Do Less, Relax More: Waterfall Pose

Are you overwhelmed, have some anxiety, no time to do everything you need to get done? Or you have constant swollen ankles, your back is aching, or you have a headache. Take a few minutes to do the Waterfall Pose or as some might call it, Legs Up the Wall Pose.

You can do this pose anywhere, at home, in the office (with the door closed), at a hotel, in a park… anywhere.

There are so many benefits in your body when you do this pose.

Cyndi Lee from the Yoga Journal wrote about some of the benefits. When you put your legs up the wall with your pelvis elevated on a folded blanket, lymph and other fluids that can lead to swollen ankles, tired knees, and congested pelvic organs flow into the lower belly; this refreshes the legs and the reproductive area. This is healthy at any point in your reproductive life cycle.

This pose also gives blood circulation a gentle boost toward the upper body and head, which creates a pleasant rebalancing after you have been standing or sitting for a long time. If you are stressed, fatigued, or jet-lagged, this pose is especially refreshing. But its true greatness is that it teaches us experientially that positive results can come from doing less, not more. Many of us have been trained to believe we must work hard in order to reap the benefits of any particular effort, whether it is practicing yoga, being married, or running a business. And, of course, that is useful and appropriate advice at times. But this pose offers a paradigm shift in how to approach the notion of “work,” in both yoga and life. When you relax with your legs up the wall, you are practicing the polar opposite of activity, which is receptivity.

Pose Benefits:

Alleviates headaches
Boosts energy
Soothes menstrual cramps (listen to your body)
Relieves lower-back pain

So if you need a break, from pain, or life, try the Waterfall Pose.