Salamba Sirsasana - Headstand

KING OF ALL ASANA
Salamba Sirsasana/Headstand is probably one of the most widely practiced inversions. It is more accessible than a Adho Mukha Vrksasana/Handstand for many yogis, because it has a wider foundation to build from, but gives exactly the same benefits as a Adho Mukha Vrksasana/Handstand. Including the thrill of flipping your world upside down! Known as ‘the king of all asana’ it has many benefits – it nourishes the cells of the brain; stimulates circulation; balances the hormones; builds focus and concentration; eases stress, tension and anxiety; flushes toxins out; aids the digestive system; and boosts the immune system. With all these benefits it’s no wonder yogis have a certain glow about them – Salamba Sirsasana/Headstand are also well known for their anti-aging properties. What’s not to like about them!

THE BENEFITS OF SALAMBA SIRSASANA/HEADSTAND
Salamba Sirsasana/Headstand strengthens the shoulders, spine, arms and core. While the journey up into the inversion stretches the hamstrings. Most inversions are known for their energising effects. Salamba Sirsasana/Headstand is the one inversion that does the opposite – it is very calming and nourishing to the nervous system. Making it a good pose to practice at any time of day.

EXPLORING SALAMBA SIRSASANA/HEADSTAND IN YOUR PRACTICE
Proper prep and a well warmed up body is essential before you attempt a Salamba Sirsasana/Headstand. The neck wasn’t built for weight bearing, so strong shoulders and core are needed to assist in lifting some of the pressure off the top of the head. It can also help in your prep work to lengthen out the hamstrings at the back of the legs so you can walk your feet in towards your elbows when you are preparing to come into your Salamba Sirsasana/Headstand. Strong core engagement will protect your lower lumbar spine from ‘banana back’ and help you lift up through your shoulders too. You should feel the majority of your body weight through your forearms rather than your head and neck. If you are feeling excessive pressure on your head it would be advisable to revert to the ‘how to lift your legs up’ until you are more able to lift up through the shoulders.

ALIGNMENT CUES
Throughout the sequence lengthen through the whole spine to find strength and build a steady focused practice. Move slowly through the whole flow and then you will be ready to move slowly and carefully for your Salamba Sirsasana/Headstand.

Have a read of the tips below and either print out the sequence or save it onto your device:

HOW TO LIFT YOUR LEGS UP FOR SALAMBA SIRSASANA/HEADSTAND
If you find it hard to get both legs up, work with these tips before you progress into full Salamba Sirsasana/Headstand.

• Set your yoga mat up short end to the wall. From all fours place your elbows down directly under your shoulders and interlace your fingers. Place your knuckles about an inch away from the wall.

• Place the crown of your head on the ground using the interlaced fingers as a support wall. Lift your knees up and walk your toes in towards your elbows until you find the support of the wall against your back. Stack your hips over your shoulders and draw your belly strongly towards your spine.

• Press down into your forearms, lengthen up to your shoulders and hug your upper arms in. Lift your right leg up with a bent knee and draw it into your chest. Squeeze into the back of your knee and reach your toes towards your buttocks.

• Stack your hips over your shoulders and draw your belly strongly towards your spine. On an exhale, slowly lift your left leg up with a bent knee and reach your toes towards your buttocks.

• Practice coming up and down with your back supported by the wall until you are comfortable that you can lift without hopping, and you can take some of the weight out of your head with the support of your strong shoulders.

HOW TO USE A WALL FOR SALAMBA SIRSASANA/HEADSTAND
When you’re ready to move on to full Salamba Sirsasana/Headstand stay at the wall until you are very comfortable with balancing without the support of the wall.

• Set your yoga mat up short end to the wall. From all fours place your elbows down directly under your shoulders and interlace your fingers. Place your knuckles about 5 inches from the wall.

• Place the crown of your head on the ground using the interlaced fingers as a support wall. Lift your knees up and walk your toes in towards your elbows.

• Press down into your forearms, lengthen up to your shoulders and hug your upper arms in. Lift your right leg up with a bent knee and draw it into your chest. Squeeze into the back of your knee and reach your toes towards your buttocks.

• Stack your hips over your shoulders and draw your belly strongly towards your spine. On an exhale, slowly lift your left leg up with a bent knee and reach your toes towards your buttocks.

• Slowly extend both legs up high using your core as brakes. Hug your outer hips and inner thighs to the midline, press out through the balls of your feet. BREATHE!

• To come down, slowly bend your knees and lower your feet to the ground. Remember to counterpose your headstand with a few deep breaths in Child Pose.

TIPS
Below are some extra tips to help you along the way.

• If you are not ready to fully weight bear in Salamba Sirsasana/Headstand practice this sequence and follow ‘How to lift your legs’ with single leg lifts until you get used to carrying extra weight in your head and neck.

• To work on strengthening your core work on lowering your legs from full Salamba Sirsasana/Headstand as slow as you can all the way down to the ground with knees bent. Sounds easy but very hard to hold the legs steady on the descent!

• If you are working on your Salamba Sirsasana/Headstand, take advantage of a well warmed up body at the end of class and ask your teacher if you can practice just before they guide the class in Savasana.

• If you are new to Salamba Sirsasana/Headstand practice with the guidance of a yoga teacher before you incorporate them into a home practice.

• Avoid practicing Salamba Sirsasana/Headstand if you have a back injury, neck injury, shoulder injury, high blood pressure, glaucoma, sinus infection or it’s your time of the month.

To save the images for personal use click and hold down the image until the ‘save image’ option appears; on Mac hold down ‘control’ and click the image to get the option box; on PC right click on the image to get the option box. Scroll down in the ‘option box’ and click ‘save image’.
Ruth Delahunty Yogaru

Rest & renew restorative

RELEARN HOW TO REST
Why is it that we use every excuse in the book to put off taking time for ourselves? Looking after ourselves is not just an act of self care, it ensures that we are able to function in the world, and with the people around us. Learning how to self soothe and self prioritise has become a lost art, but thankfully it is now being highlighted as an essential part of our physical and mental wellness. Learning how to relax helps you appreciate the value of downtime and cultivating a malleable nervous system with the ability to swap easily from activity to relaxation and appreciate the value of both. It rewires the brain's response to stress by tapping into the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and restore) rather than your sympathetic nervous system (fight and flight) and help build mental resilience. It also reduces production of the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol, and increases production of the ‘feel good’ hormone endorphin. By cultivating the parasympathetic nervous system pathways the neuroplasticity of the brain changes, and in times of stress or decision making this more discerning pathway is more available to us.

THE NERVOUS SYSTEM
The parasympathetic nervous system is considered the ‘top down’ response controlled by the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in the prefrontal cortex, which is our logical and thinking mind. The sympathetic nervous system is considered the ‘bottom up’ response controlled by the amygdala in the limbic brain which is our internal risk assessment bodyguard. When we encounter a perceived threat the brain processes the information through these two pathways. In the ‘bottom up’ sympathetic path the perceived threat is processed in the hippocampus (past memories) to check for a record of previous experience, it sends this information to the amygdala (emotional alarm system) and decides the level of threat and action needed. A message is then sent to the thalamus (the switchboard) and on to the hypothalamus (hormone response) and a reaction to the situation is carried out. In the ‘top down’ parasympathetic path the perceived threat is processed in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in the prefrontal cortex, the thinking mind works out if this is really a dangerous situation or something that can logically be worked out. It sends its decision to the hypothalamus (hormone response) to cause a reaction as required. When we work with building tone in the parasympathetic nervous system it helps slow down the amygdalas fast firing reaction and the prefrontal cortex steps in with a more rational, considered slant to the scenario.

RESTORATIVE YOGA
Restorative yoga is a healing practice that targets the parasympathetic nervous system and consciously relaxes the body to bring you into a deep state of rest while the body refreshes and renews. It supports you physically, mentally and emotionally and is used for both therapeutic and preventative measures. It restores the body's natural inclination towards balance or homeostasis by enhancing its capacity to heal, resetting pain patterns, balancing hormones, and optimising the functionality of the organs. This balance gives the immune system a better environment to work efficiently in. Restorative is a practice of passive poses which consciously relaxes the body. The poses are held for longer periods of time and are supported with props to help you feel effortless comfort. In this practice we look for gentle openings rather than strong stretches. The nervous system responds better to gentle stimuli, less is more!

THE BENEFITS OF RESTORATIVE
Aids digestion, aids fertility, aids pain management, aids relaxation, balances emotions, balances hormones, balances nervous system, boosts immune system, boosts healing capacity, eases constipation & bloating, eases back pain, eases fatigue, eases headaches, eases insomnia, eases menstrual & menopause symptoms, eases muscle tension, eases neck pain, eases stress, tension & anxiety, improves healing capacity, improves posture, improves sleep, increases circulation, increases mindfulness, massages abdominal organs, reduces blood pressure, reduces inflammation, strengthens lungs, strengthens spine.

EXPLORING THE SEQUENCE
Use this simple restorative sequence to help you rest and renew your body and mind. Consider the four pillars of restorative yoga when you are setting up your space – quiet, dark, safe, warmth. The body will cool down quickly so layer up and stay warm. Hold the poses for the suggested times on the accompanying illustrated sequence. Remember to do both sides in an asymmetrical pose. Stay warm and be completely comfortable throughout your practice. Discomfort will reduce your ability to rest your nervous system. If a pose isn’t working for you just move onto the next one. Use a phone on a low volume to time your holds. As you settle into the pose, scan down from head to toe to make sure everything is happy. Use the gentle rise and fall of your breath if you find your mind wandering. Remember to take 10 minutes of resting pose at the end of your practice to let everything settle in a symmetrical pose before you reintegrate into your day.

PROPS SETUP
Props are king in restorative yoga. They bring the ground up to meet you allowing your body to melt into the practice and help you find complete comfort and support in each pose. Blankets are the most versatile of all the props – they can be rolled or folded, used for support or to keep you warm.

ALIGNMENT CUES
Below are the restorative techniques used in this sequence.. The props you’ll need are:
1 x bolster - or 2 towels, wrapped around a horizontally rolled pillow and tied to secure.
2 x yoga bricks - or 2 two thick similar sized dictionaries.
2 x yoga blankets - or any wool, thick cotton or fleece blanket with density.

No.1 - Knee to chest
Lie supine on your back, bend your knees and draw them towards your chest. Wrap your arms around your knees, reach your sit bones away and your sacrum down, lumbar spine lifts to a natural curve. Hug your knees to your chest, lengthen your neck, broaden through the collarbones. Feel a gentle stretch on the back of your hips and lower spine.

No.2 - Resting pose with chest opener
Quarter roll a four fold blanket and place it at the top of your mat. Lie supine on your back, with the tip of your shoulder blades at the roll of the blanket. Extend your arms overhead in cactus position. Feel a gentle opening across the chest and shoulders.

No.3 -Resting side bend
Place a folded blanket at the top of your mat. Place your bolster horizontally on your mat with a space between your bolster and pillow. Sit with your right hip along the long edge of the bolster, knees bent. Lengthen your right side along the mat and nestle the bolster into the curve of your waist. Place your head on the blanket and reach your arms overhead. Feel a gentle opening all along the top side of your body. Repeat on the left side.

No.4 - Prone pose with belly roll
Place a rolled blanket horizontally along the centre of your mat. Lie prone on your front with your belly on the rolled up blanket. Make a pillow with your stacked hands and place your forehead on your hands. Feel a gentle opening at the back of your lower spine and a gentle pressure on your abdominal region.

No.5 - Reclined bound angle with knee rolls & foot wrap
Place a brick horizontally at the top of your mat, lie your bolster vertically along the top centre of your mat with the brick propping up the far end. Sit with the back of your hips along the short end of the bolster. Roll up two folded blankets and place them under each thigh. Bring the soles of your feet together and let your knees drop out to the sides. Place your feet inside a folded blanket, wrap the outer edges through your inner ankles and tuck the ends around your ankles. When your legs are secure gently lie back onto your bolster. Feel a gentle opening in the inner groins and hips.

No.6 - Mountain brook
Half roll a four fold blanket and place it at the top of your mat. Accordion fold the other blanket and place it below your top blanket where your shoulder blades will lie. Place the bolster towards the bottom of your mat where your knees will be. Lie supine on your back, nestle the rolled part of the top blanket in the curve of your neck, place the accordion folded blanket under the lower tips of your shoulder blades and the bolster under the creases of your knees. Legs and arms extended, palms facing up, feet fall out to the side. Feel the rise and fall of the props supporting your back body.

To save the images for personal use click and hold down the image until the ‘save image’ option appears; on Mac hold down ‘control’ and click the image to get the option box; on PC right click on the image to get the option box. Scroll down in the ‘option box’ and click ‘save image’.

Ruth Delahunty Yogaru

Ardha Uttanasana - Half Forward Fold

FORWARD BEND & BACKBEND
Ardha Uttanasana/Half Forward Fold is a standing pose which is both a forward blend and a backbend which can seem contradictory. It rotates the hips forward into a ‘forward bend’ and extends the spine back into a ‘backbend’. You will also spot this slightly unusual double bend quality in Bitilasana/Cow where the hips rotate down and forward as your spine curls back towards the back of the hips. Ardha Uttanasana/Half Forward Fold is very strengthening for the spine – the whole back is working against gravity to lift the weight of the upper body and the heavy head. The back is prone to become weakened through our habitual posture, and how we move throughout our day without awareness of the curves of our spine. The muscles of the spine are designed to hold us up against gravity and protect the important structure of the vertebrae, which houses the peripheral nervous systems spinal cord. Ardha Uttanasana/Half Forward Fold is a very beneficial pose to add into any sequence to help counteract long periods of sitting or standing and improve everyday posture by strengthening the back.

The spine moves in a symbiosis with the hip joint. In an upright position, when you tilt the pelvis forward the lower spine reacts by increasing its curve, the mid back reduces its curve and the neck increases its curve. The reverse happens when you tilt your pelvis back – the lower spine reacts by reducing its curve, the mid back increases its curve and the neck reduces its curve. Ardha Uttanasana/Half Forward Fold builds this spine and hip relationship and is a very good pose to observe how one affects the other. A strong back, and good communication between the spine and the hip joint, facilitate freer, fluid movement throughout your day.

THE BENEFITS OF ARDHA UTTANASANA/HALF FORWARD FOLD
Ardha Uttanasana/Half Forward Fold stretches the hamstrings, glutes and chest; and strengthens the hip flexors and spine. Although not as dramatic an inversion or a forward as Uttanasana/Forward Fold, it still increases circulation, boosts the immune system, eases fatigue, stress, tension and anxiety. It is a more accessible forward fold for those with tight hamstrings or hips. The main quality I use Ardha Uttanasana/Half Forward Fold for in my sequences is to strengthen the back muscles and to gently lengthen out the hamstrings and glutes., while also helping you build good habits not to curl the shoulders forward when you are sitting and standing.

EXPLORING ARDHA UTTANASANA/HALF FORWARD FOLD IN YOUR PRACTICE
This sequence will gently warm up your hamstrings and spine to prepare for your peak pose – Ardha Uttanasana/Half Forward Fold. You will have lots of opportunities to explore the pose throughout the sequence. Mix it up by holding the pose for 3 full breaths and working your way through all the alignment cues and in other rounds staying for just the breath indicated in the sequence with a ‘+’ for an inhale and a ‘-’ for an exhale. Whether you are pausing for a few breaths or moving in a flow, be sure to press your hands into your legs, reach your chest forward and up and roll your shoulders back towards the back of your hips. Feel a stretch in the chest and strength in the upper back. If you hit resistance in your hamstrings, keep your knees slightly bent. Take care not to bring too much extension into the back of the neck.

ALIGNMENT CUES
Take your time in your Ardha Uttanasana/Half Forward Fold in the sequence to give the strong muscle at the back of your hips and legs a chance to gently lengthen and for your upper back to strengthen.

Have a read of the tips below and either print out the sequence or save it onto your device:

• From Uttanasana, inhale, lift up halfway, fingertips just below your knees or to the ground.

• Lengthen through your spine to the tip of your crown, extend your sternum forward and up, back of the neck long.

• Broaden through the collarbones, firm your shoulder blades onto your back, lift with the whole back.

• Press into your heels to firm your legs, gaze down.

To save the images for personal use click and hold down the image until the ‘save image’ option appears; on Mac hold down ‘control’ and click the image to get the option box; on PC right click on the image to get the option box. Scroll down in the ‘option box’ and click ‘save image’.

Ruth Delahunty Yogaru