Pose of the Month

by Sigrid Matthews

Sirsasana II
As demonstrated perfectly by Black Dog Yoga student Sheldon Katz with shoes on to boot!

While most students practicing headstands have a

preference for one over another, Tripod (Sirsasana II)
Headstand tends to be a bit more difficult because
there is less of you making contact with the floor.
Rather than the entire forearm, wrist, and pinky side of
the hand rooting down to support the pose (as in
Sirsasana I) you only have the hands and the top of the
head rooting down in Sirsasana II. Or, so it seems. So
much controversy has been made over inversions
lately, but the truth of the matter is that headstand is
one of the best advanced poses to crystallize your
ability to fully integrate your entire body in an
organized manner so that you are virtually doing
Tadasana (Mountain Pose) upside down. This is a
crowning achievement (pun intended) for a student
who has worked so diligently on rules of alignment,
bones in their proper places and lengthening and
strengthening the muscles of the body. Not only must
you work through some fear, but one must exercise
single pointed (eka grata) mental focus along with a deep understanding and execution of alignment in
the physical body. Now, that’s yoga!

How do you execute a clean and safe Sirsasana II? Well, there is some back and forth on the exact
placement of the head. Some teachers think ideal placement is at the bregma (the juncture between
the coronal and the sagittal sutures a little forward of the crown of the head) versus the actual crown of
the head (which is just in front of the “sore” bump area on the head). Placing the weight on the Bregma
is more comfortable for some but can cause too much cervical curve and a more pronounced arch of the
lower back. Placement on the actual crown of the head leads to a more “neutral” spine a la Tadasana,
but some students find this too intense or even painful to the skull. What is important is that there is
not excessive demand placed on the cervical spine (neck) by a lack of full body support in the final pose.
Equal to placement of the head is the placement of your hands. They should be truly your shoulder’s
width apart making the base of the tripod (think bottom of an equilateral triangle) with the head placed
at the apex (top of the triangle/tripod). Many students make the mistake of placing the head a little too
far away from their hands. The head is placed about the length of your forearm (the distance from your
elbow to your wrist) away from the two hands.
It is also important that you do not attempt to hop into this pose like you might when attempting
handstand. Your neck is too vulnerable and this is often when injury occurs. In fact, you should be able
to comfortably support each leg on your upper arms before moving into the full pose.

Once you have safely established your tripod and are able to balance your legs on your arms, rooting
down through the head and the 3 points of each hand (where your index knuckle meets the palm, pinky
finger meets the palm, and the center of the heel of your hand) you begin full core engagement. The
elbows hug to the midline turning on the muscles of the waist and serratus anterior, the lowest part of
the belly draws in activating full abdominal support. Keeping all of the preceding actively engaged you
begin to lift the legs (keeping the knees bent) engaging and lengthening the top of the thigh (psoas
minor) and quadriceps (you will feel most of the work in the front of the thighs, but in reality the legs are
engaged on all sides). Ideally, you stack the knees right over the hips (the feet will be aiming away from
you here) and then lengthen the lower legs straight up to the ceiling so that your feet are stacked over
your hips. A flex of the feet (it’s often taught pointed with feet together) and a parallel base (Tadasana
again) will help you feel the alignment of your heels directly above your sitting bones. When looking
from the side your ankles will be over your knees, knees over mid-hip, hips over ribs, ears in line with
the shoulders - Tadasana upside down! The feet are actively reaching away from the head as the hands
and skull root down. The abdominals are fully engaged and the thoracic spine (upper back) is extending
and lengthening, and the cervical spine (neck) is neutral. In short, your entire body is involved in
suspending you in space. There should be no pain in the neck or upper shoulders (come right down if
there is), but you will probably feel a fair amount of work in the upper back area (between the shoulder
blades). It is best to exit the pose the way you came in and give yourself a period of rest (child’s pose)
and even some gentle neck stretches before moving on to your next asana.

If this pose brings up a lot of fear for you make sure that you take your time in the setup, establish a
drishti (focused point for your gaze), and breathe as you begin the process. No matter how advanced
your practice, it is incredibly important to treat each headstand with respect; aligning methodically and
moving into the pose with commitment and integration. There really is no room for error because done
improperly it can be one of the more “dangerous” poses. However, performed correctly Sirsasana II
presents a wonderful challenge and the benefits of strengthening the entire body, improving circulation
and digestion, stimulating the pituitary and prostate glands, calming the mind, and a strong inner focus.

Contraindications include: Heart conditions, neck or back injury, high blood pressure, headache, heavy
menstruation, and glaucoma. If you have any conditions that prevent you from tackling Sirsasana II ask
your teacher for a safe and gentle alternative.