Practice Inversions, Some Amount of Time, Most Days

Posted on March 28, 2026 by Karen Allgire

As I continue my recovery from a major surgery, I have been thinking about how important and precious the inverted poses are in my yoga practice. In Iyengar Yoga, inversions are emphasized because of their profound physiological effects, and their benefits to our mental and emotional state. Sirsasana (Head Balance)and Sarvangasana (Shoulder Balance) are considered the cornerstones poses of our practice, king and queen of all the asanas.

Knowing the importance of the “topsy turvy” poses from my studies, it was frustrating that my own experience of these poses was full of difficulty. I had trouble holding the poses. I had frequent neck and shoulder injuries. I did not feel particularly good during or after these poses that were supposed to be like medicine. Although I did not enjoy the inversions, I did keep practicing them, even if only for a few minutes.

I learned that much of my difficulty stemmed from the stiffness of my shoulders and upper back, so I worked on all the Hast Mudra (Arm Actions) and  Purva Pratana Sthiti (Backward Extensions) that would give me the needed mobility and strength to do the inversions with good alignment and correct actions.

While I never became a practitioner who could hold long inversions with ease, these poses improved gradually over time, and I grew to appreciate how they make me feel. As I rebuild my yoga practice post-surgery, it is a real joy to be able to do those poses again. I have a fresh appreciation for their place in my practice and how they make me feel.

I started with Adho Mukha  Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose) which is a semi-inversion, and also prepares the arms and shoulders for other inversions like Adho Mukha  Vrksasana (Hand Stand), Pinca Mayurasana (Forearm Stand) and Sirsasana (Head Balance). Once my dog pose became stable, I knew I was ready to try a handstand. After another week or so, it was time to go further.

My first Sirsasana was short but sweet! I did not realize how much I had missed this wonderful pose. I was then able to do Sarvangasana with the support of the chair. Afterwards, I felt joyful and calm. I realized how the inversions help improve my mood and reduce anxiety. It is one thing to read about these effects in a book, and quite another to experience them directly.

Now that I can again do all the classic inversions, I am striving to build up my timing, so as to receive the deeper benefits that come from longer holds in the poses. Some of those benefits include improved circulation, hormonal balance, improved digestion, toning and soothing the nervous system, mental clarity, and emotional tranquility. (For more details about the powerful effects of inversions, I refer you to Light on Yoga by BKS Iyengar and Yoga: A Gem for Women by Geeta Iyenger.) To give you a taste, here is a wonderful quote from Yoga in Action: A Preliminary Course by Geeta Iyengar:

“These asanas work on the respiratory, circulatory, nervous and glandular systems. They change the very personality and the mental attitude of a person for the better, so that one’s mind gravitates towards purity. These asanas help one to strengthen will power, improve memory, increase intellectual capacity and bring emotional stability, provided they are regularly practiced.”

I am so happy to be able to do these poses again! It has inspired me to even further encourage and persuade my students to practice them regularly. If the classic versions can’t be done, or have not been learned yet, there are many options. Some versions of Sirsasana can be done on two chairs, on stacked blocks, on a “headstander” prop or on yoga ropes. Sarvangasana can be done with the support of a chair. Almost all practitioners can do Viparita Karani (Reversed Practice), in which the pelvis is supported on a bolster and the straight legs rest up the wall.

Of course there are times when the inversions should not be done. Students should avoid practicing inversions if they have high blood pressure, problems of the eyes or ears, heart disease, dizziness or nausea, or during menses.

Otherwise, inversions should be done daily. Students should be sure to get good instruction from a qualified teacher to help build up a proper foundation for the inversions. Then a practitioner can experience the healing properties of these wonderful poses for themselves.

I was thinking of the phrase made famous by the author Michael Pollan. To encourage healthy eating, he wrote that we should:

“Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”

So my new catch phrase for my students (and myself!) is

“Do inversions. Most days. Some amount of time.”

Namaste,
Karen

To study Iyengar Yoga with (and inversions!) with Karen and the other Certified Iyengar Yoga Teachers at Green Tara Yoga, visit our web site at www.greentarayoga.com

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 Asanas as Friends

Posted on March 14, 2026 by Karen Allgire

As I gradually rebuild my asana practice, I have been thinking about how each pose has a kind of character or being that makes doing the pose feel like visiting a friend. As I explore more possibilities, I feel a fresh appreciation for the gifts of each asana.

When you have a close friend, but have not seen them in a long time, there is a beautiful joy in the moment of reuniting. I am experiencing that joy when trying a pose and finding that I can visit that good friend once again. Maybe with some props, maybe a modified version, but still, the pose welcomes me.

This process is highlighting the intrinsic character and the distinctive features of each pose. Not just their shapes, but the way they affect my breath, my mind, my mood and my innermost being. The way they speak to me. About two weeks into my convalescence, I was able to do chair Sarvangasana (Shoulder Balance). What a joy! Returning to this good friend helped me understand more deeply its gifts – nourishment, contentment, tranquility, inner spaciousness. A couple weeks later, I was able to try Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana (Two Legged Reversed Staff Pose) through the chair, and got to tase its unique flavor – openness, buoyancy, optimism, expansive energy.

Revisiting poses and reacquainting myself with their actions and effects has given me a refreshed appreciation of the power of asana practice, and the importance of working in all the categories of poses. Standing poses, seated poses, twists, forward extensions, back extensions, inversions, abdominal/lumber poses, and restorative poses all have a place in our practice. Each pose, like each friend, has its individual ways of educating, culturing and informing us, drawing us toward a state of balance and wholeness.

My efforts to rehabilitate my surgical leg continue. Knee flexion has improved, but my leg still feels quite rigid. I have been swimming, walking, practicing yoga and receiving massage. Physical therapy will begin soon. I am doing my best to remain patient and to appreciate subtle changes. One section of BKS Iyengar’s Light on Life is titled Always Be Happy with the Smallest Improvement, so I am trying to keep those words of wisdom in my heart.

At my post op appointment in early March, I received some tremendously good news. One effect of this surgery is that even the non-treated lower left leg and the non-treated right limb benefit, as the whole lymphatic system is being regenerated. My lower leg, which was not treated, is already responding so well to the surgical intervention that Dr. Chen feels it is not necessary to do the liposuction procedure on the lower leg. The lower leg treatment is even more painful and difficult than the upper leg, so it is a huge and unexpected relief that I do not need to do it.

Instead in the fall, we can go on to the super microsurgery called LNVA (Lymph Node to Vein Anastomosis.) In this procedure, the doctor will use 40 times magnification and a suture 8 times finer than a human hair to connect lymph nodes to veins in the groin. The result is that the veinous return of blood to the heart helps the lymph fluid to move as well. This surgery is much less invasive and painful than the one I just had and should result in an even deeper benefit to the lymphatic system.

Over time, I look forward to returning to my full yoga practice, and to regaining my ability to hike, travel, attend concerts, and other activities that have been curtailed by lymphedema.

The journey continues! My love and appreciation of yoga continues to grow, along with my love and appreciation of you, my companions on the path.

With love and thanks,
Karen

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Intention and Attention

Posted on February 20, 2026 by Karen Allgire

Thank you for the flowers, food, cards, and messages. I appreciate your care and support!

As I prepare to start teaching again next week, I’ve been thinking about how I respond when life does not meet my expectations. Disappointment, frustration, rethinking. Breathing, resetting, and settling into what is. I will be returning to the studio with much healing and recovery still ahead of me. This requires acceptance, humbleness, and patience.

My leg is very stiff, sore, and numb. It sounds odd to say that it is sore and numb at the same time – the muscles are sore and the skin is numb. I can only bend my knee 90°. This is partly because I’ve been wearing compression bandages 24/7, which hold my knee in a straight position, and because the knee still has significant swelling. I am confident that my knee mobility will come back, but it will take time.

Even with these limitations, I know from experience that I can still provide my students with a positive learning experience. Making the needed physical adjustments while teaching seems doable. My greater challenge is more mental and emotional – to let go of my expectation of where I thought I would be and make peace with where I am.

My current situation has led me to reflect upon the paradox of dreaming big while also having realistic expectations. The amazing yoga teacher Mary Dunn used to say that we could hold more than one truth at the same time. So, when I say dream big, it means that I can visualize, imagine, and feel myself returning to full vibrant health and radiant well-being. And at the same time, realistic expectations tell me that this recovery is a process that I cannot rush, and that my body will take whatever amount of time it needs to heal.

My intention is to heal, but to optimize that process, my attention must be in the present.

Both dreams and expectations are focused on the future. The principle of intention places some emphasis on the future. We set a goal. We choose strategies. We chart a course. Whereas attention is completely in this moment. Intention focuses on what we want to do. Attention focuses on what we are doing. Intention focuses on what we plan. Attention focuses on how things are now.

While abiding in the timeless present is one of the most fundamental teachings of yoga, I’ve had to return to this foundational principle repeatedly over the last month to ground myself and keep my mind steady and calm. It means not worrying about how long healing will take or when I will be able to do a certain pose again. I instead choose to focus on what I need to do right now. What is a healing activity or thought right now? What is skillful action right now? What does letting go feel like right now?

It is clearer than ever that the two great pillars of yoga – abhyasa (practice) and vairagya (detachment) absolutely must function together for me to maintain my physical health, mental clarity and emotional serenity.

I want to give my students some idea of what to expect next week. For at least the first part of the week, I will still be wearing compression bandages, so the shape of my ankle, knee, thigh and pelvis may look odd. There is now a significant size difference between my two thighs. The surgical thigh is quite small. It is likely that the thighs will even out to some degree over time, but that could take up to a year. The surgical thigh will regain some muscle and fat, and the non-surgical thigh may lose some of its excess lymphatic fluid due to the jumpstart to the whole lymphatic system. I am working to accept this difference in appearance and to remain grateful for the improved health and function of my lymphatic system.

I will see the doctor again on March 4, so I will continue to be conservative with my yoga practice until I’m cleared for more vigorous activity. There are some poses I will be able to demonstrate and others that I will ask students to show. I will organize my classes so that I can spend at least 50% of the time sitting with my leg elevated.

I want to again express my deep gratitude for all the love and support I’ve received. It is so deeply touching. I thank you from the bottom of my heart! I will be happy to see you at the studio.

With love and appreciation,
Karen

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Equanimity

Posted on February 13, 2026 by Karen Allgire

In chapter 2 of the Bhagavad Gita, one of our most important yoga texts, we are instructed to perform our duty, or righteous action, with samatvam (equanimity), while letting go of attachment to success or failure. As I rest on my couch for 50 minutes out of every hour, I am reminded of the importance of this teaching.

While I am doing my best to be patient, my mind is often drawn to the future, and my attachment to regaining my strength and mobility as soon as possible. Yet it is clear to me that when I think this way, it brings a sense of dejection and sadness. Wondering when I will be able to return to full activity, I become anxious.

When I stay in the present, I am much more tranquil and content. So I follow doctor’s orders, allow myself to rest and heal, and enjoy the variety of activities available to me at this time. Then I am much more at peace.

Each day now has a bit of a rhythm. A session of pranayama upon waking. Back to bed for green tea and New York Times puzzles. An hour later, ten minutes of gentle yoga, and then back to bed for a chai. The rest of the day consists of “in bed” activities – reading, games, watching the Olympics, YouTube scrolling, alternated with my 10 minutes of “out of bed” activities – walking, yoga, and piano practice. I am enjoying healthy and nourishing meals provided by my friends and husband. I am being fully supported to do what I am supposed to be doing – to rest and to heal.

For the first two weeks, resting was easier because I was so exhausted. But as I feel better and have a little more energy, it has become harder to stay in bed. But it is necessary, and so I must surrender to it. Progress seems excruciatingly slow. My leg is stiff and sore, yet it does feel incrementally better.

Based on how I’m feeling now and some research, I realize that this recovery is going to take longer than I anticipated. I’m doing my best to come to terms with that. My challenge now is to remain in a state of equanimity, releasing attachment to success.

What is this success I am so attached to? Getting better more quickly, of course! Could I not redefine success as my ability to surrender to this moment as it is? But my egoic mind wants to define success as healing faster and better than any patient ever has in the history of lymphedema surgery! Recognizing this tendency does help. I return to the now and let go.

I am deeply touched by the kindness of my friends and students at this time. Thank you for your cards, flowers, food, emails, texts, and responses to this blog. Even if I have not heard from you, I know that many of you are praying for me and holding me in your hearts.

With love and thanks,
Karen

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