WHAT IS THE PRACTICE SIRSHASANA? (THE 8 VARIATION PRACTICE)

SIRSHASANA
(THE HEAD STAND POSE)

ABOUT

IN SANSKRIT "SIRSHA" MEANS "HEAD", SIRSHASANA IS THE MOST IMPORTANT, POPULAR SPECTACULAR AND EXTREMELY BENEFICIAL ASAN. IT IS CALLED THE KING OF ASANS WHILE OTHER THINK OF IT AS QUEEN OF THE ASANAS. TO A LAYMAN YOGA MEANS SIRSHASANA, AND SIRSHASANA MEANS YOGA.

IN THE WEST THIS ASAN IS POPULARLY KNOWN AS "TOPSI-TURVY" POSE. TO THOSE WHO ARE IGNORANT, IT SEEMS MADNESS TO PERFORM HEADSTAND AND BREAK THEIR NECK. PERSONS SUFFERING FROM HIGH BLOOD-PRESSURE, THROMBOSIS, VERTIGO, BLOOD IMPURITIES SHOULD NOT ATTEMPT THIS ASAN. YOGIS RECOMMEND THE SIRSHASANA TO ELIMINATE THE DIS-ADVANTAGE WHICH APPEARS FROM STANDING UPRIGHT. THIS ASAN TOO HAS A NUMBER OF VARIATIONS AND INNUMERABLE BENEFITS.

TECHNIQUE

ON A FOLDED BLANKET, PLACE A FOLDED TOWEL, ADOPT VAJRASANA POSE.
THIS ASAN IS PERFORMED WITH THE HELP OF THE HANDS AND ARMS.
THE WHOLE WEIGHT OF THE HEAD, TRUNK THE BODY IS PLACED ON THE INTER-TWINED HANDS AND ELBOWS.
BEND FORWARD AND PLACE THE FOREARMS ON THE FLOOR WITH FINGERS INTER-TWINED AND ELBOWS IN FRONT OF THE KNEES.
PLACE THE CROWN OF THE HEAD BETWEEN THE INTER-TWINTED HANDS.
SLOWLY MOVE THE LEGS TOWARDS THE TRUNK AND ALLOW THE KNEES TO BEND, SO THAT, THE BACK IS UPRIGHT AND THE THIGHS PRESS AGAINST THE ABDOMEN AND LOWER CHEST.
SLOWLY TRANSFER THE BODY WEIGHT FROM THE TOES TO THE HEAD AND ARMS.
WHEN THE BALANCE HAS BEEN MAINTAINED, RAISE AND STRENGTHEN THE HIPS, SO THAT THE THIGHS MOVE UP.
SLOWLY RAISE THE LEGS HIGH UP IN THE AIR TILL THE WHOLE BODY BECOMES ERECT.
STAND IN THIS POSE FOR TEN SECONDS AND GRADUALLY INCREASE THE PERIOD OF TIME.
ALWAYS BREATHE SLOWLY WITHOUT ANY JERK TO THE FLOOR TO THE ORIGINAL POSITION.
AFTER COMPLETING THE ASAN STAND ERECT FOR A MINUTE.
THIS WILL HARMONISE THE BLOOD CIRCULATION.

VARIATION 2

ADOPT THE POSE OF SIRSHASANA.
KEEP THE HANDS SEPARATED AND MAINTAIN BALANCE ON HEAD AND HANDS.
STRETCH THE THIGHS AND KEEP THE SOLES OF THE FEET TOGETHER.
THIS ASAN IS CALLED OORDHWA PADAMASANA (THE HEAD STAND LOTUS POSE) BY SOME YOGIS.

VARIATIONS 3

ADOPT THE POSE OF VARIATION NO 2 AND INTER-TWINE THE LEGS. BREATHE SLOWLY AND NORMALLY.
REMAIN IN THIS POSE FOR A COUPLE OF SECONDS AND INCREASE THE PERIOD OF TIME GRADUALLY.

VARIATION 4

ADOPT THE POSE OF VARIATION 3 AND STRETCH THE LEGS APART AS MUCH AS YOU CAN WITHOUT ANY JERK OR STRAINER PAIN.
REMAIN IN THIS POSE FOR A COUPLE OF SECONDS AND INCREASE THE PERIOD OF TIME GRADUALLY.

VARIATION 5

ADOPT THE POSE OF SIRSHASANA AND KEEP THE HANDS FOLDED IN FRONT OF THE HEAD.
IN THIS POSTURE GREATER PRESSURE IN PUT ON THE HEAD AND ALL THE LIGAMENTS CONNECTED WITH THE VERTEBRAL COLUMN GET SUFFICIENT BLOOD.

VARIATION 6

ADOPT THE POSE OF SIRSHASANA AND TWIST THE SPINE IN BOTH DIRECTIONS.
IN THIS POSE SPINE IS FREELY ROTATED TOWARDS IN THE RIGHT SIDE.

VARIATION 7

ADOPT THE POSE OF SIRSHASANA AND TWIST THE SPINE IN THE DIRECTIONS.
IN THIS POSE THE SPINE IS ROTATED THE LEFT SIDE.

VARIATION 8

ADOPT THE POSE OF SIRSHASANA.
BRING DOWN THE KNEES AND TOUCH THE ARMPITS, SO THAT, THE KNEES CAN BE RESTED ON THE ARMS.

BENEFITS

IN THIS ASAN THE WHOLE WEIGHT OF THE BODY RESTS ON THE HEAD AND THE ACTION EXTENDS UPTO THE BASE OF THE SPINE AND SACRUM WHICH SUPPORTS THE WHOLE WEIGHT OF THE BODY. SIRSHASANA INFLUENCE CIRCULATION OF BLOOD TREMENDOUSLY. THE STOMACH IS LIKE A LABORATORY OR WORSHOP OF THE BODY AND IN THIS WORSHOP THE DIAPHRAGM PLAYS MOST VIRAL ROLE. MANY PERSONS AFTER THE AGE OF 40 BECOME VICTIMS OF PROSTRATE TROUBLE. SUCH PERSONS CAN GET OF THE TROUBLE BY PRACTISING SIRSHASANA REGULARLY AND CORRECTLY. SIRSHASANA STRENGTHENS AND MASSAGE THE LIVER, KIDNEY, STOMACH, INTESTINES, IMPROVE DIGESTION AND REMOVE HEPATIC CONGESTION.

BRAIN WITH BILLION OF NERVE CELLS IS THE MOST SENSITIVE AND HIGHLY COMPLEX ORGAN IN THE BODY. THIS ORGAN COMPARED TO OTHER ORGANS REQUIRES ENORMOUS QUANTITY OF BLOOD. THE FACE RECEIVING PLENTY OF ARTERIAL BLOOD GROWS YOUNGER AND YOUTHFUL WITHOUT, WRINKLES AND THE GROWTH OF THE HAIR BECOMES HEALTHY. THE GREAT SAGE PATANJALI HAS RIGHT SAID, "SIRSHANA" LIKE SARVANGASANA IS THE DESTROYER OF ALL DISEASES AND BESTOWER OF HEALTHY LIFE.