What is shirshasana (headstand pose)?
Shirshasana, or the headstand pose, is an asana where the practitioner balances the entire body on the head, using the cupped hands and elbows as support. This is an advanced asana, and one must learn it under the supervision of an expert yoga practitioner.
How to do shirshasana or headstand pose? (Under supervision only)
- Sthithi (starting) position: Spread a thick cloth pad against a wall.
- Kneeling in front of the pad, bend forward and place both your hands on the spread to form a “V” at an angle of approximately 60 degrees.
- Keep your palms facing your body with fingers interlaced.
- Next, place the top of your head firmly on the pad and in the cradle of your interlaced hands so that the palms support the back of the head.
- Slowly lift both knees and move your legs up so that your torso rises, till it is vertical with your head.
- Leveraging with elbows, shoulder, and lower back muscles, lift off the ground smoothly.
- As you raise your torso, keep your knees together. Get into an upside-down position.
- Stabilize the position and straighten your legs. It is important to keep the neck rigid.
- After sufficient practice, one could begin doing this exercise away from a wall.
- In this case, after lifting your legs off the ground, fold them at the knees for balance, before straightening them.
- Hold your body straight and rigid in the final position.
- Maintain normal breathing.
- Focus on the movement of consciousness (citta) in the brain.
- Come down to the sthithi (starting) position by reversing the cycle. Relax.
- Importantly, wait at the sthithi (starting position) for blood supply to normalise before getting up.
- Start with 10 seconds initially. Normal cycle time for shirshasana is 3 to 20 minutes. However, one can also split the practice into two periods of 3 to 10 minutes each, with a 2-minute break in between.
- The yoga drishti (gaze) recommended is urdhva–drishti (open sky gaze).
What are the benefits of shirshasana yoga pose ?
- Shirshasana infuses oxygen-rich blood into the central nervous system. As a result, the brain cells are invigorated, waste is cleaned and removed. The oxygen supply stabilizes the brain’s metabolic activity. Therefore, this exercise is good for improving overall brain function and development.
- The eyes, eye muscles, and retinal nerves are flushed with oxygen-impregnated blood. Hence, this asana is very good for eye health.
- This asana energises the pituitary glands, hypothalamus and thalamus, which control the functioning of testes in men, and all the endocrine organs such as the thyroid and adrenaline glands.
- The downward force of blood also helps in infusing blood to the ears, eyes, mucous tissues, and salivary glands.
- The focus on breathing at the throat balances ear pressure.
- The headstand pose is good for maintaining body fat balance, since the pituitary also regulates the balance between water and salt in the body fluids through the kidneys.
- Also, the downward pressure of the colon contents increases peristalsis and cures constipation.
- The cartilage in the spine gets exercised and rejuvenated because of the reverse pressure on the spine.
What are the possible contraindications for shirshasana ?
- If you have any form of backache, do not attempt shirshasana without adequate supervision and support.
- People with cardiac problems, lower back problems, and circulatory disorders should not attempt this asana.
- Those having neck ailments like cervical or lumbar spondylosis, or arthritis, should not attempt the shirshasana.
- People with kidney ailments, hernia, etc., should avoid the headstand pose.
- Women should not practice this asana during menstruation or pregnancy.
Some noteworthy points on shirshasana :
Internal Links: Dharma (conditioning), Stress and Situational Awareness, Prana, Asana sequence, Asana schedule, Asana Focus or gazing, Pranayama, Hatha Yoga Pradeepika
External Links: Prana, Chakra, Pancha Tattva, Pancha Prana, Pancha Kosha, Nadi,
- Ensure that you are physically fit before performing this asana.
- Do not relax the abdomen. It can cause collapse of the walls and tearing of the inguinal hernia.
- Do not relax the neck, shoulder, and back when performing the asana, as this could lead to accidents.
- Needless to say, this exercise will also benefit the thyroid. Indeed, the headstand is indispensable for bringing balance to the endocrine system.
- When shirshasana is being performed, there will be an increased flow of oxygen-impregnated blood to the brain. Consequently, there is increased pressure within the head. So, do not perform this asana for a long duration initially. Allow the body to acclimatise itself to the increased blood flow and then increase the duration.
- Since the blood supply to the head is increased dramatically, do not rise off the ground immediately after completing the headstand yoga pose. Quick movement could result in loss of stability and balance. Resume the sthiti (starting) position and wait for the blood supply to normalise before standing up.