The Mother of All Poses
BKS Iyengar and his daughter Geeta
Demonstrating Salamba Sarvangasana - Supported All Limbs Pose or Shoulder Stand
Today was Mother’s Day, and I found myself reflecting on the “mother” of all poses: Salamba Sarvangasana - Supported Shoulderstand.
In the early days of practice, we often gravitate toward the poses that come easily, the ones we feel we can “do well.” For me, that was Sarvangasana. I never struggled to roll up into it. I could hold the pose with relative ease, and it offered a sense of quiet and serenity. While I wrestled with Sirsasana, the king of asanas, Shoulderstand—she—came to me with a certain grace.
Over time, I’ve come to see how much there still is to uncover in this pose. Rather than feeling discouraged by that, I look forward to the process. There’s richness in what continues to unfold.
In my mind, B.K.S. Iyengar—my Guru and the father of Iyengar Yoga—will always be linked to Headstand. There is a masculine force, an intensity in that pose, and in him. Geeta Iyengar, embodied the essence of the mother. And for me, Shoulderstand evokes her.
When asked what single pose she would choose if she could only practice one on a given day, her answer was clear: Salamba Sarvangasana.
The last time I studied with her, she instructed us to use far more height under our shoulders than I had ever used before. The result was transformative. I felt impossibly elevated—light enough to be unnerving. That day after many years of practice I had such a new sense of the pose. An “aha moment”.
In Light on Yoga, B.K.S. Iyengar writes:
“The importance of Sarvangasana cannot be over-emphasized. It is one of the greatest boons conferred on humanity by our ancient sages. It is called the ‘Mother of Asanas.’ As a mother strives for harmony and happiness in the home, so this asana strives for the harmony and happiness of the human system.” (Light on Yoga, p. 210)
The analogy is not just poetic—it’s deeply accurate.
Shoulder stand embodies the paradox of motherhood: it is nurturing, calming, and supportive, but also uncompromising and exacting. Think of a mother cat defending her kitten, or a monkey calmly enduring her baby’s rough play—until it goes too far. Then, the firm hand emerges.
So it is with Sarvangasana. The pose demands more than flexible shoulders—it asks for strength in the legs, the spine, the abdomen. It asks for steadiness in your whole being. It offers profound restoration, but only through devoted, consistent practice.
In times of stress, Shoulderstand holds you. In times of depletion, it nourishes you. It is a place of refuge and renewal. The mother, found through practice.
For some simple instructions check my tutorials on shoulder stand for beginners here and more inversions here. I explain the basic alignment, the props and Geetaji’s specific way to introduce beginners to Sarvangasana. I practice and teach it all the time, it is hard but it works!
I’d love to hear how Sarvangasana feels for you. Do you find comfort in it, challenge, or both? Let me know in the comments—I always enjoy hearing how the practice lands in your body and life.
It is extremely important to learn inversions under the direct guidance of an experienced teacher.