How to get into Headstand, or Sirsasana

Headstand is both a childhood favorite and an ancient mind-body technique part of Yoga Pose, or Asana. It adjusts your point of view literally and figuratively, increasing blood flow to head and neck.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• blanket
• wall
• 6 x 6 foot clear space

1. Establish at least a 6 x 6 foot space clear of objects like shoes, furniture or dogs. One edge of the space should be a wall, at least on your first attempts. If you'd like extra padding, fold the blanket about 2 x 3 feet and place it long edge along the wall. This makes balance slightly trickier, but some folks like the padding for their noggin.
2. Stand about 2 feet away from the wall, facing it, feet hip width apart. Explore your standing pose, equalizing the pressure on both feet, aligning the pelvis over knees over ankles and rolling the shoulders up to the ears and down the back. Attend to your breath until you are breathing smoothly and slowly.
3. Inhaling, reach up and overhead, keeping the alignment of shoulders, hips, knees and ankles. Exhaling, join your hands over your head and squat, drawing your joined hands down a midline crossing your nose, lips and sternum. Place your elbows inside your knees. Press your elbows into your knees, knees into elbows, keeping knees inline with your ankles. Draw your heels as close to the ground as you can - you may want to use a blanket to support the heels if they don't make contact with the ground. Stay here in Garland Pose, or Malasana, for at least five breaths.
4. Place your hands on the ground in front of you shoulder width apart in front of your knees. Reaching forward with your sternum first, place the top of your head on the ground. You now have the beginning of a tripod. Bring your belly button back toward your spine and from the strength of your belly bring your pelvis forward over your shoulders. Rest your knees on your elbows. Your back will be perpendicular to the ground; be sure all of its normal curves are supported in your posture. This is a great place to stop if you'd like.
5. If you choose to go on, begin to stretch your legs upward, again from the strength of your deep abdominal muscles. Once you have extended your legs fully, explore the relationship of your shoulders to the openness of your chest. Internally rotate your thighs. Keep your feet active with the toes pointed or flexed. Come down by reversing your steps, gradually, intentionally and with awareness and breath.

Tips & Warnings

• Go slowly, moving with breath and awareness.
• Consider only doing steps one through three or four for the first several times attempting. Go further only when you feel knowledgeable and confident.
• When finished, rest in child's pose for at least ten breaths. Sit on your feet, knees bent in front of you, toes together, knees apart and lean the torso forward between the knees with your arms overhead.
• Always listen to your body.
• Do not attempt unless you have an active yoga practice of your own several times per week.
• Not recommended for actively menstruating women
• Do not attempt if you have high blood pressure, history of Stroke, CVA, TIA or glaucoma or are pregnant.
• Do not attempt if you have neck or shoulder injuries.
• Consider getting the assistance of a certified yoga teacher.
• Be prepared to fall as you learn.
• The risks you take are your own. Choose wisely with knowledge of your own limitation and capacity.