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The Shoulder-Stand
(Sarvangasana)
After stretching, sit on the ground or floor with your knees up, put the palms of your hands flat to the floor, fall back onto your elbows and continue rocking back while raising the hips and legs, supporting the lower back with the palms of your hands. Gradually straighten the legs and move the feet back over the head as though you were going to do plough pose (this is halasana -- see illustration below)
The Plough Position (Halasana)
Support the back with the palms of your hands, elbows on the floor, and raise the legs and lower torso. Then straighten the body, raising the legs and pointing the toes toward the sky, as in the top photo. Stretch the body upward as far as you reasonably can, sort of bringing it to attention. This should be somewhat of a strain. With the toes still pointed upward, hold this pose for as long as you can. Then hold it some more. When you are ready to break it, hold it still a little more, gathering strength of will. Then relax down. I call this exercise ‘the will-builder’. Use it when you need to gather force behind your will, for accomplishment or conflict.
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