Strike a Royal Pose

A Beginner's Guide to Yoga's Key Inversions.

By Aadil Palkhivala

To move into the full pose, set your sticky mat next to a wall and place your knuckles next to the wall. To come up, follow the setup instructions for the head and shoulders; then, with your legs bent, gently jump both legs up and land with the soles of your feet touching the wall. Straighten your legs one at a time, pressing them together.

When you come out of Sirsasana and sit up, you should feel a peaceful, focused sensation in your brain and nerves. Your hands should be calm and steady. If they are not, you have stayed too long, worked incorrectly, or worked too hard. Never strain in this pose. Have your teacher check your pose frequently to see that your head and neck are in the correct alignment and that your shoulders are lifting and widening properly.

Sequencing Your Inversions

Now that you know how to do Sirsasana and Sarvangasana, how do you fit them into your practice sequence? Shoulderstand should be done after Headstand (although you don't have to do it immediately after), because Sirsasana warms the body up and Sarvangasana cools the body down. Additionally, in Sarvangasana, the back of the neck is released and the vertebrae are extended, releasing any tension and compression in the neck that an incorrect Sirsasana may have caused. In a well-rounded practice session, Sirsasana should come after standing poses and before other intense work such as backbends and deep twists. Sarvangasana follows, and then Savasana (Corpse Pose). If you have neck issues, it is better to do Sarvangasana before mild backbends, because backbends can relieve any tension in the neck caused by Sarvangasana.

How long should you hold the poses? The rule of thumb is to hold Sarvangasana twice as long as Sirsasana yet never to the point of strain. I highly recommend working on these poses in class with a knowledgeable teacher for a few months before doing them at home, although it is wise to keep practicing the preparations on your own. A well-trained, experienced, and attentive teacher can help you determine when you are ready to practice them alone.

I hope these words have encouraged you to begin a lifelong practice of these magnificent poses in a way that is both safe and beneficial. In doing these two inversions, the king and queen of asanas, you will be experiencing the essence of yoga. May your work help you discover the fragrant sweetness that is, after all, your own inner essence.

Aadil Palkhivala is the cofounder and director of Yoga Centers in Bellevue, Washington. For more information, visit www.yogacenters.com and www.aadilpalkhivala.com.

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