How to: Sirsasana (Headstand)

Sirsasana or the headstand pose is the most important among inverted asanas. In Sanskrit the word ‘sirsha’ means ‘head’ and ‘asana’ means pose. Sirsasana is considered the king of all asanas and is usually done at the end of the yoga asana practices. This is not difficult to practice if it is performed under the guidance of an expert and providing the basic rules are carefully followed. Rohini from Chennai yoga studio gives us easy tips and steps to get into Sirsasana.

How to:
1. Start by sitting on all fours.
2. Lower your elbows onto the ground.
3. Rest your forehead down on the ground.
4. Lock your fingers together and place them against your forehead.
5. Slowly lift your knees off the ground.
6. Slightly walk forward.
7. Slowly lift your legs up off the ground.
8. Carefully, lift your legs all the way up until your feet are pointing at the sky.
8. Hold the posture for a few deep breaths.
8. Slowly, lower your legs back to the ground.
9. Repeat this a few times.
10. Finally, lower your knees to the ground, come into the child's pose and relax.

Why to:
1. Pulls the stagnant blood in the lower limbs back to the heart for purification.
2. It tones the pituitary gland which is the master gland that influences the function of the rest of the endocrine glands.
3. It can relieve headaches.
4. The extra flow of blood to the head is good for the eyes and other organs.
5. It can take off gravitational pressure from the organs of the abdomen.
6. It can help to relieve piles and hydrocele.
7. It can help with management of asthma.
8. It increases the general vitality of the body.
9. It totally calms the mind and relieves stress in an instant owing to the intense stretching. It can also cure mild depression.
10. The lungs, spine, arms, and legs are strengthened with this asana.
11. The abdominal organs are toned, and digestion is improved.
12. This asana also works on the reproductive system and helps cure infertility with regular practice. It also relieves menstrual and menopause symptoms.
13. It helps cure sinusitis, asthma, and infertility.

Caution:
Avoid this asana at all costs if you suffer from any back injury, headaches, heart conditions, high blood pressure, or a neck injury. Do not practice this posture during menstruation. If you have low blood pressure, don’t begin your practice with this asana. Only if you are an expert or have been practising this pose for long, you can continue practising this pose through your pregnancy. But don’t begin to practice this pose after you become pregnant.

Best time:
This asana must be done only on an empty stomach. You need to make sure to have your meals four to six hours before your practice and give your body enough time to digest your food. Ideally, there needs to be a 10-12 hour gap between your meals and your practice, which is why it is best advised to practice this asana early in the morning. However, owing to busy schedules, a lot of people find it hard to work out in the morning. Such people may practice yoga in the evening. Your bowels also must be clean while you practice this asana.







Watch more: http://21frames.in/yogaandyou Follow us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/VentunoYoga Subscribe us on YouTube: http://youtube.com/user/VentunoYoga Follow us on Instagram: http://instagram.com/ventunoyoga Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/VentunoYoga A Ventuno Production http://www.ventunotech.com