Inversions
Salamba Sarvangasana I at wall (Shoulder Stand)
Level: All levels
Category: Inversion
Alamba = a prop or support. Sa = with or accompanied by. Sarva = whole, all, complete. Anga = limb.
A friend of mine, another teacher, has said of this pose “It is the mother of all poses. You may not like mother, but she is necessary.” It is a pose that can be quite challenging to begin with, especially if the back or shoulders are tight. It is, however, possibly the most important pose in yoga because of its effects on the internal organs and nervous system.
Organizing the Pose
• Fold up a mat and stack up three blankets on top.
Make the stack neat, with all the folded edges in a clean
line. This will be going under the shoulders to act as a
lift to protect the neck. (See insert.)
• Lie back on the blankets so that the hips are close to the wall with the legs up the wall. Have the shoulders on and the neck off the blankets.
• Curl the hips up a little and interlock the fingers behind the back. Notice that, if you press the feet into the wall you are going to push yourself off the padding. Instead, pull the heels down the wall to give you the leverage to curl the hips up.
• Rock from side to side and roll the shoulders down, walking them underneath you.
• Walk the feet up to lift the hips.
• Bring the hands into the back and lift the back ribs up to open the chest.
• Ground the feet into the wall and reach the thighs up out of the chest.
• Hold the pose anywhere up to 5 minutes, according to your capacity.
• Lie back on the blankets so that the hips are close to the wall with the legs up the wall. Have the shoulders on and the neck off the blankets.
• Curl the hips up a little and interlock the fingers behind the back. Notice that, if you press the feet into the wall you are going to push yourself off the padding. Instead, pull the heels down the wall to give you the leverage to curl the hips up.
• Rock from side to side and roll the shoulders down, walking them underneath you.
• Walk the feet up to lift the hips.
• Bring the hands into the back and lift the back ribs up to open the chest.
• Ground the feet into the wall and reach the thighs up out of the chest.
• Hold the pose anywhere up to 5 minutes, according to your capacity.
Practice Points
• Roll the upper arms out and the shoulders under.
• Ground the elbows into the blanket.
• Broaden and lift the back ribs.
• Broaden the chest and collarbones.
• Soften the neck and throat.
• Ground the elbows into the blanket.
• Broaden and lift the back ribs.
• Broaden the chest and collarbones.
• Soften the neck and throat.