Even though the Eka Pada Sirsasana, Eka Pada Greevasana, One-Leg-Behind-Head Pose, or One-Foot-Behind-Head Pose is not so easy in the beginning, with constant practice and patience one can easily master this pose. The following steps have to be followed to perform this pose.
Starts this pose by lying down on your yoga mat and make sure that your knees are bent and resting on your chest.
The next step is to hold your right thigh with your right arm and then rest your forearm on the right calf and slowly clutch the arch on your foot.
After this, while your left leg rests on your chest, grip your right foot opposite your right hand with your left arm. Then slowly raise your right foot so that it makes a 90 degree angle with the floor. Keep stretching your knee toward the floor.
The next step is to move your right hand to your right calf and making sure that your left hand holds your foot. After this try to bring your leg forward toward your shoulder and then tuck it over.
Once you have come to this pose, stay in this pose for about 5 to 10 seconds and then release the pose. After this repeat the same pose on the other side as well.
The anatomical focus of Eka Pada Sirsasana, Eka Pada Greevasana, One-Leg-Behind-Head Pose, or One-Foot-Behind-Head Pose perfectly deals with head, neck, shoulders, chest, stomach, hips, waists, thighs, legs and feet.
The therapeutic application related to Eka Pada Sirsasana, Eka Pada Greevasana, One-Leg-Behind-Head Pose, or One-Foot-Behind-Head Pose comes with several forms of glandular and nervous disorder, more over those related to the reproductive system. It is highly recommended for the immediate prevention of hay fever, asthma, diabetes, headaches, menopausal imbalance and migraine. It is the best asana for anger management. It is helpful for those who are suffering from varicose veins and anxiety.
This pose makes hips and legs supple and also makes the spine more flexible.
It also helps to enrich the hemoglobin content in their body.
This pose is especially beneficial for people who have anemia and nervous trembling problems.
It helps to eliminate all the toxins of your body.
This pose improves the breathing which has numerous other benefits.
This pose also has positive effects on the digestion of the body.
It makes the body more flexible and elastic to a great extent.
For the beginners the main focus should be on the breath and make it slow and steady. Initially it might be a bit challenging to do the pose as it requires a lot of flexibility, but once you have practiced and are able to bring your leg behind your head, the focus should shift on breathing. Try as much as possible to relax in Eka Pada Sirsasana, Eka Pada Greevasana, One-Leg-Behind-Head Pose, or One-Foot-Behind-Head Pose while straightening your spine.
Even though this is a beneficial pose there are certain cautions and contraindications one needs to be careful of. Eka Pada Sirsasana, Eka Pada Greevasana, One-Leg-Behind-Head Pose, or One-Foot-Behind-Head Pose should be avoided by those people who have sciatica, hip problems or hernia. It should also not be done by those who have spinal problems or injuries and also problems with back or knees. Also be careful not to drop your head while doing this pose as it might put pressure on spine and then injure the back muscles.
The beginner can perfectly indulge in Eka Pada Sirsasana, Eka Pada Greevasana, One-Leg-Behind-Head Pose, or One-Foot-Behind-Head Pose by taking the support of a wall or partner with a lot of perfection. The asana should be performed with extra care because there are chances of falling down to the ground in case if you loose your body balance.
The variations that can be brought about for Eka Pada Sirsasana, Eka Pada Greevasana, One-Leg-Behind-Head Pose, or One-Foot-Behind-Head Pose are Baddha Konasana Shirshasana or Bound Angle Pose in Headstand, Urdhva Padmasana in Sirsasana or Upward Lotus in Headstand, Parivrttaikapada Shirshasana or Single Leg Revolved Headstand, Parshvaikapada Shirshasana or Single Leg Headstand, Parshva Shirshasana or Side Headstand, Salamba Shirshasana 2 or Headstand 2, Upavishtha Konasana Shirshasana or Seated Angle Pose in Headstand Salamba Shirshasana 3 or Headstand 3, Baddha Hasta Shirshasana or Bound Hands Headstand, Mukta Hasta Shirshasana or Free Hands Headstand, Eka Pada Shirshasana or Single Leg Headstand.
The best props that can be used for Eka Pada Sirsasana, Eka Pada Greevasana, One-Leg-Behind-Head Pose, or One-Foot-Behind-Head Pose is the support of the wall. It is to be remembered that certain modification can be brought in this asana through moving the upright placed legs in various types of leg exercises with perfectly balancing of the whole body. It largely helps to support the art of balancing the whole body to a great extent.
A partner plays an important role in Eka Pada Sirsasana, Eka Pada Greevasana, One-Leg-Behind-Head Pose, or One-Foot-Behind-Head Pose because he or she can immediately catch the yoga practitioners when they are about to fall to the ground while losing the balance.
The best preparatory poses related to Eka Pada Sirsasana, Eka Pada Greevasana, One-Leg-Behind-Head Pose, or One-Foot-Behind-Head Pose is Dolphin pose which is an excellent all-rounder pose in order to strengthen the shoulders, arms, back and abdomen plus improve flexibility in the hips and waists. Moreover, Noukasana or supine can be performed for strengthening the abdomen. Other preparatory asana are uttanpadasana, paschimottansana, vakrasana, ardha matsyendrasana and pawanmuktasana. On the other hand, Ugrasana or ferocious pose and Sarwangasana or shoulder stand pose can be perfectly practiced in order to gain confidence plus get really used to the feeling of being rightly inverted. Merudandasana can be indulged to strengthening the arms and niralambha shalabhasana, chakrasana, noukasana (prone), niralambha bhujangasana can be indulged to strengthening the back.
The follow up poses of Eka Pada Sirsasana, Eka Pada Greevasana, One-Leg-Behind-Head Pose, or One-Foot-Behind-Head Pose are fish pose and Shavasana.
It is to be highly noted that there is no need of any type of deepening of pose in this particular asana. Beginners should indulge in this asana alone. It can be practiced in a yoga session with a lot of perfection wit full confidence. It is highly advised to indulge in this asana in the presence of your yoga instructor or partner. It is mainly because this posture comes under the inverted poses in the yoga session. While indulging in this posture, beginners and regular yoga practitioners should take extra care from falling to the ground because of balancing issues.