Shirshasana
[3] Viparita Karani, "the Inverter", holds the head down and the feet up for hours at a time, so as to cause gravity to retain the prana.[5] Hemacandra's 11th century Yogaśāstra names it Duryodhanāsana ("Duryodhana's pose") or Kapālīkarana ("head technique"),[6] while the 18th century Joga Pradīpikā calls it Kapālī āsana, head posture; it is number 17 of the set of 84 asanas described and illustrated there.[9] In his Light on Yoga, B. K. S. Iyengar uses a forearm support, with the fingers interlocked around the head, for the basic posture Shirshasana I and its variations; he demonstrates a Western-style tripod headstand, the palms of the hands on the ground with raised elbows, for Shirshasana II and III; and other supports for further variants.Iyengar names and illustrates ten variants in all, as well as several preparatory and transitional poses.[11][12] A variety of other asanas can be used to build the required upper body strength and balance.
Sanskrityoga as exercisehatha yogaViparita KaraniHatha Yoga Pradipikahaṭha yogaDattatreya Yoga ShastrahalftoneYogasopana purvacatuscaHemacandraDuryodhanaJoga PradīpikāasanasSritattvanidhiMalla PuranaYogasopana PurvacatuskaHeadstandLight on YogaB. K. S. IyengarSarvangasanaPadmasanaDvi Pada Viparita DandasanaList of asanasDvi Pada SirsasanaYoga JournalIyengar, GeetaBibcodeBühnemann, GudrunIyengar, B. K. S.Mallinson, JamesSingleton, MarkRoots of YogaSjoman, Norman E.DrishtiPranayamaSun SalutationVinyasaYoga as therapyAnjaneyasana (crescent moon)Bidalasana (cat)/Bitilasana (cow)Bhujangasana (cobra)Chakrasana (wheel) or Urdhva Dhanurasana (upward bow)Viparita Dandasana (inverted staff)Kapotasana (pigeon)Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (king pigeon)Ushtrasana (camel)Ashtavakrasana (8-angled)Bakasana (crane) or Kakasana (crow)Koundinyasana (the sage Kaundinya)Kukkutasana (cockerel)Mayurasana (peacock)Tittibhasana (firefly)Adho Mukha Svanasana (downward dog)Adho Mukha Vrkshasana (handstand)Halasana (plough)Sarvangasana (shoulderstand)Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (bridge)Viparita Karani (legs up the wall)Vrischikasana (scorpion)Anantasana (Vishnu's couch)Ashtanga Namaskara (eight-limbed)Bhekasana (frog)Chaturanga Dandasana (low plank)Dhanurasana (bow)Jathara Parivartanasana (belly twist)Makarasana (crocodile)Matsyasana (fish)Shalabhasana (locust)Shavasana (corpse)Vasishtasana (side plank)Yoganidrasana (yogic sleep)MeditationBaddha Konasana (cobbler)Gomukhasana (cow face)Gorakshasana (cowherd)Padmasana (lotus)Siddhasana (accomplished)Simhasana (lion)Vajrasana (thunderbolt)Bharadvajasana (the sage Bharadvaja)Marichyasana (the sage Marichi)Matsyendrasana (the sage Matsyendra, lord of the fishes)Pashasana (noose)Akarna Dhanurasana (shooting bow)Balasana (child)Garbha Pindasana (embryo in womb)Hanumanasana (monkey)Kraunchasana (heron)Kurmasana (tortoise)Malasana (garland)Mandukasana (frog)Mulabandhasana (root lock)Navasana (boat)Paschimottanasana (seated forward bend)Samakonasana (split)Virasana (hero)StandingParighasana (gate)Parshvottanasana (intense side stretch)Prasarita Padottanasana (wide stance forward bend)Tadasana (mountain)Trikonasana (triangle)Utkatasana (powerful)Uttanasana (standing forward bend)Utthita Parshvakonasana (sideways)Virabhadrasana (warrior)Ardha Chandrasana (half moon)Durvasasana (the sage Durvasa)Garudasana (eagle)Natarajasana (lord of the dance)Utthita Padangusthasana (standing big toe hold)Vrikshasana (tree)Standing asanasDownward dogLotus positionMeditation seatsTree poseWarriorNamasteVinyāsaHasta VinyasasTeacher trainingBritish Wheel of YogaEuropean Union of YogaAndré Van LysebethYoga Alliance