30 minute headstand inc. variations, pranayama and mantra japa

This too was interesting. Following on from yesterdays Primary with mantra I thought I'd explore chanting through the whole of this mornings Vinyasa Krama practice, again quite resonating, you'd think the mantra would overpower the breath somewhat but curiously it seems to make the breath more focused.

Come headstand I decided to try something a little different. I'd only done a twenty minute headstand before but this time I wanted to try thirty minute, the first ten doing some headstand variations before moving into ten minutes of pranyama with the pranayama mantra, inhaling to the first part holding for ten seconds through the middle section then exhaling to the final part, again for ten seconds, followed by five seconds bandhas. The final ten minutes I slipped into urdhva padmasana and did mantra japa just as if I was doing my usual meditation but the right way up.

Thirty minutes was fine, legs went to sleep through the final five minutes of urdhva padmasana which was a bit weird coming back down as I couldn't feel my toes touching the mat.

I don't seem to have a problem with long headstands. I think it comes from practicing near the wall, although I don't need it anymore it gives a degree of confidence that seems to allow you go straighter and thus even out the weight. On the TT course in LA I had to do my headstand away from the wall for the first time and ended up with more weight on my arms which made it hard work, struggled to hold it for five minutes let alone do variations.

Primary Mantra Japa : drishti for the mind

That was interesting, throughout Primary series tonight I (mentally) chanted my mantra, dividing it between the inhalation and exhalation. So, chanting the first part through the duration of the inhalation then chanting the second part in time with the exhalation.

Don't know what made me think to do it but it really focuses the mind, attaches it like a barnacle to the breath. Nice practice, how many times would I have chanted it I wonder 4-500 times (Just worked it out, close to 600 breathes in Primary)? Practice ended up taking around 90 minutes.

mantras that work well for this would include

Om namo narayanaya

(Inhalation) (exhalation)

Om hrim namassivaya

Looking forward to trying it on 2nd series

One amusing moment, actually not so amusing at the time. It's getting colder and I couldn't get a good sweat up, just that clammy sweat that's almost sticky. Only managed to get my arms half way through in garbha pindasana, managed to roll but when I came up for Kukkutasana I could only hold it for a breath before I toppled forward, arms were so stuck solid that I ended head first into the mat, just managed to get my forehead down, ouch. Now that's why you need a manduka.

Core Vinyasa Krama asana : 5 minute Shoulderstand

Ramaswami stresses the importance of including three postures daily in our Vinyasa Krama practice, all held for an extended period, Paschimattanasana (posterior forward bend), Sirsasana (headstand) and Sarvangasana (shoulderstand).

On the Vinyasa Krama TT course he would recommend spending five to ten minutes in Sarvangasana, the first three minutes or so with the legs relaxed. In the video you can see I use a timer to keep me honest. VK employs sarvangasana as both a preparatory pose for Sirsasana as well as it's counter. On Ramaswami's advice I save the shoulderstand variations for the one after the headstand.

Ramaswami recommends

• Some Shoulderstand preparation
• A five minute shoulderstand, the first three minutes of which are done with the legs relaxed.
• A backbend counter posture, I tend to do Urdhava Danurasana
• A ten minute headstand. I do the first five minutes focusing on breath and bandhas and then do five minutes of variations.
• Another shoulderstand for five minutes and a counter posture. I tend to go into the ashtanga finishing postures after the second shoulderstand, plough etc. so my backbend counter is Uttana Padasana

I do this sequence every morning as part of my VK practice.

Nice post here from certified Ashtanga teacher David Garrigues recommending the use of a pad under the shoulders and Ramaswami's article on the benefits of inversions here.

Core vinyasa krama asana : Five minute Paschimatanasana

' Yoga texts recommend vaseth, which means one should stay in this posture for for a long time. Even a stay of five minutes has a tonic effect on the posterior muscles, the abdominal muscles and the pelvic organs, because of the rectal and abdominal locks'.

Srivatsa Ramaswami Complete Book of Vinyasa Yoga p 75

I've struggled with Paschimatanasana, it's only in the last few months that I've begun to feel comfortable in the posture. Whether that's because of the five to ten minute stays in the pose that Ramaswami recommends or the the lifting out of the pelvis in the Tadasana sequence I'm not sure, but something has certainly changed for the better. I searched my files for any old pictures of early or even recent attempts at the posture but couldn't find anything. I eventually found an early video of a jump back, taken on my phone, which included the posture, this is from Oct 08 about 18 months into my Ashtanga practice.

And here's a full five minute Paschimatanasana from last week. This really is the yogic equivalent of watching paint dry, if you thought the ten minute headstand posted a couple of days ago was dull then prepare yourself. And yet there is stuff going on, this from Ramaswami's Complete book of Vinyasa Yoga

' You may stay in the vinyasa of paschimatanasana for a long time with short inhalations {three to five seconds), but very long exhalations (five to ten seconds). After you complete every exhalation you may do both the abdominal and rectal locks. During every inhalation relax your grip, but on every exhalation stretch forward and lower your trunk down slightly.' p75

I came across a nice tip from Dharma Mittra (I think it's on one of his videos) once your settled in Paschimmatanasana rather than trying to force your legs ever flatter, shuffle your sit bones back instead (:30 seconds in on the video above), I still tend to do this. Oh and CK mentioned recently in a comment, that engaging mula bandha helps protect the hamstrings, I'd never noticed but I think she's right.

In Vinyasa krama, we have of course several vinyasas of Paschimatanasana.

'According to my guru (Krishnamacharya)', writes Ramaswami, 'the main pose in this sequence, which is the posterior stretching pose (paschimatanasana) will not provide the intended benefits if it is attempted merely from a seated position without the movements facilitated by vinyasa krama'. p 71

The full Seated sequence, chapter three in Ramaswami's book, can be found here, many of the postures in this sequence also come up in Ashtnga Primary series, Paschimatanasana , of course, but also Kurmasana, Purvottanasana, Upavishta konasana, Navasana, Badha konasana and padmasana

Core Vinyasa Krama asana :10 minute headstand

Relating to the earlier post on Inversions, this is the ten minute headstand subroutine I tend to do most mornings.

Entering from lotus, I tend to avoid doing any variations for the first five minutes, just focus on the breath and bandhas. This is akin to watching paint dry so you might want to FFW. For second half, I tend to do half and full lotus Vinyasa Krama variations in preparation for the long sit for pranayama and meditation