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Salamba Sarvangasana (Supported Shoulderstand)

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Yoga Techniques and Fitness

Overview

In this lesson, we present Salamba Sarvangasana (Supported Shoulderstand), called the Queen or Mother of all asanas for its nurturing, introspective quality and numerous internal benefits.

Objective

Understand the energetic significance of this inversion, how it differs from Headstand's outward focus, and why accepting support allows deeper rest physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

What You'll Get

What You'll Get: You'll discover why Shoulderstand embodies the Mother archetype—compassionate, nurturing, benevolent—and focuses your gaze on yourself rather than outward. The lesson explores how the pose slows heart rate, regulates blood pressure, flushes lymph, and reverses blood flow to nourish brain, thyroid, and parathyroid. You'll learn why propped versions are so valuable, allowing you to release ambition and take genuine rest. For professionals, you'll understand the importance of protecting cervical vertebrae through proper technique and props, when to teach the milder Ardha Sarvangasana, and how this pose strengthens the diaphragm while stretching shoulders and spine.

Salamba Sarvangasana

Ardha Sarvangasana

Salamba Sarvangasana

sah-LAHM-bah SAHR-vahn-GAH-sah-nah

“salamba” = supported

“sarva” = all or whole

“anga” = limb or body

Whole Body Supported Posture

Also known as: Supported Shoulderstand

Heart of Pose

Inversion

Notes

Called the “Queen” or “Mother” of all asanas.
To avoid putting too much pressure on cervical vertebrae, Ardha Sarvangasana is a milder version where hips are aligned over elbows.

INTROSPECTION + THE MOTHER ARCHETYPE OF COMPASSION & NURTURANCE

Each posture affects your subtle energy differently. Shoulderstand represents the energies of the Mother archetype — compassionate, nurturing, benevolent — and focuses your gaze on yourself, as compared with Sirsasana (Headstand), for example, which has you face outward. Shoulderstand lets you be introspective. This is especially true for propped versions… Accepting support allows you to give up your ambition in the pose and take deep rest physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. – Judith Hanson Lasater

Effects / Benefits

Energy, Mood, Emotion

For a more complete look at this topic, see the effects of inversions in general.

Effects to energy, mood or emotion may include the following.

Soothes nervous system.
Relaxing.
Brings a sense of calm.
Also said to be energizing in a soothing, rejuvenating way with a “nurturing effect”.
Said to relieve fatigue.

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