How to do Shirshasana, Its Benefits & Precautions

What is Shirshasana

Shirshasana This pose is the most recognized yoga pose than the other poses. Standing on one’s head is called Sirsasana.

• It is also called the king of the asanas, so one can practice this asana after having mastery in other asanas.

Also Know as: Sirsasana, Sirshasana, Sirshasana, Headstand Posture, pole posture Pose, Topsy-turvy Posture, Vipreet Karni Asan/ Mudra, Vipreeta Karani, Shirsh Asan, Upside down pose, Sirshasana

How to start this Asana

• Firstly kneel down on the mat.
• Then interlock the fingers of your hands and place them and your forearms on the extra padding on the yoga mat.
• Keep your elbows close together.
• Place the back of your head into the hollow of the palms.
• Now, rise up off your knees and take a step or two towards the head.
• Inhale, and slowly raise the legs until they are vertical.
• Now, keep your back straight and try to relax and breathe deeply and slowly from the abdomen.
• Now, concentrate on the brain or the pineal gland between the eyebrows.

How to end this Asana

• To release or to come down, bend your knees and lower one leg and then the other.
• For the beginners, just ask your friend to hold one of your legs while you lower the other leg.

Video Tutorial

Benefits of Shirshasana

According to research, this Asana is helpful as per below^(YR/1)

1. It promotes hair growth by increasing blood circulation in the scalp.
2. The Shirshasana or the headstand increases the circulation to the brain, due to which we can have improved brain functions and increased vitality and confidence.
3. Poor blood circulation, fear, sleeplessness, headache, tension, constipation and the problems of eyes and nose can be improved by it.
4. It also helps to put the spine into correct alignment.

Precaution to be taken before doing Shirshasana

As per several scientific studies, precautions need to be taken in diseases mentioned as per below^(YR/2)

1. Avoid this asana if you have problem of high or low blood pressure, atherosclerosis (blocked blood vessels), brain attack, serious disease of eye, pus in ears, constipation, neck injury, or defect in pituitary gland.
2. But after recovering from these diseases you can try do this asana.

So, consult your doctor if you have any of the problem mentioned above.

Histroy and scientific base of Yoga

Due to the oral transmission of sacred writings and the secrecy of its teachings, yoga’s past is riddled with mystery and confusion. Early yoga literature were recorded on delicate palm leaves. So it was easily damaged, destroyed, or lost. Yoga’s origins may be dated back over 5,000 years. However other academics believe it could be as old as 10,000 years. Yoga’s lengthy and illustrious history may be split into four distinct periods of growth, practise, and invention.

• Pre Classical Yoga
• Classical Yoga
• Post Classical Yoga
• Modern Yoga

Yoga is a psychological science with philosophical overtones. Patanjali begins his Yoga method by instructing that the mind must be regulated – Yogahs-chitta-vritti-nirodhah. Patanjali does not delve into the intellectual underpinnings of the need to regulate one’s mind, which are found in Samkhya and Vedanta. Yoga, he continues, is the regulation of the mind, the constraint of the thought-stuff. Yoga is a science based on personal experience. The most essential advantage of yoga is that it helps us to maintain a healthy bodily and mental state.

Yoga can help to slow down the ageing process. Since aging starts mostly by autointoxication or self-poisoning. So, we can considerably limit the catabolic process of cell degeneration by keeping the body clean, flexible, and properly lubricated. Yogasanas, pranayama, and meditation must all be combined to reap the full advantages of yoga.

SUMMARY
Shirshasana is helpful in increase flexibility of muscles, improves shape of the body, reduce mental stress, as well improves overall health.