Salamba Sirsasana (Supported Headstand)

<h2> Salamba Sirsasana. Shirshasana. Headstand</h2>"Salamba" means with support. "Shirsha" means head. This is the headstand, one of the most important asanas in yoga. There are two basic versions: salamba, which means «with support», and niralamba - «without support». Balancing in Sirsasana is easier and safer once you have made progress with Sarvangasana and its first five variations. If Sarvangasana is done incorrectly, Sirsasana cannot be put right, and it is very hard to be rid of the mistakes in it. Sirsasana / Shirshasana: the technique Remember the following well:1. In Sirsasana it is very important to keep the spine straight.2. Once Sirsasana has become part of your regular practice, do it before the other asanas, because if the other asanas tire you, the breath is disturbed and trembling sets in. In that state it is hard to keep your balance.3. Sarvangasana must be done after Sirsasana. This is very important. Doing Sirsasana alone, without Sarvangasana afterwards, will leave your mind agitated, irritable and emotionally unsteady. Practising Sirsasana on its own is therefore not good.4. The two asanas should be held for equal lengths of time. It does no harm if Salamba Sarvangasana is held a little longer, but it should never be the other way round.5. Beginners should use technique A. Do not come out of the pose and then go into it again over and over, trying to get the asana; that is the wrong way to practise. You should attempt the asana only once in a session, though it may be done twice a day if you practise morning and evening.6. Three versions of the technique of this asana are given here, and they should be worked through in order; master technique A first, then B, and finally C. Technique A 1. In the early stages it is useful to have a helper. A wall is needed, and better still the meeting of two walls, a corner. If you do Sirsasana at a wall, it may turn out that although you keep your balance, the trunk, legs and head are nevertheless not in one line. This fault of alignment is easily avoided by doing the asana in a corner.2. Fold a blanket in four and place it in the corner, letting it touch both walls. Kneel down as in Virasana (Hero Pose), facing the corner.3. Interlock the fingers completely, clasping them together, with the thumbs touching; the palms form a half-round cup. Place the clasped hands 5-8 cm from the corner. The little fingers and the thumbs are parallel to each other. If the hands end up more than 7-8 cm from the corner, the following faults are possible in the final position:a) the spinal column bends, losing its extension;b) the abdomen pushes forward; c) the body weight falls on the elbows and a painful sensation arises in them; d) the eyes become strained and puffy; e) the face turns red.4. Place the forearms on the blanket so that the elbows are in line and the hands are vertical, with the ulnae touching the blanket and the radii directly above them.5. The distance between the elbows should equal the width of the shoulders, and the arms should stay straight, tilting neither inwards nor outwards. If the distance between the elbows is too small, pressure will arise on the side ribs, which in turn causes pain in the chest; if the distance is too great, the chest will not be broadened and the pressure will fall on the cervical vertebrae.6. In this position the hands, the forearms and the distance between the elbows and the chest form an equilateral triangle. Do not move the elbows and forearms once you have set them.7. Lift the buttocks so that the elbow joints and the shoulders are in line with each other, and the head is in line with the hands. Breathe normally.8. On an exhalation place the crown of the head on the blanket so that the back of the skull is parallel to the wall and 1.5-2 cm from the little fingers. Do not rest the head in the cup of the hands - that is a mistake. Do not clamp the head between the hands. The ears should be parallel to each other. Stay in this position and take a few breaths in and out.9. On an exhalation lift the knees, the toes staying on the floor. Now straighten the legs and walk the feet in. The trunk is at a right angle to the floor.10. Make the legs firm and draw the kneecaps in. Stay in this position for a few seconds and breathe normally.11. Have your helper stand to your left or right and support your shins and thighs with their hands. Exhale and move the buttocks towards the corner without bending the spine. Ask your helper to lift your legs and trunk until the legs come to rest against the wall in Sirsasana. Now support the trunk by resting against the two walls of the corner. The weight of your body should rest on the wall and not on your helper's hands. The outer edges of the heels should touch both walls.12. Now try to take the buttocks away from the wall and transfer the weight onto the arms, the head and the trunk. Constant support from the wall will teach the spine to bend, so you must learn not to do this. Stay in this pose as long as you can, at least a minute, breathing normally. While doing so:(1) lift the sternum so that the cervical vertebrae are not compressed and you do not feel the whole weight of the body on the head;(2) lift the sides of the ribs and broaden the chest so that the thoracic vertebrae stay concave;(3) the lumbar vertebrae should be straight, so that the abdominal muscles are stretched and the abdomen does not bulge;(4) keep the buttocks a little away from the wall, so that the neck and lower back can balance;(5) let the heels rest against the wall so that you do not lose your balance.13. When you have control of the pose and feel confident, increase the time gradually to five minutes, breathing normally.14. On an exhalation rest the buttocks against the wall. Have your helper take hold of your shins and thighs; lower the legs gently and place them on the floor. Wait a few seconds, lift the head, release the hands.Once you have mastered Technique A, increase the time spent in the pose gradually. If no pain appears in the head, the back or the spine, learn to do Technique B. (Pain appears when the chest is not lifted correctly.) Technique B 1. Follow the instructions of Technique A, points 1 to 10.2. Bend the knees slightly, exhale, swing both legs up and rest the back and buttocks against the wall. In this position the spine may lean back, and it needs to be extended upwards. At this moment the legs are bent at the knees.3. Lift the feet up and rest them against the wall; straighten the legs - this is Sirsasana. In this position the buttocks, the backs of the legs and the heels should touch the wall. The legs should be straightened within a few seconds of the swing up.4. This is the final position. Now carry out all the instructions of point 12 of Technique A; the breathing is normal.5. Take one foot 7-10 cm away from the wall, in order to learn to hold the balance. The leg should be straight. Firm the buttocks and bring the other leg into line with the first. Learn to hold the balance. At the very beginning you will be able to hold it for 10-15 seconds. As soon as you feel you are losing your balance, rest the legs against the wall. Then take the legs away from the wall again for a while and balance. Breathe normally throughout.6. Come down gradually, following the steps in reverse order. Once you are down, wait 5-10 seconds before lifting the head.With this technique you will learn (1) to leave the floor in a single swing and take both legs up, and (2) to come into the final position of the asana without support from the wall. Once you have mastered this technique, learn Technique C. Technique C 1. Follow the instructions given in Technique A, points 1-10, but without using the wall.2. Bend the knees slightly; exhale and swing both legs up. If the spine leans back a little, bring it forward so that it stays vertical. Lift the knees up so that the thighs are parallel to the floor.3. Keep the trunk in line with the head. Do not let the buttocks go back; keep them in line with the head, otherwise you will fall backwards. If the buttocks tilt forward, or come in line with the elbows, or go slack, you may fall forwards. So when you take the feet off the floor, the whole movement must be directed upwards - the spine, the thighs, the buttocks, the knees and the feet should all move up, so that the weight of the body does not press on the head and arms.4. Continue the upward movement and lift the knees so that they point at the ceiling and the part of the body from the navel to the knees stays vertical. The legs below the knee are now folded back. Firm the buttock muscles and draw the buttocks in. The part of the body from the head to the knees should be in one line. Stay in this position for a while, breathing normally.5. Keeping the body firm from head to knees, lift the shins so that they come in line with the thighs. Extend the shins and calves fully into Sirsasana.6. The upward movement in Sirsasana is therefore as follows: at the moment the feet leave the floor, move the trunk upwards, starting from the shoulder blades to the buttocks, then from the groins to the knees, and finally from the knees to the feet.7. Stay in this final position for 5 minutes, breathing normally. If possible, extend this time. Sirsasana is not simply balancing on the head. It should be as natural as standing on your feet. While doing so:(1) press the elbow joints and forearms down; hold the elbows firmly and do not move them; lift the shoulders and armpits so that the weight of the body does not press on the ears; keep the shoulders well away from the hands;(2) broaden the intercostal muscles and lift them up; keep the armpits well open and extended upwards;(3) in order to lift the sternum and broaden the chest, draw the thoracic spine and the shoulder blades in, without disturbing the position of the head and neck;(4) keep the sides of the trunk lifted;(5) keep the middles of the thighs and the knees in line with each other;(6) press the buttocks together, keep the thighs together and lift the inner thighs up;(7) let the ankles and the toes touch each other; straighten the feet so that they are in line with the legs and do not turn in or out, and point the toes up.8. Exhale, bend the knees and come to position 4 of technique C. Bring the thighs parallel to the floor. Do not jerk the spine, neck or head; place the toes on the floor. Bend the knees and kneel down on the floor. Stay in this position for 5-10 seconds. Lift the head and unclasp the fingers. Advanced Sirsasana technique Once you have mastered Sirsasana as described above, you may want to go further and learn the method used by advanced practitioners. Mastering such a method takes a great deal of time, however. Here we give advice for those interested in deepening their practice.A strong spine and a strong waist are essential, since the legs are taken up without a swing and stay straight throughout.1. Follow the instructions given in Technique A, points 1-10.2. Exhale, straighten the legs and lift them. Bring them to a position parallel to the floor. Take a few breaths in and out.3. Exhale, take the legs straight up and come into the final position of Sirsasana. Stay there for 5-10 minutes, breathing normally.4. Exhale and, keeping the legs straight, come down without jerking the spine. Release the hands, wait a few seconds, then lift the head. Special notes: (1) Learn to balance the body using the crown of the head as one pole and the centre of the arches of the feet as the other. Both should be parallel to each other and perpendicular to the floor.(2) The weight of the body should fall on the head, not on the hands or the elbows.(3) When you practise Sirsasana without the support of a wall and feel you are losing your balance, bend the knees towards the abdomen and release the hands. Slide down and back from the neck to the trunk, so as not to come down with a thud.(4) In cases of excess weight, inflammation or displacement of the uterus, other menstrual disorders, or hernia, the heels should be kept apart in Sirsasana with the toes touching; this eases the pressure on the uterus and groins. The knees should also be kept apart. Contraindications: There is a wide circle of people who should not attempt Sirsasana. It is contraindicated in the following complaints:<ul><li>Hypertension.</li><li>Heart failure and heart disease.</li><li>Cerebral or coronary thrombosis.</li><li>Atherosclerosis.</li><li>Weak blood vessels in the eyes.</li><li>Chronic conjunctivitis and glaucoma.</li><li>Any kind of bleeding in the head.</li><li>Otitis (inflammation of the middle ear).</li><li>Chronic catarrh (Sirsasana may help in the early stages, but it can make the condition worse once the illness is chronic).</li><li>A displaced intervertebral disc (with this complaint it is very hard to lift the body into the final pose).</li><li>Heavily contaminated blood, since the contaminants may reach the brain. If you are unsure about the state of your blood, seek a specialist's advice. Obvious signs of impure blood may be chronic constipation and a large number of blemishes and spots on the skin.</li><li>Impaired kidney function, since it may result in the blood not being properly cleared of waste.</li><li>Less than six months of general daily practice of hatha yoga.</li></ul>This is only a brief list. Before attempting to learn Sirsasana, make sure you are not among those who should not do it.Temporary restrictions:Sirsasana should not be done in the following circumstances:<ul><li>An overly full bowel.</li><li>Physical fatigue.</li><li>A headache or migraine. These usually go with slightly raised intracranial pressure; doing Sirsasana may aggravate the condition.</li><li>Sooner than three or four hours after eating.</li><li>Less than thirty minutes after vigorous physical exercise, since the blood will then carry an excess of the contaminants associated with the by-products of muscular work. These contaminants must first be removed from the blood in the usual way - through urination, sweating or breathing. Sirsasana may be done after other asanas, since they do not raise the level of toxins in the body; in fact, done correctly, they lower the level of contaminants in the blood.</li><li>Pregnancy or menstruation.</li><li>Sirsasana must be stopped immediately if a headache, dizziness, heavy sweating, a feeling of heat, a rapid heartbeat or a general feeling of discomfort appears. Stop the asana, too, at the slightest feeling of suffocation</li></ul> General information on the inverted poses Inverted poses such as Sirsasana, Sarvangasana and Halasana are forbidden to anyone with neck problems, and to those who are physically weak. Women over forty may take up the inverted poses only after a year and a half of systematic asana practice, which must include the «standing» poses.There is a simple way of strengthening the neck muscles beforehand which, among other things, also removes the pathological instability of the vertebrae that is not uncommon in children and rarer in adults; it is quite distressing and does not respond to therapeutic exercise. Trauma specialists sincerely advise strengthening the muscles, but there is a problem: to load the neck you need movement, and when the vertebrae slip out of place so easily, any manipulation of the head leads to yet another injury - a vicious circle.But if movement cannot be used, the weight of the head can be, and it is done like this: lie face down on your stomach, resting the forehead on your hands. Then lift the head literally a centimetre, so that it hangs in the air. Hold this position until fatigue is felt in the neck muscles. That is the first exercise. The second: lie on your back and lift the back of the head slightly off the floor, with the face turned straight up; the position is held until an unpleasant sensation appears at the front of the neck and in the muscles of the throat.The third position: lie on your right side, lift the head parallel to the floor and stay there, so that the muscles on the left side of the neck work. The fourth: lying on the left side, do the same as before. As you get used to them, repeat each exercise up to five times. By these very simple means the neck muscles are strengthened statically; in children the vertebrae can be stabilised within two or three months. The same method is suitable as preparation for the inverted poses.While doing them, the following must be observed without fail:complete relaxation of body and mind (especially in the headstand);a minimum of muscular effort;free breathing into the chest (and not into the abdomen alone!);a straight spine (in Sirsasana - entirely; in Sarvangasana - except for the cervical section; in Halasana - the middle section should be as straight as possible, though versions also exist with it rounded to the maximum - the back like a «wheel".The inverted poses are distinctive in that the body completely changes its position relative to the vector of gravity. By varying how long the pose is held, the load on the left ventricle of the heart (the rate of diastolic relaxation increases - data from R. Minvaleev, 1999, St Petersburg) and on the mitral valve can be regulated. Along the way these poses have a tranquillising and sedative effect on the mind. Given their importance, and also the dangerous consequences that wrong practice brings with it. A further description of Sirsasana / ShirshasanaSirsasana (the headstand) is not to be learnt without a teacher by those with heart disease, severe deformities of the spine, a detached retina or glaucoma, after severe head injuries, with epilepsy, with raised blood pressure, with mental or blood disorders, and by those in poor physical condition. However long you hold it on the first attempt - a few seconds or a few minutes - there should be no lingering sensations afterwards in the neck, whose vertebrae are put under unaccustomed compression. When the arms are set on the floor before Sirsasana, the elbows form an angle of no more than ninety degrees (it often happens that the angle is fine before going into the pose, but the arms slide apart at the moment of pushing off from the floor - this is to be avoided). The middle of the part of the head you stand on is traditionally four fingers above the hairline on the forehead (if the hair grows in the usual way).Or two fingers lower (towards the face) than the highest point of the head, with the face turned straight forward. At first you can go up into the headstand by pushing off the floor with both legs, or with a gentle swing of one (the other having been raised beforehand). Later, when the back and arms begin to «draw up» the weight of the lower body, the swing becomes unnecessary. The soundest and safest way to learn Sirsasana is in the corner of a room, standing on the diagonal so that the feet can rest against the walls if needed.Never lean against the wall! - except at the very beginning of learning Sirsasana, otherwise you will never learn to stand without support! As soon as the balance is more or less there, go up into Sirsasana near the wall, but without touching it. If, standing in the middle of the room, you suddenly lose your balance and start to fall backwards, tuck yourself in as for a forward roll, which is what it will in fact become. If you unclasp the interlocked fingers in time, the roll will be perfectly straightforward.Suppose I have learnt to go up into Sirsasana and to balance at the wall. At first, touching it with the legs bent at the knees (the trunk and thighs forming one line), you simply need to get used to the new position, and the breathing must stay entirely free. Then, resting lightly against the wall with the toes of the bent legs (the distance from the head to the wall equals the length of the arm from fingertips to elbow; you should on no account set up right against it), take one leg up to vertical and then straighten the bent one in the same way, taking it away from the wall.The sign that the body has found its axis (the perpendicular to the floor) is a lightness in the body - the weight seems to disappear, which shows the pose is correct. If the lower back is arched too much and you are standing in a curve (the pelvis and legs tipped back), or the body is not fully straight (the legs tipped forward), noticeable effort arises at once in the back and arms. When the vertical starts to establish itself automatically, the time you hold Sirsasana will begin to grow of its own accord. This process must on no account be interfered with. As soon as the comfort is disturbed and the body begins to lose stability, come out of the pose at once.Beginners for whom Sirsasana is permissible should not hold the pose for long. A «best» time prescribed by somebody else is nonsense - you should stay up only as long as lightness, stillness and comfort last. Sirsasana gives its optimal effect when held for ten to (at most!) twenty minutes; standing longer simply makes no sense. In this pose (once it is mastered) there should be:<ul><li>complete relaxation and comfort;</li><li>stillness (on a stabilogram only the working of the heart and the breath is visible);</li><li>no obvious physical effort;</li><li>closed eyes;</li><li>no tilting - symmetry;</li><li>a feeling of complete weightlessness;</li><li>absolutely calm and imperceptible breathing;</li><li>a state of mind close to Savasana (Corpse Pose)</li></ul>When all of this is there, the headstand has been mastered. Usually, after going into Sirsasana, a rush of blood to the face is felt, pressure builds in it, and the ears become slightly blocked. If all is well, this all subsides within two or three minutes. If not, come out of the pose, lie on your back, relax and analyse your state carefully. Of course, when you are only up for a few seconds at first, the pressure simply has no time to even out.After some ten minutes in Sirsasana a sensation of blood draining from the feet may arise - do not wait for it to become unpleasant. In all the inverted poses you should breathe through the nose only; at the slightest sign of breathlessness or palpitations, come out of the pose immediately. If after a while a tilt is felt in the neck, it must not be corrected while still in the pose - that can end badly. You should either come out and go up again, or lift yourself on the arms so that the head leaves the floor - only then can the placement of the head be changed.After coming out of Sirsasana you should lie down at once in Savasana and stay there for at least half as long as you held the pose. (V. Boyko, YIK) The effects of practising Sirsasana / Shirshasana In the ancient books Sirsasana is called the king of all asanas, and it is not hard to find the proof of this. In a normal birth the head appears first and the limbs afterwards. The skull holds the brain, which governs the nervous system and the organs of sense. The brain is the seat of intelligence, knowledge, understanding, wisdom and power. It is the abode of Brahman, the soul. Just as a country cannot prosper without a good sovereign or a constitutional ruler, so the human body cannot thrive without a healthy brain.The three gunas have their source in the brain: the head is the centre of the sattvic faculties, which govern understanding; the trunk is the centre of the qualities of rajas, which govern the passions, the emotions and action; below the diaphragm are concentrated the qualities of tamas, which govern sensual pleasures such as the enjoyment of food and drink and sexual excitements and delights.Regular practice of Sirsasana brings a flow of healthy, clean blood to the brain cells, which renews them, sharpening the mind and clearing the thoughts. The headstand helps those whose minds tire quickly. It ensures a proper blood supply to such important organs of the brain as the pituitary and the pineal gland, on whose proper functioning a person's growth, health and vitality depend.The practice of the headstand, if the pose is done correctly, rejuvenates and enlivens the whole body. The «head down» position neutralises the effects of the usual upright position on the internal organs, which tend to settle, to sink downwards and so to become sluggish. The position of Sirsasana gently coaxes them back to new life. The body becomes warm, and with the increased blood supply the haemoglobin in the blood rises, and breathing and digestion improve.Those who suffer from insomnia, loss of memory or a decline in vital energy can restore their health by practising this asana regularly and correctly. Energy will well up in them, and the lungs will gain the capacity to withstand any climate and any load. Those who practise this asana know nothing of colds, coughs, tonsillitis, foul breath or palpitations, and their bodies keep warm. Sirsasana combined with the variations of Sarvangasana cures constipation. Regular practice of it raises the haemoglobin in the blood.Regular and correct practice of Sirsasana develops the body, disciplines the mind and widens the spiritual horizon. A person becomes balanced and self-assured, and accepts suffering and pleasure, loss and gain, disgrace and fame, defeat and victory with equanimity. (B.K.S. Iyengar)All illnesses are cured with the help of Sirsasana. In its effect the headstand replaces all the many poses (asanas) of yoga. Sirsasana helps to restore normal eyesight, to stop hair loss and greying and to clear dandruff; this asana saves one from allergies, gives immunity against leprosy, and cures twenty-five kinds of disorder of the ureter and the bladder, specifically female disorders, haemorrhoids, fistulas, coughs, colds and so on. It fully restores the mental faculties and cures all forms of psychological disturbance.Sirsasana is done after all the other exercises, and its physiological effect has not been fully studied. Some suggestions can nevertheless be made. In the headstand most of the body is above the level of the heart. This, on the one hand, increases the flow of blood to those parts of the body that are at that moment below the level of the heart. In the normal state, the heart has to overcome gravity in order to supply blood to the organs and parts of the body that lie above it.On the other hand, in the headstand gravity increases the outflow of venous blood from the lower parts of the body, where there is usually a tendency to stagnation.The increased flow of blood to the heart also stretches the heart muscle more strongly, and after such a strong stretch it contracts maximally. As a result the systolic volume of the heart increases.As the work of the heart increases, so does the blood supply to the brain and to the occipital and cervical regions. Gravity assists the circulation of the blood. The veins of the head and neck have the particular feature of having no valves. Because of this, in the normal position of the body venous blood flows away from the head easily and unimpeded, but in the lower limbs it often stagnates, causing what is known as venous obstruction. An increased flow of arterial blood combined with raised venous pressure increases the release from the capillaries of the extravascular and extracellular fluids that carry nutrients.All the parts of the body that are below the level of the heart during the headstand are toned considerably. Such a sharp enrichment of the blood with nutrients has a particularly strong effect on the working of the peripheral organs and structures. The hair roots receive more vital substances, and as a result hair growth and condition improve. Special massage of the scalp then becomes unnecessary.In Sirsasana such a vital organ as the brain is also below the level of the heart. The increased flow of blood to the brain admirably stimulates the functions of the mucous membrane and of the thyroid and parathyroid glands. (D. Brahmachari) The physiology of Sirsasana / Shirshasana - The functioning of the nerve cells of the brain (the neurons) depends strictly on the oxygen and glucose reaching them, which arrive with the blood. The "head pose" - sirsasana (in medieval texts it is often called "viparita-karani-mudra") - provides the best possible blood supply, nourishment and working of these cells. Hence the healing. Because any organ can be influenced through the brain.- The followers of the Indian researcher Maharishi say the same thing. For some thirty years now. Their position is this: each zone of the brain controls a particular - "its own" - part of the body; and if the brain is in order, there will be no illnesses.- In fact the authors of the idea are not followers of Maharishi but Soviet scientists, adherents of the school of Ivan Petrovich Pavlov.- That very Pavlov?- The same. Somewhere in the 1940s and 1950s they built up the theory of cortico-visceral relations (cortico.. - means "the cortex of the brain", viscera - "the internal organs") and drew up a map of the brain.- So it turns out that the link between the internal organs and the brain, which all these... Maharishis are so fond of talking about, was discovered by our own physiologists?- Yes. But - theoretically. Indian scientists, it seems, came at it from the practical side.- But standing on your head... is far from being within everyone's power.- It is within everyone's power. It is another matter that for some the headstand is contraindicated. That applies above all to those who have suffered head injuries. Besides, if the cervical spine is weak, one will also have to do without this pose. For everyone else it is available. But only if the recommendations are followed exactly. So if someone takes it into their head to stand on their head in the morning, or worse still "with a hangover", they will be, to put it mildly, mistaken.- So the "head pose" is incompatible with drinking alcohol?- On the contrary. For an alcoholic, sirsasana is a rescue. Because one of the immediate effects of the "head pose" is this: after a classical performance of it, drinking spirits will be unpleasant for a whole day. And a regular headstand frees one from the dependency. But it has to be done in the evening. And with a sober head.- And which of the "teetotallers" is it recommended for first of all?- For those with sclerosis and for people suffering from senile dementia, since it improves the blood flow to the brain.- You are probably answering so briskly right now because you are standing upside down and have a good blood supply to the brain.- No. The flow of blood to the head occurs only immediately after coming out of the asana - during the relaxation. There is no inflow of blood now. On the contrary, during the pose we observe the arterial inflow to the head being cut off. Because the volume of the skull is finite. Which means there is nowhere to put extra blood. There is no room.- Then why, if you'll forgive me, is your face crimson?- The face reddens not from an inflow of arterial blood but because the outflow of venous blood is obstructed. So it does not much matter how long you stay in this pose. What matters is the relaxation afterwards.- Can one stand for half an hour?- No. Not longer than five minutes. And even then only on the days of the full moon or "on the waning Moon". At the new moon and "on the waxing Moon" - no more than one minute.- That already smacks of some kind of mysticism.- It "smacks" to those who have no idea of the Moon's influence on the biosphere. Although the studies have been done. It is not simple to explain. Roughly speaking, at the full moon the Moon is closer to us, it as it were "draws" the blood, and on those days it is useful to activate the upper part of the body. At the new moon the blood "feels better" in the pelvic region, and that is what should be worked.- Should those who have never tried standing on their head try it at a wall first?- On no account. You must train relying on yourself alone. Otherwise you will always be feeling for the "wall" with your feet.- One could fall that way.- Yes. But there is no other way. You will have to practise.- Physical exercise calls for a warm-up beforehand, and not only of the muscles. Before a workout you need to warm the body up and raise the pulse... Perhaps before the headstand as well - some squats, a run, swinging the arms?- You are right. Before standing on the head, it has to be prepared. For this it will do no harm to stand with your feet in a basin of ice-cold water. For about 5 seconds. The blood will rush to the head. Running and squatting are not needed. All you will do with those is "turn the blood" towards the legs.The water treatment can be replaced by tapping the head lightly. With the palms. Until you clearly feel the vibration carrying inside the skull. It is better done kneeling (sitting on the heels), immediately before bending down.- And yet... For some people even bending down is quite an event. The blood "rushes" to the head, and sometimes the face tingles. And turning upside down is, for such people, an unheard-of ordeal accompanied by a mass of unpleasant sensations.- There should be no unpleasant sensations. If any appear, come out of the pose. It means you have not prepared properly. Try it all again: wet the feet with ice-cold water and tap the head. To be sure. Besides, it does no harm to eat a spoonful of mustard. According to Avicenna, it dilates the vessels of the brain.- All right. Suppose we have prepared. Bent down. Straightened the body and legs. There are no unpleasant sensations. But will an elderly person have the strength to hold this position?- The functioning of the nerve cells of the brain (the neurons) depends strictly on the oxygen and glucose reaching them, which arrive with the blood. The "head pose" - sirsasana (in medieval texts it is often called "viparita-karani-mudra") - provides the best possible blood supply, nourishment and working of these cells. Hence the healing. Because any organ can be influenced through the brain. One has to learn to focus attention on the absence of corrective movements. That is, when you are trying not to topple over, it means you have not mastered sirsasana.- Is standing on the head harder for women? Their lower body is more substantial, after all.- If they strain and try to "balance", then it is probably harder. But if the pose is done correctly, proportions play no part.- Should one come up onto the forehead or the crown? Or the very top of the head?- The point of support is between the crown and the forehead - two fingers from the hairline. But so that there is no painful sensation in the bone, a "padding" is needed - between the crown and the floor - in the form of the hands with the fingers interlocked. Part of the weight is transferred to the arms. So it turns out to be an intricate "point": the bone of the head plus the hands, cradling the head slightly further back. And the two other points of support are the elbows. But, I repeat, what matters in the "head pose" is the relaxation afterwards. Everything we are looking for shows itself in that. It is done like this: lying on the back, arms and legs extended, we relax completely, breathe in and out, imagining that the air leaves the body not through the nose, as in fact it does, but through the toes; the next exhalation is "through the ankle"; then "through the knees", "through the groins", "through the anus", "through the hands", "through the elbows", "through the area of the collar zone", "through the area of the navel", "through the area of the heart", "through the tip of the chin", "through the lips", "through the tip of the nose", "through the point between the eyebrows", "through the area of the "fontanelle" on the head", "through the crown". That is all. Now let us listen to the body. If there is discomfort and a wish to get up, the relaxation has failed. But when you do not want to get up at all - then the job is done.- How many times a day would you recommend standing on the head?- Once.- And finally. It happens that a head injury is combined in one person with a fondness for the bottle. And a weak cervical spine with senile dementia.- Then the headstand should be replaced by ardha kurmasana (the pose of prayerful bowing). (R. Minvaleev, AiF) Variations of Salamba Sirsasana I / Shirshasana I 1st Variation: Salamba Sirsasana II1. Spread a blanket folded in four on the floor and kneel down beside it.2. Place the right hand on the floor by the right knee and the left by the left, parallel to each other, with the fingers pointing towards the head. The distance between the hands should not exceed the width of the shoulders.3. Move the knees towards the head and place the crown of the head in the middle of the blanket.4. Having made sure that the position of the head is correct and secure, straighten the legs, lifting the knees off the floor. Move the toes still closer to the head and press the heels into the floor, keeping the back straight.5. Extend the dorsal part of the spine, pushing the chest forward; stay in this position for a few seconds, taking 3-4 breaths.6. Exhale, push off the floor gently and, bending the knees, lift the legs off the floor. Both feet should be lifted at the same time. Once settled in this position, extend the legs upwards, exhale, extend the toes up, tighten the knees and balance.7. While balancing, only the crown of the head and both hands are on the floor. Keep the forearms, from the wrists to the elbows, perpendicular to the floor and parallel to each other. Keep the upper arms, from elbow to shoulder, parallel to the floor and to each other.8. Then follow the instructions for Salamba Sirsasana I given for those who have mastered the balance.2nd Variation: Salamba Sirsasana III1. Kneel down beside the blanket with the knees about 30 cm apart.2. Turn the hands round and place them on the blanket between the knees, fingers pointing towards the feet. Keep the forearms, from the wrists to the elbows, perpendicular to the floor and parallel to each other. The distance between the hands should not exceed the width of the shoulders.3. Place the crown of the head on the blanket just behind the wrists, with the forehead towards their inner side. The head should be placed exactly midway between the hands, so that the crown is equidistant from the palms resting on the floor.4. Press the wrists and hands firmly down. Exhale, lift the feet off the floor, extend the legs up perpendicular to the floor and balance. Do not let the elbows spread; bring them as close together as possible.5. Balance in this position for one minute, breathing normally, then exhale and lower the legs gently to the floor.6. Once you can hold the balance in this form of Sirsasana, try bringing the hands as close together as possible, so that the edges of the palms and the little fingers touch. You should also learn to keep the legs straight, both raising them into the pose and lowering them, without bending the knees. This version of Sirsasana teaches a firm and confident balance.