Inversions are an integral part of yoga practice as taught in the Iyengar system. Often I would remember Geetaji, BKS Iyengar’s daughter and my teacher, stating that if you are able to do a 15 min practice, divide the time between salamba sirshasana (headstand), sarvangasana (shoulder stand), and halasana.
Integrating inversions into a yoga practice shouldn’t be an egotistical endeavor but a rather deep spiritual journey to transform the simple act of being on your head into a profound experience. It is only with a sustained practice of inversions that one can discover their wonderful properties. From spiritual to healing to analytical benefits, inversions will bring about profound changes within the body, mind and consciousness.
To find stability and joy in an asana, we must first spend time in the asana, develop a relationship with the asana, or as a dear teacher of mine would say, go on a date with an asana.
When we are on a date with a beloved we don’t want to leave, we want to stay, study every aspect of their face, personality and discover them, but why not to do this with asanas as well? In this aspect the asana is basically a medium for you to discover yourself!
Inversions also bring stability, strength, focus, confidence and regulate the endocrine system along with directly working on the nervous system.
There are endless benefits to inversions, but in the end, asana aren’t a pill for better health or feeing good, it is a tool towards yoga. The physical or mental health benefits are an added bonus and a preparation for dharana, dhyana and samadhi (aspects of meditation).
How you wish to apply asanas to your life is each one’s prerogative. It can’t be forced, but whether it is for transformation or health, it is a journey worth investing in.
In this workshop we will accomplish the following:
Understand the benefits of inversions
Learn how to incorporate inversions into daily practice
Asana sequencing to approach inversions
Props to support inversions
Basic alignment of inversions for safe practice
Individual correction and support
It is advisable that everyone attending this workshop have some experience with a yoga practice.
Cost: 15€
Where: Cozy Yoga + Community, Rua Formosa, 63, Porto 4000-250
How to register: send us an email at hello@cozyyogaporto.com or WhatsApp 919038579
About Ekta:
In 2010, I stumbled onto the practice of asana. Initially, I was interested in the philosophy of yoga instead of physical postures, but slowly the joy and practice of asanas took over. My journey into the world of sustained asana practice started with a TTC in Neyyar Dam, Kerala at the Sivananda ashram. I spent three years in the Sivananda system of yoga, learning and assisting in TTC. After that, my search brought me to BKS Iyengar’s teaching. In 2015, I shifted to Pune to study at the mother institute, RIMYI, home and institute of BKS Iyengar along with his children Geeta Iyengar and Prashant since 1971. I trained there until March 2020, returning home due to Covid-19.
The teachers at the institute are demanding, but the practice brought transformation and transcendence. It is under the guidance of Geeta Iyengar and Prashanth Iyengar that I truly understood the meaning of yoga and what it means to be an Iyengar yoga practitioner. As said in yoga sutra 1.14, “Setu dirgh kala nairantarya sat kar sevetu dridh bhumi”, or “Sustained long practice over a period of time bring about a firm foundation of yoga.”
Along with yogic studies, for practical reasons I ran small clothing business to support my studies called Kosha. The brand developed clothes from Indian handloom, celebrating the artisans and craftsmen of India. Prior to starting my business, I was a fashion model working for elite model management, Kwan model management and Times of India. In 2009, I won the title of Miss India Universe, going on to represent India at the Miss Universe pageant. In 2010, I left modeling to focus on studying yoga.
Apart from this, I love to read and travel. I am a trained classical Indian dancer in Bharatnatyam.