Let’s talk about going upside down and what good comes out of being ‘head over heels’ in Yoga.
There are some special set of benefits that is provided by inverted poses. Because the body is put into such an unfamiliar setting, our focus and concentration (physically and mentally) becomes enhanced. For many of us, one of the first responses to being upside down is fear. It doesn’t feel safe to be inverted and it’s easy to doubt our own abilities to be stable and supported. Gradually, as we practice yoga more and more, we learn to acknowledge the physical messages of safety such as “My neck doesn’t feel good in this pose” and compare that to “I’m scared to do this pose.” This helps us identify what is our fear and how to challenge or overcome them. With regular practice, we start to challenge postures that once seemed impossible.
First of all, inversions are going to make you super strong! The shoulders, back, abdomen, and legs work especially hard (when done correctly), as they are learning to work against gravity from the opposite direction. These are areas of the musculo-skeletal system that are particularly supportive, so they are good places to be strong and have many options. These upside down poses also stimulate circulation, since everything is now moving in the opposite direction. Usually, blood from the heart has to pump up toward the head and down toward the belly and legs, this is reversed of course when you are upside down. Because the blood carries in nutrients and carries away waste, strong circulation is a very important part of good health. Being upside-down flips around the internal and digestive organs and inversions are particularly good for digestive troubles of any sort. Headstand and shoulder stand in particular also stimulate the glandular/hormonal system, bringing vitality and balance.
Above all else, it’s just a lot of fun!
If you ever want to start practising your inversions, check out our Power Upside Down class on friday evenings at 8:30pm.
