Supported Shoulderstand

The weight belongs on the shoulders and upper arms. The neck should be free of load, and the blankets create the space that keeps it that way. Supported versions are not a lesser form of the pose. They are how the pose is meant to be practised for most people.

To practise an inversion with the neck protected and the weight on the shoulders and arms.

1. 1Place two or three firm folded blankets with a straight edge, and lie with the shoulders on them and the head on the floor.
2. 2Bend the knees and plant the feet, then press the arms into the floor.
3. 3Lift the hips and roll the legs overhead, supporting the back with the hands.
4. 4Lift the legs upward, or rest the feet on a wall or chair.
5. 5Keep the neck soft and the gaze toward the chest.
6. 6Hold for 1 to 3 minutes, then roll down slowly with the knees bent.

Instead of searching for the “correct” position, notice:

• •Shoulders on the blankets, with the head and neck off them.
• •Weight on the shoulders and upper arms, not the neck.
• •Elbows shoulder-width apart, with the hands supporting the back.
• •Legs lifted in line with the torso or supported on a wall.

Keep the breath steady and in the upper chest. If it feels held or strained, come out.

Check the neck before anything else. A neck pressing into the floor or a head turning means the setup is wrong. Then look at the elbows, which tend to splay.

Reflect after practising:

• •Do not turn your head in the pose.
• •Skip this pose with high blood pressure, glaucoma, a neck injury or pregnancy unless a qualified teacher guides you. Some students also choose to avoid inversions during menstruation.
• •Come out at once if you feel pressure in the head or neck.

Rather than mistakes, you may notice:

• •Practise Legs Up the Wall first.
• •Use a wall for the feet.
• •Build the time slowly.

• •Feet on a wall or the legs on a chair.
• •Extra blankets under the shoulders.
• •Legs Up the Wall as an alternative.

• ✓Roll down slowly with the knees bent.
• ✓Rest on the back with the knees bent for a few breaths.
• ✓Follow with Fish Pose or Supported Fish to counter the neck flexion.