Viparita Karani

Feeling stressed, fatigued or jet-lagged? Headache, lower back pain? Try Viparita karani, one of my favorite poses. Also called "Leg up the wall pose" or "inverted action" Viparita=inverted , Karani= action. When you put you legs up the wall, with your pelvis elevated on a folded blanket, lymph and other fluids that can lead to swollen ankles, tired knees, and congested pelvis organs flow into the lower belly; this REFRESHES THE LEGS and the reproductive area. This pose also boosts your blood circulation toward the upper body and head, a pleasant REBALANCING after you have been standing or sitting behind a desk all day. We tend to be over active sometimes, with your jobs, running a business, being married... and while the benefits from all those efforts can be great, we forget that positive results can also come from simply DOING LESS. When you relax your feet up the wall, you are practicing the polar opposite of activity, which is receptivity.

Viparita Karani: Fold a blanket and place it under your lower back, 12 inches away from the wall (30 cm) legs up against the wall. Release the hips towards the floor, release shoulders away from the ears, soften throat, broaden the collarbones and ENJOY, this should feel very yummy.
Be sure not to place blanket under your sitting bones but under you lower back.
Alleviates headache, boosts energy, relieves lower back ache and soothes menstrual cramps.