Beginners Guide for Shoulder Stand (Salamba Sarvangasana)

Guide for Shoulder Stand

Mother of all poses, salamba sarvangasana is a good pose especially for shoulders and spine. This pose might be quiet challenging for some people who has tight shoulders and back. However, after gaining some experience one can do it easily. This inversion pose is also a preparatory pose for ‘Sirsasana’-‘The Head Stand’. The Sanskrit word ‘Salamba’ means ‘Supported’, ‘Sarva’ means ‘All’, ‘Anga’ means ‘Limbs’ and ‘Asana’ means ‘Posture’. It means totally supported all limbs pose. Let’s have a look at beginners guide for shoulder stand.

Get into The Pose:-

• Place 2-3 blankets stacked upon one another in the middle of your yoga mat.
• Now lie on the stacks of blanket such that you are resting your shoulders on the blankets and your head off the blanket.
• Fold your legs, feet flat on the floor and hands alongside your body.
• Raise your legs up in the air by 90° and support your back with both your palms.
• Now raise your booty too and also your back off the floor.
• Thus, now you are in shoulder stand pose.
• Hold in the position for 2 to 5 minutes. You can also extend the time to 10 minutes once you get hold of the asana.
• Now roll down slowly by exhaling using your arms to control yourself.
• Roll on to your side and slowly get up.

Contradictions/ Cautions:

• People who are suffering from severe neck or back problems should avoid this pose.
• Also who are suffering from high blood pressure should refrain from the pose.
• People with diarrhea or any eye or ear infections should abstain from the pose.
• Menstruating and pregnant women should also avoid the shoulder pose.
• Anyone who is willing to perform should do under the guidance of experienced teacher.

Benefits:-

• Stretches your neck and shoulder muscles.
• Ameliorates the flexibility of your spine and inturn alleviates the back ache.
• Promotes good blood circulation throughout the body.
• Calms the nervous system and reduces anxiety and ease fatigue.
• It decreases depression, stress and also improves immunity.
• It literally helps the insomniacs, it is excellent for sleep.
• It massages the abdominal organs like liver, spleen, pancreas and stomach and also aids in digestion.
• It improves the functioning of lungs by flushing out the mucous accumulated inside the lungs.
• It also helps in relieving the symptoms of menopause.

Tips:

• You can directly perform the asana on the mat itself if you can do. Or else stack 2-3 blankets as aforesaid and do the practice.
• Always use your palms to support your lower back which will help you from falling down.
• If you are unable to perform the asana, then you can do it near a wall. Lie near the wall, now raise both your legs and place them on the wall.
• If you are still unable to do the pose, then you can stack 3-4 blankets on another and place them under your hip such that you can raise your legs and hip with an ease.
• Beginners may also be able to do it in a half inverted variation by lifting the legs only upto 45 degrees angle.