Yoga Nidrasana
In yoga nidrasana you are not resting on the triangular region formed by tin back of the head, the neck, and the shoulders (as in the shoulderstand), bu on the upper back (as in variation one of the plow). In fact, if you envisioi
that posture with the sacroiliac joints in full counternutation, the knees slightly bent, the thighs placed against the sides of the chest, the legs placed behind the head and neck, and the ankles interlocked, you will be envisioning yoga nidrasana.
To come into the pose, you can either begin with variation one of the plow, roll down a little more onto the back, and pull the legs behind the head from that position, or you can come into a supine position, cradle the legs one at a time, and again pull them into position. In either case, rest the head on the crossed ankles and complete the posture by bringing the arms outside the thighs and interlocking the hands behind the back (fig. 9.23).
Yoga nidrasana is challenging. To do it you must have enough hip and sacroiliac flexibility to press the knees to the floor alongside the chest in the supine position, and your hamstrings must be long enough to permit the ankles to be interlocked behind the head. This posture is named after the meditative practice of yoga nidra (yogic sleep) although it will probably be rare than anyone will be able to do that practice in this demanding pose. Most pupils will attempt exploration of yoga nidra in the corpse posture. Even so, the association of yoga nidrasana with the practice of yoga nidra makes the pose a fitting conclusion to what we have learned so far and points the way to the next chapter on relaxation and meditation.
The shoulderstand creates intense sensations throughout the neck, but the medical correlates of this are not obvious. It is an article of faith and experience among hatha yogis that this posture has beneficial effects on a wealth of functions: regulation of metabolism and mineral balance by the thyroid and parathyroid glands, beneficent influences on the larynx and speech, and salutary effects on immune function in the thymus gland and tonsils. But aside from anecdotal reports that practicing the shoulderstand is a good remedy for sore throats and nervous coughs (especially in children who are unable to fall asleep), and that vigorous practice of the classic posture and its variations enhances thyroid function in those who have mild hypothyroid conditions that are not due to iodine deficiency, we do not have much to go on. And without data reported in the peer-reviewed literature, there is little we can say other than agree that such effects are possible but unsubstantiated.
Figure 9.23. Yoga nidrasana is especially demanding of hip flexibility, and is a fitting end to a practice session of hatha yoga and to beginning a practice of relaxation and meditation.
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