Krishnamacharya and headstands, also Ramaswami's Inverted sequence and the Ashtanga seven deadlies.

My friend Ryan http://www.ryanleier.com posted a picture of Krishnamacharya in Sirsasana (headstand) on fb today with this quote from Indra Devi.

"Sri Krishnamacharya used to tell me: 'Do the Headstand when you are tired and in need of a tonic; when you are unable to fall asleep; when you are hungry, nervous and unhappy. Do it when in need of relaxation, when the brain is clouded, when you are in low spirits. Do it when your thoughts are distracted and you cannot concentrate properly or meditate.'" ~Indra Devi

Thought it was a nice opportunity/excuse to show the great man in the headstand sequence from the classic 1938 Black and White movie

the headstands start about five minutes in.

With the minor back problem I had this week just sitting was painful, so no hip openers, no half lotus no lotus.... on the contrary, Ramaswami taught us the Headstand sequence and variations he had learnt from Krishnamacharya which allows you to explore your hip openers while inverted, perfect.

The sequence can be found in Ramaswami's books. Everyone seems to get the first one the Complete Book of Vinyasa Yoga, which is excellent but check out the second, Yoga for the Three Stages of Life (actually Ramaswami's first book), still for my money one of the best books on an integrated yoga practice out there, I come back to it again and again and always discover something new or something I'd missed first, fifth, tenth time around.

Link

Link

Here's my own breakdown of the subroutines found in the Inverted sequence, you don't have to practice the full sequence of course, one or more subroutines or parts of one subroutine and parts of another are some of the myriad options available.

from my Vinyasa Krama practice book

Here's Ramaswami teaching headstand, he has this approach where you bring the heels close to the buttocks going up and coming down....he also gets you to try and bring  your knees, shins, backs of your feet back down to the mat at the exact same moment....tricky.

And if you want to develop an integrated yoga practice, Asana, Pranayama, pratyahara and meditation as well as  the study of Krishnamacharya's writing (line by line), Patanjali's Yoga Sutras (sutra by sutra) and an exploration of Yoga for the internal organs then try to get onto Ramaswami's 200hr TT this summer, it may well be that last year he runs it. The plan was to teach 108 I believe and I think he's pretty much there.

Ramaswami's 200 hr teacher training is running July to August this year at LMU in California
http://academics.lmu.edu/extension/programs/vinyasa/teachers/requirements/http://academics.lmu.edu/extension/programs/vinyasa/teachers/requirements/

I took it in 2010 and can't recommend it enough. Here's a link to my recent post on the course

Ramaswami on teaching Pranayama and his teacher training 2013 at LMU

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And why not, the Ashtanga seven deadlies while we're at it, the seven headstands from Ashtanga 2nd series.

You know what...it was cloudy, never saw the Super moon.

Which means I can go practice said Inverted sequence.....

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ALSO
Krishnamacharya mentions in his 1934 Book Yoga Makaranda that he will be looking at Sirsasana, the headstand, in part II .

AG Mohan has released what he believes to be Yoga Makaranda Part II , here's the section on Sirsasana

19. SIRSHASANA--HEAD STAND
This asana is so called because the head supports the whole body. This is also variously called KAPHALASANA, BRAHMASANA. These three, however, differ to some extent both in the technique and in the benefits derived. These differences have to be learnt under personal instructions form a Guru. This asana is beneficial in a large number of diseases and is rightly termed the ‘king of all the asanas’.
Technique:
1. Place something soft, like a cushion, folded blanket or carpet on the floor touching the wall.

2. Kneel on the ground facing the wall.
   
3. Lock the fingers together, thumbs upright, and place them about four inches from
   

the wall. Let the elbows rest on the cushion, the elbows being not more than a foot apart.
4. Bend the neck and place the top of the head firmly on the cushion inside the knitted fingers. The thumbs should press behind the ears.

5. Eyes are to be kept closed.
   
6. Raise the hips, so that the knees are straightened and bring the feet as near the head
   

as possible. The toes, the feet and knees are to be kept together. The back will now rest

against the wall.

7. Take long breaths twice.
   
8. Life both the feet simultaneously to an upright position. Toes together, knees
   

together. The back will rest on the wall. Straighten the back so that the whole body may rest solely on the top of the head without the support of the wall.
Note: For beginners to raise the legs upright without bending the knees will be difficult and the help of another person may be taken. If necessary the knees may be bent, brought closer to the body, the back still kept in contact with the wall and with a slight jump the legs taken above the head, and the knees still bent. The legs are then straightened slowly, the knees together, the toes together and the toes pointed.

9. Toes should be pointed and the thigh and calf muscles should be stretched.
   
10. Slowly inhale and exhale deeply with rubbing sensation in the throat. When
    

exhalation is complete the abdomen should be well drawn in (UDDIYANA BANDHAM). Note: For proper benefit of the asana it is essential that the breathing should be regulated i.e., as long and as thin as possible, Normal shallow breathing does not give any benefit. (Concentration on Lord Ananthapadmabanabha gives added benefit.) (a combination of asana, pranayama and dhyana gives proper benefit.) (See in this connection Sutra 47 Chapter II of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, Vaschaspati Misra’s and Bala Ramodasin’s commentaries.
For the first week do not exceed six inhalations and exhalations. There should be no retention of breath. Uddiyana bandha, in the beginning should be done only once a day. Every week the number of inhalations and exhalations may be increased by four, so that the duration of the asana is slowly brought up.
11. After the number of rounds of breathing is over, slowly bring down the legs. In the beginning the knees may have to be bent, but as practice advances, the knee can be kept

straight.
12. Lie on the back relaxed and take rest for at least for three minutes.
Note: 1. For people who are overweight over 190 lbs. Sirshasana should be begun only after the weight has been reduced.
SIRSHASANA-VIPARITAKONASANA (according to the Hatha Yoga)
Technique:
1. Place something soft, a folded blanket, cushion, or carpet on the floor. Kneel on the ground. Bend the neck and place the top of the head firmly on the folded blanket. Stretch the arms in front of the body, with the palms upward, fingers together and pointed, and the palms not more than 21⁄2 feet apart.
2. Raise the hips, so that the knees are straightened, and bring the feet as near the head as possible. The toes of the feet and the knees are kept together.
3. While inhaling, lift both the legs together to the upright position. The legs are spread apart, toes should be pointed, and the thigh and calf muscles kept stretched.
4. Spread the legs apart while exhaling, and the thigh and calf muscles kept stretched. (toes should be pointed).

5. Stay in this position for 6 deep breaths.
   
6. Bring the legs together, while inhaling.
   
7. While exhaling, lower the legs to the ground by bending the body at the hips. Bend
   

the knees and get to the kneeling position, and rest. SIRSHASANA-EKAPADA-VIPARITAKARANI - (Hatha Yoga) Technique:

1. The first three steps are the same as for the last asana.
   
2. While exhaling, slowly lower right leg to the ground so that the right foot will rest
   

on the right palm. The left leg is kept upright. The thigh and calf muscles of both the legs
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are kept stretched.

3. Stay in this position for 6 breaths.
   
4. While inhaling, raise the leg back to the upright position.
   
5. Repeat with the left leg.
   
6. The next steps are the same as in step 7 of the previous asana.
   

SIRSHASANA-DVIPADA-VIPARITAKARANI - (Hatha Yoga) Technique:

1. The first three steps are the same as for the last asana.
   
2. While exhaling, both the legs are lowered so that the feet may rest on the respective
   

palms. The knees should not be bent. The thigh and calf muscles should be kept stretched.

3. Stay for six deep breaths.
   
4. While inhaling raise both legs together to the upright position.
   
5. While exhaling bend knees and return to the floor and rest.
   

When Sirshasana has been sufficiently mastered so that one can stand steady without support, for at least 15 minutes, the following variations may be practised.
VIPARITA KONASANA:

1. The first eight steps are the same as for Sirshasana.
   
2. Exhaling, the legs are spread apart, and the thigh and calf muscles kept stretched,
   

toes should be pointed.

3. Do six deep breathing.
   
4. Inhaling, bring the legs together.
   

The next steps are the same as 11 and 12 given under Sirshasana. DVIPADA VIPARITAKARANI
Technique:
1. The first step is the same as Sirshasana.

2. While exhaling both the legs are lowered to the ground without bending the knees and keeping the thigh and calf muscles stretched.

3. Do six deep breathing.
   
4. While inhaling raise both the legs together to the upright position.
   
5. While exhaling bend knees and return to the floor and rest.
   

(Note: The above three variations are according to Hatha Yoga).
Note: In the beginning it may be difficult to bring the body to an upright position without bending the knees. So the knees may be bent and the thighs bent over the body. The hips are raised from the ground and the back supported by the palms. The legs are now stretched. If there is still difficulty, the help of somebody should be taken.
If the body is fat and no help is available, the help of the wall may be sought so that it can support the heels at gradually increasing levels. This is done by lying on the ground facing the wall perpendicular to it. After some time the hips can also be raised by having a bedroll near the wall. When some strength is gained the heels are removed from the wall and the legs brought upright. (As breathing exercises are done in these positions the abdominal muscles get toned up and the stomach becomes more and more pliable and soft.
4. The chin should be locked in the neck pit. This ensures that the head is placed symmetrical with the body so that the neck muscles may not be strained. The neck pit is the depression in front of the thyroid between the collar bones.
Note: The chin lock will not be possible in the beginning stages, but it should be kept in mind that the head is kept symmetrical with the body and the neck muscles are not strained.
The full chin lock will become possible when the body is fully upright and the palms have reached a position in the back as low as possible.
5. Slowly inhale and exhale with even, long breaths through both nostrils, with rubbing sensation in the throat, not more than six times at the beginning. There should be no

retention of breath. The number of inhalations and exhalations may be slowly increased at the rate of two each week.
Note: The final duration of this asana can be 5 to 10 minutes when it is done by itself. If on the other hand other asanas are also being done the duration may be suitably reduced.
6. Exhale, bend knees, so that they approach the throat, lower the hips so that the back rests on the ground and then stretch the legs, so that the whole forms a rolling movement.
7. Take rest at least for a minute.
Benefits: The thyroid gets special benefits. The waist line is reduced. This tones up the liver. This helps in preventing piles, and helps in curing gastric troubles.