variation
For extra ease
in the pose,
support your
arms and cover
your eyes.pose benefits
Alleviates headaches
Boosts energy
Soothes menstrual cramps*
Relieves lower-back paincontraindications
Glaucoma
Hypertension
HerniaPHOTOS: CHRIS ANDRE; MODEL: FAITH HUNTER; STYLIST: LYN HEINEKEN; HAIR/MAKEUP: FRANCE PIERSONmuch. The benefits of Viparita Karani
derive not just from inverting an action
but also from inverting the whole notion
of action. When you relax with your legs
up the wall, you are practicing the polar
opposite of activity, which is receptivity.
THE ORGANIZING PRINCIPLE
Every yoga pose has an organizing prin-
ciple and a container principle. When
you apply the organizing principle, you
arrange your alignment so that the ener-
getic circuitry you set up is balanced and
unobstructed. Organized alignment cre-
ates the conditions for the benefits of
each particular asana to arise.
Let’s look at the organizing principle in
Viparita Karani. To get the full benefits of
the pose, you’ll need to get the placement
of the blanket under your hips just right.
To begin, you’ll also need a wall space that
is clean and clear. If you are doing this at
home, try to find a space that is not clut-
tered. Gather two blankets, a belt, and
two eye pillows. If you have a bolster,
bring that along.
If your setup doesn’t match these
guidelines, adjust the placement of the
blanket that’s closest to the wall. To do
so, bend your knees and place your feet
flat on the wall. Press your elbows down
and lift your hips up. Now reach down
and move the blanket with your hands. If
you need to be farther from or closer to
the wall, press your feet into the wall and
shimmy your shoulders forward or back.
When you have finished adjusting, see
how you feel.
If your pelvis feels tucked under, you
are too close to the wall. Move an inch or
so out from the wall or pull your blanket
farther up your back. Your sitting bones
should slightly roll off the blanket edge,
creating a tiny curve in your back. Your
groins should feel soft and hollow. You
can completely relax your legs because the
belt is holding them together. If you feel a
big stretch in the back of your legs, your
hips may be too close to the wall, so move
farther from it. If you still feel strain,
place your bolster vertically against the
wall. The top of the bolster will probablyFold one blanket into a large square.
Then fold that in thirds, creating a firm,
supportive cushion. Place your blanket
cushion about 12 inches from the wall.
Fold the other blanket in half and place
it three feet from the wall. You’ll use this
blanket to support your head and to fill
in the space between your neck and the
floor. Then sit sidesaddle on the cushion
so that your right side is near the wall.
Loop your yoga belt around the middle
of your shins. Draw it snug but not tight.
Place your left elbow on the floor and
swing your legs—like a mermaid tail—up
the wall. The rest of your body will natu-
rally go down so that you end up lying on
the floor with your legs up the wall.
Now it’s time to organize your body in
relationship to your props and the wall.
The folded blanket closest to the wall
should be underneath your sacrum and
low back, with enough room between the
wall and your seat for your sitting bones to
slightly drop over the edge of the blanket
toward the floor; your hamstrings should
feel comfortable, not stretched.* Some yoga traditions advise against doing
Viparita Karani during menstruation.relaxtion & meditation
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