The headstand is considered the king of yoga – it radiates strength, calm and presence in a majestic way. We need exactly these qualities in order to be able to carry it out safely and this is exactly the effect it has on us. Even the ancient yoga scriptures say that we should regularly practice inversion postures such as headstand in order to develop a strong body and a clear mind.
Even if the headstand is not necessarily part of a classic yoga class these days, for many yogis it is considered a milestone on their yoga path.
The importance of headstand in yoga
Today we have countless different asanas, but it wasn’t always like this. In the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, one of the most important yoga texts, 84 main asanas were listed. This also includes the headstand, Sirsasana.
What is the significance of the headstand in yoga?
The headstand belongs to the group of inversion postures, i.e. all those positions in which the heart is higher than the head. Many of these postures are very demanding and can therefore only be found in advanced lessons.
The headstand requires very good body control, strength and balance. Mentally it is at least as demanding, because balancing your entire body weight on your head requires a high degree of concentration and courage.
Energetically, the headstand is assigned to the 6th and 7th chakras. The forehead chakra or Ajna chakra is located at the level of the third eye and represents mental clarity and intuition. The crown chakra or Sahasrara chakra is located on or just above the crown of our head and represents the spiritual connection to our higher self and the divine.
By practicing headstand we can cultivate many qualities that not only serve us in yoga, but of course also in our everyday lives.
How does headstand affect the body and mind?
The headstand is said to have a rejuvenating effect. The yoga scriptures even say that if practitioners remain in an inversion position for several hours a day, the aging process will be stopped. How realistic this actually is remains to be seen. What is certain, however, is that the reversal allows blood to flow from the lower body back to the heart using gravity. This has a positive effect on the blood circulation in the head and the nervous system.