– Bhāvana on the relationship between the Viśuddhi Sthāna and Jālandhara Bandha…
“A common escape when using Dvi Pāda Pīṭham is the neck arching rather than lengthening, resulting in the lifting of the head as if to compensate for the increased sense of the neck compressing.
Hence a key Bhāvana here is the deepening of the Jālandhara Bandha whilst working with the potential dissipation that can arise through the simultaneous lifting of the arms.
This escape is something that is also further exaggerated when raising the arms at the same time as lifting the hips, due to the increasingly upward force from the hips pushing down onto the shoulders, also increasingly unstable due to the lifting of the arms.
We can explore this escape by holding a Bhāvana on the relationship between the Viśuddhi Sthāna and Jālandhara Bandha through choosing an alternative Vinyāsa Krama in Dvi Pāda Pīṭham. One suggestion here is to investigate the interaction between the arms and trunk via the breath as shown in the illustration above.
The intention here is to maintain a gradual lengthening in the neck whilst resisting the tendency for the shoulders to as if skateboard on the scapula and increase the distance between the head and the feet. Here also an active role for the arms and shoulders is suggested at all points especially when they are not being lifted.
Perhaps experiment with repeating this alternate suggestion for a  Vinyāsa Krama in Dvi Pāda Pīṭham some 6 times whilst maintaining a breath pattern of around 4 breaths per minute. The entire sequence taking some six minutes to explore.”
– 108 Postural Practice Pointers

“Supta Pādāṅguṣṭhāsana is a lying and apparently
relatively simple Āsana in its external form.
It is described as the fingers and thumbs holding the
big toes of each foot, with the legs extended straight
and held upwards at an angle of 45 degrees with the
spine and head fully in contact with the ground.
In reality, this is literally beyond the reach of most students.
Though, given consistent time and appropriate development
in accessing this Āsana, there is the possibility of deep work.
This is initially felt primarily through the effect on the legs,
Though, given time the primary effect is felt more in the spine.
As a Samāna Āsana, an equal breath would be emphasised with
a Samavṛtti ratio, perhaps incorporating the use of Kumbhaka.
The focus of attention is on the spine, from crown to coccyx,
and is accessed via the breath, which can help support the
student’s effort within the external demands of the Āsana,
such as that more often found within the tightness in the legs.”
– 108 Postural Practice Pointers

“Sarvāṅgāsana is the Āsana commonly known as
shoulder stand. It is seen as one of the so called
“classical” inverted Āsana, the other “classical”
inverted Āsana being Śīrṣāsana, or head stand.
This Āsana draws together a firmness in the
body, with the subtler purpose of the breath,
with a sense of inner attention for the student.
For this triad to be realised, certain steps need
to be respected with regards to a rationale for
the application of Sarvāṅgāsana, along with
appropriate choices in long-term and short-term
preparation for its use, incorporating appropriate
use of Pratikriyāsana, and cultivation of an
increasing length of stay in the Āsana.
For adults, the most important link whilst in
the Āsana is the relationship with the breath.
Cultivating the power of the breath can also help
in keeping the practitioner attentive to the possible
bio-stresses accumulating from staying in the Āsana.”
– 108 Postural Practice Pointers

“Janu Śīrṣāsana, known as the head to knee Āsana,
combines the qualities of a seated forward bend with
those of an asymmetrical pose, in that it works first,
on one side of the body more, then on the other side.
In this Āsana, the physical focus is on the lengthening
of the muscles of the back, spine and the extended leg,
and the rotational effects on the joints in the folded leg.
Plus, with its seated forward bend Bhāvana, there is
a natural support favouring the exhalation, offering
opportunities to both lengthen and deepen the breath.
This support, along with its  internalising and closing
qualities, offers possibilities for the student to focus on
the quality of the attention within the form of the body.
Thus, using Janu Śīrṣāsana with its seated forward bend
Bhāvana, and when linked with a mindful breath, can help
the student to experience the deeper function of the Āsana,
even if there are limitations with regard to its Śikṣaṇa form.”
– 108 Postural Practice Pointers

– The element of compromise in the body
“Working with safety factors brings
in another factor to consider.
This is the element of compromise in the body.
This is often something you don’t see.
For example, an involuntary movement
of the head in Sarvāṅgāsana.”
– 108 Yoga Planning Pointers
– The Viniyoga of Planning Principles Guidelines – Collected & Collated