“It is no over-statement to say that if a person regularly practices Sarvangasana he will feel new vigour and strength, and will be happy and confident. New life will flow into him, his mind will be at peace and he will feel the joy of life.” …B.K.S. Iyengar
For this issue, I considered writing about the first ethical discipline of yoga – ahimsa/non-violence – and how it pertains to the holiday season. Then I thought chances are I’d be preaching to the choir. You already check your labels right? You purchase products that aren’t tested on animals; your yoga mat is bio-degradable; you buy items for yourself and others that are sustainably made (sassy yoga outfits made of organic cotton, bamboo or hemp); you support a plethora of fair trade farmers and textile workers; and you would never purchase anything that says “Made in China” on the label, right? …Right?!?
As much as I take issue with the Chinese government – their atrocious human rights record, their reckless and devastating support/partnership with Sudan, their hard-line refusal to see His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama as anything other than a ‘terrorist jackal’ (don’t even get me started!) and come to any sort of agreement on the Tibet issue – there is one Chinaman to whom I’ll concede:
If there is to be peace in the world,
There must be peace in the nations.
If there is to be peace in the nations,
There must be peace in the cities.
If there is to be peace in the cities,
There must be peace between neighbors.
If there is to be peace between neighbors,
There must be peace in the home.
If there is to be peace in the home,
There must be peace in the heart.
— Lao Tzu
‘Tis the season for wishing peace to all (even President Hu Jintoa) and yoga offers a wide array of peace-finding practices. One of the greatest gifts ever given us by the old dudes in the Himalayan hills is Salamba Sarvangasana, or Shoulderstand. We read in “Light on Yoga” by B.K.S. Iyengar that “as a mother strives for harmony and happiness in the home, so this asana strives for the harmony and happiness of the human system”. Hence, it’s referred to as the Mother of all Asanas. The therapeutic effects of shoulderstand can’t be emphasized enough and include
- balancing the thyroid and parathyroid glands through a ‘wringing out’ effect
- relieving headaches and migraines
- increasing circulation, stretching the shoulders and neck
- soothing the nerves, reducing irritation and insomnia
- eradicating common colds and nasal issues
- relieving constipation and it’s also recommended for uterine displacement, urinary disorders, and menstrual troubles
The list goes on. This Mother is powerful!!
You’ve probably done this pose a zillion times as a kid, however, I can’t stress enough how important it is to proceed with caution as an adult. In fact, if you’re suffering from untreated high blood pressure, diarrhea, or a neck injury – this isn’t your pose right now! Lie on your back and take your legs up the wall instead (see December 2007 issue). If you’re an experienced yogi, consider giving yourself the gift of shoulderstand for at least 5 minutes a day, working up to a longer hold. For those who are new to the practice, I strongly recommend asking an experienced teacher to introduce you to the Mother. A guide can assist you with numerous subtle but significant nuances such as the correct external rotation of the upper arms, the best support for your cervical spine, and the proper (read: safe) way to enter and exit the pose. Say Hello to Mother and bring peace and harmony into your body, into your home, into the world.
… Happy Holidays!
Lisa Bracken teaches yoga at The Canebrake as well as at NSU. Often after a long hold in shoulderstand, her voice drops to a lower register for awhile and she sounds like Bette Davis! A happy, peaceful Ms. Davis.