Sirsasana
Headstand
Benefits:
> 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.
Cautions:
> Back/neck injury.
> Headache.
> Heart condition.
> High blood pressure.
> Menstruation.
> 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.
Technic:
> Use a folded blanket or sticky mat to pad your head and forearms. Get down on your hands and knees. Lace your fingers together and set the forearms on the floor, elbows at shoulder width.
> Cup the top of your heads in your palms as if your head were inside the apex of a triangle.
> Slowly walk your feet in toward your body, straightening your back, and then carefully raise your feet into the air.
> As a beginning practitioner stay for 10 seconds. Gradually add 5 to 10 seconds onto your stay every day or so until you can comfortably hold the pose for 3 minutes. Then continue for 3 minutes each day for a week or two, until you feel relatively comfortable in the pose. Come down with an exhalation, without losing the lift of the shoulder blades, with both feet touching the floor at the same time. Important: remain with your head down for a few minutes before sitting up.