Lying on the back place the hands down on the mat beside the hips.
Bring the knees into the chest rapidly, raising the pelvis and lower back up. Straighten the legs up when the lower back begins to rise. Place the hands into the lower back for support.
Point the toes. Heels or ball points of the toes.
Extend up through the legs as much as possible.
Allow the shoulders to touch the mat. Do not let the vertebrae in the lower neck touch the mat.
Create space around the neck for the elements to flow.
Mukta Hasta Sarvangasana
Translation: Free Hand Shoulderstand Pose
In this version the upper body dips a little. This is to maintain balance.
Benefits of Shoulderstand and its Variations
There are theories that these postures help thyroid disorders. Many practitioners that suffer this condition verify it. One thing is certain. The blood flow to the thyroid is increased.
Inversions may be good to change the flow of the element of water in the body. Dry parts of the organs get bathed in fresh nutrients.
The neck muscles along the back of the neck are stretched well.
Yoga Teacher Tips for Shouderstand Pose
There are so many postures that sequence well with the Shoulderstand and
its variations. For this reason it may be a good idea to enter this pose a
number of times for shorter durations each time.
"Pure yoga doesn't always have to
be tainted with tradition. In fact this may intimidate or aggravate
students in less yogic environments. Know the purity of Yoga and teach
around that. This way the point will never be missed. "
