100 Days of Headstand

Photo credit: pathstohealth.com

Over the past couple of years, Headstand (Sirsasana) and I have had a rocky, love-hate relationship. Because I originally learned headstand against the wall, it took me a long time to move away from the wall when practicing this pose. Then, when I'd finally moved away from the wall and was feeling pretty comfortable in the pose in the middle of the room (and loving the pose), I fell out of it (happened when it always does--when my mind wandered and I stopped breathing & being present). Although I didn't hurt myself at all when I fell, I was freaked out enough to stay away from it for a while. Over time, I eventually came back to the pose and I am now in love with it again, but there are still moments when I come into the pose in a crowded class that I choke up a bit, the nerves come back, and I feel myself pulling away from the pose in a way that I don't do when I come into it on my own at home. So, when I came out of headstand and into child's pose at the end of class last night, I had this thought: I want to do headstand more. Not just when I practice in class, or when the mood strikes after a home practice, but much more, every day--enough so that the weird issues and mental blocks that I've now associated with this pose (a pose that I really, really love!) will come down. So what have I  decided to do? What I always do when I want to make a change or incorporate something new into my life--I've scheduled it :) That's right, I'm going to put headstand on my calendar for the next 100 days. No exceptions--once it's scheduled, it's booked. Now, who's going to join me?

Here are the parameters that I've decided on:

• Can come into headstand anywhere, and at any time of day (can be in class, when I first wake up, at the end of the day, in public, at home, etc.)
• The headstand can be bound or tripod headstand (or, a hands-free headstand...in 100 years! See below, it's crazy and amazing!)
• Must take at least 10 breaths in headstand before coming out
• Can change leg variations, move around a bit in headstand if I'm in the mood
• Must do 1 headstand per day until Tuesday, September 29th (marks 100 days from today)
  

So if you'd like to join me, feel free to do so! If you're not yet ready to do headstand away from the wall, this could be a great way to work towards moving away from the wall (move a bit further away from the wall each day, and by the end you'll be in the middle of the room!). I definitely believe that doing 100 days of any pose will get rid of any hang-ups that you may have about the pose, and will teach you things about yourself--and about the pose--that you never knew.

If you're new to headstand and would like to try it, there are great directions on how to come into the pose on Yoga Journal's site, here.

For inspiration, check out the picture below:

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Dharma Mittra, known as the elder statesman of yoga in America, on Hudson Street in New York City for June’s Yoga Portfolio in Vanity Fair. Photograph by Michael O’Neill. Photo credit: www.jobriga.com,

And with that, I'm off to experience Day 1! I'll provide periodical updates on how it's going and how headstand has changed for me over the next 100 days...

Thanks for joining me in the journey (and it's the journey, not the destination...right, my fellow TS yogis?)!

Namaste,
Mary Catherine