All about Yoga and Health

One of the yoga pose I learned this week is supported head stand or Sirsha-asana. It’s one of the hardest yoga pose I have ever learned as I can’t overcome my fear yet. I have my class later, and I wonder if we will have to practice it again. It will be easier to be done if I am not afraid of it. Most of the ladies can do it in my class, but we are doing it against the wall. Without it, I think we will break our necks. LOL!

Take a look at how it is done, but don’t do this by yourself.

The Headstand (Sirsha-asana) Instruction:

1. Sit in a kneeling position with the buttocks resting on the heels of the feet.
2. Lean forward and place the forearms on the floor in front while keeping the elbows about shoulder distance apart. Interlock the fingers of both hands.
3. Place the top of the head flat on the floor with the back of the head pressed against the inside of the interlocked fingers.
4. Placing the tips of the toes firmly on the floor while lifting the heels, raise the knees off the floor.
5. Hold for the duration of the held inhaled breath. When you can’t hold the breath comfortable any longer, slowly exhale and return the back to the floor, slide the legs out straight returning to the shava-asana.

I didn’t feel good after the exercise, and I know the reason now.

Cautions/Restrictions:
If you are new to Yoga we recommend that you find a qualified instructor to teach you this posture and monitor you performance. If you attempting this alone position yourself in front of a wall as mentioned above.

If you are suffering from high or low blood pressure you should not attempt this posture.

The sirsha-asana should not be performed by woman who are menstruating, as is the case with all inverted postures (where the legs are raise over the head).

I have always had low blood pressure, and it’s not advisable to do it. So I guess I have an excuse to skip this exercise?