Treasured Yoga Poses: Legs-Up-the-Wall (Viparita Karani)

Introduced to yoga in 2001, it didn’t take long for me to develop a list of favorite poses. As I traveled through weight fluctuations, depression, & anxiety, these treasured yoga poses took on a whole new meaning.

It’s one of those days. With every click of my computer mouse, tension continues to build up in my body. Telling me to “relax” would be about as effective as telling a lion to brush his teeth – it’s just not that simple!

Instead of letting my frustrations get the best of me, I took a 10-minute break & settled into legs-up-the-wall pose. This has become my go-to choice when I need to let my worries fall away & bring my emotions back down to Earth. Though usually shown with a bolster under the lower back, all you really need to practice legs-up-the-wall is … a wall, naturally (the bolster does add a great extra stretch).

Almost instantaneously, my lower back starts to release & my legs feel as light as spaghetti. Getting into the pose can take some finagling, but once you are there, you’ll see its worth every wiggle and nudge. Even when the world around you isn’t quiet, you can create your own little piece of serenity in legs-up-the-wall pose. If anyone asks what you’re doing, just tell them, “I’m taking a sanity break.”

You Tell Me: Where’s the weirdest place you’ve practiced legs-up-the-wall pose?

(My answer: an art museum!)

[Images courtesy of Gaiam + Yoga Journal Magazine]