Challenge Pose : Sirsasana II (Tripod Headstand)

Sirsasana II (Tripod Headstand)

I received an email recently, requesting for a breakdown for Tripod Headstand (Sirsasana II). This practitioner had previously attended my Inversions 101 Workshop a couple of months ago, but found that she has yet to gain confidence and stability in this asana. I hope the following steps help. Please remember that this is an intermediate asana - practice with intelligence, awareness and compassion, and use a wall where necessary. Slowly wean yourself from the wall by inching away from it as you gain more confidence in the asana. Please avoid if you have high or low blood pressure, neck pain, dizziness or have had recent surgery.

Step 1.

Please warm up with 8 to 12 rounds of Sun Salutations first before preparing yourself for Sirsasana II. From Child's Pose, place your palms shoulder-width apart, and the crown of your head on your mat in front of your palms. Your head and both palms should form a triangle, and this would be your tripod base.
(Problem locating the crown of your head? You know how runway models balance a book on their heads to train to walk with a perfect posture? The place on top of the head where the book is balancing on, is the crown).
Lift your knees off the mat and walk towards your arms. Place one knee then the next onto your triceps, engage your legs by hugging your inner thigh muscles (adductors) towards the midline. You can either point or flex your toes here. It is very important at this stage, to hug the arms into the midline and not allow the elbows to splay (otherwise you'll lose the 'power in the arms'). As you can see, the arms are in "Chaturanga" mode, where the elbows are stacked directly over the wrists.
Engage your core muscles, stack your hips over your shoulders, and lift the shoulders away from the elbows so that you're not compressing the neck. Stay here for a few breaths, and then rest in Child's Pose.

Step 2.

Once you've found comfort in the first stage, it's time to get to the halfway mark. Still firing up your inner thighs and hugging them into the midline, slowly start to lift your knees off your upper arms and bring your thighs parallel to the floor. Remember the rules of engagement : lift the shoulders away from the elbows, and don't let the elbows splay. Find your centre of gravity here, and enjoy hovering in Half Tripod for a few breaths, and then rest in Child's Pose, OR

Step 3

Actively reach through your toes, and extend both legs up, up, up. Stay as compact as possible, and don't rush the experience of coming into the full Sirsasana II. When you've maintained your centre of gravity, you'll find lightness in the asana, and not feel like there is too much pressure on the head, or crunching in the neck. According to B.K.S Iyengar in his book Iyengar : The Yoga Master, the weight ratio in Sirsasana II is 60% on the head and 40% on the hands/arms.

Practise with relaxed breaths and patience - eventually the full expression of the asana will unfold. And remember to have fun along the way.

"It always seems impossible until it's done" ~ Nelson Mandela.

Serious Playtime Comin' Up!

Get ready for some serious playtime this August as my partner-in-crime and I host a Partner Assist Playshop at the Shala.

Yoga fun is doubled when Angeline and Raymond get onto the mat! Working with a partner or friend adds another dimension to your practice.  Join us as we explore deeper alignment, partner assisted adjustments, supported restorative postures and a bit of Thai massage thrown in. In this 2-Hour session, you’ll find a balance between Strength and Flexibility, Trust and Surrender, and Yoga Playtime with lots of Laughter.

This Playshop is suitable for all levels of practitioners. 
Come with a playmate, or we can pair you up with another Sun Yogi.

Date : 25 August (Sunday) 
Time : 9.15am-11.15am
Exchange : Sun Yogis deduct 2 class passes
                Walk-Ins RM80 per person

Please reserve your mat space via pre-payment. 
For enquiries, text/call us at 012-9764866.

See you at playtime!

Yoga for Spinal Care Workshop in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

Come September, I will be traveling back to Sabah, the Land Below the Wind. Situated on the north of Borneo, Sabah's raw beauty beckons as my dear friends at Gokul Yoga Kota Kinabalu host me for a weekend of workshops.

Yoga for Spinal Care
with Angeline Liew
7 Sept

BACK PAIN is one of society's most common complaints. As the spine is a complex structure of bones, muscles, ligaments and nerves, back pain can range from mild and chronic, to severe. The source of back pain can come from overuse, improper posture, trauma/injury, spinal abnormalities (like scoliosis) or lack of core strength. People living with back or neck pain often turn to medical care or surgery to manage their pain.

YOGA has proven to be an effective, non-intrusive form of exercise to alleviate many forms of back or neck pain, and help prevent spinal deterioration, so that you can continue to lead a healthier, happier and pain-free life.

Join yours truly for this special 2-Hour YOGA FOR SPINAL CARE class*, as I share general diagnostics and symptoms for common spinal complaints, as well as a tailored yoga practice to build strength and flexibility towards a pain-free spine, the yogic way.

Day/Date : Saturday, 7 Sept
Time : 2.00pm-4.00pm
Venue : Gokul Yoga, No. 2 Lorong Manikar 2A, Taman Manikar, Likas, 88400 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
Exchange : RM90 before 18 Aug / RM100 after 18 Aug

To register, please PM me, or text Gokul Yoga at 016-2180830.

*if you have a severe spinal condition, are under medical care or physiotherapy, kindly bring along your latest medical report or X-Ray.