Eka pada sarvangasana (One-legged shoulder stand pose)
Eka pada Sarvangasana is also known as a one-legged shoulder stand pose. Its name was derived from the Sanskrit language and every word has its meaning. Here, Eka means one or single
Pada is leg Sarva means all ,Anga means limb, Asana means posture or pose.
So, Eka pada Sarvangasana is the posture of one leg. This posture adds a stretch to your glutes and hamstrings.
Sarvangasana is known as the queen pose of yoga. It has various benefits of its own. Though in your initial stages you might feel it more difficult but the more you practice the easier it becomes. It focuses on opening up your hips and cultivating strength and flexibility in your hamstrings. This pose. You should do pre-preparatory poses like hero pose to avoid any kind of injury. This can be combined with various other poses for transitions. After completion of this pose, you can wrap it up with some calm postures such as a supported forward bend.
Sarvangasana is the “Mother of Asanas” quoted by guruji BKS Iyenger. He, in his book, said that the Sarvangasana should be mastered first before headstand. This is the beginning class before we move further to the higher class. This pose was also mentioned in the 15th_century text hatha yoga pradipika as Viparita Karani. Sarvangasana is also documented in the 14th-century Shiv Samhita and 17th-century Gheranda Samhita.
Benefits:
Among many of its innumerable benefits, this asana improves blood circulation, aids digestive and defecation organs, and strengthens the bladder and reproductive organs. It stimulates the thyroid and parathyroid glands. It allows the venous blood to flow more easily from the hips, legs, and abdomen to the heart and the fresh blood from the heart to the neck and head. The back, hips legs, and feet are relieved of body weight and are thus energized and relaxed. As all the internal organs and body systems are turned upside down, they get a chance to adjust better and work more efficiently and in harmony. This posture gives strength and vitality to the whole body and mind. Creativity, wisdom, memory, calmness, intelligence, and willpower are developed. This vigorous sequence is particularly helpful for abdominal and back complaints. All the systems of the body and mind gain in strength, flexibility, and the free flow of energy and calm.
-
This pose stretches your shoulder and neck: This is a great exercise to stretch your shoulder and neck. It will help you in releasing tension from your shoulder, neck, and spine.
-
It will strengthen your shoulder, back, and spine: This exercise will help you in strengthening you’re your shoulder, back, and spine.
-
It helps in fixing thyroid gland problems: This yoga pose will increase the blood flow in your thyroid gland which eventually will help you to cure your thyroid-related issues. Research shows that this pose helped in maintaining your thyroid gland and it might reduce the use need for medical treatments for your thyroid.
-
Performing this pose will increase flexibility: Performing this yoga pose increases flexibility in your body. In this yoga, the whole body weight is on your shoulders which strengthens them and makes them more flexible.
-
It will increase blood flow in your body which will help in cardiovascular health: This pose increases the flow of oxygen-carrying blood into your body which will improve your overall cardiovascular health. It will reduce the chances of cardiac attack and blood clotting. It will maintain your bp and keep your body energized.
-
Researches show that performing this yoga helped in regaining fertility: This yoga prevents cyclic changes associated with the ovarian cycle. Research shows that it even helped women in regaining their fertility.
-
This asana is good for your digestive system: performing such reverse Asan increases the efficiency of your digestive system.
-
This asana will make your skin glow: The increase in blood flow while performing this posture will help your skin and face to glow.
-
It will also help you to increase your memory and reduce stress.
-
It will balance out your mood swings and make you feel happier and confident.
-
It is a great posture for diabetic patients: The blood flow will help to balance out your diabetes.
-
This posture gives strength and vitality to your body and mind.
-
This posture will strengthen the bladder and reproductive organs.
-
You will feel more calm and relaxed after performing this yoga.
-
This is a great pose for treating your cold. It was found that this pose also helps in treating a cold.
-
This pose also prevents hair fall. When you are increasing this pose your blood flow increases which can cure hair fall.
-
Your willpower will boost and you will feel more energetic, positive, and stress-free the whole day. It will balance out your emotions.
-
This posture will help in managing your anger issues. This is a great posture for an individual who has some serious anger issue.
-
It allows the blood to flow very easily through your hips, legs, back, and feet.
Technique:
To perform this asana or pose please follow the following steps:
Step 1: lie down flat on the floor and stretch your body. Stretch your legs from the tips of the toes to the back of the knee
Step 2: Contract your gluteus maximum and raise your leg in upward directions. you will feel the stretch in your thighs and hips.
Step 3: Contract your quadriceps and Keep your legs raised and straight. Don’t bend your knees.
Step 4: keep your palms beside your hips and your elbow on the floor to support your body.
Step 5: Now bend one of the raised legs toward your head such that it slightly touches your head or the toes touch the floor and keep the other leg raised in an upward direction as shown in the picture.
Step 6: Flex the hip of the leg that touches the floor. Balance out the weight and feel the gentle stretch on your hips and thighs.
Step 7: Balance the weight on your elbow, shoulder, and head.
Step 8: Breathe normally and stay in this position for a few seconds. Adjust to stay firm in the posture.
Step 9: Slowly, bring your bent leg to the upward position and then both legs down and relax on the floor. Lower the arms beside the body and gradually lower the back. Massage the back by rubbing it against the ground and relax.
Precautions:
-
Consult your doctor before performing this posture.
-
Don’t give excess stress to your neck and shoulder as you may end up with some severe injury.
-
Person suffering from blood clotting, excessive nose bleeding, cervical, or severe backache should not try this without consulting their doctor.
-
Don’t force your breathing. Breath naturally. The process of inhaling and exhaling should be natural and your must not try to force this.
-
Practice warmup yoga before practicing this posture to avoid any shoulder or neck injury.
-
Performing this pose during pregnancy or mensuration may increase the blood flow and might harm you in your good situation.
-
Person with high myopia must ask their doctors before performing this exercise as you may end up with complete blindness.
-
Don’t perform any vigorous exercise before this as it may redirect excessive blood flow to the brain.
-
You must do this pose under surveillance as it might harm you and you will end up with severe injuries.
Props and modifications:
-
You can use folded blanket or towel under your neck. It will support your neck and will make the exercise easier.
-
If you feel difficulty in maintaining the posture you can use the wall as a prop to rest your feet and balance your posture.
-
You can use yoga bricks to rest your feet on it. while performing this yoga lie down your feet onto the brick for support. It will help you in practicing and the chances of injury will reduce.
-
You can use a chair to support yourself. Precautions are always better than cures. so if you are not very much comfortable performing this yoga you can use props.