Posted on May 20, 2026 at 03:57 pm
Yoga magazineQ archives The series is a curated collection of articles originally published in previous issues beginning in 1975. This article about Headstand (Sirsasana) first appeared in the May-June 1994 issue of Yoga magazine.
During the initial spread of yoga in America in the 1960s, Headstand, or Sirsasana, became virtually synonymous with the word “yoga.” The kind of strange and interesting behavior usually associated with an eccentric aunt was considered best practiced behind closed doors. To be fair, a headstand is an odd position to put the body in, when you consider the possibility during a normal day of finding yourself precariously balanced upside down in a part of the anatomy normally reserved for hats.
We may wonder how such an attitude was first developed. I often joke that such discoveries happen when one has too little food and too much time on one’s hands—two conditions of which the ancient yogis were no doubt familiar.
Coups and longevity
Both Headstand (Sirsasana) and its counterpart Shoulder holder (Sarvangasana) It has powerful physiological effects that contribute to overall health, well-being and longevity. Although there are many Western explanations for how these conditions trigger such outcomes, the ancient explanation is perhaps the most interesting. The yogis believed that the pineal gland in the head—which they viewed as a cooling or “lunar” agent—secreted a special fluid of immortality called amrita, which in an upright position would drip and be burned by the solar plexus. By turning the body upside down, preferably for extended periods, amrita may be retained as a rejuvenating elixir, creating vibrant, glowing health.
But health and longevity—those qualities we are obsessed with today—were not the primary focus or concern of ancient yogis. The basic intention of all yoga practices, from devotional chanting and contemplation to Pranayama The practice of asana was aimed at purifying and calibrating the human system in order to transform consciousness and realize one’s original nature. Almost all ancient techniques for this transformation focus on the upward movement of powerful raw energy in the lower chakras through all other chakras to the crown of the head. The secret channel through which this energy flows is called “hollow bamboo” by the Taoists. Some tantric texts call it the “inner flute.” It starts at the perineum – the point between the anus and the genitals – and moves up through the body to the crown of the head.
This active pathway is not generally recognized as an anatomical fact by Western science. However, as Margo Anand points out in… The art of orgasmthis channel “follows the actual physical and nervous pathways through the body that connect the endocrine glands. These seven glands—the sex glands, the adrenal glands, the pancreas, the thymus, the thyroid, the pituitary, and the pineal—regulate the body’s vitality and the flow of energy.” She suggests that by opening this channel, we “quench” these subtle pathways, stimulating their latent potential. Interestingly, the primary flow of force in Sirsasana is through this central channel.
By activating key players in the endocrine system and honing their ability to regulate the body, the practitioner may be able to experience a concomitant enhancement of awareness that allows access to deeper, more subtle layers of the organism.
Cheat your way upside down
Many students wonder if spending time in a gravity inversion device – such as the popular inversion trapeze – might give the same benefits as a headstand without any of the risk to the neck and back. In my experience, hanging upside down, while producing some benefits, creates an annoying rush of blood to the head and has none of the calming and centralizing effects of headstand. Somehow, the pressure of the skull on the ground seems to stimulate an energy loop from the crown of the head to the perineum and back again. I don’t think it was a pure coincidence that the ancient yogis recommended doing a headstand, and not hanging from a tree.
Yoga postures have little force until they are enriched by the movement of force through the body between the poles of earth and sky. In this way the human framework acts as a conduit for channeling and integrating the material and spiritual aspects of our nature. While it is certainly interesting to speculate about the origin and meaning of Headstand, a true understanding of its benefits can only come through regular practice and direct experience. Like other powerful drugs that have great healing potential, headstands also have equal potential to harm us. In this article, we’ll look at the second variation of Headstand – also known as Sirsasana II or Tripod Headstand – where the hands press into the floor in front of the head rather than pinning them behind it. This variation requires impeccable alignment through the head, neck, and shoulders to maintain the integrity of the intervertebral spaces.
To try it, you should already be comfortable practicing basic headstand (Sirsasana I) without support in the middle of the room. Even with these preparations, it is best to practice this pose under the supervision of an experienced trainer.
Warming up the tripod head stand
You may have admired the grace and strength of the natives carrying balanced provisions on their heads. These people intuitively understand that the least stressful position to carry extra weight is not in front, back, or to the side of the body, but directly above the central axis. By lengthening the spine up against the weight overhead, they maintain the spaces between the vertebrae and develop strong, stable muscles.
We need to create similar dynamics in the head and neck to perform a headstand successfully. To stimulate the correct feeling in the head and neck, find a book or something large and heavy that can be easily balanced. Place it directly above the head. Lengthen through the crown of the head as you descend through the heels. Note that if you lift your chin, the book will fall.
Spend a few minutes walking and standing, then remove the weight. Can you feel a new lightness and ease in the neck and head? This is the feeling you want to recreate in your head rig.
One common myth about headstands is that the body weight should go through the arms, not the head. While beginners must first learn to hold most of the weight with the arms, so they can lift the head off the ground, this technique is a means to an end, not the end itself. When you learn how to use the arms properly and keep the shoulders away from the ears, the shoulder girdle and arms will form a framework that enables the neck to elongate and bear weight successfully.
In a tripod headstand, where the arms are in front of the head, almost the entire body weight comes down through the central axis to the neck and head. Headstand problems occur when the shoulders collapse down or out, destroying the “frame.” When the muscles collapse or move in the wrong direction, the spaces between the cervical vertebrae narrow and the cervical curve becomes flat or prominent. This deformity makes it impossible for the bones to bear the body’s weight effectively.
An excellent pose for learning how to create this neck frame is the Extended Foot Pose (prasarita padutanasana). Stand with your feet very wide and your toes turned slightly inward. Bend forward from the hips and place hands on the floor, shoulder-width apart, with fingertips in line with toes. Spread your fingers wide, and begin to bend your elbows so that your forearms form a right angle to the floor.
The natural tendency is to let the shoulders turn toward the ears and the arms extend outward. This position puts pressure on the neck (Figure 1: incorrect). Instead, extend the shoulders away from the spine and back away from the ears. Extend the elbows away from the face so that the centers of the shoulder joints are aligned with the ears (Figure 2: Right). When you have a clear sense of the correct position of the neck, head and arms in a non-weight bearing position, you are ready to move forward.
How to practice standing on a tripod
The following instructions assume that you have already mastered the basic headstand position and can balance unaided in the middle of the room. If you can’t, don’t try using a tripod. If you are qualified to begin training, you may want to try the following movements with a wall directly behind you for safety or under the supervision of an experienced trainer.
To estimate the correct distance between your head and hands, kneel on the floor and place your hands directly in front of you, shoulder-width apart. Now move your knees forward so that you are kneeling between your hands so that the edges of the kneecaps are in line with the fingertips. Your knees may press on your thumbs in this position. Then place the crown of your head on the floor directly in front of your knees (Figure 3)
Without letting your arms spread, slowly straighten your legs. If you keep your elbows aligned, you will feel your legs rubbing against your arms as you go up. Before continuing, make sure that your forearms are perpendicular to the floor.
Although the preparatory position will get you onto the ball field, differences in individual body proportions may make it necessary to move the hands either closer to or away from the head. If your hands are too close to or too far from the head, the forearms will not be perpendicular to the floor and the shoulders will be folded back or pulled forward (Figure 4: incorrect). If you discover that the position is not correct when you are upside down, get down before repositioning your hands or head.
Now walk the feet toward the head, keeping the shoulders lifted away from the ears and the forearms vertical. Especially make sure the elbows continue to move away from the shoulders so that the shoulder blades do not collapse toward each other in the upper back and neck. If your hamstring muscles are flexible enough, you will be able to lift into a headstand with your legs straight without losing frame in your arms. If you find that your back is rounding as you approach the ascent, you may want to ascend by bending your knees and “jumping” up. Otherwise, keep walking your legs toward you until your hips are at shoulder level. When the abdomen releases toward the spine, the legs will lift off the ground effortlessly. As you raise your legs to the vertical position, keep your focus on your shoulders and arms so they don’t collapse downward.
Once the legs are vertical, feel the connection between the crown of the head and the perineum as you extend down through the head and up through the heels (Figure 5). One common mistake in this asana is keeping the legs slightly forward of the torso for fear of falling backwards. This position creates unnecessary tension in the abdomen and thoracic spine.
Carefully bring the legs back so that the ankles are directly over the middle of the head. With the legs upright, begin to draw the coccyx toward the pubic bone, toning and supporting the pelvic floor and thus bringing the pelvis to a neutral position. As you do this, feel your inner thighs and inner ankles moving toward each other and upward. By stretching through the midsection of the legs and feet, you will begin to feel a lift through the central channel of the body so that the spine feels light and open.
If you’re new to using the Tripod Headstand, you may want to start with short one-minute sessions and gradually increase your stay to three to five minutes. Do not increase your time if you feel any discomfort in your neck. To balance the warming and stimulating effects of headstands, be sure to practice shoulderstands either immediately afterwards or later in your practice.
Shoulderstands have a cooling, calming or neutralizing effect on the body and should always follow headstands, although they can be practiced alone to good effect.
While practicing standing on a tripod, keep your eyes soft and your attention directed inward, sensing the inner core of the body, rather than reaching into your awareness. As Feuerstein asserts, “Yoga is a kind of comprehensive reversal of ‘natural’ human behavior, which is essentially exoteric and centrifugal.” By focusing our senses back on the central channel of the body, the tripod draws us centrally toward the self.
