Why to practice inverted postures?

To get the effects listed below the inverted postures must be practiced with the ancient features and not with the methods that have been invented over the last decades. The methods taught by Iyengar, Pattabhi Jois with the Ashtanga Yoga, the Yogi Bhajan with the so called Kundalini Yoga, or the one promoted by Ravi Shankar with Yoga in Daily Life, or even the Beauty Yoga (see picture on top!!) or Grace Yoga (see picture on side!!) or other not deeply experts in the topic, however, proposed themselves as teachers ... These are not connected with the original methods, which require application with very different characteristics. The techniques usually teached have absolutely nothing permitting to acquire the original ancient results;

these new methods resemble physical gymnastics, forcing body for getting power, hyper-stretching, exhibitionism of strange postures, etc. A lot of these schools have proposed, with the name of Yoga, something only copied from the 'images” of the original Asana and many times afterwards crippled.

 All Asana (static postures of Hatha Yoga) are connected to the results obtained on

6 points
(numbered below)

and, if properly applied, every position affects

6 levels of improvement

and each Asana will have, for each of the levels of improvement, naturally, different characteristics and effects.
I write below the 6 points related to the most important data of the inverted postures, as the title that I have proposed. For sake of brevity, I indicate below the data common to all inverted postures which unfortunately become a bit generic; specific directions, one by one, would be more accurately informative, but would require a lot of space:

1. Physical and postural (arising from a moderate, progressive and constant practice)

• prevent and treat varicose veins
• are a special flexibility gymnastic for all the veins and arteries of the body; form conditions of vasodilation and vasoconstriction; therefore allow to recover or maintain blood pressure at the best levels
• allow a special cleaning (as washing) of the tissues and cells of internal organs; this occurs via specific stimulations directed in areas of the body, permitting to receive more blood flow and then to do that blood could go to the purifying organs for allowing that the waste collected could be expelled; in other areas it is possible to do the opposite, that is a draining effect, with the flow of blood going out of an area of the body for receiving an influx of fresh, oxygenated and rich of nutrients blood
• are a gym for the heart muscle, given that when we are standing the heart must pump up till to the head, so with a force against gravity, for about 1/3 of the height of the body, while in the inverted positions must pump for about 2/3 up; this strengthens the heart muscle but doesn't stress it, because everything is done in conditions of minimal muscle activity and with slow breathing
• is given a healthy and deep massage the visceral organs; is promoted good digestion and the right functionality of the intestinal peristalsis
• promote extra blood circulation in the gums (for maintaining healthy teeth) and eyes (prevents the development of eye diseases, increasing micro-circulation and oxygenation of the retina without a corresponding increase in systolic blood pressure)
• performing a stimulation of the endocrine and lymphatic systems, thereby helping to stabilize the metabolism and activate the immune system; for example, the body weight gradually becomes balanced and proportional
• are not specifically useful for the postural, as instead they are a large part of Asanas
  
  

2. Psychological and emotional

• produce conditions of inner calm, consequently to the training condition of being static
• allay emotional impulses, when getting used to maintain brain slow frequencies
• consequently peacefulness becomes more present in daily life
  

3. Typological effects and on character

• are positions that, according to Ayurveda, produce a state of Tridosha, ie the balance between the types of Vata, Pitta and Kapha; this is for the benefit of character that results to be as it is consequently to “aggravation” or “lack” of one of these three dosha (ie, for example, who is too slow will have later on more sprint, who has fears will have more courage, etc.).

4. Vitalizing and energizing effects

• have an influence on the flow of vital energies that are brought to increment usually in areas where they are most needed, even managing to influence the higher Chakra of the subtle body. Two of the five inverted postures stimulate mainly the strengthening of coronary Chakra (Sahasrara or the thousand-petalled lotus), of the Third Eye Chakra (Ajna) and the other two of the Throat Chakra (Vishuddha)

5. Mental effects and on nervous system

• supply blood to areas of the brain, making it more awake and capable, totally different from what can be done by caffeine and theine; therefore useful for those interested in meditation, for students, for those who use mental processes to work, facilitate the situations of creativity
   

6. Spiritual and evolutionary effects

• physical well-being + the increase of energy flows + more mental capacity + increase the acquisition of inner tranquility + balanced character = lead to = depth of thought and knowledge + skills of discernment resulting in mental clarity + deep insight of things + ability of intuition .... lead away from conditioning, giving higher knowledge. All these are the presuppositions of evolutionary and spiritual states

The most famous inverted postures are 5:
1. The head stand posture or Sirshasana
2. On shoulders posture or Sarvangasana
3. Up leg and angled body posture or Viparita Karani
4. The tripod posture or Tripada Karani
5. The scorpion posture or Vrschikasana

Certainly a good motivation for learners is even if for each Asana is given the knowledge of the specific effects that are produced in each of the "6 levels of improvement"; so everyone can realize how much it is useful a practice, for a variety of ways, and how is gradually moving closer to the Yoga state, Yoga understood here in the translation of "subjugation" of all human components or levels (so, not only as a physical gymnastic) .
I think this should be a duty of a high standard teacher, so that learners can grow in knowledge, in motivation and in quality.
This type of knowledge is offered in RAM for Yoga (Rishi Ancient Methods for Yoga) proposed by "Yoga in Your Life" by residential seminars for self-improvement or for becoming Teacher/Master. If you want some more details, you can visit www.allthebestinyourlife.com

I wait for you with the next post where I'll write about "Which use could have the techniques for Yoga in my daily life?"