Viparita Karani (Legs up the Wall Pose)
Viparita Karani (Legs up the Wall Pose) is a gentle, restorative inversion. In this Yoga pose, your head is lower than your heart and this lets your heart work less, as blood from your legs is easily directed towards it.
Viparita Karani is an excellent way to avail of all the numerous benefits of a restorative inversion. As your legs drain and your belly softens, so also your mind empties. In fact, many people, for whom restorative Yoga is prescribed, their sessions may well consist of only this Yoga pose. Many modern day Yogis agree that this Yoga pose has the power to cure whatever ails you, by reversing the normal downward flow of a very subtle, highly precious fluid called amrita (nectar) lying unconsciously dormant in the body. Feel free to take the support of one or two thickly folded Yoga blankets or a firm round Yoga bolster.
How to do Viparita Karani Yoga Pose
1. To start, sit with your feet pointing to a wall about 5 to 6 inches away from it. Your head and shoulders should rest lightly down on the folded Yoga blanket. With a deep exhalation, in one smooth movement, swing your legs up and back then bring them to rest on the wall and place your palms below your hips, supporting them, elbows and upper arms on the mat. The first few times you try this, you just might, embarrassingly, slide off and plop down onto the mat. Don’t let this discourage you. Keep trying; either lower your head support or move it further off the wall, a little, till you gain some fluidity with the movement, then move closer to the wall.
2. Your sit bones shouldn’t touch the wall. Rather, they should be “sinking” down into the gap between the wall and your mat. The front of your torso should gently arch from your pubis to the top of your shoulders. Now, bend both knees, push your feet into the wall and raise your pelvis a couple inches.
3. Raise your sternum toward your chin, rather than push your chin against the sternum. Open up your shoulder blades and widen them away from your spine. Your legs should be relatively firm, just about enough to keep them vertically in place. Soften your eyes and drop them to look down into your heart.
4. Hold the pose for 5 – 15 minutes. When exiting the pose, do not to twist off your support. Rather, push back and slide your legs and feet onto the mat then turn to one side. Alternately, you may bend your knees and push both feet into the wall to raise your arms off the mat. Then slide the Yoga blanket away with one hand, lower your pelvis to the mat and turn to one side. Rest on that side for a couple breaths then exhale and come up into a sitting position.
Benefits of Viparita Karani Yoga Pose
- Relieves cramped or tired feet and legs
- Gently stretches your front torso, back legs and back of the neck
- Calms the brain and helps relieve mild backache
Viparita Karani Yoga Pose Contraindications
- Serious eye problems, such as glaucoma.
- In case of back or neck problems only do the pose under the supervision of an experienced Yoga instructor.
- If your feet start to tingle during the pose, bend your knees, touch both soles together, and slide the outer edges of the feet down the wall, taking your heels nearer your pelvis.
- Many Yoga instructors maintain that Viparita Karani, being an inversion, should not be done during menstruation. Yet others say the pose is okay even during menses. So, at such times, please consult your Yoga instructor.
