ashtanga yoga Sirsasana

[Guest guest]

Hi. For about two-and-a-half years I also dreaded sirsasana due to various

fears. I was worried I'd cause irreparable damage to my neck. I was afraid

that I wouldn't be able to hold up my body weight on just my forearms. I

feared that I'd fall onto another student... You get the picture. During this

period, I, too, tried all the usual headstand prep exercises--dolphin, using

the wall, partners, etc. Nothing.

 

Then one day the most magical thing happened--I got up! Granted, I did have

some assistance and moral support the first time. As usual, I was doing down

dog with my back to the wall and brought my knees into my chest. I was ready

to come down at this point, after all, I had never gotten any further than

this. But the teacher--and to my surprise, the other students--started

telling me that, basically, I was already in the pose; all I had to do was

take my legs up. Gradually I did. When my legs were almost straight, I

wavered for a moment and the teacher helped me get them to the wall. I stayed

up for about 10 breaths, came down, and rested in child's pose. Then I went

back up again--this time without her help. For about a year I continued using

the wall. I'm now beginning to balance without it.

 

Teachers will give you lots of tools and advice on how to get up into

sirsasana. It's all helpful, but I've concluded that headstand is the perfect

metaphor for love; it'll happen when it's meant to happen.

 

Obviously, you have to do what feels right for you and your body. But I can

certainly say I'm glad I kept at it and I often encourage other practitioners

to do the same. When I come down from sirsasana, I don't know if my heart

feels any more rested than before I went up; but I can say it's really

empowering to conquer fear!

 

Good luck!

[Guest guest]

Oh, how I can relate to this one! It took me a long time to work my way up to

that and God forbid, there not be a wall around (even today). It came down to a

challenge for me. I had to look at it as either I was going to conquer it or it

was going to conquer me!

When I went to NYC in 1991 to practice with PJ and I walked into the beautiful

Puck building and saw 200 people on their heads and there were NO WALLS, I

thought I was going to have a heart attack. My teacher looked at me, saw the

panic that must have been all over my face and very calmly said, "what will it

take for you to do it ok." I looked around and saw a pillar in the middle of

the room. I knew that if I could get near that pillar I would have a shot at

it. I also knew that I didn't want to be the only one in the class not doing

it, so right at that moment, I prayed to God for strength to do it and l did. I

must say it was the wonderful moment of my life for two reasons, 1) I got up and

did not need the pillar really and 2) I heard as plain as day God speaking to me

and telling me that as long as I was rooted in him, I would never fall. I

almost fell because the message was that profound and it changed my life.

When we look to ourselves to do things, we fall short, but with God, all things

are possible.

Hang in there, it will come with time.

Margee

>

> lachica_fi [sMTP:no_reply]

> Wednesday, February 19, 2003 9:12 AM

> ashtanga yoga

> ashtanga yoga Sirsasana

>

> Can anyone help me with this pose? My teacher thinks I should be

> doing it, even though I think I could quite happily live without it -

> my problem is that I'm actually afraid to go upside down. I'm happy

> enough in shoulderstand but the thought of headstand terrifies me and

> always has.

> I have used a teacher, a wall, a corner, books, partners, I've

> followed the technique for entering the pose to the letter, but my

> body just doesn't want to go up . I said before I could live without

> it - meaning I could quite happily leave my fears where they are -

> but at the same time I'm sure that being in headstand feels really

> god and I'd quite like that feeling too. It's a psychological block,

> I suppose - or maybe poor balance - I don't know. I don't know

> whether persistence would be pride/ambition (which I don't want), or

> striving to improve (which I think is probably OK) or trying to

> please other people who think I ought to be able to do it by now

> (which sounds bad news).

>

> I'd welcome any comments on this, whether they be in the form of

> practical advice, simple reassurance or even just records of the

> experiences of other yogi/nis.

>

>

>

>

>

> Sponsor

>

>

<http://rd./M=245454.2895241.4313951.2848452/D=egroupweb/S=1705060955:H\

M/A=1457554/R=0/*http://ipunda.com/clk/beibunmaisuiyuiwabei>

>

<http://us.adserver./l?M=245454.2895241.4313951.2848452/D=egroupmail/S=\

:HM/A=1457554/rand=900513762>

>

>

> ashtanga yoga

>

>

>

> Terms of Service

<>.

[Guest guest]

For me yoga is not about being perfect according to my ideas of how I should be

in yoga or otherwise. Yoga is a union of breath and movement and if fear comes

up or wanting to please or etc. can I just be and wait until the mud settles and

trust that the right action will happen. You're really being too hard on

yourself and I can totally relate. It's ok that you experience fear. I have been

practicing since '83 and every time before going up in a headstand or handstand

there is a little wisp of fear. But over the years I have learned to trust the

strength and wisdom of this body and breath, not the fear.

On a more practical note you may want to start with handstands on the grass and

just keep kicking up your legs, spread your toes and get accustomed to being

upside down without the pressure of having to "do a pose". Arda Chandrasana

(half moon) is great for working on having energy through the legs while being

off the ground. And finally, when working any standing pose really get into your

legs and feet.

You say you've followed the technique to the letter and I wonder what that

means. To me, that would mean feeling that buoyant lift in the core of the body

which typically freaks the mind out even more. Again, that's just going to have

to take some getting used to - that letting go feeling is frightening to the

mind but joyful to the body and spirit and eventually the brain gets used to the

feeling and you realize this pose has so many benefits how could you not do it!

lachica_fi <no_reply> wrote:Can anyone help me with this pose?

My teacher thinks I should be

doing it, even though I think I could quite happily live without it -

my problem is that I'm actually afraid to go upside down. I'm happy

enough in shoulderstand but the thought of headstand terrifies me and

always has.

I have used a teacher, a wall, a corner, books, partners, I've

followed the technique for entering the pose to the letter, but my

body just doesn't want to go up . I said before I could live without

it - meaning I could quite happily leave my fears where they are -

but at the same time I'm sure that being in headstand feels really

god and I'd quite like that feeling too. It's a psychological block,

I suppose - or maybe poor balance - I don't know. I don't know

whether persistence would be pride/ambition (which I don't want), or

striving to improve (which I think is probably OK) or trying to

please other people who think I ought to be able to do it by now

(which sounds bad news).

 

I'd welcome any comments on this, whether they be in the form of

practical advice, simple reassurance or even just records of the

experiences of other yogi/nis.

 

 

 

 

ashtanga yoga

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Send Flowers for Valentine's Day

 

 

[Guest guest]

"it'll happen when it's meant to happen"

 

I completely agree! I've been through the same fears and frustrations

w/ many asanas, including sirsasana. It's strange w/ this practice

how I can see very little (or no) daily progression in my ability to

get into an asana...then one day, as if I was doing it my whole life,

I pop right up into sirsasana, or jump right through to dandasana, or

spring up from urdhva danurasana. "With practice, all is coming"

 

Of course, fear is part of the journey, and embracing and

acknowledging fear can help dispel it.

 

Namaste,

 

Paulee

 

ashtanga yoga, asawrt@a... wrote:

>

> Hi. For about two-and-a-half years I also dreaded sirsasana due to

various

> fears. I was worried I'd cause irreparable damage to my neck. I was

afraid

> that I wouldn't be able to hold up my body weight on just my

forearms. I

> feared that I'd fall onto another student... You get the picture.

During this

> period, I, too, tried all the usual headstand prep

exercises--dolphin, using

> the wall, partners, etc. Nothing.

>

> Then one day the most magical thing happened--I got up! Granted, I

did have

> some assistance and moral support the first time. As usual, I was

doing down

> dog with my back to the wall and brought my knees into my chest. I

was ready

> to come down at this point, after all, I had never gotten any

further than

> this. But the teacher--and to my surprise, the other

students--started

> telling me that, basically, I was already in the pose; all I had to

do was

> take my legs up. Gradually I did. When my legs were almost

straight, I

> wavered for a moment and the teacher helped me get them to the wall.

I stayed

> up for about 10 breaths, came down, and rested in child's pose. Then

I went

> back up again--this time without her help. For about a year I

continued using

> the wall. I'm now beginning to balance without it.

>

> Teachers will give you lots of tools and advice on how to get up

into

> sirsasana. It's all helpful, but I've concluded that headstand is

the perfect

> metaphor for love; it'll happen when it's meant to happen.

>

> Obviously, you have to do what feels right for you and your body.

But I can

> certainly say I'm glad I kept at it and I often encourage other

practitioners

> to do the same. When I come down from sirsasana, I don't know if my

heart

> feels any more rested than before I went up; but I can say it's

really

> empowering to conquer fear!

>

> Good luck!