Spotlight Pose: Viparita Karani

I have a running joke with my students that I can talk for HOURS about the benefits of Viparita Karani (Legs up the wall), because I honestly can. I've found myself setting class up into this pose and then caught myself talking for at least 2 minutes straight, then having to force myself to stop.

If a student happens to ask a question about this pose, it's like someone just handed me a gift that I cannot wait to rip open.

Long story short, I freaking LOVE this pose.

I use this pose for meditation, blanket over my feet and pillow under my head.

On the nights where sleep doesn't come easy, I come to this pose and have fallen asleep like this many times, only to be awoke by the gravity of my own knees sinking to my chest.

Before I go too far into this, here's a list of some of the benefits of Viparita Karani via CNY Healing Arts

Benefits of Legs Up the Wall Pose:

• Regulates blood flow
• Alleviates menstrual cramps
• Relieves swollen ankles and varicose veins
• Helps testicular, semen, and ovarian problems in men and women respectively
• Improves digestion
• Restores tired feet or legs
• Stretches the back of the neck, front torso, and back of the legs
• Improves problems of the eyes and ears
• Relieves mild backache
• Provides migraine and headache relief, especially when done with a bandage wrapped tightly around the forehead and back of the skull
• Helps keep you young and vital
• Calms anxiety
• Relieves symptoms of mild depression and insomnia

A few more pointers, then I promise to stop... 

1. The lymphatic system does not have a pump like the heart does, so it does not clean/drain itself. The feet must be above the head for lymphatic draining which keeps you healthy. 

2. Think of all the metals that we ingest on a daily basis: aluminum in anti-perspirant, lining from the cans we drink from, too high of an intake of vitamins, goodness knows what in tap water... the list goes on. The magnetic pull from the Earth brings those metals down into your feet where they get trapped. Bringing the feet up helps to release those from the body. 

3. Helps with bathroom regulation. Plain and simple. If you gotta go but nature is not giving you a helping hand, send the legs up and it will do the trick!

So go find a wall space and invert, what are you waiting for!?