Before attempting the Headstand, the Dolphin pose strengthens the arms and shoulders so that the Headstand can be safely practiced. Even after one can achieve the Headstand, ongoing practice of Dolphin creates great stability and endurance in the Headstand.
7 steps of practicing Dolphin pose
- start out in child's pose (Sashankasana)
- look forward with the elbows on the ground below the chin. Arms are measured shoulders length apart.
- Clasp the hands together to form a basket.
- Straighten the legs the bottom comes up, so the body is in and inverted v like position
- maintain strength as you move the head over the arms, looking forward, touching the chin on the ground
- move the head back over the arms in the opposite direction and touch the forehead to the mat
- continue for ten reps or as much as you can do and then rest in Sashankasana (child's pose)
In Sanskrit 'sirsa' means head. In yoga head stand is considered to be the 'king of asanas' due to the remarkable benefits it brings to memory and concentration. Learning to balance upside down can bring you great confidence, but be sure to practice it carefully, only after you have studied all the information about the technique and contraindications.
The head stand is a boon for developing brain power and a healthy heart, and the beauty of it is that nearly anyone can do it. To the surprise of many people, it does not require any special strength or flexibility; all you need to do is respect certain basic consideration and follow the step-by-step guidelines given. Once you have learned it, it feels as natural to stand on your head as it does to stand on your feet.
You may wonder how the small vertebrae of the cervical region can support the weight of the body, which in the upright position is carried by the large vertebrae of the lumbar area. The answer is that they do not have to: during Headstand, more than half of the body weight should actually be placed on the arms. The remaining weight can be taken by the head, as long as the neck is properly aligned with the rest of the spinal column.
Cautions include: weakness in the arms and the core, injury in the neck, and high blood pressure
9 steps of practicing headstand (Sirsasana)
- start out in child's pose (Sashankasana)
- look forward with the elbows on the ground below the chin. Arms are measured shoulders length apart.
- Clasp the hands together to form a basket for the head.
- Place the head inside so that the crown touches the ground and the back of the head is in the hands.
- Straighten the legs the bottom comes up, so the body is in and inverted v like position
- move the feet toward the head. The hips, shoulders, and head come into vertical alignment.
- Bring the legs into the chest, bent.
- Move the legs up into alignment still bent. The feet, knees, hips, shoulders, and head are now aligned.
- Finally complete headstand by straightening the legs. Feet, knees hips, shoulders, and head aligned.
Benifits of Sirsasana (headstand)
- regular practice promotes a strong respiratory and circulatory system.
- The brain, spinal cord, and sympathetic nervous system gets an increase of blood in nutrients
- the increase of blood flow and nutrients to the brain tones and enhances all functions of the body. Disorders of the nerves, eyes, ears, nose, and throat are improved.
- Those suffering from varicose veins find relief as the blood is drained from the lower body.
- Renal colic and constipation are remedied.
- Memory, intellectual, concentration, and sensory faculty capacities are increased.
The Bow is a backward bend in which both halves of the body are raised off the ground at the same time. You can imagine the bent body as being the bow itself, with the stretched (strait) arms as the bowstrings. Dhanurasana combines and enhances the benefits of both the Cobra and the Locust. The three asanas are usually practiced together, forming a valuable set of backward-bending exercises.
The Bow may be seen as a counter-pose to halasana and pascimottanasana. It is a full backward bend to supplement these two forward-bending exercises.
In the Bow, all parts of the back are worked simultaneously, increasing suppleness in the spine and hips. While holding the pose, the arms are held taut; this helps to stretch the neck, leg, arm and shoulder muscles. This posture focuses on spinal flexibility rather than strength, as it is not achieved by a contraction of the back muscles, but by the movements of the arms and legs.
Initially, you will find it easier to lift your knees with legs apart; more advanced students should aim to perform the Bow with legs together.
Practicing bow pose: Lying on the mat with the face down to the ground, reach for the ankles of the legs, and take hold. Simultaneously raise the head and the legs. Raise the lower and the upper body up as much as possible without pain or strain. Then gentle lower back down to the mat face down and release the ankles, relax the legs. Push the bottom to the heals and take rest in Sashankasana (child's pose)
Benifits of Dhanurasana
- The Bow gives a full backward bend to the entire spine, producing great benefits from the cervical through thoracic, lumbar, and sacral regions. It gives the combined effect of the Cobra and the Locust. The back muscles are well massaged. And rheumatism is alleviated.
- As the internal organs, especially the digestive organs, are massaged and invigorated, the Bow helps to remove constipation, sluggishness of the liver, and to cure dyspepsia (indigestion) and gastro-intestinal disorders.
- The large and small intestine as well as the liver and the spleen are benefited. Regular practice of the Bow helps to reduce fat, energize digestion, invigorate the appetite, and relieve congestion of the blood in the abdominal viscera.
- The Bow is specially recommended for people with diabetes, as it helps to regulate the pancreas.
- The female reproductive system receives a good message.
- The thoracic region is expanded, a boon to persons suffering from respiratory problems such as asthma
'Ardha' means half. This is a half pose. After the forward and backward bending of the spine, the Half Spinal Twist gives a lateral stretch to all the vertebrae, back muscles and hips. The lumbar area does not twist easily;you will mostly rotate the cervical and thoracic areas of your spine. Keeping your chest open and your neck straight is the best basis for a good twist.
Sitting on the mat with legs out straight, move the left leg over the right, bending at the knee, place the left foot on the ground. Twist the upper body to the left, looking over the right shoulder, the right arm is on the inside of the left leg, straight reaching for the ankle. Repeat this on the opposite side. Release the pose by hugging the knees into the body, looking up and back then forward and down to the knees.
Benifits of Adha-Matsyendrasana
- The Spinal Twist helps to keep the spine elastic by retaining its side-to-side mobility. Each vertebra is rotated in both directions.
- The ligaments of the spine get this movement as well and so receive a rich supply of blood.
- This lateral stretching helps to relieve lumbago (general lower back pain) and muscular rheumatism of the back and hips. It also helps to dissolve adhesions in the joints caused by rheumatoid arthritis.
- The synovial fluid of the joints increases and the joints become more active.
- The roots of the spinal nerves and the sympathetic nervous system are toned and given a fresh supply of blood.
- Abdominal muscles are massaged. The large intestine in particular is stimulated.
Strengthening the arms and the shoulder girdle is a main concern in any physical exercise program. Instead of using weights, the Yogis developed balancing asanas such as crow and its variations. In these, the body weight shifts from the feet, legs, and hips to the hands, arms, and shoulders. Although all asanas are designed as mental as well as physical exercises to prepare the mind and body for meditation, the balancing poses are what give the most noticeable improvement in the powers of concentration. The Crow is one of the most beneficial of balancing poses. This asana strikingly mimics the posture of a cawing crow – with the body's weight supported on the elbows and hands and the head thrust well forward.
Although the Crow may look difficult at first, it is important to bear in mind that all the previous breathing exercises and postures actually prepare for balancing: controlled breathing allows you to focus your energies on a balancing point and the asanas have trained your body to fine-tune the contraction and relaxation of muscles.
Benefits of Kakasana (Crow)
- strengthens the arms, wrists, and shoulders
- the muscles of fingers, wrists, and forearms are stretched
- helps to increase the powers of concentration and remove lethargy. It promotes physical and mental balance.
- Helps to develop your determination as one has to learn the right amount of weight to place into the hands and the arms in order to lift the feet off the floor
When the surface of a lake is still, one can see to the bottom very clearly. This is impossible when the surface is agitated by waves. In the same way, when the mind is still, with no thoughts or desires, you can see the 'Self'. This is called 'yoga'.
We can control the mental agitation by concentrating the mind either internally or externally. Internally, we focus on the 'Self' or consciousness of 'I am'. Externally, we use other points of focus.
When we take up some recreation such as golf, through concentration on putting the ball into the hole, the other thoughts are slowed down or stilled. We feel we have played a good game when we have achieved perfect concentration. The happiness we experience comes because the mind has been concentrated. At that time, all the worries and problems of the world disappear. The mental ability to concentrate is inherent to all; it is not extraordinary nor mysterious.
Meditation is not something that a yogi has to teach you; you already have the ability to shut out thoughts. The only difference between this and meditation (the positive way), is that generally we have learned to focus the mind externally on objects. When the mind is fully concentrated, time passes unnoticed, as if it did not exist. When the mind is focused, there is no time! Time is nothing but a modification of the mind. Time, space, causation, and all external experiences are mental creations. All happiness achieved through the mind is temporary and fleeting; it is limited by nature. To achieve that state of lasting happiness and absolute peace, we must first know how to calm the mind, to concentrate and go beyond the mind. By turning the mind's concentration inward, upon the Self, we can deepen that experience of perfect concentration. This is the state of meditation.
Meditation is an experience that cannot be described, just as colours cannot be described to a blind person. All ordinary experience is limited by time, space, and causation. Our normal awareness and understanding do not transcend these bounds. Finite experience, which is measured in terms of past, present, and future, cannot be transcendental. Concepts of time are illusionary, for they have no permanence. The present, immeasurably small and fleeting, cannot be grasped. Past and future are non-existent in the present. We live in illusion. The meditative state transcends all such limitations. In it there is neither past nor future, but only the consciousness of 'I am' in the eternal NOW. It is only possible when all mental modifications are stilled. The closest analogous stat that we can experience is deep sleep, in which there is neither time, nor space, nor causation. Meditation, however, differs from deep sleep, for it works profound changer in the psyche.
By curbing and stilling the oscillations of the mind, meditation brings mental peace. On the physical level, meditation helps to prolong the body's anabolic process of growth and repair, and to reduce the catabolic or decaying process. This is because of the innate receptivity of body cells. Each of our body cells is governed by the instinctive subconscious mind. They have both an individual and a collective consciousness. When the thoughts and desires pour into the body, the cells are activated; the body always obeys the group demand. It has been scientifically proven that positive thoughts bring positive results to cells. As meditation brings about a prolonged positive state of mind, it rejuvenates body cells and retards decay. One cannot learn to meditate, anymore than on can learn to sleep. One falls into both states.