Viparita Karani - Legs up the wall or Inverted Lake Pose

This restorative asana is fantastic after a long day on your feet, refreshing tired legs and allieviating exhaustion and low mood. It is also a valuable pose for preventing varicose veins.

Benefits

• Regulates blood pressure
• Helps to treat ear and eye ailments
• Can alleviate stress-related headaches and migraines
• Relieves palpitation, breathlessness, asthma, bronchitis and throat ailments
• Alleviates arthritis and cervical spondylosis
• Relieves indigestion, diarrhea and nausea
• Helps to treat kidney disorders
• Soothes tired legs and prevents varicose veins
• Alleviates nervous exhaustion, boosts confidence and reduces depression

Cautions

• Do not practice during menstruation
• Make sure that the neck and shoulders rest firmly on the floor

Instructions - for Viparita Karani against the wall

Place two bolsters, 3 folded blankets or 3-4 pillows on top of each other about 5cms from the wall.

Sit sideways in the middle of the bolsters with your fingers flat on the floor behind you
Turn your torso toward the wall, simultaneously lifting your legs one by one onto the wall; knees bent and body supported on the palms.

Press down on the palms to move the buttocks all the way to the wall, there is a gap between the bolster and the wall so the tailbone moves down slightly toward the floor.
Lower your torso until your head and shoulders rest on the floor. Straighten your legs fully. If the buttocks have moved away from the wall , press your palms to the floor, lift your hips, and move the buttocks closer to the wall. Straighten your legs again.

Rest the head and neck on the floor and lift your chest. Spread your arms out to the sides, palms facing the ceiling. Close your eyes, breathe evenly and experience the serenity of the pose.

The name of this asana means “inverted lake” in Sanskrit, and is based on the belief that blood and hormones circulate better through the body when it is inverted. The abdomen flat and sinking back to the spine in this position is also referred to as the lake of your body.

Relish the feeling of refreshment brought to tired legs, swollen feet and busy minds at the end of a day with the practice of this asana.

*** East Coast Iyengar is based on the beautiful Mid North Coast of NSW – run by Suzanne Fraser, Gretchen and Waratah Highfield, across three beautiful venues, each week throughout the school term.  They also run a Saturday intensive once a month from Suzanne’s home in Yarrahappini. ***