Yoga Pose of the Day: Head Stand (Shirsh Asana)
We kick off the daily Yoga Pose of the day series (much like the Quote of the Day for Yogis series that is so well put together by our YogaAnywhere Fellow, Kimberly), with the Head stand pose (also known as Shirsh Asana).
Headstand is among the most immediately recognizable poses that one associates with yoga and one of the most important ones as well. Headstand is one of the key inversion poses. When correctly done and practiced, this pose can benefit one tremendously. The pose utilizes the gravitational force to channelize the blood to the heart and brain without the heart having to do any work.
In the final pose, as shown in the images above and below, the feet are pulled up. Spine is straight and the crown of the head resting comfortably on the floor. The Bodyweight is supported by the forearms.
Related posts:
- Yoga Pose of the Day: Powerful Chair or Hunkering Pose (Utkat Asana)
- The High of Yoga – In Headstand Pose Outside Duane Reade on Grand and Broadway
- Celebrate Touchdown with Headstands @ Superbowl
- Quote of the Day for Yogis: 3/5
- Yoga @ Work – Begins with Two Classes at Medical Center
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26 April 12 at 7:11am
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Thanks for an excellent repnsose. But I think we can go even further it is the teacher's responsibility to teach with awareness and safety in mind but it is the practitioner's responsibility to practice responsibly and with loving kindness towards him or herself. THAT is, in fact, one of the main POINTS of yoga. As a yoga teacher trained in several modalities, and specializing in restorative yoga, it pains me every time I hear someone mention hot yoga in particular. What good can come from artificially loosening ones joints so that you can do more, go further for the moment? What happens to the body after you cool down? What happens to the joints years later? People who are not ready, and who do not truly observe or understand yoga teachings, commit the first yoga sin doing harm to oneself. True yoginis know better or at least know to look at themselves and their motivations Of course, there is the rub it is the difference between those who are studying yoga and those who are getting a work-out. Yoga was never intended to be practiced in that way. Like you, this article saddens me. Yoga never intends harm. It is self ego which causes harm, not yoga. Unfortunately, however, in a place and time where it is all but impossible for people to separate their competitive/goal and ego driven westerm culture from their individual identity of Self their own True Nature, it is likely that they will continue to harm themselves. Sad thing is that they will then wrongly and unfairly blame yoga (or their teachers) for their problem. In typical fashion