Upside Down
Looking for relaxation? Reclining in Viparita Karani can help you find serenity.
By Judith Hanson Lasater
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The Oxford English Dictionary committee recently revealed that the most commonly used noun in English is "time." Probably when we use this word in daily conversation, it is to express our belief that we do not have enough time in our lives. We fill our calendars with tasks and appointments. The consequence of living this way is that we are stressed and seemingly have no time to de-stress. Even in yoga classes, the final relaxation pose may be only five minutes long, sadly not long enough in physiological terms to provide our bodies with appropriate rest.
Viparita Karani (Legs-up-the-Wall Pose) is an elegant solution. Ten to 15 minutes in the pose quiets the mind, lowers blood pressure, enlivens the legs, and generally relaxes the body. It can be done at the end of an active practice to rejuvenate, as part of a restorative series, or by itself during a busy day. Although the pose requires a few props, its soothing effects are well worth the preparation time.
To set up this pose, place the shorter end of your yoga mat against a wall. Now place a bolster—or two firm blankets rolled to form a bolster—approximately 10 inches away from the wall, with the length of the bolster parallel to the wall. Fold another blanket so that it is approximately 28 inches long and 5 inches high and put it at a 90-degree angle to your bolster so your setup looks like the letter T. This blanket will support your back, neck, and head.
To get into Viparita Karani, sit on your heels next to your bolster and face the center of the room with your right outer hip in line with the middle of one end of the bolster. Lean forward as in Child's Pose, place your right arm underneath your chest and parallel to the wall, and simply roll over onto your back. With a little practice you will find the right relationship to the bolster to use this technique, and the process of getting into Viparita Karani will become much simpler.
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