What is Viparita Karani or Legs up the wall pose?
Viparita – Inverted; Karani – Doing
Tiring day at the office? Or need relaxation after a long run? We know what you need! It’s Viparita Karani. It will refresh your tired legs and calm your mind.
Although this pose has the word ‘wall’ in it, you can perform it anywhere that you can prop up your legs.
With this small introduction, let us move on to the steps involved in this asana.
Instructions
Here is how you can practice this pose in your everyday yoga routine.
- Sit on the floor facing a wall. Lower your shoulders and head to the floor, lying on your side.
- Now, simply roll onto your back and stretch your legs up the wall.
- Without touching the wall, adjust your position by scooting the tailbone towards it.
- Pick a comfortable position for your arms. Relax your legs against the wall.
It’s time to release all the effort. Settle into the pose and breathe for 10 minutes or more. - To release, bend your knees and roll to your side.
Great, you just took a refresh booster.
You can also find the detailed instructions in the following video made by Yog4Lyf Yoga Instructor, Mr Harsh:
Benefits
Bravo! You have learned to refresh yourself after a tiring day. Here are some other benefits associated with Viparita Karani:
- Legs Up the Wall Pose is calming and relaxing.
- It relieves a mild backache
- Do this yoga before sleep to lower the mood swings felt during PMS.
- It helps to increase circulation and elevate the venous drainage
- It helps to promote balance throughout the systems of the entire body.
- Relieves knee pain by taking weight off the knees
- It also alleviates headaches
This pose is also beneficial for people suffering from metabolic syndrome, restless leg syndrome, venous disease (varicose vein), fibromyalgia such as chronic pain, hot flashes, etc.
Contraindication
Heya folks, we know this is a relaxing pose to perform, here are some of the precautions to take:
- Avoid this asana if you have severe eye problems like glaucoma.
- Do not perform the Viparita Karani yoga poses for sleep during menstruation since it involves mild inversion
- Avoid in case of high blood pressure
- People with Hernia should avoid this pose
Conclusion
If you are a newbie, you might find it hard to get the alignment right in this pose. However, practice makes a wo(man) perfect!
PS: You can do it!
Share with your friends and family to encourage them into doing a healthy task.
Happy Yogaing!
