The Magic of Handstanding
I love to handstand. Handstands are truly magical; they are expansive, fun, empowering, disruptive, scary, fun, terrifying, challenging and so much more. They build strength and stability in our arms, shoulders and upper torso. They literally turn our world upside down in a way that stimulates and regulates our nervous system, expands and tunes our senses, builds new neural pathways,and challenges our beliefs – our sense of who we are and what is truly possible for us.
Handstanding is truly transformational in a way that few other Yoga postures are. We are training our hands to become feet, we are returning ourselves to our childlike selves, as we learn once again to stand and hold ourselves in space…only this time upside down and on our hands!
It can be a humbling process to be taken back to the beginning, we are challenged to create structural integrity in the body – a process that feels a bit like learning to walk when we were children. It requires us to let go of perfection and just play, connecting with our inner childlike and playful selves to try and fail and try again, succeeding and then falling. Continually playing, calibrating and rewiring our brains, and slowly over time acquiring increasing levels of mastery as we become more and more comfortable with standing on our hands and holding ourselves upright, without falling, for longer and longer periods of time.
It’s a beautiful thing to teach and share this practice. To see our students challenge their fears and limiting beliefs.To see their surprise, joy and relief and sense of achievement as they conquer the impossible. And that is such an empowering thing! If the difficult or impossible can be achieved then what other difficult or impossible things are you capable of?
So yes, Handstanding is a magical and transformative thing, and as part of a Yoga practice it is so much more than gymnastics or acrobatics! It is certainly not just a practice for younger students – I am teaching students in their 60’s to handstand, sometimes for the first time (or at least since childhood), and my own handstanding practice continues to grow and develop as I move into my 60’s, too!
If you would like to learn more about handstands, arm balances and their energetic counterpart inversions; headstands then join us for a workshop on Saturday 14th February 2026 1-4pm at The Wellington Health and Wellbeing Centre, Hastings.
This workshop will be an in depth exploration with a focus on shoulder anatomy, correct techniques, as well as additional exercises to help you develop the balance, awareness, strength and stability to move your handstanding to a new level, wherever you are starting from. More info here!
This workshop is suitable for Yoga practitioners who have had a regular practice of 2 years or more, it is not suitable for beginners or new Yoga students. It is a small group workshop with only 12 spaces, so early booking is advised. We hope to see you there!
