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Hatha Yoga

SIRSHASANA-Headstand -VARIATIONS on the HEADSTAND

Mastered the head stand? Try these leg variations with the head stand. After each variation, come back to legs vertical together in the Sirshasana. Try one or two variations per session until the movement of legs in this pose feels natural.

“Sirshasana invigorates, energizes and vivifies. It is a true blessing and a nectar. You will find real pleasure and exhilaration of spirit in this asana.” – Swami Sivananda.

Variation 1:  Legs to sides

In headstand pose, while exhaling, let gravity work with the legs, exerting its downward pressure and pulling the legs down in split leg position either side of the body. Hold up to a minute. Breathe with deep rhythmical breaths.

Variation 2:Legs to Front and Back

On exhalation, slowly take one leg forward and one leg back equally. Keep knees straight. Change legs after holding. Switch as many times as you can and hold the balance well for up to a minute. Breathe deeply and rhythmically.

Variation 3:Knees bent to sides

Exhaling, bend knees to sides and bring soles of feet together. Hold up to a minute. Keep knees equal height with each other.

Variation 4:One leg to ground

Exhaling, slowly lower one leg toward the ground as far as you can and inhale the leg up. Repeat the opposite leg. The upper leg stays vertical and the back straight.

Variation 5:Both legs to ground

Exhale and lower legs together slowly while keeping legs together. With inhalation, bring legs back up and repeat the movement.

BENEFITS:

  • Enjoy the added mastery in your Sirshasana pose, improving balance, coordination and focus while moving the legs.

This yoga asana is an edited contribution for the Sivananda Gurugram partly sourced and edited from the Sivananda Publication : “Yoga: Your Home Practice Companion” – Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre – 2010.

The basis of body building and spiritual growth is Brahmacharya. – Swami Sivananda

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The enjoyments of the senses are transient and the senses themselves are worn out by too much enjoyment. – Sri Swami Sivananda

Glossary

INDRIYAS –  The senses.

The Indriyas (senses) have two states, static and dynamic. When the desire begins to operate, the Indriyas are put in motion. This is the dynamic state. As soon as the desire is gratified, the Indriyas shrink through Tripti (satisfaction). This is the static or passive state of the Indriyas.

The Mind and Indriyas are one. Indriya is a prolongation of the mind. The sea is fed by the rivers; the sea cannot exist without the rivers. Even so, mind is fed by Indriyas and cannot exist without Indriyas. If you have controlled the Indriyas, you have already controlled the mind.

Eyes can only see. Ears can only hear. Tongue can only taste. Skin can only touch. Nose can only smell. But, the mind can see, hear, taste, touch and smell. Mind is the common sensory. The five senses are blended there. It can directly see, hear, smell, taste and feel independent of the senses. It is an aggregate of the five senses. All the sense-faculties are blended in the mind. You can see and hear directly through the mind by Yogic practice (clairvoyance and clairaudience).

Vasikaran – In this highest stage of Vairagya, the objects no longer tempt you. They cause no attraction. The Indriyas are perfectly quiet. Mind also is free from likes and dislikes (raga and dwesha). Then you get supremacy or independence. Now you are conscious of your supremacy.

Kaivalya (perfect independence) is when the Indriyas are drawn into the mind, the mind into the Mahat, and the Mahat into the Purusha. – Sri Swami Sivananda

Let prayer come from the bottom of your heart.- Sri Swami Sivananda

2019-07-02T08:35:42+00:00