POSE OF THE MONTH: Viparita Karani (Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose) written by Chrisandra Fox. Photo by Faern. model: tara dale
Commonly known as “legs up the wall”, the supported version of Viparita Karani Mudra (inverted action seal, inverted lake seal, whole body gesture) is a beautiful restorative pose that has been aptly adapted from its traditional form to offer relaxation and restoration in modern life.
After a long day of work, it feels natural to want to put your feet up and rest the body and mind from the concerns of the world.
Yoga teaches us how to rejuvenate even more effectively, by consciously integrating body, mind and Spirit. When practiced with props and held for some time, Viparita Karani can remove physical and mental fatigue, soothe the nervous system, and integrate the mind, body, and Spirit within one�s own awareness.
The nature of an inversion is to �invert� or reverse the position of the internal organs in the body to increase blood flow and improve their function. Inversions also work on our mental outlook, as we literally turn our world upside-down. Legs-up-the-wall is a long-held passive inversion that benefits all the organs, and revitalizes the mind.
This pose works on anxiety, headaches, blood pressure, digestion, depression, and menstrual irregularities, among other ailments.
A Little History. . .
In The Hatha Yoga Pradipika, the unsupported version of Viparita Karani is referred to as the �reversing attitude� seal. It resembles shoulderstand, and is described in the following way:
That nectar which flows from the moon has the quality of endowing enlightenment, but it is completely consumed by the sun, incurring old age. HYP 3.77
There is a wonderful means by which the nectar is averted from falling into the opening of the sun. This is obtained by the guru�s instructions and not from the hundreds of shastras (treatises). HYP 3.78
With the navel region above and the palate below, the sun is above and the moon below. It is called vipareeta karani, the reversing process. When given by the guru�s instructions, it is fruitful. HYP 3.79
The nectar oozes from a point in the brain — symbolizing the moon, and consciousness. The nectar falls into the navel region — which refers to the sun, and prana.
Viparita Karani Mudra belongs to the family of �fountain of youth� poses that are said to annihilate death and disease. By reversing the action of the downward flow of this nectar and assimilating it into the body, one is said to rejuvenate and preserve the cellular tissues, thereby slowing down the aging process. The yogi�s aim was to extend one�s life in order to achieve liberation (which takes time), and to enjoy the liberation for a long time once it has been realized.
By going upside down, we can also reverse the effects of divided consciousness or having a scattered mind � a state that many of us experience every day as our prana (life energy) and mental energy flows out through our senses toward whatever happens to be stimulating us in the moment.
A steady practice of Viparita Karani at the wall can help you to strengthen your outer practice of physical restoration and stillness, �reverse� the flow of the fluids in the body and increase blood flow and circulation, which can lead to greater physical health and well-being. This can strengthen your inner practices of �undoing� that lead to your balanced state of mind.
You will need a wall, a bolster or several blankets. You may also have a block, a strap and sandbag. Avoid this pose if you have serious eye problems, such as glaucoma.
The Pose
Place the bolster or 3-4 neatly folded blankets length-wise at the wall. Leave 4-6 inches from the wall for the flesh of your buttocks.
Sit in the center of the bolster, with one hip facing the wall. Place your hands on the floor behind you. Press into your hands and swing your legs up the wall. Rotate your torso so you are facing the wall. Bend your knees, press into your hands, and push your buttocks closer to the wall.
Bend your elbows and ease your shoulders to the floor. If your buttocks have moved away from the wall, bend your knees, rest your feet at the wall, and press into your hands to lift your hips and move your buttocks closer to the wall.
Once you have contact with the wall, tuck the shoulder blades down your back, rest your head on the floor and straighten your legs.
As simple as the pose seems, there are a number of variables to consider. We are looking for a slight backbend of the spine without overstretching the abdomen. The frontal hip points are parallel with your lower front ribs, supporting the arch of your low back. Your abdomen is soft, and as you rest in the pose, becomes deep, like a well. The chest is slightly lifted, to create a sense of spaciousness and openness.
You can check your alignment in the posture first by looking at your legs and feet. Reach actively through the soles of your feet and press your heels against the wall so that the backs of your legs are stretched. Feel for a sense of grounding as you press the heads of your thighbones against the wall. You can deepen this sensation by placing the heels of your hands on your upper thighs, close to where the thigh and pelvis meet, and pressing firmly towards the wall. Keep the pressure steady as you breathe and allow for a sense of length in your low belly.
An option is to loop a strap around your legs once you�ve gotten into the pose. Place the strap across your lower thighs, just above your knee, and tighten it just enough to keep your legs in the shape of Tadasana (Mountain Pose).
Keep the buckle of the strap off your skin so that you minimize the potential distraction of that sensation as you deepen into your pose of relaxation.
For extra grounding, place a sandbag on your feet. Have a friend place the sandbag evenly across your feet, or bend your knees into your chest. Place the sandbag into the soles of your feet and straighten your legs. Allow the weight of the sandbag to help ground your thighs.
Rest your arms out to your sides, up alongside your head, or with hands resting on your belly. If your neck feels over- stretched, place a blanket beneath your shoulders, so that the curve in your neck is supported, while your head rests on the floor.
Release the effort in your legs, without losing their shape. Bring your attention to the downward flow of energy from the soles of your feet through your legs, into your abdomen, and toward your head. Feel for the sense of grounding in the pose, with the radiant expanse of energy from your heart through your arms to the hands.
Become aware of your process of surrender to the shape of the pose, and witness as your breath deepens and expands into that shape. Can you surrender to the undoing, the letting go and the reversing of the normal activities of your body?
Feel your energy collect in the vital region of your body and follow that warmth all the way to your third eye point in the head, softening your eyes, ears, mouth, and brain. Feel the coolness across your brain, in your eyes. Allow your entire being to bathe in this flow of energy in your body and become fully restored � mind, body, and spirit.
Stay for 3-5 minutes, gradually building up to a longer session of 20-30 minutes maximum. When you are ready to come out, unlock the buckle of the strap, bend your knees toward your chest and slide the sandbag down the wall. Remove the sandbag, place your feet against the wall and slide off the bolster and away from the wall so that your back is on the floor. You can rest for a few minutes with the soles of your feet pressed against one another (Supta Baddha Konasana) and your legs resting on the bolster.
Roll to your right side before you get up to greet the world from your renewed perspective of peace and calm.
Chrisandra Fox teaches Viparita Karani in all its forms and other mudras in weekly classes at Yoga Tree. Click here for her schedule. She leads The Heart of Renewal Retreats in California and throughout the world.
Model: Tara Dale
Photography by Faernworks, Faernworks.com
also posted at : http://connectedefforts.wordpress.com/2010/06/05/pose-of-the-month-viparita-karani-legs-up-the-wall-pose/
