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YOGIC EXERCISES: CULTURAL POSES
CULTURAL POSES
SIRSHASAN, THE HEADSTAND: ITS VARIATIONS AND BENEFITS
In Sanskrit, siras means head. As one has to stand on his head upside down, this position is called sirshasan. In this pose, the whole body is inverted. Owing to gravitation, the arch of the aorta, the common carotids, the innominate, and the subclavian are flooded with rich arterial blood. In this pose alone can the brain draw a rich supply of pure blood.
In an upright position, gravity opposes the return of blood to the heart from regions below its level. Generally the contraction of the abdominal and limb muscles, the force of the heartbeat, and the suction form the respiratory movements keep up an adequate venous return.
If one stands upright in an unmoving position for a long period, the blood accumulates in the dependent parts and the right heart is not adequately filled. This brings an insufficient blood supply to the brain and the individual faints. Such fainting commonly occurs at parade grounds when the soldiers stand at attention for along period. Because of stagnation in the abdominal vessels, the heart does not pump the usual amount of blood is pumped up again to the brain. In this position, the flow of blood is not retarded by the effects of gravity and thus favors filling of the heart, which in turn pumps up in a better way. Thus the first effect of a decreased blood supply to the brain is loss of consciousness. It is a well-known fact that the brain cells cannot live for more than ten minutes without oxygen.
We use the brain for many purposes and it is essential to feed this important organ. Therefore, no other exercise equals the headstand in bringing fresh arterial blood. Daily practice of this exercise for ten to fifteen minutes increases the memory and intellectual power, as well as the supply of blood to the upper part of the back, the neck, eyes, and ears.
Cerebral hemorrhage is the most frequent of all affections of the brain. It is caused by a thickening of the arterial coats. A sudden strain increases the pressure and may rupture one of the vessels, which is fatal. Persons with either high or low blood pressure should not attempt headstands.
Many veins are provided with valves that prevent the backward flow of blood. Varicose veins may occur in the lower extremities, owing to enlargement of veins. The walls of the veins stretch and the veins appear knotted. Interference with the return of blood from the lower limbs favors the development of varicose veins. During the headstand, the valves of the veins have ample rest, because the gravitational pull automatically carries the venous blood from the lower extremities to the heart, without the help of the valves.
In this position, various exercises are given for stretching the ligaments and muscles and to bring maximum flexibility to the spinal column.
In an inverted position, cervical and thoracic parts of the vertebral column get more pressure and the lumbar and sacral parts of the vertebral column and cartilages are relieved of the pressure. The headstand is also a good exercise for strengthening the vertebral column. This exercise is of particular benefit to those who need concentration power in their work, such as students, politicians, scientists, and writers.
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Plate 32
Plate #32
TECHNIQUE: Sirshasan [headstand]
VARIATION 1
The exercise is practiced with the help of the hands and arms. The whole weight of the head and trunk is placed on the interlocked hands and the elbows. The two elbows and interlocked fingers form the three points or tripod on which the body is balanced. The weight on the heard is so little that it is not even felt. When the weight is divided equally between the elbows and the locked fingers, it is ease to balance.
Use a soft cushion or a four-folded blanket. Spread the blanket on the floor. Sit on your knees. By interweaving the fingers, make a fingerlock and keep it on the blanket so that the locked hands serve as a vertex and the two elbows as the base, enabling the forearms to balance the body. The top of the head may be supported from behind by the fingerflock while doing this asana.
Keep the top of your head on the blanket close to the fingerlock. The parietal (frontal) portion of the top of the head should be placed on the blanket and not the portion nearer to the forehead. This will help you to keep the spine erect in this asana. If the portion nearer to the forehead is used, the spine will suffer a curvature in balancing the whole body.
Now the knees are brought close to the body, and the toes are allowed to touch the ground for balancing. When the trunk is sufficiently thrown back, you can slowly remove the toes from the ground. Slowly raise the legs high up in the air till the whole body becomes erect. Stand in the asana for five seconds only and gradually increase the period to 15 minutes. By regularly practicing even five to ten minutes of headstand, the maximum, benefits can be derived.
Always breathe through the nose only and never through the mouth. In the beginning, some persons will find it dificult to breathe through the nose, but after a few days this will change.
In learning the headstand in the above manner you will not need any help. You can learn the method of balancing by repeated attempts. Instead of a fingerlock method, you can keep the palms of your hands on the blanket, one on each side. You will find this easy. When you have learned to balance the whole body, you can take to the fingerlock method.
Lower the legs slowly to the floor to the original position. Lower the legs very, very slowly and avoid jerks. After completing the asana, stand erect for a minute or two. This will harmonize the blood circulation.
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Plate 33
Plate #33
TECHNIQUE: Sirshasan [headstand]
VARIATION 2
In this position, the hands are kept seprated and the head takes an equal weight. This is designed to strengthen the muscles of the shoulders, superficial muscles of the back, and the muscles of the arms. By stretching the thighs and keeping the soles of the feet together, the circulation of the lower extremities is increased. This also stretches the veins and strengthens the muscles of the thighs, legs, and feet.
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Plate 34
Plate #34
TECHNIQUE: Sirshasan [headstand]
VARIATION 3
The same benefit is derived as in Variation 2. This gives an extra stretching and twisting to muscles of the thighs and legs and squeezes the venous blood form the tired veins.
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Plate 35
Plate #35
TECHNIQUE: Sirshasan [headstand]
VARIATION 4
In this pose, the muscles of the thighs and legs, which are used for walking and standing, are given a maximum stretching.
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Plate 36
Plate #36
TECHNIQUE: Sirshasan [headstand]
VARIATION 5
Here, the hands are folded in front of the head as a support. In this position, more pressure is put on the head. The cervical and thoracic portions of the vertebrae get immense pressure and the ligaments connected with the vertebral column are supplied with more arterial blood.
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Plate 37
Plate #37
TECHNIQUE: Oordhwapadmasan [headstand, lotus pose]
VARIATION 1
After securing the balance in the headstand, advanced students take up this exercise to bring maximum flexibility to the ankle, knee, and hip joints.
Before trying to do this exercise, one should be able to sit in the lotus pose. The technique and benefits are the same as for the headstand. However, here we go further and while standing on the head, we lock the legs in padmasan or lotus pose. Do not attempt to start the headstand while sitting in padmasan.
There are three variations of this exercise to stretch the lumbar and sacral vertebrae and their ligaments. The lumbar and sacral parts of the vertebral column are twisted to both sides and bent as shown in the pictures. This is to be repeated at least three times. It will strengthen the ligaments and the vertebral column.
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Plate 38
Plate 40
Plate #38, 39, 40
TECHNIQUE: Oordhwapadmasan [headstand, lotus pose]
VARIATION 2
Twisting of the spine in both directions should be practiced by advanced students. Generally we twist our bodies while sitting or standing. But in this pose the lumbar region is naturally relaxed, and therefore free rotation of the spine is possible.
Plate 39
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Plate 41
Plate #41
TECHNIQUE: Oordhwapadmasan [headstand, lotus pose]
VARIATION 3 and 4
To complete the movement in oordhwapadmasan, the knees should be brought down, without unlocking the lotus pose, and touch the armpit. When the arms are kept separated the knees can be rested on the arms.
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SARVANGASAN, THE SHOULDERSTAND
This exercise is similar to the headstand. In headstand, circulation and concentration are directed to the brain, but in shoulderstand the concentration and circulation are directed
to the thyroid and parathyroid. We have seen in the previous chapters what effect the thyroid and parathyroid secretions have on the body. The thyroid is the most important gland of the endocrine system, and this exercise gives it a rich supply of blood. Again it stretches the deltoid, supraspinatus, and infraspinatus of the shoulder muscles. The chin lock by the chin on the chest exerts and extra pressure on the thyroid though which its secretions are kept at par. This asana is a good substitute for modern thyroid treatment. The ligaments of the cervical region are especially stretched in this exercise.
There are many variations of the shoulderstand to increase the circulation and stretch various ligaments and muscles. Sarvanga means all parts, so the very name suggests that this pose is concerned with all parts of the body. It will also give a helping hand for persons with varicose veins.
Fifteen minutes is the maxium for this pose; starting time for beginners is one minute. Breathe normally through the nose. Some persons practice this for half of an hour.
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Plate 42
Plate #42
TECHNIQUE: Sarvangasan [shoulderstand]
VARIATION 1
Spread a thick blanket on the floor. Lie flat on the back. Slowly raise the legs. Lift the trunk, hips, and legs to a vertical position. Rest the elbows firmly on the floor and support the back with both hands. Raise the legs till they become vertical. Press the chin against the chest. This is the chin lock.
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Plate 43
Plate #43
TECHNIQUE: Sarvangasan [shoulderstand]
VARIATION 2
In this position the hands that support the body are removed and kept vertically along the body. By removing the hands, the whole weight falls on the cervical region and shoulder muscles.
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Plate 44
Plate #44
TECHNIQUE: Sethu Bandhasan [bridge pose]
From the shoulderstand (sarvangasan) position stretch the legs and slowly touch the flood with the legs. This is sethu bandhasan.
This is done after sarvangasan or shoulderstand, so that the thoracic and lumbar regions of the spine bend in the opposite direction.
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YOGIC EXERCISES: EXERCISE FOR THE SHOULDER MUSCLES AND THE CERVICAL VERTEBRAE
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