Shoulderstand
Shoulderstand or salamba sarvangasana is the queen of the yoga poses. Along with headstand which is the king, they are royalty. These two poses, if you can do nothing else during a day, are said to be the most beneficial. The blood bath that the thyroid and parathyroid receive is said to be extremely healing to the human body. Long term I believe this is why many yogis live long lives, regulating the endocrine system is no small feat.
Make sure to use the mats or blankets and go slow. This small steady platform will take pressure off of the neck and allow the spine to lift up into a true inversion. If anything feels off, uncomfortable or strained come out. Yoga is not a rush but a lifetime pursuit. Go with standing poses, wait for your strength and flexibility to grow then return. I’ve done this in my practice with both headstand and shoulderstand.
These poses are more advanced but I’ve covered them first to stress their importance. Standing poses will be next in the series.