Despite practicing this posture for thirty years, I still find it can be challenging if I haven't been doing it regularly, while I can easily hold a headstand with joy. Having recently added it back into my daily practice, I thought it would be helpful to provide a few tips.
Salamba sarvangasana can be practiced for 30 seconds or for as long as 30 minutes, though I usually strive for about five minutes.
Why do the shoulderstand? It has so many benefits:
Why do the shoulderstand? It has so many benefits:
- calms the nerves
- reduces anxiety, insomnia and irritability
- decreases depression
- improves your metabolism (so it can help you lose weight)
- good for digestion and blood circulation.
It is best to practice the shouldstand
on 2-3 folded blankets, lying with the edge of your shoulders lined up with the
edge of the blankets. The blankets will
prevent pressure on the vertebrae of the neck. It is important to centre
yourself on the blankets and not turn your head while in the pose.
Place the short end of your mat against the wall, and lie on your back with
your shoulders on your blanket stack.
Then lift yourself up, placing your feet flat on the wall and supporting
your back with your hands.
Hold this
posture, and then move into the full shoulderstand away from the wall. When you need to come out of the asana, move
into plow by bending the legs over your head, until the toes touch the floor
(or you can place a block if you don’t reach the floor). Return to sarvangasana, and then ease yourself
out of the pose and rest on your back for a few breaths before you sit up. Start with 1-3 minutes, and gradually
increase the length of your asana.
Ideally, after sarvangasana you would do a headstand for an equal length of time!
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