What Is Sirsasana Yoga? Headstand Meaning, Benefits & Safety

In many yoga classes there comes a moment when the teacher offers headstand to anyone who has it in their practice. Half the room goes upside down. The other half stays in Child’s Pose and wonders how anyone learns that without hurting their neck.

If you’re in the second group, this guide is for you. So, what is Sirsasana yoga? It’s the classical yoga headstand, known in Hatha Yoga as the “king of asanas.” It is also one of the postures named most often in published case reports of yoga-related harm. Both facts matter. uts

Yoga is mainstream now. About one in six US adults (16.9%) practiced yoga in 2022, according to the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics. Many of them will meet this pose in a class sooner or later. cdc

This guide explains what Sirsasana means, how it works, how to learn it in stages, what the research shows, and who should skip it.

Detail	Sirsasana at a glance
Sanskrit name	Sirsasana or Shirshasana (शीर्षासन), also Salamba Sirsasana
English name	Headstand, Supported Headstand
Pose type	Inversion
Level	Intermediate to advanced
Main areas worked	Shoulders, arms, upper back, core
Typical beginner hold	10 to 30 seconds (common teaching guidance)
Avoid if you have	Neck problems, high blood pressure, glaucoma, pregnancy (full list below)

Thinking about studying yoga in depth? See Inteyoga’s yoga teacher training courses in Goa.

What Is the Sirsasana (Shirshasana) Pose in Yoga?

Sirsasana is an inverted yoga posture in which the body is held upright, upside down, on the forearms and the crown of the head. The arms form a triangle on the floor, the fingers interlock behind the skull, and the legs rise until the ankles, hips and shoulders stack in one line.

You will also see the spellings Shirshasana and Sirshasana. All three name the same pose.

Sirsasana belongs to Hatha Yoga, the branch of yoga that works with the body and breath. Our guide to the six limbs of Hatha Yoga shows where asana fits into the wider practice.

What Is the Meaning of Shirshasana in Yoga?

Shirshasana means “head posture.” The name is built from Sanskrit parts, and each part tells you something about the pose.

Sanskrit word	Meaning	Example in a pose name
Shirsha (śīrṣa)	Head	Shirshasana, the head posture
Asana (āsana)	Posture or seat	Tadasana, the mountain posture
Salamba (sālamba)	With support	Salamba Sirsasana, the supported headstand
Ardha	Half	Ardha Sirsasana, the half headstand

“Supported” is the most useful technical clue in the name. The forearms and shoulders are meant to share the load with the head.

What Is Sirsasana Called in English?

Sirsasana is called Headstand in English. The full name, Salamba Sirsasana, translates as Supported Headstand. You may also see Yoga Headstand or Forearm Headstand. The version done on the palms is called Tripod Headstand.

Where Does the Yoga Headstand Come From?

The headstand appears to be much older than its modern name. Like other inversions, it was practiced as Viparita Karani, which the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, usually dated to the 15th century, describes as a mudra. Wikipedia

Older texts use other names. Historians of yoga report that an 11th-century work by Hemacandra calls the pose Duryodhanasana or Kapalikarana, and that the Joga Pradipika lists it as Kapali Asana. Exact dates for early yoga texts are debated, so treat these as approximate.

In the 20th century, B. K. S. Iyengar’s Light on Yoga (1966) set out the forearm-supported headstand in the form most studios teach today.

Why Is Sirsasana Called the King of Asanas?

Sirsasana is called the king of asanas because several yoga traditions rank it as their most important single posture. The Sivananda tradition uses the title, and so does B. K. S. Iyengar’s Light on Yoga. sivananda

Tradition treats the head as the seat of awareness, so a pose that roots through the head is given first place. The pose also asks for strength, balance and calm attention at the same moment.

The title describes the respect given to the pose. It does not mean every body should do it.

How Does Sirsasana Work?

Sirsasana works by turning the body upside down on a stable triangle of support, so the shoulders and core share your weight while gravity acts on the body in reverse. Eight things are going on at once.

1. Triangle Base: The two elbows and the clasped hands form a triangle on the floor. A wide, fixed base makes balance possible.
2. Shared Load: The forearms press down and the shoulders lift, so the load is split between the arms and the head.
3. Stacked Line: The ankles, hips and shoulders line up over the base, and the muscles make small corrections.
4. Core Bracing: The abdominal and back muscles work to stop the legs from swaying.
5. Reversed Return: With the legs above the heart, gravity assists the return of blood from the legs.
6. Pressure in the Head: The head and eyes sit below the heart, and pressure inside the eye has been measured to rise in the pose. This is the reason for most of the medical cautions below.
7. Balance Retraining: The inner ear, eyes and joint sensors have to read “up” and “down” in a new way.
8. Breath Against Weight: The abdominal organs rest on the diaphragm, so breathing takes a little more attention.

How Many Types of Sirsasana Are There?

There are two basic types of Sirsasana, and B. K. S. Iyengar’s Light on Yoga names ten variations in all. The two basic types are the forearm headstand (Salamba Sirsasana I) and the palm-supported tripod headstand (Sirsasana II). The table shows eight forms you are likely to meet.

Variation	English name	What changes	Level
Ardha Sirsasana	Half headstand	Head and forearms down, feet stay on the floor	Preparation
Salamba Sirsasana I	Supported headstand	Forearms down, fingers interlocked behind the head	Intermediate
Salamba Sirsasana II	Tripod headstand	Palms flat, elbows bent, head forms the third point	Intermediate to advanced
Baddha Hasta Sirsasana	Bound hands headstand	Each hand holds the opposite elbow	Advanced
Mukta Hasta Sirsasana	Free hands headstand	Arms extend along the floor in front of the head	Advanced
Eka Pada Sirsasana	One-leg headstand	One leg lowers toward the floor, the other stays vertical	Advanced
Parsva Sirsasana	Side headstand	Trunk and legs rotate to one side	Advanced
Urdhva Padmasana in Sirsasana	Lotus in headstand	Legs fold into lotus while inverted	Advanced

Learn Salamba Sirsasana I well before you try any other variation.

Is Janu Sirsasana the Same as Sirsasana?

No. Janu Sirsasana is a seated forward bend, and it has nothing to do with standing on your head. Janu means knee, so the name means “head-to-knee pose.”

The name Eka Pada Sirsasana causes similar confusion. It is used both for a one-leg headstand and for a seated pose with one leg behind the head. When you search for pictures, check that the image shows the headstand you mean.

What Is Sirsasana in Iyengar Yoga and Other Styles?

In Iyengar yoga, Sirsasana is the forearm-supported headstand (Salamba Sirsasana I), taught with close attention to alignment and usually learned at a wall first.

According to the Iyengar-method platform Yoga Vastu, headstand is always paired with shoulderstand or a related pose later in the same sequence, and students first learn it near a wall before balancing freely. yogavastu

Other schools place the pose differently. Here are a few examples.

Yoga style	Example of how Sirsasana is used
Iyengar Yoga	Salamba Sirsasana I, learned at a wall, with a shoulderstand-family pose later in the sequence
Sivananda Yoga	Headstand is the first of the twelve basic asanas
Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga	Sirsasana appears in the finishing sequence

In the Sivananda sequence of twelve basic postures, headstand comes first. Inteyoga’s advanced 300-hour programme lists Hatha Yoga, including the Sivananda and Satyananda approaches, among its traditions. google

Which Muscles Does the Sirsasana Pose (Headstand) Use?

In general terms, Sirsasana works the shoulders, upper back and core, while the neck muscles hold the head steady.

Body area	Main muscles	Job in the pose
Shoulders and upper back	Deltoids, trapezius, serratus anterior	Press the floor away and share load with the head
Arms	Triceps, forearm muscles	Hold the triangle base steady
Core	Abdominals, spinal erectors	Stop the lower back from arching or folding
Hips and legs	Glutes, inner thighs, quadriceps	Keep the legs together and vertical
Neck	Deep neck stabilizers	Keep the neck still in its natural curve

If your neck feels like the hardest-working part, come down and return to the preparation work.

What Is Sirsasana Yoga for Beginners? A 6-Point Readiness Check

For beginners, Sirsasana yoga is a staged project that starts with strength work on the floor, not with the full headstand. The check below is this guide’s own editorial tool, not a clinical standard. Go through it before your first attempt.

#	Check	You pass when
1	Dolphin Pose	You hold 5 slow breaths without the shoulders sinking
2	Forearm Plank	You hold 45 to 60 seconds with steady breathing
3	Downward-Facing Dog	You hold 1 minute in comfort
4	Shoulder reach	You can raise both arms beside the ears without arching the lower back
5	Neck health	You have no neck pain in daily life and no tingling in the arms
6	Medical screen	None of the conditions in the precautions section apply to you

Six passes means you can begin the staged plan below. Any miss means more preparation first.

How to Do a Yoga Headstand (Sirsasana): 12 Basic Steps

Sirsasana is entered slowly from a kneeling position, with the forearms set first, the head second and the legs last. Read the precautions section before your first attempt.

1. Warm-Up: Spend five minutes in Downward-Facing Dog and Dolphin Pose.
2. Base Setup: Kneel in Vajrasana. Hold each elbow with the opposite hand to set the elbows shoulder-width apart, then place the forearms on the floor.
3. Hand Lock: Without moving the elbows, interlock the fingers so the forearms form a triangle.
4. Head Placement: Set the crown of the head on the floor, with the back of the skull resting lightly against the cupped hands.
5. Lift Hips: Tuck the toes, straighten the legs and raise the hips high.
6. Walk In: Take small steps toward your face until the hips stack over the shoulders.
7. Tuck: Bend the knees and draw both thighs to the chest, so the feet leave the floor together. Do not jump or kick.
8. Extend Upward: Slowly straighten the hips, then the knees, until the legs are vertical.
9. Weight Distribution: Press the forearms and elbows down and lift the shoulders away from the ears, so the head stays as light as you can keep it.
10. Breath & Gaze: Breathe evenly through the nose. Fix your eyes on one point in front of you, keep the head centered, and do not turn your face. yogajournal
11. Exit: Reverse the entry. Bend the knees, lower the thighs to the chest and place the feet down with control.
12. Rest: Stay in Balasana (Child’s Pose) for at least 30 seconds before you lift the head.

Why go up slowly? A University of Texas at Austin study compared three ways of entering headstand in 45 experienced practitioners aged 18 to 60, and the method with both legs lifted together and straight produced lower forces on entry. The study is published as Hector and Jensen (2015). The practical lesson is to rise with control and never use momentum. utexas

Which Preparatory Poses Help Beginners Learn Sirsasana?

Dolphin Pose, Forearm Plank and Downward-Facing Dog are widely used preparations for Sirsasana. They load the shoulders and core with the head off the floor.

• Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog) stretches the shoulders and hamstrings.
• Dolphin Pose uses the same arm position as headstand, with the head lifted.
• Forearm Plank trains the trunk to hold one straight line.
• Ardha Sirsasana (half headstand) lets you practice the head position with the feet on the floor.
• Balance poses such as Vrikshasana (Tree Pose) train steady attention.

How Many Minutes Should You Hold Shirshasana?

Beginners should hold Shirshasana for seconds, not minutes, and build up slowly. There is no official standard. Yoga Journal’s teaching guidance is to start at about 10 seconds and add 5 to 10 seconds at a time.

Stage	Commonly suggested hold	Conditions
First weeks	10 to 30 seconds	At a wall, teacher present
Regular practice over several months	1 to 2 minutes	Free balance, even breath
Experienced practitioners	A few minutes	Only while the neck and shoulders stay comfortable

Longer is not better. A steady hold with calm breathing matters more than the clock.

What Does a 6-Week Headstand Plan for Beginners Look Like?

A sensible beginner plan spends the first four weeks on strength and only the last two on leaving the floor. This plan is an editorial suggestion for healthy adults who pass the readiness check. It is not a clinical protocol. Practice three or four days a week.

Week	Focus	Practice
1	Shoulders and hamstrings	Downward-Facing Dog, 5 rounds of 5 breaths. Forearm Plank, 3 rounds of 20 to 30 seconds
2	Dolphin strength	Dolphin Pose, 3 rounds of 5 breaths. Rock forward and back in Dolphin, 2 sets of 8
3	Head placement	Ardha Sirsasana with feet on the floor, 3 rounds of 5 breaths
4	Walking in	From half headstand, walk the feet in until the hips stack
5	Tuck at the wall	Both knees to the chest, feet off the floor, 3 rounds of 10 seconds
6	Extend at the wall	Straighten the legs up the wall, 3 rounds of 10 to 20 seconds

If a week feels hard, repeat it. Many people need longer than six weeks.

Already a yoga teacher or a 200-hour graduate? Inteyoga’s advanced 300-hour programme covers inverted asanas with counterposes, alignment principles and modifications. See the 300-hour yoga teacher training in Goa.

What Is the Best Time to Do Sirsasana?

Yoga teachers commonly recommend doing Sirsasana in the morning, on an empty stomach, after a warm-up. This is teaching convention, not a tested rule. A gap of three to four hours after a main meal is often advised.

• Within a Session: Practice Sirsasana once the body is warm.
• Evening Practice: Some people find the pose leaves them alert. If it disturbs your sleep, move it earlier in the day.
• Days to Skip: Yoga Journal advises avoiding headstand when you are stressed, short of sleep or fatigued.

Can I Do Shirshasana Daily?

A healthy, well-prepared practitioner can do Shirshasana daily, as long as the holds stay comfortable and the neck feels fine the next day. No study sets a safe weekly frequency, so let your own recovery guide you.

Beginners should keep the rest days built into the six-week plan. Take a break if your neck is sore or you get headaches after practice. Daily practice is only for people with none of the conditions listed in the precautions section.

What Are the Benefits of Sirsasana Yoga? 10 Key Headstand Benefits

The most plausible benefits of Sirsasana yoga are upper-body and core loading, balance practice and focused attention during the pose. No clinical trial that we found has tested headstand on its own for strength or health outcomes. Each benefit below carries a plain note on the evidence.

• Strength & Stability: The pose is weight-bearing for the shoulders, arms and trunk. Evidence: biomechanics measured, strength gains not tested.
• Core Control: The trunk muscles work throughout to keep the legs from tipping. Evidence: plausible, not tested.
• Balance & Body Awareness: Holding an inverted line is balance practice. Evidence: plausible, not tested.
• Circulation & Focus: Raising the legs may ease tired legs, and balancing demands attention. Evidence: plausible for the legs, limited for focus.
• Posture: Stacking the ankles, hips and shoulders rehearses upright alignment. Evidence: traditional teaching.
• Breath Control: The pose is taught with slow, even nasal breathing. Evidence: traditional teaching.
• Energy & Mood: Many practitioners report feeling refreshed afterwards. Evidence: self-reported.
• Confidence & Discipline: Learning a demanding pose over weeks can build trust in your practice. Evidence: self-reported.
• Glandular Support: Tradition says Sirsasana supports the pituitary and other glands. Evidence: untested.
• Digestion: The Dattatreya Yoga Shastra claims the practice increases the digestive fire. Evidence: untested. Wikipedia

Does a Headstand Increase Blood Flow to the Brain?

Not in the simple way many articles claim. Cerebral autoregulation is the ability of the brain’s blood vessels to keep blood flow stable when blood pressure changes, as described in StatPearls on the NCBI Bookshelf. nih

So the popular line that a headstand “floods the brain with oxygen” is not supported. Many people do feel alert after the pose. That feeling has not been shown to come from extra oxygen reaching the brain.

Does Sirsasana Calm the Mind and Reduce Stress?

Many practitioners report feeling calm after Sirsasana, but the one small study we found points toward alertness. Manjunath and Telles tested 40 men aged 19 to 36 before and after a two-minute headstand, and interpreted the heart rate variability changes as a sign of sympathetic activation. The paper appeared in the Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology (2003). bvsalud

One small study in young men cannot settle the question. Sirsasana is not a treatment for stress or anxiety.

What Are the Spiritual Benefits of Sirsasana?

In yoga tradition, the spiritual benefits of Sirsasana are steadier concentration, attention turned inward, and the movement of prana toward the crown of the head. These are teachings of the tradition, not medical findings.

• Prana: Classical accounts of Viparita Karani say the inverted position lets gravity retain prana. Wikipedia
• Crown Center: Tradition links the pose with Sahasrara, the crown chakra. Our guide on how to activate the chakras safely explains that framework.
• Pratyahara: Balancing upside down leaves little room for distraction, which tradition treats as training for meditation.
• Humility & Courage: Some teachers read the pose as a gesture of humility, because the head is placed below the heart and feet.
• Fresh Perspective: Seeing the room upside down is a physical reminder that a fixed view can change.

Is Shirshasana Good for Hair? Can a Headstand Reduce Hair Fall?

No good evidence shows that Shirshasana is good for hair, reduces hair fall (hair loss) or regrows hair. The belief rests on the idea that inversion sends more blood to the scalp. No published trial that we found has tested it.

Do not take up headstands for your hair. See a doctor or dermatologist if hair loss worries you.

Sirsasana vs Sarvangasana: What Is the Queen of All Yoga Poses?

Sarvangasana, the shoulder stand, is the pose often called the queen of yoga poses, and Sirsasana, the headstand, is the king. The two are often named together as the king and queen of the asanas. yogauonline

Feature	Sirsasana (Headstand)	Sarvangasana (Shoulder Stand)
Sanskrit meaning	“Head posture”	“All-parts posture”
Traditional title	King of asanas	Queen of asanas
Base of support	Forearms and crown of the head	Shoulders, upper arms, back of the head
Neck position	Neutral, in its natural curve	Flexed, chin toward the chest
Common prop	Wall	Folded blankets under the shoulders
Iyengar-method description	Heating and invigorating	Cooling
Usual order	The earlier of the two	After headstand
Shared cautions	Neck problems, high blood pressure, glaucoma	Neck problems, high blood pressure, glaucoma

Which should a beginner learn first? Neither belongs in the first month of practice. Headstand and shoulder stand are both among the postures cited most often in published case reports. uts

A gentler starting point is Viparita Karani with the legs up a wall, which involves no weight on the head.

What Are the Top 5 Hardest Yoga Poses?

There is no official ranking of the hardest yoga poses. The five below are an editorial pick of poses widely regarded as very demanding. Real difficulty depends on your own body.

#	Sanskrit name	English name	Why it is hard
1	Vrischikasana	Scorpion Pose	A deep backbend held while balancing on the forearms
2	Adho Mukha Vrksasana	Handstand	Full body weight on the hands
3	Mayurasana	Peacock Pose	The whole body held level on bent elbows
4	Astavakrasana	Eight-Angle Pose	An arm balance combined with a twist
5	Kapotasana	Pigeon Pose (kneeling backbend)	Deep opening of the spine, shoulders and thighs

Where does Sirsasana rank? It is usually taught as an intermediate pose. Its challenge lies in doing it safely.

What Are the Side Effects and Disadvantages of Sirsasana?

The main disadvantages of Sirsasana are load on the neck, a temporary rise in eye pressure, and the risk of falling. Three research findings put numbers on that.

• The neck load is real. In the Hector and Jensen study, the maximum force on the crown of the head was between 40 and 48 percent of body weight. For a 150 lb (68 kg) person, that is roughly 60 to 72 lb (27 to 33 kg). yogajournal
• Eye pressure roughly doubles. Baskaran and colleagues measured a two-fold rise in intraocular pressure during Sirsasana in experienced practitioners, and it stayed raised for as long as the pose was held. The study appeared in Ophthalmology (2006). jioinstitute
• Injuries are documented. A systematic review covering 76 published cases found headstand among the postures cited most often, and advised people with glaucoma to avoid inversions. See Cramer and colleagues (2013). Single case reports describe worsening glaucoma in a patient who practiced headstand daily for years and a retinal vein occlusion after an unsupervised headstand. Adverse Events Associated with Yoga: A Systematic Review of Published Case Reports and Case Series +2

How common are yoga injuries overall? In the US, emergency departments saw 29,590 yoga-related injuries between 2001 and 2014, most of them sprains and strains to the trunk, and the 2014 rate was highest in people aged 65 and over at 57.9 per 100,000. The figures come from Swain and McGwin (2016). nih

In a UK survey of 2,434 yoga practitioners, 20.7 percent reported at least one yoga-related injury in their lifetime. The survey was published in BMJ Open (2020). Neither figure is specific to headstand. port

Who Should Not Do Sirsasana? Precautions and Contraindications

People with neck problems, high blood pressure, heart disease, or glaucoma and other eye conditions should not practice Sirsasana without medical clearance, and it should not be started in pregnancy. The first five points have research or official support. The rest are precautions that yoga teachers commonly advise.

• Neck & Spine: Avoid Sirsasana with a neck injury or cervical spine problem. The review authors advise people with compromised bone to avoid forceful practices. uts
• Eyes: People with glaucoma should avoid inversions. The same caution is sensible after eye surgery or with retinal disease, on your eye specialist’s advice. uts
• Blood Pressure & Heart: Headstand-family poses are to be avoided or approached with extra care with high blood pressure or chronic dizziness. Ask your doctor first. yogavastu
• Pregnancy & Menstruation: Do not start learning headstand during pregnancy, and discuss any inversion with your maternity care provider. During periods, many traditions advise skipping inversions. Research is limited, so treat it as a personal choice.
• Osteoporosis: Women at any stage of osteoporosis can be especially vulnerable to injury in headstand. yogajournal
• Head, Ears & Balance: Teachers commonly advise waiting until vertigo, an ear infection or a severe headache has cleared.
• Stomach: Teachers commonly advise skipping the pose with acid reflux or a hiatal hernia.
• Surgery & Injuries: Wait for medical clearance after surgery or a shoulder or wrist injury.
• Age: Many teachers do not teach headstand to young children or frail older adults.
• Guidance: Learn in person from a qualified teacher, and tell the teacher about any health condition.
• Setup: Use a firm, non-slip surface with a folded mat or blanket, clear space around you, and a wall behind you while you learn.
• Warning Signs: Come down at once if you feel pain, numbness, rough breathing, or pressure in the neck, head or eyes.

MedlinePlus says yoga is generally safe for most people, but that people with conditions such as glaucoma may need to avoid or modify some poses and should tell their instructor. The page is Yoga for health, from the US National Library of Medicine. medlineplus

Is a Yoga Headstand Right for You? 7 Everyday Examples

A headstand suits healthy people who have prepared for it, and it’s the wrong choice for anyone with a neck, eye, heart or blood pressure condition. These examples are general illustrations, not personal medical advice.

Your situation	Is a headstand a good idea?	A better plan for now
Office worker with stiff shoulders and no neck pain	Possibly, later	Several weeks of Downward-Facing Dog and Dolphin Pose first
Runner or cyclist who wants to rest the legs	Not needed	Legs-Up-the-Wall puts the legs up with no weight on the head
Three months into a weekly studio class	Prepare only	Pass the readiness check, then try half headstand at a wall with your teacher
Practicing at home with online videos	Preparation only	Stay with wall work until a teacher has watched you
Over 60 and new to inversions	Take extra care	Ask your doctor first, and choose gentle supported poses
Managing high blood pressure or glaucoma	No	Skip head-below-heart poses unless your doctor or eye specialist agrees
Training to become a yoga teacher	Yes, and learn it well	Study the stages, the contraindications and the alternatives you’ll offer students

What Are the Common Mistakes to Avoid in Shirshasana?

The most common mistake in Shirshasana is letting the weight sink into the head and neck because the shoulders have stopped working.

1. Kicking up with momentum. Rapid loading and larger loads can increase the potential for damage to the cervical spine. utexas
2. Elbows sliding wide. The base weakens once the elbows pass shoulder width.
3. Wrong head point. Resting toward the forehead or the back of the skull bends the neck.
4. Collapsed shoulders. If the shoulders drop toward the ears, the neck takes more load.
5. Banana back. Flared ribs and an arched lower back mean the core has let go.
6. Turning the head. Never look around while inverted.
7. Holding the breath. Rough or held breath is the signal to come down.
8. Staying too long, too soon. Add seconds, not minutes.
9. Jumping straight up afterwards. Rest in Child’s Pose first.

How Does Inteyoga Teach Asana and Inversions?

Inteyoga teaches asana, including inverted postures, as one part of an integrated practice that also covers breath, philosophy and applied anatomy. Inteyoga (Swami Krishnananda Yoga Vidyapeeth) is based in Colva, South Goa, India, and is registered with Yoga Alliance as a Registered Yoga School (RYS 200, RYS 300 and RYS 500).

Its current advanced course is the Advanced TTC 300-Hour Integrated Restorative Yoga (Including Yoga Nidra, Chakra Sadhana, and Prana Vidya Intensive).

The asana module of the advanced 300-hour programme covers standing, sitting, supine, prone, balancing and inverted asanas, along with counterposes, safe alignment principles and modifications. A separate module covers applied anatomy and physiology.

• Format: residential, taught in English, 43+2 days (43 training days plus one arrival day and one departure day).
• Who it is for: applicants aged 21 to 60 who have completed a 200-hour yoga teacher training course (TTC 200) or an equivalent qualification.
• What it is not: a beginner yoga retreat. It is an advanced yoga teacher training programme.
• Next batch: 13 December 2026 to 26 January 2027.
• Gift-it-Forward: no payment is required to apply or to participate. After completing the programme, participants may voluntarily support the Gift-it-Forward initiative to help future aspirants. There is no obligation to contribute.

Founder-Director: Dr. Ashutosh, MBBS, M.Sc. (Yoga), Yoga Master Level 6 (Yoga Certification Board, Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India), Swami Krishnananda Yoga Vidyapeeth and Inteyoga, Colva, South Goa. Read more on the teacher page.

Conclusion: What Is Sirsasana Yoga, Really?

So, what is Sirsasana yoga? It’s the classical yoga headstand: an inverted pose balanced on the forearms and the crown of the head, honored in Hatha Yoga as the king of asanas.

The research points one way. Let your shoulders share the work, go up slowly, and skip the pose if your neck, eyes, heart or blood pressure give you any reason to.

Prepare for weeks. Hold for seconds. Learn from a teacher who can see your alignment.

Next steps with Inteyoga:

• If you have completed a 200-hour training or equivalent, apply for the advanced 300-hour programme.
• Read about the planned 200-hour programme, planned for approximately mid-2027.
• For questions, see the Inteyoga FAQ, email info@inteyoga.org, or message +91 935-473-7240 on WhatsApp.

About the Author

This article was prepared by the Inteyoga Editorial Team. Inteyoga (Swami Krishnananda Yoga Vidyapeeth) is managed by Inteyoga Shala LLP.

Address: Plot No. 6, Novo Vaddo, Sernabatim, Colva, Salcete, Goa 403708, India. Email: info@inteyoga.org. WhatsApp or phone: +91 935-473-7240.

How this guide was prepared. Health claims draw on the studies and official health sources listed below, and each is marked by strength of evidence. Traditional yogic claims are labeled as tradition. The readiness check, six-week plan, everyday examples and list of hardest poses are editorial guidance, not clinical standards.

Safety Note and Medical Disclaimer

This article is for general education and is not medical advice. Sirsasana places load on the neck and raises pressure in the eyes. Talk to your doctor or GP before starting any new yoga practice, especially if you are pregnant or have a neck, heart, blood pressure or eye condition.

Yoga does not replace medical care. Learn Sirsasana in person from a qualified teacher, and stop at once if you feel pain, dizziness, numbness, or pressure in the head or eyes.

Frequently Asked Questions About Sirsasana Yoga (FAQ)