Written by In yoga, an inversion is any pose where your heart is higher than your head. This includes challenging poses like Handstand and Dolphin Pose (Ardha Pincha Mayurasana), as well as relaxing poses like Child’s Pose (Balasana) and Legs Up the Wall Pose (Viparita Karani).
Turning the world upside down, children love to do it in such a playful way. If we get older, we forget about the joy of embracing spontaneity and seeing things from a fresh perspective. Integrating Inversion postures into your yoga practice can remind you to look at your topics from different perspectives.
Important Points to Keep in Mind:
- Warm up your shoulders and back adequately before practice.
- Proceed with slow and systematic progress in your practice.
- First, build up strength in the arms, shoulders, and neck before attempting headstands. Ensure a stable foundation.
- Start with shoulder stands on a blanket, then progress to handstands and forearm stands to strengthen your muscles. Only try headstands when you’re strong and prepared enough.
Avoid inversions if you have health issues like high blood pressure, heart problems, or neck injuries, or during menstruation or pregnancy.
The benefits of integrating inversions are as follows:
- Inversions force you to draw inward and focus, calming the mind and spirit.
- These poses increase blood flow to your brain.
- They release tension and increase circulation.
- Inversions guide energy toward the heart and help you become more connected with the earth.
Download handout here.
