Shishasana is perhaps one of the most important asanas in hatha yoga due to the benefits of practicing it daily.
You can do it right after the Half Sun Salutation or at the end of the asana series; doing Shirshasana (the headstand posture) will always be a good choice.
Among its main benefits are:
- According to yoga, impurities accumulate in the lower abdomen; by inverting the body's position, these impurities rise toward the fire element, where they burn. For this reason, it is said to revitalize and rejuvenate the entire body*.
- The brain receives enriched blood flow by providing fresh arterial blood**; thus stimulating brain activity (e.g., attention, concentration, study, meditation...).
- It helps balance respiratory flow and the ida-pingala nadis, so we can do it before pranayama to unblock a congested nostril (although Salamba Anantasana is more effective at this level).
You can see how to do it in this video:
It is advisable to learn to do Shirshasana with a teacher, using the wall for support. If you are going to do it alone, we suggest the center of the room and removing nearby obstacles.
It is inevitable to fall until you master the posture, don’t be afraid to fall; just remember to tuck your neck, arch your back, and bend your legs to roll and cushion the fall.
Let's be very methodical with the steps to do it (remove your glasses if you wear them):
1) Start from vajrasana with free breathing. Lean forward, place your hands on the floor (shoulder-width apart), and rest your forearms on the floor, side by side. Notice that your fingers will stick out a bit on each side (that’s the measure).
Separate your hands and interlace your fingers (to prevent the head from slipping); forming an imaginary triangle with your forearms.
(Figure 1. Place the head between the hands with fingers interlaced)
Lower your head to your hands, and it will be the hairline that touches the floor (Figure 1). In some schools, this contact area is shifted more toward the occipital bone to keep the body straighter during the holding phase.
2) With the head settled in that imaginary triangle, which serves as a base, stretch your legs and walk forward, step by step (Figure 2), until you can’t go any further. At that point, your spine will be quite straight.
(Figure 2. Walk little by little forward)
Now bend the right knee and bring that foot toward your right buttock (Figure 3).
(Figure 3. Raise the right foot toward the head)
Engage the hip to lift the left leg with the knee bent, bringing the foot up, using the counterweight of the right leg that has passed the head (Figure 4).
(Figure 4. Notice how straight the spine remains)
3) Now straighten the right leg and then the left. Contract the glutes and leg muscles to straighten a bit more. Pull the toes upward (Figure 5).
You will notice that shirshasana grows from the forearms while the head serves as support.
(Figure 5. Shirshasana maintenance phase)
4) Initially, hold the asana for 5 seconds and progressively increase to remain, with free breathing, between 5 and 10 minutes. The maximum holding time would be 15 minutes*.
If the base is well established, it will be easy to stay in this asana, and you can focus your attention on your breathing.
ANOTHER OPTION (instead of holding) is to do rapid breathing for 30-60 seconds, which will provide extra oxygenation to the brain but can only be done if you master the asana.
5) To release, bend the right leg bringing it beyond the head (acting as a counterweight) while slowly lowering the left leg.
When the toes of the left foot touch the floor, lower the other leg. Bend your knees and bring your forehead to contact the mat, close your eyes. Stay for about 5-10 seconds or as long as you wish.
6) Bring your hips toward your heels, place the backs of your hands on your thighs, and with your eyes closed, take another pause. This time for at least one minute to allow circulation to return to normal.
I hope you feel encouraged to practice it, and if you already knew it, never stop doing it ;- )
For any questions, contact us.
*According to André Van Lysebeth, along with washing the scrotum with cold water to stimulate rejuvenation.
**This exercise is not recommended for people with high or low blood pressure.
