Mandalasana

Circling Headstand

Asana/Pose: Mandalasana-Circling Headstand.  If you can do a backbend, you can do this pose.  Move into Sirsasana/Headsand, back of head nested in clasped hands, and walk the feet all the way around clockwise. Reverse the direction, creating a mandala or circle around the head, which remains in the center.  To accomplish this, move the feet sideways, and when coming to the difficult 3 and 9 O’clock positions, lift opposite shoulder a bit, move chest forward and up, rotating trunk.  This rotates the spine 360 degrees.  Make sure spine, especially neck and lower back area are fully warm before moving into the circling.

Health Notes: Just as practicing Sirsasana/Headstands promotes longevity and peacefulness, so does Mandalasana, plus it stretches trunk and abdomen.  As you walk around head, pretend your feet are a planet orbiting the earth-your head. Feel the earth’s changes as it moves through the uneven relationships of circling.