Viparita Karani (Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose)

Said to reverse the normal downward flow of a precious subtle fluid
called amrita (immortal) or soma (extract) in the Hatha Yoga
Pradipika, modern yogis agree that Viparita Karani may have the
power to cure whatever ails you.

(vip-par-ee-tah car-AHN-ee)

viparita = turned around, reversed, inverted
karani = doing, making, action

Benefits

Relieves tired or cramped legs and feet
Gently stretches the back legs, front torso, and the back of the
neck
Relieves mild backache
Calms the mind

Contraindications

Many teachers maintain that Viparita Karani is an inversion, and as
such should be avoided during menstruation. Others though recommend
the pose even during menstruation. Check with your teacher before
performing this pose during menstruation. As with any inversion
Viparita Karani should be avoided if you have serious eye problems,
such as glaucoma. With serious neck or back problems only perform
this pose with the supervision of an experienced teacher. If your
feet begin to tingle during this pose, bend your knees, touch your
soles together, and slide the outer edges of your feet down the
wall, bringing your heels close to your pelvis.

Step by Step

The pose described here is a passive, supported variation of the
Shoulderstand-like Viparita Karani. For your support you'll need one
or two thickly folded blankets or a firm round bolster. You'll also
need to rest your legs vertically (or nearly so) on a wall or other
upright support.
Before performing the pose, determine two things about your support:
its height and its distance from the wall. If you're stiffer, the
support should be lower and placed farther from the wall; if you're
more flexible, use a higher support that is closer to the wall. Your
distance from the wall also depends on your height: if you're
shorter move closer to the wall, if taller move farther from the
wall. Experiment with the position of your support until you find
the placement that works for you.
Start with your support about 5 to 6 inches away from the wall. Sit
sideways on right end of the support, with your right side against
the wall (left-handers can substitute "left" for "right" in these
instructions). Exhale and, with one smooth movement, swing your legs
up onto the wall and your shoulders and head lightly down onto the
floor. The first few times you do this, you may ignominiously slide
off the support and plop down with your buttocks on the floor. Don't
get discouraged. Try lowering the support and/or moving it slightly
further off the wall until you gain some facility with this
movement, then move back closer to the wall.
Your sitting bones don't need to be right against the wall, but they
should be "dripping" down into the space between the support and the
wall. Check that the front of your torso gently arches from the
pubis to the top of the shoulders. If the front of your torso seems
flat, then you've probably slipped a bit off the support. Bend your
knees, press your feet into the wall and lift your pelvis off the
support a few inches, tuck the support a little higher up under your
pelvis, then lower your pelvis onto the support again.
Lift and release the base of your skull away from the back of your
neck and soften your throat. Don't push your chin against your
sternum; instead let your sternum lift toward the chin. Take a small
roll (made from a towel for example) under your neck if the cervical
spine feels flat. Open your shoulder blades away from the spine and
release your hands and arms out to your sides, palms up.
Keep your legs relatively firm, just enough to hold them vertically
in place. Release the heads of the thigh bones and the weight of
your belly deeply into your torso, toward the back of the pelvis.
Soften your eyes and turn them down to look into your heart.
Stay in this pose anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes. Be sure not to
twist off the support when coming out. Instead, slide off the
support onto the floor before turning to the side. You can also bend
your knees and push your feet against the wall to lift your pelvis
off the support. Then slide the support to one side, lower your
pelvis to the floor, and turn to the side. Stay on your side for a
few breaths, and come up to sitting with an exhalation.

Anatomical Focus

Legs
Abdomen
Chest
Neck

Therapeutic Applications

Gheranda heaps praise on this pose (though that he's probably
talking about a version more akin Headstand) and states that
Viparita Karani "destroys" old age and death. "You will become an
Adept in all the worlds and will not perish even at world
dissolution (pralaya)" (Gheranda Samhita 3.36).
Svatmarama (who's probably got something more like shoulderstand in
mind) claims that after six months of practice, "grey hairs and
wrinkles become inconspicuous" (Hatha Yoga Pradipika 3.82). We
should take these traditional benefits with a pinch of salt. Modern
teachers do, however, believe that Viparita Karani is good for most
everything that ails you, including:

Anxiety
Arthritis
Digestive problems
Headache
High and low blood pressure
Insomnia
Migraine
Mild depression
Respiratory ailments
Urinary disorders
Varicose veins
Menstrual cramps
Premenstrual syndrome
Menopause

Modifications & Props

In addition to a bolster or blanket for support, two props are very
popular for Viparita Karani--a strap and a sand bag. Once in the
pose you can snug the strap around your thighs, just above the
knees. The strap will help hold your legs in place, allowing you to
further relax the legs and soften the groins.
The sand bag is a little harder to get in place. Once in the pose,
bend your knees and slide your feet down the wall, but keep your
ankles flexed, soles parallel to the ceiling. As best you can, lay
the bag across your soles (or heels) and then re-straighten the
knees, pushing the bag actively toward the ceiling. This weight on
the legs helps release tension in the lower back.

Variations

If you have enough wall space, you can slide your legs apart into a
wide "V" to stretch your inner thighs and groins. You also can bend
your knees, touch the soles of your feet together, and slide the
outer edges of your feet down the wall, bringing your heels toward
the pelvis. Then you can push your hands against the top inner
thighs to stretch the groins. Remember, however, never push on your
knees to open the groins.

Preparatory Asanas

Viparita Karani is usually considered to be a restorative pose,
sequenced near the end of either a restorative or active practice.
But Viparita Karani can also be practiced as a pose in itself.
Excellent preparations include:
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
Supta Baddha Konasana
Uttanasana
Virasana
Subsequent Asanas
Viparita Karani is usually sequenced near the end of a practice just
prior to Savasana or sitting pranayama.

Beginners Tip

Use your breath to ground the heads of the thighs bones into the
wall, which helps release your groins, belly, and spine. In the pose
imagine that each inhalation is descending through your torso and
pressing the heads of your thigh bones closer to the wall. Then with
each exhale, pin your thighs to the wall and let your torso spill
over the bolster away from the wall and onto the floor.

Partnering

A partner can also help you ground the heads of the thigh bones into
the wall. Have her stand at your head as you perform the pose. She
should then lean forward and spread her hands around your front
thighs, just where they join the pelvis. On your inhale she should
push the thighs closer to the wall, and as you exhale, she should
hold them firmly to the wall as you release the front torso away
from the thighs. Repeat for several breaths.