Contraindications/Cautions
Shoulderstand requires good physical health before doing it. Do not practice this asana if you suffer from:
- thyroid disorders;
- chronic nasal catarrh (exercise caution);
- diarrhea;
- headache;
- hypertension or hypotension;
- *menstruation;
- cervical spondylitis;
- neck or spine injury;
- osteoporosis;
- glaucoma or detached retina;
- breathing difficulties (blocked sinuses, etc.);
- pain in the upper back or shoulders;
- low back pain;
- throat inflammation;
- obesity.
Do not attempt this pose on your own without warming up or without sufficient prior experience. Remember that this posture is a shoulder stand and not a neck-stand. There must never be any pressure on the neck whatsoever.
Do not turn your head from side to side in Shoulderstand. If the posture does not feel right, come out of it and then go back into it.
Yoga is about mindfulness. Remember that you are working with your body; respect your own body’s limitations. Practice only what is right for you at this time. If you have any doubt, please consult a physician or seek the advice of a fully qualified yoga teacher.
(* Opinions vary as to whether or not one should practice inversions such as Shoulderstand, Headstand, Plough Positions, etc. during menstruation. Some people advocate not modifying the practice during this special time whilst others encourage doing restorative poses (as it is thought to adversely affect the flow of blood). Once again, the best is to listen to one’s own body, and see what feels right according to the energy levels and if the flow is very heavy, it is best to abstain from inversions. Some women prefer to do Supta Baddha Konasana (reclined cobbler pose) or Viparita Karani with legs up the wall).
Important Considerations
Inversions change the way we view the world; it is easy to lose the awareness of the legs and forget to stretch them upward and symmetrically. As always, we must resist the temptation to favour our strongest side. We must never lose our Tadasana legs and keep opening the soles of our feet, stretching them skywards. In Shoulderstand, the feet are pushing upwards towards the light; in Tadasana – Mountain Pose, they push earthwards.
Shoulderstand is a relaxing and meditative posture. It is less about effort and more about balance.
We must learn to nurture the feminine attributes of Shoulderstand. There is nothing aggressive about the posture; it is not a question of forcing the chin into the chest as this will negatively affect our nervous system. Shoulderstand should be approached with openness, receptivity and patience.
Preparatory Postures:
- Halasana or Plough Position;
- Setu Bandha Sarvangasana or Bridge Position;
- Virasana or Hero pose.
Sarvangasana – Step by Step
There are several ways to get into Shoulderstand – from lying supine on the floor, from Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha) or from Plough Pose (Halasana), and there are several ways to get out of Shoulderstand – back into Plough, back into Bridge or by lowering and extending both legs back down to the floor.
Going into Plough Position first enables to adjust the shoulders before lifting into Shoulderstand; however, some may find that going into Plough Position first is tougher on the hamstrings than going into it from Shoulderstand; lifting from Bridge enables us to open the chest, to warm the spine, and to prepare the wrists before lifting into Shoulderstand. Different schools of yoga have different ways of going into and coming out of Shoulderstand.
The classic way is to lift from the floor:
In the classic Shoulderstand, the weight of the body is equally divided between the elbows and the shoulders; if the legs are too far forward over the head, the shoulders will end up doing most of the work; you need to push the legs back to bring them in line with the hips; think of opening up the upper part of the abdomen; press the upper arms firmly on the floor, lift the side and back ribs and engage with your back muscles;
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