Shirshasana (Head Standing Pose)

Etymology and Origins of Shirshasana

The original name Salamba Shirshasana belongs to the classical Sanskrit period. “Salan’a” means "supported", and ÅšÄ«rá¹£a means "head", and, ‘Asana’ means "posture" or "pose". The name Shirshasana is relatively modern but the pose itself is much older. In Sanskrit, Shirshasana means ‘standing on head’, that is, Head Standing Pose, sometimes called Sirsasana also. This Yoga is one of the best Asanas. It is of an exceptional pose with many benefits but there are some precautions before you venture to do it.

How to do Shirshasana?

Step by Step Instructions of Shirshasana

First sit on your knees in front of a wall, place both your hands in interlocked finger position on the ground in front of you. In case you fail in the first attempt, the wall will safeguard you from injury.
You may keep your hands on a soft cotton towel.
Now place your head in between the interlocked palms, while both elbows resting on the ground.
Now raise your legs slowly above with the support of the fingers and elbows.
You now stand straight on your head, upside down.
However, do not worry, on your back, there is the wall to save you in case you lose your balance.
For beginners, do not try to stand straight on the head, do place your backside on the wall, and then gradually come back to the original position after 2 to 3 minutes.
Inhale and exhale absolutely normally without any tension with a full stretch of the body upward including the legs.
After a couple of weeks, you will be able to do it perfectly.
Another suggestion is that you and your friends can do it with the collective support of the legs in a playground, rather than doing in a room alone.
This is the only Yoga Asana which allows blood flow in a reverse way.

Benefits of Shirshasana

Anatomical Focus and Disease Control

In terms of modern computers, ‘Head’ is the capital of our Body Kingdom, that is Hard disk.
Head is the Control Panel of all of our actions- to smell, to see, to speak, to hear, to feel, to love, to learn, to play, to sex, to decide and all.
It is the core decision-maker of all actions relating to nerves, higher glands, mind, thinking, intellect, memory, love, aptitude all and also our ego and anger.
Our “Integrity” and “Sense of Proportions” are also maintained by the Brain remaining highly protected in the Head by the skull.
If only a single part of the Brain gets inadequate blood supply, the whole body undergoes an imbalance or derangement just like if a small IC becomes faulty in a Computer Hard Disk, the machine will fail tom function correctly.
When you practice Shirshasana, all the blood from different parts of the body rushes to the Head from which all the glands, nerves and cells of the Brain collect their nutrition.
Those who do it regularly except during sickness, their Body Mind Soul will be in equilibrium such that you remain in Perfect Health- Mental and Physical.
Your brain will be more active, more balanced, more imaginative.
Imagination is the most important faculty for success in creative works as rightly told by Albert Einstein.
According to Yoga Science, there are at least 10 great glands inside the Brain.
Modern Endocrinology so far suggests to us only a few of them such as the Pituitary and the Pineal glands etc.
However, those who practice Shirshasana will never become a victim of nervous diseases.
More specifically, those who suffer from Pyorrhoea, Myopia, Vertigo, Hysteria, Neuralgia, excessive Nocturnal emission (Wet Dreams), Constipation, Indigestion, Liver and Spleen diseases will get good relief by practicing the Masataka (Head) Mudra (Head Standing Pose).
Finally, Shirshasana also helps people optimize their normal sexual life.

Benefit for girls and woman

For a healthy schoolgirl, this great Shirshasana can be practiced for 5 to 6 minutes in winter, and 3 to 4 minutes in summer. Their brainpower will be enormously increased.
Schoolgirls will be able to compete in intellectual works particularly because their mind diversion will be much lower.
However, those who practice Shirshasana will never become a victim of nervous diseases.
Girls and women who suffer from Pyorrhoea, Myopia, Vertigo, Hysteria, Neuralgia, excessive Nocturnal emission (Wet Dreams, i.e., sexual secretion during dream), Constipation, Indigestion, Liver and Spleen diseases will get good relief by practicing the Mastaka (Head) Mudra (Head Standing Pose).
Finally, Shirshasana also helps girls and women optimize their normal sexual life. So, girls and women can continue to enjoy the best gift of life by continuing this Yoga.

Precautions

Sick and weak people can do it at best for 2 to 3 minutes depending on your body resistance and pattern, of course after consulting a physician.
People suffering from Heart Disease, Blood Pressure, Coronary Thrombosis, Eye and Ear Diseases are strictly prohibited to do this Head Standing Pose (Shirshasana).
However, you have to do it in an empty Stomach whenever you want to.
Girls must not do it during the Menstrual Period, because during this period, girls feel both mental and physical pains. Also, their blood flows from the upper to lower side during the monthly period.

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