Legs Up The Wall
Viparita Karani (vip-par-ee-tah car-AHN-ee)
Getting Into the Pose
Breath Cue:
Photo Credit: Sarah Powers
What to watch for




Unsupported knees because legs are so far away from the wall
Chin pointed strongly up toward ceiling, causing next to overarch
Shoulders lifting away from the floor as student strains to straighten legs
Head on the mat can cause headache or aching skull in some students
Modifications




For students with very tight hamstrings use the restorative version of this pose utilizing bolsters, blocks,
straps, and blankets OR
Create a half-way by leaning a bolster again a large block on its end, walking the sitting bones to the
bolster, and placing legs on angled bolster
Put sacrum up on a block away from the wall
For students with looser hamstrings and legs connected to wall, place a sandbag over the student’s flexed
feet, with feet about 3 -4 inches apart
Benefits




Aids in sleep
Drains stagnant fluids away from feet, toes, ankles, knees
Returns pooled blood to circulation system
Best example of lymphatic drainage, therefore good for cancer survivors and those in treatment
© 2013 Green Lotus Yoga & Healing Center




Relief for edema or swelling caused by conditions other than cancer (can be simple causes like sitting for
long periods of time on an airplane)
Gives heart a rest
Can ease low back pain/heaviness
Relieves tired, cramping legs

Gently stretches the back legs, front torso, and the back of the neck

Calms the mind
Contraindications



Serious eye issues such as glaucoma
Menstruation (some teachers consider than a contraindication and others do not – check with the teacher
and read about apana energy)
Back and neck issues
Anatomy (Lengthening, Shortening, Organ)
© 2013 Green Lotus Yoga & Healing Center
Rabbit
Sasangasana
Getting Into the Pose
Photo Credit: Bikram Yoga
Breath Cue:
What to watch for




Weak core muscles
Pressure on neck
Bad knees
Shoulder issues
Modifications






Tuck toes under to make it easier to reach heels
Use floor boards to support feet
More advanced students can interlace hands behind sacrum and inhale arms up and exhale and reach
them forward
Can use blanket under forehead/crown
If ankles lifted greatly off mat, place rolled blanket or mat underneath ankles
If knees hurt, place folded blanket between knee pits before raising hips up
Benefits


Lengthens spine, neck, and stretches the arms, shoulders, back
Stimulates the immune and endocrine systems
Contraindications

Recent or chronic injury to knees, neck, spine, or shoulder
Anatomy (Lengthening, Shortening, Organ)
© 2013 Green Lotus Yoga & Healing Center
Dolphin
Makarasana
Getting Into the Pose
Breath Cue:
What to watch for






Photo Credit: Sarah Powers
Rounded back
Lazy quads and inner thighs
Shoulder blades together and up toward ears
Too much effort in hands and/or wrists rather than using forearms, core, and strong legs
Head on earth or hanging too loosely
Elbows splayed open widely past shoulders
Modifications




Dolphin is a very mild modification for Downward Facing Dog. If something even milder is needed,
Dolphin can be done on the knees – this shape is similar to Puppy Pose in the Yin tradition
For students wanting to prepare for Headstand or Handstand – or those simply wanting to build more
shoulder, arm, and core strength, Dolphin pushups: From full Dolphin inhale shoulders over wrists (High
Plank variation) and exhale back into full Dolphin. Try to repeat 10 times.
May flatten hands or interlace fingers
Shoulder or neck injuries – keep knees bent
Benefits








Calms brain and helps relieve stress and mild depression
Stretches shoulders, hamstrings, calves, arches
Strengthens arms and legs
Helps relieve the symptoms of menopause
Relieves menstrual discomfort when done with head support
Helps prevent osteoporosis
Improves digestion
Relieves headache, insomnia, back pain, fatigue
© 2013 Green Lotus Yoga & Healing Center

Therapeutic for high blood pressure, asthma, flat feet, sciatica
Contraindications

Shoulder or neck injuries
Anatomy (Lengthening, Shortening, Organ)
© 2013 Green Lotus Yoga & Healing Center
Supported Shoulder Stand
Salamba Sarvangasana (sah-LOM-bah
sar-van-GAHS-anna)
Getting Into the Pose
Photo Credit: Baron Baptiste
Breath Cue:
What to watch for









This is considered to be an intermediate to advanced pose and should be done with the supervision of an
experienced teacher and taught in stages. Students should not “go up” until arm, shoulder, and core
muscles are strong enough, and students understand the upward lift idea of the pose
Rounded back
Weak core cannot hold ankles, knees, hips in a line before legs “flop” over head – joints must be stacked
Elbows slide apart and upper arms roll in. This sinks the torso onto the upper back and collapses the pose
Strained neck because arms and core are not strong and energy of pose is not moving up toward sky
and/or because chin is tucked to the chest and also because students have pulled their shoulder TOO FAR
away from ears. The shoulders push down and also LIFT slightly toward the ears to keep the neck long and
throat soft
Tucked chin – neck is long and chest comes to chin rather than chin tucking to chest
Students looking right to left – keep neck in line with spine
Strained face and throat
Students rush into plow because they cannot hold the vertical candle with control and ease
Modifications





Hips stay on mat as toes come up so student learns to align ankles, knees, hips
Can place sacrum on a block and then bring hips up – but this may round back and move legs toward
torso rather than aligning joints
May use multiple blankets
May use wall if legs can stretch into wall with no space
Very advanced students: If straight as a candlestick and all joints aligned over shoulders, may release arms
to mat and firm them onto mat. This is called Candlestick variation and is ONLY for very advanced
students.
Benefits
© 2013 Green Lotus Yoga & Healing Center









Cools nervous system and eases stress
May aid in easing mild depression
Recommended for perimenopausal or menopausal women
Because it is assumed –though not yet measured - that this pose stimulates the thyroid and parathyroid,
this pose may assist in control or stimulated metabolism
Stretches shoulders and the neck
Tones legs and buttocks
Improves digestion
Reduces fatigue and counteracts insomnia
Therapeutic for asthma, infertility, and sinusitis
Contraindications






Diarrhea
Headache
High blood pressure
Menstruation
Neck injury
Pregnancy if not familiar and practicing the pose before you become pregnant
Anatomy (Lengthening, Shortening, Organ)
© 2013 Green Lotus Yoga & Healing Center
Plow
Halasana (hah-LAHS-anna)
Getting Into the Pose
Photo Credit: Baron Baptiste
Breath Cue:
What to watch for








Crunched neck
Elbows splaying out
Weak core and rounded back
Weak/inactive quads and inner thighs
Breath labored or stopped
Shoulders too far away from ears
Closed sternum because shoulder blades are not firmed into the back
Looking right or left
Modifications




Can use wall, chair, bolster, or block for feet/toes
Can use blanket(s) as in shoulder stand
If toes tuck under with straight legs, can bend knees and place on forehead to massage third eye or place
knees alongside ears in ear-pinning pose
If legs straight, neck soft, breath flowing, toes tucked under, may release hands from ribs and firm them
into the mat
Benefits






Calms the brain
Stimulates the abdominal organs and the thyroid gland (common wisdom)
Stretches the whole back and spine from sacrum to shoulders
Helps relieves the symptoms of menopause
Reduces stress and fatigue
Therapeutic for backache, headache, infertility, insomnia, sinusitis
Contraindications
© 2013 Green Lotus Yoga & Healing Center




Weak neck or neck injury
Menstruation
Asthma and high blood pressure (use legs/toes on props in these cases)
Pregnancy unless very practiced with it before becoming pregnant. If very familiar with the pose before
pregnancy, may do it until late into it
Anatomy (Lengthening, Shortening, Organ)
© 2013 Green Lotus Yoga & Healing Center
Supported Head Stand
Salamba Sirasana (sah-LOM-bah shearSHAHS-anna)
Getting Into the Pose
Breath Cue:
Photo Credit: Baron Baptiste
What to watch for







Weight in neck – crunching neck
Shoulders collapsing toward ears
Elbows splaying out and collapsing the triangle of the arms and hands
Coming down from the pose – if student cannot come down with control through strong arms, shoulders,
and core, student should not go up. Even with an experienced student, exiting from the pose means the
head is lifted off the floor
Inability to stack hips over shoulders as feet walking forward
Transferring strength from arms into hands and wrists
Jumping up into the pose through momentum – flinging
Modifications





Use the wall, bringing knuckles of clasped hands to wall
Dolphin and Dolphin pushups
Down Dog
Shoulderstand
Eka Pada Sirsasana
Benefits

Calms brain, helps relieve stress and mild depression
© 2013 Green Lotus Yoga & Healing Center







Stimulates pituitary and pineal glands
Strengthens arms, legs, spine
Strengthens lungs
Tones abdominal organs
Improves digestion
Helps relieve the symptoms of menopause
Therapeutic for asthma, infertility, insomnia, and sinusitis
Contraindications









Back injury
Headache
Heart condition
High blood pressure
Menstruation
Neck injury
Low blood pressure – don’t practice it
Pregnancy if not experienced with pose before pregnant
Intermediate to advanced pose – have a good instructor
Anatomy (Lengthening, Shortening, Organ)
© 2013 Green Lotus Yoga & Healing Center
Hand Stand
Adho Mukha Vrksasana (ah-doh mookah vriks-SHAHS-anna)
Getting Into the Pose
Breath Cue:
What to watch for




Weak down dog
Fear of pose
Too much kicking force
Arched back, weak core
Photo Credit: Sarah Powers
Modifications



Teacher assist with leg press
Stay in 3 legged dog
Down dog with feet against the wall, walking the feet up to 90 degrees bringing hips over shoulders
Benefits




Strengthens the shoulders, arms, and wrists
Stretches the belly
Improves sense of balance
Calms the brain and helps relieve stress and mild depression
Contraindications






Excessive fear of pose
Back, wrist, shoulder, or neck injury
Headache
Heart condition
High blood pressure
Menstruation
Anatomy (Lengthening, Shortening, Organ)
© 2013 Green Lotus Yoga & Healing Center