In the Netherlands the 27th of April is a national Holiday. On this day we celebrate the birthday of our king. What better than to celebrate our own king of asanas on this day, the headstand.
King of Asanas
First of all, why is this called the king of asanas? The headstand is the one pose where our most important glands and chakras are stimulated that are located in and around our head.
King of Glands
Physically these are the Pineal Gland and Pituitary Gland. They are the glands that guide and control other glands in the body to secrete and suppress hormones being produced in the body. So we could say they are the King Glands.
King of Chakras
The Sahasrara chakra is the most upper chakra of the body. Chakras are the energy centers in the body. In Yoga we use the seven major ones. In which the Sahasrara is the most upper one. Laying just a little above the crown of our head, so not even inside our physical body. This chakra is the center of spirituality. If energy is heightened (Kundalini) up to this point, you can achieve immortality. The sixth chakra, the third eye chakra, is as well stimulated with the Sheersasana (headstand). It is the chakra that is connected to intuition and sight into the past, present and future.
Other Benefits
Practicing and persevering to better this pose, will stimulate your perseverance and focus. It has even more physical benefits for example:
- improving the functioning of the heart
- improving blockages in the ear, nose or throat. It can open up blockages here (not suitable for severe blockages or eye problems).
- it will improve the health of your spine.
- plus strengthens your core and back muscles.
To do or not to do the Headstand
There are many articles that name the headstand as a risky pose to do. It is stated to be bad for the neck and back for example. If you have any issues related to your neck, head or spine, then it is better not to do it. There are special props that can help you to come into headstand, the so called headstand bench. If you have no issues I would recommend to learn the headstand from a certified Yoga teacher. They have knowledge of the correct alignments so you learn it in the proper way. When ready you can practice this asana in your own time at home.
Salute the King
Before doing the headstand I recommend you to salute the king; do Sun Salutations. A warm up between 4 to 6 rounds is sufficient. Do some core exercises like double leg raises or the yogic bicycle. And some push ups or moving dolphins to strengthen and warm up the back.
Ready for the King?
Now you are ready for your headstand. You can use a blanket or fold your mat a few times to create extra stability for the head. Once in the pose you can try to expand the amount of time each day, to get even more benefits out of the pose.
King for Beginners
Start by raising only one leg and change legs after a certain amount of time. Once you have build more core and back strenght, you can start finding your balance and focus to come into the full pose. If you master the moving dolphin (10 times) or push ups, you have enough strenght to do this pose.
I wish you all a happy and joyful day and for the Dutchies here, Happy Kingsday!
You might be interested in the following posts as well:
10 Secrets to a Joyful and Healthy Morning Routine
Sunny Days, Joyful People ~ How the Sun can influence our Mood
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