Trish, those are good links for Sarvangasana (shoulderstand), though a beginner may not be able to do the pose the same way that the animated gif illustrates. I couldn't find any illustrations of the modified poses (there are options using a chair and also using a wall, with blankets under the shoulders). It's very important when learning the pose to keep the hands high on the ribcage, not the low back, and keep the body very straight. When you look up you should not be able to see any part of your leg past your knees (maybe the toes, but not the shin). The elbows should be tucked in toward the back of the body as shown, not sticking out to the sides. This requires some flexibility of the cervical and thoracic spine. Sarvangasana massages the thyroid and helps bring it to balance. It also is a good remedy for insomnia (especially when you also bring the feet to the floor behind your head in Halasana, or plough pose). If anyone's interested in a more complete description, email me privately and I'll get back to you. Maybe I can send a picture too. Precautions: It's not recommended that persons with thyroid imbalances or other medical conditions do this pose without a doctor's consent, also not without the guidance of a qualified yoga instructor. Inversions should never be practiced during menses. Namaste! Stacie who starts her Iyengar yoga teacher training apprenticeship this week! For inspiration or to learn more about Iyengar yoga see: http://www.bksiyengar.com/main.htm That's BKS Iyengar on the home page, at age 81! (don't try this at home!) _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com