Legs-up-the-wall or Viparita Karani is the best restorative inversion you can do! Practice it for 5-10 minutes in the evening for a good night’s rest!
The heart organ pumps oxygen-rich blood throughout the body. The same is true in Chinese medicine. Physiologically, inversions, via gravity, encourage the return of venous (non-oxygenated) blood back to the heart, thereby increasing the cardiac output (volume of blood pumped out/min). Chinese medicine simply states this as “inversions help tonify the Heart Qi,” as qi corresponds to the functional/physiological aspect.
Esoterically, the Heart houses the shen (spirit), who retires to sleep in the Heart at night. If disturbed, insomnia manifests.
How To:
From a sitting position, bring hips right up next to wall, then slowly shift to lying down and swing the legs up the wall.
Modifications/alternatives:
- Use a bolster to place under hips
- Bring soles of your feet together for a extra hip opener
- Arms along side of body, hands face up
- Arms overhead, with elbows bent, like a goal post
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