Asana Column: Parsva Sarvangasana (Side Shoulderstand)

Parsva Sarvangasana may seem intimidating at first, but if you progress step by step, you can approach this pose safely and effectively.

By Aadil Palkhivala

When coming up into Sarvangasana as a preparation for Parsva Sarvangasana, I prefer to come into it from Setu Bandha Sarvangasana rather than from Halasana (Plow Pose), since Setu Bandha warms up the spine and prepares it for the backbending action of Parsva Sarvangasana. In order to come into Setu Bandha Sarvangasana, lie on your back with your knees bent and feet on the floor, your torso on your pad and your head on the floor. Press your feet down and lift your pelvis as high as you can. Interlock your hands underneath your back and straighten your arms. Lift your right shoulder and roll it externally as much as possible so that you open and expose your right armpit. Keep the right shoulder rolled under as you lower it back down so the sticky mat can hold it in place, then do the same action with the left shoulder. Although the sticky mat makes it a little more difficult initially to roll your shoulders under, I find it very useful since it keeps the shoulders properly positioned throughout the pose.

To come into Sarvangasana from Setu Bandha, bend your elbows and place your hands on your back. One at a time, lift your legs up to vertical. When you come up, the upper trapezius muscles (on both sides of the lower neck) and the shoulders should rest firmly on the pad. If your trapezius muscles are relatively stiff, the seventh cervical vertebra (C7), the large vertebra at the base of the neck, will rest on the pad. If they are quite soft and elastic, the seventh cervical vertebra may be able to lift up off your pad. In either case, your work in Sarvangasana is to drop your weight into your shoulders, toward the floor, while allowing a gentle yet unequivocal rebound from the earth up the spine into the inner legs. As this rebound moves up, simultaneously pull your perineum gently down. Release the tension in the organs of your abdomen at the lower belly so that they drop onto the diaphragm, creating a rounded, puffy upper belly. The lower belly should be drawn deeper than the upper belly into the body; if it isn't, further relax the tension in the organs of the abdomen.

As you remain in Sarvangasana, occasionally walk your hands down your back toward your shoulder blades. Keep your throat completely relaxed so you are neither pulling your chin toward your sternum nor lifting it away. Instead, use your hands on your back to help your sternum gently but surely move toward your chin. Keeping your breathing soft, smooth, and natural, drop your eyes so that you are looking toward your belly button or, if your torso is quite erect, your heart center. Relax the skin of your face, allowing the healing effects of this pose to flow from your feet to your head.

To best prepare for Parsva Sarvangasana, point your fingertips toward the buttocks rather than toward each other. If you can bring the heels of your palms to the tips of your shoulder blades, you'll be able to more effectively drop the weight of your body into your hands and down the forearms into your elbows. This will create a gentle automatic recoil of the spine toward the ceiling, which makes the pose intensely pleasurable. But until you can reach this hand position, do not make a concerted effort to push the spine up or you may strain the nervous system and damage your neck. I have met many people who have damaged the intervertebral disks in their necks either by lifting the chin or by pushing it down while doing this pose. Others have herniated their disks by turning their heads to look at what other students were do- ing; you should never turn your head to the side in Shoulderstand. For safety, relax the throat and keep the head still. Only after you have established a strong, regular practice of Sarvangasana should you attempt any of the next variations, since a supple and open neck is required for all of them.

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