sarvangasana benagh.doc

8/13/2019 Sarvangasana Benagh.doc

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Shoulderstand

AVE GREAT SYMPATHY for students who struggle with Salamba Sarvangasana Shoulderstand!" #e$ause of an

ne$% in&ur'( Salamba Sarvangasana used to be )uite diffi$ult for me" M' ne$% and u**er ba$% a$hed in the *osethrobbed for several minutes after I $ame out of it" About twi$e a 'ear I would strain mus$les in m' u**er ba$%

e *ra$ti$ing Shoulderstand I sought the advi$e of tea$hers( who all $ame to m' aid b' adding more and more

s" #efore long( m' Shoulderstand was su**orted b' four blan%ets( a belt tied around m' u**er arms( and a $hairtioned under m' hi*s"

+ne da'( surrounded b' these a$$outrements( I too% sto$% of m' situation and reali,ed that while the outer form

' *ose would *ass muster( I had no insight whatsoever about how to a$tuall' do Shoulderstand- .i%e a tree with

ow roots( I had to be *ro**ed u* in order to stand at all"M' *redi$ament begged the )uestion/ How were the *ro*s hel*ing me0 Though the man'

%ets did redu$e m' level of dis$omfort( after mu$h refle$tion I $on$luded that *ro*s must also give

an$e and understanding so the' $an eventuall' be dis$arded" In other words( *ro*s are not meante &ust a $rut$h" Mine were( so I threw them awa'1e2$e*t one blan%et and a wall( whi$h I used for

ort until( after a $ou*le of 'ears( I edu$ated and strengthened m'self enough to *erform the

ns needed to do Shoulderstand unassisted"3nowing that I am not alone in struggling with Shoulderstand( I share m' stor' be$ause I ho*e

$ourages 'ou to *ersevere in see%ing a solution to an' *roblems 'ou ma' en$ounter in this im1

ant inversion" Most often $alled 4the mother of asanas(4 Shoulderstand is a *otent *ose that shouldn integral *art of almost ever' serious student5s asana *ra$ti$e"

ps should never be just a crutch; they should always help educate and strengthen you.

Inversions li%e Shoulderstand are so *owerful be$ause( as earthbound $reatures( we are so

ngl' affe$ted b' the long1term im*a$t of our gravit'" +ver the 'ears our bodies begin to( well """This de$line is $learl' visible in our s%in( but there are mu$h more im*ortant unseen

e)uen$es to gravit'5s relentless drag" After 'ears of $ombating gravit'( all the organs( es*e$iall'

heart and the rest of the $ir$ulator' s'stem( grow sluggish( whi$h results in less nourishment to ourand leaves us vulnerable to heart disease( fatt' de*osits in the blood vessels( vari$ose veins( and

r effe$ts of aging" Though the effe$ts of gravit' are inevitable( we $an do a great deal to $ountera$t

m*a$t" .i%e the original 'ogis( we $an $leverl' beat gravit' at its own game b' turning the bod'de down" This sim*le a$tion benefits the whole bod'" 6o wonder the earl' 'oga masters stressed

m*ortan$e of inversions and said Headstand and Shoulderstand $ould $on)uer old age-

ng Your Neck

AM#A Sarvangasana entails a whole lot more than &ust fli**ing u*side down on 'our shoulders"

t ma%es it so diffi$ult0 In two words/ the ne$%" #ut there is no reason to avoid Shoulderstand &ustuse 'ou are *rone to ne$% *roblems" In fa$t( if 'ou *ra$ti$e Shoulderstand *ro*erl'( it $an

ngthen 'our ne$%" If 'ou do have $hroni$ ne$% *roblems( I advise wor%ing with an e2*erien$ed

her who $an give 'ou s%illed instru$tion" +*inions will alwa's differ about whether Shoulderstand

ld be *ra$ti$ed with the su**ort of multi*le 'oga *ro*s8 $ertainl' m' o*inion has evolved fromown e2*erien$e with Shoulderstand" .earn all 'ou $an from 'our tea$hers( but remember that in

nd the de$ision about what *ro*s to use in 'our regular *ra$ti$e is b' rights 'ours and 'ours

e"Regardless of the health of 'our ne$%( regardless of whether 'ou use man' blan%ets or none at

slow and *atient a**roa$h to Shoulderstand is worthwhile8 a *oorl' *ra$ti$ed Shoulderstand $an

avate or $ause ne$% *roblems" I re$ommend a Shoulderstand strateg' that starts with Vi*aritaani .egs19*1the17all Pose! and graduall' trains 'ou to rel' more on s*inal strength than on *ro*s

**ort 'our Shoulderstand"


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Pre*are for Vi*arita 3arani b' folding a firm blan%et into a re$tangle large enough to fitfortabl' under 'our torso from shoulders to hi*s at least :; in$hes b' :< in$hes!" Pla$e it on a

' mat( folding about a foot of mat over the folded edge of the blan%et so 'ou5ll have tra$tion for

elbows"Position the mat and blan%et &ust far enough from a wall that 'ou $an lie on it with 'our

lders on the blan%et fold and 'our hi*s near the wall" .ie down on the blan%et with 'our legs u* the

and 'our arms stret$hed out at shoulder level on the floor (Figure 1). 7ith 'our e'es $losed($iousl' rela2 into the blan%et" Ta%e 'our time8 let Vi*arita 3arani be an e2er$ise in *atient undoing"

'our shoulders and the ba$% of 'our s%ull melting into the floor ea$h time 'ou e2hale" As tension

olves( 'ou ma' feel more freedom in 'our ne$%( *erha*s allowing 'ou to elongate it a bit"

>on5t &ust tu$% 'our $hin in8 wriggle both the front and ba$% of 'our ne$% longer until 'ourht rests on the $enter of the ba$% of the s%ull" Allow 'our fa$e to be$ome )uiet and feel how 'ou $an

'our head easil' from side to side" As 'ou rela2( 'our breathing will be$ome slow and stead' and

e a deli$ate sound in the throat" There is no need to for$e this sound8 sim*l' shifting 'our attentione movement of the breath in the throat will usuall' *rodu$e this subtle sound" The sound and a$$om1

ing sensations are a bit li%e sonar( hel*ing 'ou ma* and maintain the s*a$e 'ou see%( the whole wa'

the soft *alate to the u**er $hest"You are now read' to raise 'our torso off the floor" E2hale and gentl' *ress the $enter ba$% s%ull

the base of the s%ull! into the floor" >o 'ou feel the res*onse in 'our ne$% mus$les0 7hat 'ou are

g is $reating an a$tive $ervi$al ar$h that will hel* avoid overstret$hing the ne$% and begin the

ement that will be the sour$e of $ore su**ort for 'our Shoulderstand" This movement is )uiteortant( but don5t do it b' *ushing the $hin u*/ That a$tion overar$hes the ne$%"

3ee* the $enter of the ba$% of 'our s%ull firml' rooted to the floor and e2hale as 'ou bend 'our

s( *ress the soles of 'our feet into the wall( and roll u* onto 'our u**er ba$% or shoulders" Allowe2halation to add strength to 'our lift" Regardless of how high 'ou rise onto 'our shoulders( it is

ortant that 'ou maintain the a$tive $ervi$al ar$h of the ne$%" If 'ou feel that 'our $hin dro*s or 'our

flattens down( intensif' the a$tion of *ressing the s%ull into the floor"6e2t( bring 'our arms behind 'our ba$%( &oin 'our hands( e2tend 'our arms toward the wall( and

s 'our elbows down far into the blan%et" Please don5t a$tivel' s)uee,e 'our shoulder blades together(

e this ma' $onstri$t 'our ne$%" Instead( allow the a$tion of the arms to narrow the shoulder bladese gentl'" If 'ou are *rone to h'*ere2tending i"e"( lo$%ing! 'our elbows( bend them enough that 'ou

*ress them down into the blan%et" If( on the other hand( 'ou $an5t bring 'our elbows to the floor at

ean ba$% until 'ou $an root them firml' into the blan%et" Then lengthen the ba$% of 'our arms and

'our elbows( *la$ing 'our hands on 'our ba$% as $lose to the shoulder blades as *ossible =iguref 'our elbows start to s*la' out wider than the width of 'our shoulders( lower 'our arms" Moving

e slowl'( strongl' lengthen the ba$%s of 'our arms

houlderstand, the Chin ock regulates the !low o! energy in the head, throat, and heart.

rotate 'our outer arms toward the floor as 'ou on$e again bend the arms to *la$e 'our hands on 'ourr ba$%" If 'our elbows don5t s*la' o*en( leave well enough alone"

6ow begin to release 'our front shoulders toward the floor8 feel as though the' melt down over

o*s of 'our shoulders" This movement will roll 'ou higher onto 'our shoulders( but it must remain

ndar' to the more im*ortant a$tions of *lanting 'our elbows and the $enter ba$% s%ull" Rooting the

er ba$% s%ull and elbows $reates a $riti$al rebound effe$t that serves as the basis for ?alandharadha @hin .o$%!( whi$h in turn *rovides the internal lift $ru$ial for a good Shoulderstand"

aging Internal Support

H+9T ?A.A6>HARA #andha( Shoulderstand la$%s its essential foundation" #andhas are usedana and *rana'ama to $ontain and dire$t the *rana life energ' generated b' those *ra$ti$es!" In

ulderstand( ?alandhara #andha is used to regulate the flow of *rana( es*e$iall' to the heart( throat(

head" 9nfortunatel'( older 'oga te2ts des$ribe the a$tion of ?alandhara #andha in sim*le terms


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give no hint of how diffi$ult it a$tuall' is" In theHatha Yoga Pradipika, for instan$e( a medieval$onsidered to be the oldest in1de*th treatise on hatha 'oga( Swami Svatmarama sim*l' instru$ts

ents to 4@ontra$t the throat and *ress the $hin against the breast"4 The *ro*er a$tion is mu$h more

$ult than that( but if 'ou root 'our $enter s%ull and elbows strongl' enough( 'ou ma' feel a hint ofne$essar' lift" Indeed( without the lift these a$tions *rovide( 'ou ma' have 'our $hest and $hin

sed together and 'et still find the bod' des$ending *ainfull'1and dangerousl'1onto 'our ne$%"

l' that5s not what Swami Svatmarama had in mind-I have be$ome ver' fond of a variation of Shoulderstand $alled Vi*arita 3arani

ra 9*ward A$tion Seal!" 9suall' students $an get a sense of the a$tion of ?alandhara #andha

avoid overstret$hing the ne$% in this *ose more easil' than in full Shoulderstand"

It5s eas' to move into Vi*arita 3arani Mudra from 'our *osition in Shoulderstand with 'our feethe wall" 3ee*ing 'our feet on the wall and su**orting 'our rib $age with 'our hands( lift as high as

ible onto 'our shoulders" Then( using 'our hands as a ful$rum to %ee* the rib $age fi2ed in its near1

$al *osition( dro* 'our hi*s slightl' ba$%ward toward the floor =igure !" Your s*ine will ar$h a( lengthening the front bod' from throat to *ubis" @ontinue to root 'our head and elbows to

ntain an a$tive $ervi$al ar$h" Then( to intensif' the u*lift that $reates ?alandhara #andha( $on1

usl' o*en 'our throat and u**er $hest with ea$h inhalation8 with ea$h e2halation( ground 'ourer ba$% s%ull and elbows and let a strong breath1sound from the throat lift 'our ribs( drawing

to* breastbone $loser to the $hin( *erha*s even bringing them into $onta$t" #e $areful not to

'our $hin( sin$e that movement ma' overstret$h 'our ne$%" As the breastbone and $hin

ge( energ' is generated within the throat that $hannels u* through the torso( $reating anstru$ture that su**orts the asana from within"

e 'ou5ve engaged the bandha( 'ou ma' sense a strong $urrent rising from 'our throat and

eling u* the s*ine" In their boo%Dancing the Body ofLight Pegasus Enter*rises( BCCC!( >onaeman and +rit Sen1Gu*ta give a good e2*lanation of this *henomenon/ 4The $ombination of

ng and $onstri$ting the energ' toward the $enter $reates the De'e5 of the storm8 in other

ds( the energ' is lifted and the energ' shoots u*ward"4 Gentl' ar$hing 'our s*ine in Vi*aritaani Mudra ma' ma%e it easier for 'ou to engage this u*ward energ'( enabling 'ou to lift/ first

m the $hest into the midbod'( o*ening 'our lower ribs( and then into the abdomen( hel*ing the

$ bones $urve awa' from the navel" 7hen the entire s*ine is nourished b' this u*wardg'( the *ose be$omes more $omfortable and effe$tive"

All of the bandhas intensif' the $leansing effe$ts of hatha 'oga" A$$ording to traditional

$ understanding( a fire $alled agni( lo$ated &ust below the navel( $leanses the bod' b' burning

' to2ins" 7hen the flow of energ' throughout the bod' is disru*ted( the lower bod'mulates e2$ess a*ana( the downward flowing energ' res*onsible for elimination" This e2$ess

ributes to wea% breathing( letharg'( *oor elimination( and other ailments" Inverted asanas turn

lame of agni toward this waste( enabling us to burn it off more effi$ientl'" Inverting isfi$ial in and of itself( but 'ou should fo$us on 'our e2halation be$ause the $leansing is most

$tive when the e2halation is longer than the inhalation"

e su**orting 'our feet on the wall hel*s 'ou lift and maintain an a$tive $ervi$al ar$h( I en$ourageto &ust sta' in su**orted Vi*arita 3arani Mudra if maintaining ?alandhara #andha is ver'

enging" However( if 'ou feel strong enough to ta%e 'our feet off the wall( give it a tr'" 3ee* the

ht bend at the hi*s as

feet leave the wall8 on$e 'ou5ve straightened 'our legs( *osition 'our feet over 'our shoulders"

ourse( 'ou will immediatel' feel the added weight 'ou now bear" In res*onse( in$rease the *owerour e2halation as needed to maintain 'our lift" If 'our ne$% *resses into the floor or 'our $hin

s( *lease *ut 'our feet ba$% on the wall" The a$tions

ccording to yogic lore, inverted asanas help the natural cleansing !ires o! the body$the agni$

urn o!! wastes %ore e!!iciently.


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ired to retain the $ervi$al ar$h( to $reate ?alandhara #andha( and to lift the s*ine are mu$h moreortant than ta%ing 'our feet off the wall" Give 'ourself *ermission not to *ro$eed to full Shoul1

tand if 'ou feel a su**orted *ose is more a**ro*riate for 'ou" Rest assured that 'ou are still

ving the *owerful benefits of inversion" +n the other hand( if'ou feel )uite strong in Vi*aritaani Mudra( let us move toward full Shoulderstand" #eginning in Vi*arita 3arani Mudra( e2hale

ou bring 'our %nees down( *la$ing them on 'our forehead in a variation of 3arna*idasana

ee1to1Ear Pose8 =igure ;!" The abilit' to *ut 'our %nees on 'our forehead while maintaining anve $ervi$al ar$h is an e2$ellent indi$ator of whether 'ou $an safel' *erform full Shoulderstand"

ou are unable to rest 'our %nees on 'our forehead and %ee* an a$tive $ervi$al ar$h( return to

arita 3arani Mudra with 'our feet on or off the wall"!

is 3arna*idasana variation( let the weight of 'our u**er legs and %nees sin% into 'our forehead

nhan$e the rooting of 'our s%ull" S*end some time in this *ose( allowing it to gentl' stret$h 'our

mus$les and elongate 'our s*ine as 'ou slowl' $ontinue to bring 'our rib $age $loser to a$al *osition" Hel* ensure that 'ou don5t overstret$h 'our ne$% or let 'our $hin dro* b' $ontinuing

rongl' *lant the elbows and maintaining the u*ward movement of energ' from within the throat"

should feel this lifting motion be$ome even stronger in res*onse to 'our efforts inna*idasana" You ma' also find that 'ou $an move 'our hands a bit $loser to 'our shoulders and

uall' lift the ribs" 3ee*ing 'our rib $age in the same *osition( inhale to raise 'our %nees from

forehead and e2hale to e2tend u* into Salamba Sarvangasana =igure !"

In this $lassi$ version of Shoulderstand( *rimar' su**ort still $ontinues to $ome from the

ard *ush $reated b' ?alandhara #andha( whi$h in turn de*ends on rooting the $enter of the ba$% of

%ull and the elbows" As 'our ribs lift off the throat( 'our breastbone will lift toward( and *ossibl'h( the ti* of 'our $hin" Remember( the $hest travels to meet the $hin not the other wa' around!"

"stablish a co%!ortable balance in Shoulderstand so you can e&plore the subtle but

er!ul %ove%ents that ripple through your body.

Even when the $hest and $hin $ome together( ma%e sure the $hin doesn5t dro*8 'ou mustnue to generate so mu$h $ore lift that 'our s*ine remains taller and stronger along its entire length"

hout enough u*ward movement( the front lower ribs tend to $ave in and the entire *ose wea%ens(

ibl' $ausing stress to 'our ne$%"

Ta%e a $lose loo% to see if 'our *ose suffers from this $ommon *roblem" E2amine 'our lowerIf the' are sin%ing ba$% into 'our bod'( 'ou $an tr' a $ou*le of remedies" =irst( re$all the slight

ar$h 'ou did in Vi*arita 3arani Mudra" 9sing 'our hands to %ee* 'our rib $age fi2ed( dro* 'our

ba$% &ust enough to restore length to 'our front bod'"Also( use 'our legs and abdomen more strongl'" 7hile ?alandhara #andha reall' $reates the

ar' lift( 'our abdomen and legs must also *la' an im*ortant role in lifting 'our Shoulderstand" Ta*

that su**ort( softening 'our front thighs and drawing 'our groins into 'our *elvis on 'ouration8 on 'our e2halation( lengthen the tailbone awa' from the s*ine and e2tend the ba$%s of 'our

This a$tion will generate length and internal su**ort for 'our lumbar s*ine as well as a feeling

the legs are hel*ing to hold 'ou $om*letel' u*right in the *ose( thus sustaining a sense of

fort"Though 'ou do need strength to sustain and stabili,e the u*lift in Shoulderstand( 'ou should

no strain at all" As alwa's( 'our breath is a good guide to the overall health of 'our asana" Thed of the breath should remain subtle and stead'( with ea$h e2halation strong and at least as

as the *revious inhalation" If 'ou feel strain or $annot sustain a breath initiated u*lift( *ut 'our

on the wall or return to Vi*arita 3arani Mudra" If not( remain in Shoulderstand( $ontinuing toe the *ose"

pening the Subtle "!!ects


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A6Y ASA6A( *h'si$al sensations and te$hni)ues often dominate 'our attention" 7hen a *oseffi$ult( as Salamba Sarvangasana $an be( it is eas' to rush through the *ose"

Shoulderstand needs time to ta%e sha*e and ma%e its effe$ts felt" As 'our a$tions wor% their

to the $ore of the bod'( the benefits of the asana dee*en dramati$all'" If unhurried( 'our bod'$ontinue to $hange( allowing a natural and lasting e2*ansion of 'our range of motion" =or

m*le( as 'our shoulders ada*t to the dee* rotation re)uired for this *ose( 'ou ma'be able to

e 'our hands $loser and $loser to 'our shoulders( whi$h in turn hel*s 'ou to a$hieve greater liftease in the whole *ose"

Also( while the effe$ts of Salamba Sarvangasana li%e an' asana! are most noti$eable in the

a$e mus$les of the bod'( subtle but *owerful internal movements inevitabl' ri**le through 'ou

ou hold the *ose" Establish a $omfortable balan$e that allows 'ou to *rolong the *ose inntive stillness for several minutes( so 'ou $an e2*lore these subtle inner $urrents" Sear$h out

%ets of inner tension( letting the breath5s *ulsating rh'thm hel* restore s*a$e and movement in

dee*est regions of the bod'"+f $ourse( the o*timum length of time to hold an' *ose is uni)ue to ea$h *erson1uni)ue( in

in ever' *ra$ti$e session( de*ending on the $ondition of 'our bod' on a given da'" I5m not a

fan of for$ing the bod' to hold a *ose for a *redetermined time" 7hen 'ou im*ose a fi2ed time($an easil' outsta' 'our wel$ome in Shoulderstand and o*en the door to in&ur'" #ut eventuall'(

u want to full' en&o' the effe$ts of inversion( 'ou should tr' to build u* 'our Vi*arita 3arani

ra or full Shoulderstand until 'ou $an *ra$ti$e them for at least three to five minutes"

ome out of either *ose( *ut 'our feet on the wall and slowl' $url ba$% to the floor" .ie on 'ourfor a minute" You should e2*e$t to feel as though 'our ne$% has been stret$hed( but an'

omfort should be mild and subside )ui$%l'" If it doesn5t( I suggest *ra$ti$ing for a shorter length

me or swit$hing to Vi*arita 3arani Mudra with 'our feet on the wall instead of fullulderstand"

6ow that the mild $onstri$tion of ?alandhara #andha has been released( all the energ' 'ou

u* in 'our throat is also released( whi$h $an bring a wonderful sense of e2*ansion through 'ourt and throat" After rela2ing for a minute( roll over on 'our side and $ome to a straight1ba$% sitting

ion" If 'ou feel a strong lift through 'our u**er ba$% and 'our s%ull seems to be floating gentl'

ard( 'ou have sure signs that 'our Shoulderstand did its &ob"The earl' 'ogis des$ribed the *otent effe$ts of this inversion with meta*hori$ language/ lo$%s

dhas!( seals mudras!( inner fire agni!( u*ward and downward winds in the bod' *rana and a*ana(

e$tivel'!" Rather than the ob&e$tive( anal'ti$al language now used b' s$ien$e( the 'ogis5 terms

$ted their *ersonal sub&e$tive e2*erien$es and were meant to evo%e similar self1dis$overies in theirents" 6o matter how mu$h our modern( 7estern minds are attra$ted to anal'sis and e2*lanation and

matter how hel*ful su$h %nowledge $an be( it $an never re*la$e the e2*erien$e of self1in)uir' and

venation that results from *ra$ti$e"

(uch o! the beauty o! practice lies in knowing that we %ust each use our own uni)ue

y to continue the journey.

In Salamba Sarvangasana( as in all hatha 'oga( mu$h of the beaut' of *ra$ti$e lies in %nowing

while ea$h of us wal%s res*e$tfull' in the foot*rints of the masters who have gone before( we must

use our own uni)ue bod' to $ontinue the &ourne'"

+nl' the whole1hearted( authenti$ in)uir' of ea$h individual *ra$titioner %ee*s Shoulderstand ag entit' and %ee*s hatha 'oga a vital tradition( venerable and 'et ever unfolding"

bara Benagh founded the Yoga Studio in Boton in BCFB and teache e!inar nation"ide. She

atefu# to the !any teacher "ho ha$e inpired her and to her dedicated tudent in Boton.

rent#y, Barbara i "riting a yoga "orkbook for ath!atic and can be reached at"yogatudio.org.

sarvangasana benagh.doc

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