Sirsasana

Śīrṣāsana, Julija Zora Mazover 2022

Shirshasana (Sanskrit शीर्षासन, IAST śīrṣāsana), English headstand, is one of the main exercises of Hatha Yoga and belongs to the group of inverted yoga poses. The Sanskrit name śīrṣāsana is composed of the words śīrṣa „head“ and āsana „seat“ or, more generally, „posture“.

Shirshasana is part of the Rishikesh series and part of the finishing sequence of Ashtanga Yoga

Preliminary Remark

At first glance, it appears that the headstand is not mentioned in the ancient Hatha Yoga scriptures, as the Sanskrit name Shirshasana does not explicitly appear. However, in the 3rd chapter of the Hathapradipika the Viparita Karani posture is mentioned – viparīta "reversed", karaṇa "activity" – and could thus refer to the headstand: "On the first day [the yogi] should keep his head down and his feet up for a short while, and he should [then] practise for a little longer every day." This is clarified more clearly in verse III, 35 in the Gherandasamhita: "Place the head on the ground with hands spread, raise the legs up, and thus remain steady. This is called Viparitakarani."

Physical execution

The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center points out that the key to balance in the headstand lies in the tripod which is formed by elbows and hands. The tripod is formed from a kneeled position, putting the forearms on the ground, wrapping the hands around the ellbows. Then release the hands and place them in the front without moving the ellbows. It is important that the elbows don’t shift out of the formed tripod.

Heinz Grill suggests that the next step is to very consciously place the head with the crown on the ground, … "so consciously that you perceive the closeness of your head to the ground, and stably clasp the back of your head with your interlaced fingers."

Erling Petersen, a student of Swami Narayanananda, now stretches his legs and walks toward the body, lifting the hips high enough to keep the back straight

This position is a preliminary preparatory pose for the headstand. It is called Ardha Shirshasana, or "half headstand," and can be practised on its own.

Now bend your legs. Lift your feet off the floor and move your heels towards your buttocks. B. K. S. Iyengar recommends practising lifting the feet off the floor until you feel confident, and only then moving the legs further into the vertical position by first bringing the thighs into alignment. Finally, the legs are stretched completely until the body is completely vertical.

When leaving the position, it is important to lower the legs very slowly and to avoid jerks, says Swami Vishnudevananda, and then you should stand erect for a minute or two to harmonize the blood circulation.

Swami Sivananda, who describes Shirshasana as the king of all asanas, suggests that this asana is easy to learn with the help of a wall: "Keep the finger-lock and head near the wall and throw away your legs on the wall. Try to remove the legs from the wall. By this method also you can learn to balance the body."

In his instructions, André Van Lysebeth distinguishes between Shirshasana and Kapalasana (IAST: kapālāsana), whereby kapāla means "head, skull". Kapalasana therefore also refers to the headstand. In contrast to Shirshasana, the forearms do not rest on the floor, but rather the head and the two supported palms form the tripod. p. 191 </ref>

Iyengar calls this pose Salamba Shirshasana, which translates as "supported headstand". The Sanskrit word "sālamba" means „as support".

Focusing attention

Swami Sivananda points out that „If you observe the breath you will notice that it becomes finer and finer.“ Furthermore you should breath only through the nose and not breathe through the mouth.

The picture and the meaning of the exercise

Heinz Grill writes about the picture and meaning of the headstand exercise:

„Practitioners experience the vertical line particularly intensively in the inverted form, as this form inevitably exists in the headstand and at the same time moves into consciousness through the inversion. The vertical line reveals the nature of the thought, which in itself is concrete and clear and represents a celestial power, a spiritual substance itself. In this symbol, which can be vividly experienced, lies the meaning of this graceful asana.““

Health aspects

B. K. S. Iyengar states that the practice of Shirshasana allows healthy and pure blood to flow through the brain cells. "This rejuvenates them so that thinking power increases and thoughts become clearer." André van Lysebeth reports that the inverted posture relieves the organs of the abdominal cavity from gravity, allowing them to rest on the diaphragm and receive a gentle massage through the breathing movement.