YogAfrica
December 2010
When you are in the asana, make sure the neck is one-third supported and two –thirds free. Align your toes, knes, hips and chest Keep the arms shoulder-width apart in the strap otherwise they will move away from one another and the pose will ‘sink’. If you have large breasts or not enough lift in your chest , take another blanket. Going into Eka pada Sarvangasana (One –leg Neck Balance)
Try to stay longer in the asana each time you practise — so that you receive the full benefit of the asana.
Karnapindasana (Knee to Ear Pose)
Sarvangasana should not be practised if one suffers from high blood pressure unless Halasana is held for a minimum of three minutes beforehand. Similarly if you are menstruating, this pose should not be practised.
Supta Konasana (Supine Angle Pose)
Urdhva Padmasana in Sarvangasana (Upward Lotus Pose in Neck Balance)
If you have a hyperactive thyroid, it is better to practise Niralamba Sarvangasana (Unsupported Shoulder Stand). Do not let your legs hang over your head — you will feel a heaviness in your chest and find it difficult to breathe.
Coming out of the asana:
Going into Pidasana in Sarvangasana (Body Rolled to Compact Ball in Neck Balance)
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose in Neck Balance)
Firm the support of your hands on your back. Lower your legs over your head into Halasana. Take your strap off one arm and grip the edge of the mat. Keeping your legs as straight as possible, slowly lower them over your body landing back on your launching pad. Remove the launching pad. Briefly lie on your mat with only your head resting on the support. Roll to your right-hand side to come out of the asana. Anatomy
Eka Pada Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (One-legged Bridge Pose in Neck Balance)
Salamba Sarvangasana (Supported Neck Balance) in a chair.
Reprinted with permission from Yoga Awakening Africa, Issue 5”.
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Like a finely tuned instrument, the muscles of the body work in unison in this asana in order to maintain the lift and support of the entire body. To maintain a neutral alignment of the legs against the pull of gravity, the adductor magnus and hamstrings hold the legs together and extend the hips. In the shoulders, the rhomboids, trapezius and deltoid muscles work to support the shoulders while the triceps work to extend and rotate the arms. The biceps enable the elbow to flex and support the forearm.