From SRF magazines July-Aug. '59, Sept.-Oct.'59, Nov.-Dec.'59, Jan.-Feb.'60
SIRSHASANA - The Head Stand
• Practice when the blood is abundantly oxigeneted (cause the blood goes to the brain); • the vertebrae must be in perfect conditions; • always wait 2 or 3 hours after a meal or 1/2 hour after strenuos exercise, to calm the body. • Limitations: persons who suffers from cardiovascular, infectious and eye disease, overweight, woman in mestrual period should NOT practice.
1 - Kneel, interlace the fingers, place the hands and elbows firmly on the floor, the forearm should be approximately at 90 degree.
2 - Bend forward and put the forehead at the hairline on a soft pad or folded blanket. Rest the back of the head against the palm and interlaced fingers. Then lift the knees froom the floor.
3 - Pushing with the legs, move the trunk until it reaches the vertical position of balance. Step 1, 2 and 3 are easy.
4 - Delicate part of mantaining one's balance while elevating the legs to the vertical position: slowly raise the legs from the floor until they are folded against the abdomen, balance the body in this position by tensing the biceps and the muscles of the forearms and hands.
5 - When balance is reached in (4) gradually unfold the legs until they are vertical. Stay in pose for 1 minute with normal breathing with nostrils, concentrating the attention at the point between the eyebrows (the origin of the soul perception). Now gradually lower the legs to starting position. Rest the forehead on the interlocked hands for several seconds, and then assume savasana, the relaxing pose, at least for 1 minute. The longer one stays in savasana trying to concentrate on the refreshing effects of the pose upon the upper part of the body, the better the results.
Keypoints - • Legs and spine straight, toes together and upward; • breathing from nostrils pushing in & out with the abdomen rather that the rib cage; if breathing from nostrils is not easy breath with mouth (but it counteracts the effects of the pose on blood circulation). • In the beginning practice once a day for 1 minute early in the morning after a few deep respirations. After some weeks of daily practice of the pose, one may retain it for 5 minutes. • Perspiration denotes the limit of one's bodily tolerance of the pose. So in case stop immediately. • Drinking of a glass of milk after each performance of the pose is advocated by yogis in order to counteract biologically the effect of gravity on the bodily "poisons" dislodged by long practice of the pose. • For evacuation, if the pose is done in the early morning, practice the stomach exercise, Uddiana Bandha. • As soon as one feels that he is loosing balance backward, he should immediately bend his head against his chest. In this way he will harmlessly roll on his spine. • Get into and out of the pose very slowly. Smooth practice deepens the benefits of the pose, while fast, jerky moves, impair its efficacy.
Benefit of sirshasana: • Lung diseases • throat and thyroid gland (the throat and the vocal cord are strenghtened) • shining eyes • velvety skin • youthful hair • stimulate the pituitary gland • oxygenate the brain cells • self control (brahmacharya) "wherever life force flows, blood follows; wherever blood flows, life force follows".
Personally I practice this beautiful pose from when I was in Hidden Valley Ashram Center, so it was the 1991. First with the help of a wall, then after few weeks I gain the exact balance. You have to have a strong will to succeed. During the firsts months I had a bad pain in my back after the practice. Then with the continuous practice the back muscles was reinforced and the pain gone forever. When I have time I include some minutes of this pose every days. Very useful to use it for aenema purpose in the morning, to unclog the digestive system and to irrorate all the intestines with various solutions.
