former order.
► ▼
Beginner's Tip
Beginners tend to take too much weight onto the neck and head when coming into and exiting this pose, a potentially harmful situation. Prepare to do this pose as described above against a wall. To come up, set your arms in place and lift your head slightly off the floor. Move into the wall-supported position with the head off the floor, then lower it lightly onto the floor. Support 90 to 95 percent of your weight on your shoulders and arms, even if it means staying for only a few seconds. Gradually, over time, take more and more weight onto your head, but proceed slowly. Similarly, when you exit this pose, first lift your head off the floor, then bring your feet down. Eventually you will be able to keep your head on the floor when going up and coming down.
► ▼
Variations
One of the simplest Sirsasana variations is called Eka Pada Sirsasana (pronounced ACHE-ah PAH-dah, eka = one, pada = foot or leg). Come into the pose. Stabilize your left leg perpendicular to the floor. Exhale and lower your right leg parallel to the floor without disturbing the position of the left. The outer hip of the down leg (in this case, the right) tends to sink toward the floor. To correct this, turn the right leg outward, moving its sitting bone toward the left. Hold the two sitting bones close and rotate (from the hip joint only) the right leg back to neutral. Hold for 10 to 30 seconds, inhale the right leg back to perpendicular, and repeat on the left for the same length of time.
► ▼
Modifications and Props
Balance in this pose is difficult at first. Perform Sirsasana against a wall. Bring the knuckles of the clasped hands to the wall. If possible, do the pose in the corner of a room, so that the right-angled walls touch your shoulders, hips, and outer heels.
► ▼
Partnering
A partner can help you with your alignment in this pose. Have your partner stand to one side and look at the major alignment "landmarks" along the side of your body: the outer ankle bone, the center of the hip, the center of the shoulder, and the ear hole. These points should all be in one line perpendicular to the floor.
► ▼
Preparatory Poses
* Adho Mukha Svanasana
* Salamba Sarvangasana
* Uttanasana
* Virasana
► ▼
Follow-Up Poses
* Adho Mukha Svanasana
* Balasana
► ▼
Deepen The Pose
Check the position of the inner wrists in the pose. They tend to fall outward, shifting the weight onto the outer forearms. Turn the pinkies away from the back of your head, and bring the inner wrists perpendicular to the floor. As you firm the outer upper arms inward, press the wrists actively into the floor.
