Half Headstand - Ardha sirsasana
Contents
Half Headstand or Ardha Sirsasana (and-Ha shear-SHAHS-anah) in Sanskrit. ‘Ardha’ means ‘half’ and ‘siras’ means ‘head’.
Half Headstand stimulates manipura, visudhdhi, ajna, guru and sahasrara chakras. Stimulation of sahasrara chakra promotes stability and self-awareness. The chakra is also the source of wisdom.
Here, the toes remain on the ground as the yogi builds upper body strength and confidence.
Pose Detail
- Body Position: Arm & Leg Support, Inversion Yoga Poses
- By Type: Balancing Yoga Poses, Strengthening Yoga Poses
- Difficulty: Intermediate
- By Benefit: Yoga Poses For Digestion, Yoga Poses For Stress Relief
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1
From tabletop, bring the elbows to the ground and interlace the fingers creating a cup for the crown of the head.
Step 2
Shift forward and place the top of the head on the ground and allowing the crown of the head to rest in the hands with the knees still on the ground.
Step 3
Keeping the feet on the ground, start to slowly extend the legs and shift the weight into the arms & shoulders until you have stacked the hips over the pelvis and the back is long.
Step 4
Once the pelvis is over the hips, press the forearms into the mat and push shoulders away from the ears (engage upper body muscles).
Step 5
Stay here and breathe feeling the strength in your arms and shoulders. Release back to your knees when ready.
Benefits and Contraindications
Benefits
Calming to the nervous system
Nourishing to the brain cells
Stimulating to the heart and circulation
Balancing to the hormonal and digestive systems
Strengthening to the spirit
Contraindications
Back injury
Headache
Heart condition
High or low blood pressure
Menstruation
Neck injury
Photo poses in different angles
Modifications, Props and Tips
- You can try lifting one leg up to the ceiling and then the other as this is a preparation for the full posture, Sirsasana.
- You can also walk into your elbows with your head lifted to intensify the movement in the shoulders, shoulder-blades and upper back.
- Make sure the crown of the head is centered firmly on the mat or blanket and you are not rolling too far onto the forehead or the back of the head. Make sure the clasped hands are supporting the back of the head.
Variations
- Dolphin Pose
- Headstand Pose
- Squeezing Pose
- One Legged Headstand Pose
