4.2. Headstand
In the West it is not sufficiently known to what great extent the technique or the exercise of headstand is beneficial to human health. In the East headstand, enriched by certain meditation techniques, is considered to be one of the very important disciplines for maintaining health and preserving the body flexible. The reason is that almost all organs in the body are hanging down, that the circulatory systems of the organism have their ways up towards the head and ways down towards the feet, and that because of the human posture due to gravitation there has been a one-sided development of the bonds of the organs and the muscles, and that this resulted in the creation of easier and more difficult ways in the circulatory system, which need occasional relaxation.
By standing on the head, we shift the burden pressing the bonds of the internal organs and the easier ways of the circulatory systems become harder and vice versa. During this exercise, a larger amount of blood flows to the brain, and any problems with the vascular system are reduced.
- Beginners do the headstand exercise by first choosing an appropriate and sufficiently wide space (without furniture around), placing a folded towel under the head and leaning the feet against the wall during the exercise. A beginner may also get help so that somebody holds his legs.
- After you have had sufficient practice, do the exercise without help and without leaning the feet against the wall. Maintain balance yourself, with the legs straight.
- When you are well skilled in the doing of the headstand, add another body posture, i.e. after a certain time bend the straight legs in the knees and spread the knees. The foot soles touch. This asana is known as the 'prayer pose of the legs'. Then, slowly turn in the waist to the left and to the right side.
- To the chosen ones among those who practice headstands I propose that, at the end of the exercise, they put their feet down over the heard; doing so, they should take care that they do not hurt their spine.
All exercises are equal. There is no difference between them: it does not matter whether you only do the procedure described under 1 or the one under 4. Choose the time of doing the exercise and the difficulty yourself, so that it does not burden you.
