POW! - Pose of the Week

My series on inversions continues...This week's pose: Sirsasana - because I certainly feel like I've been turned upside down lately!

What a week! I celebrated a birthday (twice), dealt with an aging dog who may or may not be developing Alzheimers, baked cookies and breads for the holidays, braved the stores, and also trudged through the regular day-to-day routines with my boys. Yes, I only WISH this turning myself upside down were serenely taking place on the beach, gazing out over the ocean instead of being metaphoric.

Despite the dizzying prospect of a headstand, turning yourself upside down certainly has it's benefits. Much like the previous inversions I've suggested, Sirsasana ironically improves digestion, strengthens spinal muscles,arms, and abdomen, improves circulation, and reduces varicose veins while relieving stress and anxiety. Sounds like I can use a bit of that this week...

Of course, this is quite a daunting posture, and I actually "cheat" and do this pose against the wall. I *have* (once or twice) done it free standing - away from a wall - but that was in the summer, when I was practicing daily and had a great sense of balance. These days, I'm lucky if I get in a session once a fortnight, so I'm using the wall. I'll build back up to a free headstand, but for now, I'll go with the flow, supporting my postures where I need to, and that's exactly what Yoga is all about. So don't feel daunted, get yourself near a wall, and surprise yourself by attempting a nice little headstand this week!

I have seen Sirsasana presented two ways: one with the forearms on the floor, hands hugging the crown of the head and the other as you see in the picture above, with hands forming a triangle with the crown of the head and forearms are parallel to the floor. Either way, you will reap the benefits of the posture. I'm most familiar with the method of forearms on the floor, so that's how I'll get you into the pose...

Kneel on the floor about an arm's length away from a wall. Interlace your fingers, forming a nice little cup where you can tuck your crown for support. With your forearms on the floor, place the pinky side of your hands down, anchoring yourself - this will become your base. Still kneeling, tuck the crown of your head inside this cup and slowly straighten your legs and begin walking your feet toward your head. Allow your hips to come into alignment with your shoulders, keeping a straight back. Bend your knees, and use the strength of your abs to lift your feet off the floor, extending the legs straight up in line with your hips, spine, and shoulders. Use the wall for security and support. With more and more practice, you can play around with the pose and gradually find yourself less and less dependant on that wall.

Concerned about compressing your neck and vertebrae while in Sirsasana? There are actually sophisticated props you can purchase to help you maximize the benefits of the posture. Gaiam has a "BodyLift" contraption on offer this week (just $99!) that can assist you with the posture. You avoid compressing the neck and can also use the prop as a mediation seat, but you will lose the benefit of pressure on the crown of your head (which stimulates circulation to the brain). Some people may find this pressure uncomfortable, so the "Body Lift" may be the prop for them. A video clip of the prop in action is linked below:
http://www.gaiam.com/text/videos/95-9225_video.html

Will you try a headstand this week? Are the holidays already turning you upside down enough? Maybe this will cancel it out and be just what you need to set your world right-side-up again...

The world looks different from upside down. Go ahead and give it a try!