Legs against the wall pose is one of the favorite poses in my yoga classes.
Here’s how you benefit:
- Increases the circulation of blood and lymph
- Heals varicose veins
- Gentle hamstring stretch
- Eases low back pain
- Restores your energy
- Calms anxiety and relieves depression
- Gives your heart a rest
- Relaxes your mind, moving you into a meditative state
- Balances your blood pressure
- Relieves swelling in your legs and feet
- Heals headaches and migraines
- Lowers your stress hormones
- Relieves insomnia
- Boosts your immune system
If you are too tired to do any other exercise, legs against the wall is the pose to turn to.
It’s my experience from 19 years of teaching yoga that this pose will clear your stress hormones in a mere 7 to 10 minutes.
In the photograph above, I am practicing with a yoga bolster, but you can practice this pose anytime, anywhere, even if you don’t own a bolster.
Here’s how to get into the pose:
- Bring the short end of your yoga mat to a wall.
- Place a yoga bolster perpendicular to the wall.
- Place your buttocks on the bolster close to the wall.
- Swing your legs up the wall, keeping your ankles together.
- Lie back over the bolster with your shoulders touching the ground.
- Bring your arms out to the sides and turn your palms up to the ceiling so that your chest can open.
- Keep your neck straight and relax your face. Shut your eyes if you like.
- Practice your yoga breathing. If you would like to learn how, watch these FREE videos at this link.
- Stay in the pose for at least 7 to 10 minutes, by which time you will have shifted into your parasympathetic nervous system – the part of your nervous system where your mind, body and spirit can completely relax.
- To come out of the pose, bend your knees. Roll to your right side. Rest on your right side as long as you would like until you are ready to sit up and proceed with your day.
Even if you only have 10 minutes, you may be surprised how quickly you are able to release your stress and restore your energy by practicing legs against the wall pose.
To learn a sequence of restorative yoga poses, please read my blog at this link.
To join our regular yoga classes or set up an appointment for private instruction, please email catherine@unlimitedenergynow.com or call 678-612-8816. I’ve now taught yoga for 25 years.
Yoga classes meet every Tuesday and Thursday evening, 7:30 to 9 p.m. and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.