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1. What do you feel/know about the choice
to place Headstand or Shoulderstand first in a sequence?
2. What do you feel/know about the choice to always place the right
foot first into Lotus, or to do both crossings?
" Regarding head and shoulder stand first, I generally feel, in my body,
the need to warm up shoulders and neck before either of those, as opposed to
handstand, which I find an exhilarating way to start practice sometimes. As for
full lotus, I still don't find it a totally comfortable pose for more than 5
minutes or so, and I alternate the legs over a sitting in the interest of symmetry. My
left hip is definitely the most resistant so I try to give them equal time."
" Headstand after shoulder stand, simply because of the drama of it and
I read once if one can sustain a headstand for 10 minutes or more, one would
'transcend time.' Shoulderstand is more soothing, headstand energizing.......usually. And
lotus, of course, must be practiced both ways, symmetry is essential always.....!"
" i have almost always practiced shoulderstand after headstand since that
is how it is traditionally taught. in regards to lotus, i prefer to always
practice both sides, and actually when i practice at home, i often bring my left
leg in
first because i have more ease with that side and it loosens things up a bit
for the right side."
" On #1, one could argue for shoulderstand before headstand in the series,
since for learners ss is less about conquering "risk and fear" than
hs. On the other hand, the pace of a vinyasa class from cardio to strength
into stretch into relaxation would argue for the opposite: hs then ss.
#2 deffo yes on both crossings."
" 1. What do you feel/know about the choice to place Headstand or
Shoulderstand first in a sequence?
i personally find these can be invigorating early in a class, but i don't
feel it's appropriate for beginners, or on a regular basis even as a regular
practitioner. seems like a kriya--something you want to do regularly
but infrequently. not sure why.2. What do you feel/know about
the choice to always place the right foot first into Lotus, or to do both
crossings?
i think any of the 'always first' rules are bunk. i personally try
to mix it all up as much as possible, often starting left leg as well. any
patterns and habits in many ways are not useful. i think you should
teach an entire class with left side first just to show people what it's
like—break the habits! also what's up with the 'always rolling
to the right side' after savasana? i heard that was iyengar's thing
for people with heart issues......"
" I have practiced both the Ashtanga order and the Iyengar order for headstand
and shoulderstand. I tend to feel most comfortable with doing headstand
first and then shoulderstand. But I don’t really know if this is
a familiarity type of sensation or something my body actually prefers. Most
of my teachers in the last two years have ordered the two in this way and I do
generally get a good sensation from it. I like doing the balancing practice
of headstand first, which especially lately has felt very “light.” For
me shoulderstand requires more effort and is more grounding. I like that
feeling after the light feeling of headstand. When I do go back to doing shoulderstand
first, it does not feel very natural. I have not ever had any problems
stemming from doing them in the Ashtanga order, but it feels a little odd.
For Lotus, I definitely prefer to do both crossings. My lotus feels very
different on both sides and it seems ridiculous to only do one cross. However,
I follow my own practice about crossing. If a teacher leads me through
both sides, that is fine. But if I know a teacher only does one side
and often when I practice on my own, I will do alternate sides on alternate
days. I sometime prefer just to get a longer time on one side (in meditation
for example) than having to anticipate having to switch halfway through."
" about lotus, i prefer to be able to do both sides of lotus because the
two sides feel different in my body- just physically. i haven't noticed
more subtle differences.
the headstand, shoulderstand question is one that i've notice over the years. right
now i'm not doing headstand because of some vertabrae that are a little out
in my spine- i think shoulderstand with props is fine. at the end of
class, when i am practicing both, i prefer to end with shoulderstand because
it feels more relaxing, and shoulderstand tends to allow my vertabrae to
stretch out after the compression of headstand. if it's at the beginning
of class, i like to start with headstand because shoulderstand is very uncomfortable
when i am "cold". "
" 1.) I prefer to to shoulderstand after doing headstand. No idea if this
is correct, but I like to get a good shoulder/neck stretch after the fairly
intensive strain in this area given by headstand. I think I remember being told
both poses
are great for injuries/restorative.
2.) Not too good with the lotus position just yet - I generally slip straight
out once my left foot reaches my right thigh, but for some reason I put
my right foot up first. I don't know why or whether this is correct... I have
a feeling, now I think about it, that it probably isn't the correct approach. "
" headstand first, but only b/c it's most commonly done this way, I think.
re: lotus; I have a previously injured right knee so that dominates my foot
placement for lotus.
Now, there are two extremely atheoretical answers...."
" I personally feel that Headstand should always come before shoulderstand
in inversion sequencing, simply because of it's energizing effects. Ideally,
I also think that inversions should be about 2/3rds of the way through the practice,
not at the very end like Ashtanga. My teacher, Rod Stryker, says that it
is best to take at least a 30-45 second rest on your back before coming into
inversions to avoid pranic disturbance. The Ashtanga way of practially
flowing into an inversion definitely seems wrong to me - or for my body...can't
speak for everyone. In fact, I did the Primary series last Sunday for the
first time in about a year. I was quickly reminded why I stopped doing
that practice, it definitely is the wrong practice for me. Anyway, those
are my thoughts. I also think combining certain pranayamas with Shoulderstand
and Headstand can be very powerful, but of course, those are only for pretty
advanced students.
Regarding Lotus, this is my personal opinion on lotus and on Supta Kurmasana
- cross right leg over first - hold at least 10 breaths, then do the left
leg over and do 10 breaths.....this one I don't know any legitimate teaching
background on, but it is just my own gut feeling of how to do it."
" 1. headstand versus shoulderstand: i'm partial to the Sivananda sequencing: headstand
first, then shoulderstand. sivananda is very strict on this, as they are strict
on everything. headstand is always done first, then shoulderstand.
2. lotus: it's a tough position and people's ankles, knees and hips
should determine which (if any) foot goes first. i say this from personal
experience: i have scar tissue in my right ankle that makes it somewhat
painful to cross the right foot first. if i want to be comfortable
in lotus, i always do the left foot first. it also depends on the context:
if the purpose is to really work the pose, i think it makes sense to try
both sides. if the purpose is meditation, it should be left to the
student to decide (as explained above)."
" i'm not one for blindly following traditions. with that in mind,
i think both sides of lotus should be done. this is a similar question
as andrey brought up about which hand should be used for digital pranayama. he
suggested alternating the hand used (each breath, or on alternating days/months
etc). and this will promptly get you labeled as a heretic in traditional
iyengar classes.
headstand/shoulderstand order is dependent on what is to be accomplished. i'm
sure there can be equally valid reasons for the order of the two depending
on what the intention is for the practice. are we working energetically,
with bandhas, are we trying to accomplish some direction of influence on
the vayus..etc.. so to me the order depends.
with that said, i agree with you (and mr. lappa) that headstand (especially
with bandhas) right before pranayama is the bees knees. as it aligns the
energy of the preceding asana practice nicely for pranayama and meditation. so
with that intention in mind (headstand as last pose before pranayama), then
i normally do shoulderstand first (if at all) then headstand at the end
of practice."
" Always headstand before shoulderstand - at first because this is the way
I've always been taught, then noticing it just feels better for me. In addition,
headstand is something I can do at the beginning of practice after only a brief
meditation and 3-4 min. down dog, while shoulderstand requires a bit more prep
work for me to feel entirely comfortable I have done lotus only on one side
as a brief seated pose at the end of class for final meditation, but if I'm sitting
in lotus for pranayama or practicing it as a pose itself or part of a pose
then
I always do both sides - however, when I began my practice for the first three
years I was only working on one side (right leg first) which, when I finally
began practicing with both sides, was obvious in the difference in the rotation
of the femur head in the hip socket and knee pressure experienced when doing
the right leg on top - in the four years since it has mostly 'evened out' for
the good, but it took a bit of practice to get it there, and there is still
a slight difference (that I notice)."
" i absolutely see the point about the impact of headstand on meditation! it
really "lightens your head" -- in layman's terms -- or stimuates
upward movement of energy in your body as you put it. yes, i see that and agree
that
it has that effect on me. it's interesting that the sivananda series puts headstand
and shoulderstand towards the beginning of the sequence (not at the end), which
instills a very meditative quality to the rest of the asanas.
i'm agnostic on the lotus position issue. hell, if i can get into lotus,
i'm happy. ;-) but i do think a nod to tradition is important and alternating
sides is best."
"I love doing headstand - it relieves a lot of the muscle tension
my body holds, and other pain problems i have in my lower body, and it
also just gets the prana moving. I think it's cool to go directly from
headstand into meditation (with a downdog or brief childs pose in between.)
When I headstand at home, that is actually what i do to counter pose,
not a shoulderstand."
 One thing I didn't notice in your responses was
this:
It is my experience that Headstand stimulates both Pitta (fire) in the
body, and the upward movement of energy along the central channel, to the
Crown,
so that placing it in sequence almost directly before either Pranayama
or meditation practice can be incredibly transformative and powerful. Arguably,
it could, for some, depending on state-of-health, and general constitution,
be TOO powerful. Shoulderstand, with it's Chin Lock, has the tendency
to take the energy moved up through Headstand, and return it to the Heart
and Throat Centers, which helps with integration. I don't, personally,
think that either one is the "right" choice; they serve different
aspects of practice, the two sequencing choices: Transformation & Integration.
When practicing Lotus as a posture in an asana sequence I ALWAYS take both
sides, as with any other posture. I have never found a satisfying reason
to only practice right foot first -- except that the right foot is the auspicious
side, and also, the MALE side, within a predominantly patriarchal tradition. I
think it is important to continue to question "tradition", without
disrespect, just to make sure that, within, what is given still holds true.
Namaste,
Jamie |
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