Confession: I haven’t been regular about my yoga practice. And you know how once you get out of a habit, it takes at least 28 days to reclaim it. Well, Lorraine was leading a chair yoga class the other day and I joined. Being a little more flexible than some of the attendees, I did a full pigeon pose on the mat. This pose was followed by “any pose your body needs right now” and suddenly, I realized I could use the chairback for legs up the wall. Golly, it was delicious!
Legs Up the Wall
This pose is often done as the second to last pose at the end of a yoga session as a cool down, but it could be done anytime for relaxation. And if you can’t get on the floor, you could even do this in bed with your legs against the wall. The goal is to have your back straight and flat with your head supported–you want to be comfortable–and you want your legs as straight as possible and supported. If doing this against a wall, you want to get your hips/buttocks as close to the wall as possible. You may want to begin on your side, get in position, then roll on your back and get your legs up. Once in position, you should feel comfortable. Feel your back connecting to the ground or mat or bed…feel your spine straightening…and a shift of tension from your feet.
Please check out the link below to an article with more detail about getting into the pose and the benefits of it–but here’s a quick list of benefits! There’s also a short meditation with this pose.
- relaxation
- increases circulation
- aids digestion
- stretches leg muscles
- quiets the mind
- improves sleep
Haint's Retreat 