Salamba Sirsasana  
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Info
    • salamba = with support (sa = with alamba = support) sirsa = head
  • 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.
                   
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