"These are the things I always go through with a new student before we begin practicing together."
General Safety
- Listen to the body, never push through pain. Discomfort is fine; sharp pain is information — stop.
- Stop immediately if you feel: dizziness, sharp pain, numbness, racing heart, breathlessness, or vision changes. Tell Janki.
- Practice on an empty stomach — at least 2–3 hours after a meal, ideally morning.
- Empty bladder before starting.
- Practice space: non-slip mat, clear space, wall access for inversion prep, comfortable temperature.
- Tell Janki up front about any medical conditions, medications, recent injuries or surgeries, pregnancy, or chronic pain.
- Tell Janki between sessions if any new pain or condition emerges. Pause practice if uncertain.
Inversion Contraindications
These conditions are contraindicated for shirshasan (headstand) and sarvangasan (shoulder stand):
- High or uncontrolled blood pressure
- Glaucoma or detached retina
- Neck / cervical spine injury
- Recent eye, ear, or dental surgery
- Vertigo
- Heart disease
- Untreated migraines
Also: Skip inversions during menstruation and pregnancy.
If any of these apply: The practice can still be done with substitutions — typically setu bandhasan (bridge) and dolphin pose in place of inversions.
At-the-End Script
"Before we begin: have any of these conditions ever applied to you, or do any apply now? Please be candid — if anything's relevant, we'll adjust the practice to keep you safe."
Note any disclosures in your teacher's notebook before the first session.