One Simple Pose for Deep Rest and Relaxation
Viparita Karani - Legs up the wall pose
This term, we’re on the Inversion Practice Pathway—one of the six Practice Pathways I’ve created to explore yoga and movement skills.
The Inversions Pathway involves working with a LOT of shoulder movement—both mobility and strength—as well as including the neck and upper (thoracic) spine. It also includes how we connect our trunk (core strength) to the movement of the shoulder girdle. All really important stuff for moving skillfully and with ease.
Inversions don’t just mean the flashier (and more complex) poses like handstand, headstand, or shoulderstand. Downward-Facing Dog is an inversion, as are all the standing forward bends.
Then there’s also my personal favourite: a restorative inversion pose, Viparita Karani, often translated as Legs Up the Wall pose. It’s my go-to pose for deep rest and relaxation.
Viparita Karani is a simple but super effective tool for instantly slowing down and shifting into a quieter, calmer state. Positioning the hips higher than the heart slows the heart rate and triggers a cascade of physiological changes that support rest.
"Viparita" = inverted or reversed
"Karani" = action
Setting Up the Pose
In this pose, you lie down on your back, with your pelvis raised on props (blocks, a bolster, firm cushions, or blankets) and your legs up the wall, optionally held together with a yoga strap.
Props are all optional, legs up on a sofa also works.
The back of the pelvis rests on the props.
Legs are together, straight or knees slightly bent if the backs of the legs feel overstretched.
A band around the thighs or ankles can help the legs relax.
A sandbag or wooden block on top of the soles of the feet can add grounding pressure to the pelvis.
Forehead and chin should be roughly level (use a blanket under the head if the chin points up).
Arms are by the sides, palms up—or hands resting on the belly.
It should feel very comfortable.
If the low back feels uncomfortable, try lowering the prop height or adding a rolled towel under the low back to create a gentler slope.
It might take a few tries to find your optimal distance from the wall—some scooching is worth perfecting!
Add a few rounds of lengthened exhales.
Stay for 5–10 minutes.
Set a timer.
How Does It Work?
Elevating your pelvis and legs above your heart activates the baroreflex in the arteries of your neck. This signals your brain to increase blood pressure and slow your heart rate in response to the shift in circulation.
We’re particularly interested in how this quickly lowers the heart rate, which slows the breath and signals a parasympathetic nervous system response. This is the opposite of the body’s ‘fight or flight’ mode—it’s what is nicknamed the ‘rest and digest’ side of the nervous system.
That means:
Less adrenaline and more calming hormones
More blood flow to your internal organs (like the digestive system), away from the limbs
Slower brainwaves
A sense of calm and often, deep rest
Ideally, 10 minutes (even up to 15 minutes) in the pose—especially if you gently lengthen your exhale—will help shift you toward a restful state.
When to Do It
This pose works best after some movement, like at the end of your yoga practice. What goes up must come down—so we arc from activation and alertness through effort and focus moving through poses, toward stillness and rest.
Viparita Karani helps guide the body through that down-regulation process.
I use this pose sometimes in the evening, especially if I’ve been really busy and my mind is still buzzing before bed.
Ten minutes, and I’m getting drowsy.
I also like doing it after a run—maybe with the pelvis on the floor at first, then adding some spinal roll-ups or a legs-wide stretch on the wall, ending in Viparita Karani to slow everything down.
(Insert speed-up video of this sequence here)
What If It Doesn’t Feel Good?
For some people—especially those who are constantly active—trying to slow down in a still pose can feel unsettling, even triggering feelings of panic or sudden alertness. If that’s you, try:
Gentle, rhythmic movement instead
Keeping your eyes open
Orienting yourself to the room
Some people don’t like the ‘draining’ feeling in the legs, or the pressure toward the face. It might not be your pose—and that’s okay. That said, I’ve had students dislike it at first, then start to enjoy it later—especially with a small change, like removing the prop under the pelvis, still keeping the legs up on the wall or a chair/sofa.
As always: it’s not one-size-fits-all. There are many options.
Let me know how it goes in the comments below
