- Thank You Yoga! For Sirsasana! (Headstand) :-)
- Thank You Yoga! For Sirsasana! (4 leg variations) :-)
- Thank You Yoga! For Sirsasana! (4 arm variations) :-)
- Thank You Yoga! For Fire Log Pose! (Agnistambhasana) :-)
- Thank You Yoga! For Lotus Pose! (Padmasana) :-)
I am grateful for Upward Lotus Pose in Headstand because...
- The wonderful attention that it brings to careful spinal alignment!
- The grounding and exhilarating feelings that overlap and intermingle!
- I feel a great sense of accomplishment which leads to peace :-)
- I am very crisp and clear mentally.
- My ability to balance and remain calm are tested to their extremes!
CAUTIONS and CONTRAIDICTIONS: back injury, headache, heart condition, high blood pressure, menstruation, neck injury, low blood pressure (don't start with this pose), pregnancy (If you are experienced with this pose, you can continue to practice it late into pregnancy. However, don't take up the practice of sirsasana after you become pregnant.), ankle and knee injury. This pose is considered intermediate to advanced, so do not practice it without prior experience or an experienced instructor. Practicing in a clutter free area is especially important in headstand poses, so do your best to have a body's length all around the point at which you will balance on the head. Falling on objects is the number one injury from headstand pose.
Effects according to BKS Iyengar's Light on Yoga page 203:
This posture gives an extra pull to the dorsal region. Consequently, the chest is fully expanded and blood circulates properly in the pelvic region.
Add the benefits from both Sirsasana and Padmasana (found on other pages) such as a good spinal alignment, increased attention and alertness, curing stiffness in the knees and ankles, toning the spine and the abdominal organs, healthy pure blood flow throughout to the brain, helps with alertness and clarity, resilience from colds, coughs, tonsillitis, halitosis (foul breath) and palpitation, warms the body, and helps relieve constipation.
Technique
- I begin preparing for Urdhva Padmasana in Sirsasana or Lotus Pose in Headstand by first warming up with Agnistambhasana or Fire Log Pose. This will help to open up the hips and make things a little less difficult when we try to move our legs into Lotus Position while standing on the head.
- Once the warm up is done, we will go ahead and move into Salamba Sirsasana or supported headstand pose. You may also wish to try Sirsasana II in Urdhva Padmasana though I find Salamba Sirsasana less taxing on the arms.
- Hold for a little while in Salamba Sirsasana to get a good feel and alignment of balance.
- Then begin to bend the right leg and open the hips up to the right side so that you can rest the outer arch of the foot on the middle of the inner left thigh.
- After you feel comfortable here, go ahead and begin to bend and move the left leg into place. Once the left ankle is resting on top of the right Upward Lotus Pose on this side is complete. You may wish to engage the core a bit bringing the legs more so in alignment with the spine if they fall forward. This overlapping of the lower legs can be rather tricky, so be careful to not allow the weight of the body to fall behind the head too much or you may tip over.
- Once you have, stayed in the pose for a while transition back to Salamba Sirsasana, straightening the legs, and lowering them to the ground if you need a break, but if confident, moving into the other leg position right leg on top.
- Move back into Salamba Sirsasana once both sides are done, align the spine, and gentle lower the legs back down, bend the knees, and release the neck on all fours.
- Then, if you would like, rest in Savasana or some other resting pose or continue on with the rest of your sequence. Whenever you come to the end of your yoga journey, take some time to thank your body for carrying you through the practice, the ground for supporting you, and the vital breathe for facilitating this experience as well as all others. :-)
Have a wonderful day, my friend! Thank you so much for being wonderful you! I hope that you enjoyed “Thank You Yoga! For Upward Lotus Pose in Headstand! (Urdha Padmasana in Sirsasana) :-)” I hope this experience has been a clearing and refreshing opening for you, my friend! May all living beings find strength, courage, and peace within all aspects of themselves this day and always :-) Godbless and Namaste! Have a great day! Love, Aaron :-)