Queen Asana

I try to visit the Queen, sarvangasana (shoulder stand) every day. The queen of the asanas, sarvangasana is an elixr for many things that ails us including depression, anxiety, fatigue, restlessness, fear, dullness. Raising the legs above the chest offers the heart a chance for profound rest.

I imagine my queen to be very very wise. She has long white hair that flows down below her waist and wears silky ivory gown. She receives me on the grassy knoll where she stands with infinite patience. Her wisdom and comfort pass to me not in words but in the soft gaze of her light blue eyes, her outstretched palms, her unwavering faith in the rightness of the moment. I sit in the cool shade of the maple tree, by her strong bare feet and am ennobled by her presence.

Unlike the King (head stand) who offers the storing of resources, one pointed concentration, the sharpening of blades, the Queen teaches us to let go of everything, to stop trying so hard, effortless effort. In surrender with devotion and irreverence, we learn how to unfold, open, and receive ourselves.