VIPARITA KARANI

Description

VIPARITA KARANI Asana group: inverted poses Translation of the name from Sanskrit: • viparita — reverse, inverted; • karani — in action, doing. 1. Setup Starting position: half bridge. Roll the chest onto the chin. Place the palms under the sacrum with fingers pointing outward, elbows at shoulder width, forearms perpendicular to the floor. Raise the straight legs up (one at a time or both together), feet flexed toward you. Legs perpendicular to the floor. Arch the lower back. Weight rests on the elbows and shoulders; there is no load on the neck and head. 2. Simplified and advanced variations Simplified variations: • elbows closer together, palms wider apart; • keep one leg on the floor; • tilt the legs slightly toward the head; the lower back straightens out and the load on the elbows and wrists decreases; • in difficult cases press the feet against a wall, then raise one leg up; • a block under the pelvis. Advanced variations: • turn the pelvis onto one palm and lower the legs parallel to the floor; • the same in Padmasana. 3. Safety CONTRAINDICATIONS: 1) Elevated intracranial, intraocular and arterial pressure; 2) Glaucoma, retinal detachment; 3) Overactive thyroid gland; 4) A history of micro-strokes; 5) Menstruation. 6) Elbows and wrists: if the elbows are placed wide, pressure on the inner sides of the joints compresses the ulnar nerve, and the wrists get overloaded because the angle in them is less than 90°. To avoid these problems, place the elbows closer together and the palms wider apart so that the forearms are vertical. In difficult cases use a strap. • Fingers: if they are turned backward, you can injure them if you lose your balance (legs fall to the floor). • Compensate the wrists after coming out of the pose. • Make sure there are no hair ties, hairpins, etc. on the back of the head.

Effects

• calm_mind
• stress_relief
• boost_energy