sirsasana

[Guest guest]

Still wondering why Iyengar puts his head on the

ground in downdog. While I'm at it, he also recommends

putting the entire body weight on the head in sirsasana,

where in the ashtanga books it is generally recommended

to take the weight on the forearms. Why this

difference? I know they are different systems, but most of

the other poses are described essentially the same in

Light on Yoga as in ashtanga books.

[Guest guest]

<<...why Iyengar puts his head on the

ground in downdog...>><br><br>These days if you go

to Pune to study at the Iyengar institute, and try

to put your head on the ground, they LAUGH at you.

Prashant, Geeta and whoever else is teaching, get a kick

out of it. And it isn't so pleasant for the

unsuspecting student. They stopped teaching it that way,

because well, look at what a lot of people do to their

shoulders and their lumbar back to get to the "goal".

<br><br>I remember an experience, where a unknowing Iyengar

teacher kept trying to make us take our heads to the

ground "come on people, many of you have been coming

here for years, I'd like to think that by this time

you could take your head to the ground" An agonizing

session, of endless adho-mukha -svanasanas...and a lot of

groaning. Thank you Sensei. Another blow. Thank you

Sensei.<br><br>Also, Iyengar yoga does start headbalance with weight

in forearms, and gradually , at least nowadays, you

take the weight onto the head, once the neck vertebre

aren't being compressed.<br><br>Look at first series,

your're building a lot of strength. In Second series, the

sirsasana set, you have to take the weight of the body into

the head. <br><br>At that point shoudn't the back

muscles have the requisite strength to take the weight

w/o too much spinal

compression?<br><br><br>Physiologically, I stay up more comfortably if I have

concrete

stimulation to the top of the head. I also suspect that the

"injurious" eye pressure that occurs in long sishasana holds

is lessened with adaquate (your judgement) weight on

the head.<br><br>"Krama" or sequence:<br><br>Just go

try Adho mukha vriksasana (full arm balance) w/o any

warm up. Stay up 30 second's. Hey didn't the disciple

Peter die that way, by hanging up-side

down?<br><br>Also there's a world of difference to how a sishasana

feels if you're utilizing core strenth. Squeezing

through the inner legs is a great way to activate, and

extending through the inner feet and ball of the big toe

metatarsals. I'd also be willing to bet the "safe length" of

time increases if a) your closing sequence is

lenghened: your breath is long, full, and you extend the

count.<br><br>I think I heard, and someone please add, in a

mature head balace the respiration should slow down to

approx. one breath per 30 sec (unforcibley).<br><br>If

you zip throught the whole series and then marathon

the head balance, and take the weight into the

forearms, your nerves, at least my nerves would be shot.

[Guest guest]

"I think I heard, and someone please add, in a

mature head balace the respiration should slow down to

approx. one breath per 30 sec (unforcibley)."<br><br>You

are very articulate in your discriptions and English

maybe your second language....impressive. <br><br>As a

newbie, I'm pretty zippy. your posting leads me to

believe that as I mature my yoga practice will slow down.

I do primary series easily in an hour and a half.

<br><br>I have a week before NYC to self practice. Any

suggestions on breath rate? I do notice that my breath gets

faster when I'm going into the difficult postures after

Marichasana. <br><br>Thanks.

[Guest guest]

<<Any suggestions on breath

rate?>><br><br>Sorry to mislead you with my flowery speech. Your

breath is your best educator and there are many

articles, texts, and commentators on this board, who can

answer that better than I.