School of Yoga explains Vipareeta karani – Inverted action pose by Yogacharya Sundaram

Hatha Yoga Pradeepika on Vipareeta karani:

Ch 3- v7 viparitakarani, vajroli and sakticalana; these are the 10 mudras which destroy old age and death.

Ch 3 – v77 vipareetakarani: That nectar of the moon which has divine qualities gets digested by the Sun and induces ageing.

v 78 There is a divine technique by which the Sun’s face can be cheated. This should be learned under a Guru and not through theoretical study or discussions.

v 79 When the navel is above and palate below, the Sun above and moon below, then this is vipareetakarani. This should be leaned through instructions of a Guru.

v 80 In the case of one who practices this daily, the gastric fires (jataragni) are increased, so one should eat sufficient food.

v 81 If one eats non-nutritious food, then the heat will quickly consume the practitioner. On the first day, stand on the head with feet up, for only a brief moment.

v 82 Increase the duration gradually every day. After 6 months, the wrinkles and grey hair disappear. He, who practices it daily for a yama (3 hours) daily, conquers death.

School of Yoga explains – sundara-vipareeta-karani technique: (Should be learned under supervision)

• Place 3-5 hard pillows on the mat in such a way that the pillows are at an incline of 60 degrees with respect to the floor.
• Sit at the opposite end of the pillows and slowly lower the torso over the incline on the opposite side so that the shoulders rest on the floor.
• Ensure that torso is at 45 degrees to the floor.
• Fold legs over the pillows towards the body and raise them straight into the air.
• Move the legs towards the face, so that the legs and torso are about 90 degrees with each other.
• Place hands at the sides.
• Hold position for 5 minutes, increasing up to 20 minutes. One can also split the practice into 2 periods between 3-10 minutes in duration.
• Come back to sthithi position in reverse order.
• The drishti (gaze) recommended is padhayoragre (toe of the foot gaze).

School of Yoga explains – vipareeta-karani variations 

Should hard pillows not be available, it is possible to perform the asana by supporting the hip with the hands.

• Sthithi (starting) position: Lie down on the floor with hands at the sides,
• Bend the knees over the torso to touch the forehead with the knees.
• Support the hips with the hands just above the hip bone and let the hips rest on the floor, such that the torso is at 45 degrees to the floor.
• Lift the legs and align it such that it is at 90 degrees to the torso.

School of Yoga explains – vipareeta-karani benefits: 

• This exercise ensures concentration of blood supply to the heart, lungs, liver, pancreas, kidneys, stomach and respiratory tract.
  

  Classical Vipareeta Karani

• It is good for all illnesses related to the torso and neck, including respiratory disorders, heart and digestion disorders.
• This exercise builds resistance to all forms of allergies, colds and flu.
• It is excellent for treating digestive ailments, especially those related to the stomach, liver and bowels.
• This asana helps in stabilising the female reproductive organs and alleviates menstrual discomfort and cramps.

School of Yoga explains – vipareeta-karani contraindications:

• If you have any form of back ache, do not attempt this asana without adequate supervision and support.
• People with cardiac problems, lower back problems and circulatory disorders should not attempt this asana without first consulting a physician.
• Should not to be done by people having neck ailments like cervical or lumbar spondylosis or arthritis.
• People with hernia etc should avoid this asana.
• This asana should not be practiced during menstruation or pregnancy.

Some noteworthy points on sundara-vipareeta-karani:

Internal Links: Dharma (conditioning), Stress and Situational Awareness, Prana, Asana overview 1, Asana Overview 2, Asana Focus or gazing, Pranayama, Hatha Yoga Pradeepika, 

External Links: Prana, Chakra, Pancha Tattva, Pancha Prana, Pancha Kosha, Nadi, 

• Vipareetha = inverted + karani = action in Sanskrit. The torso should be at right angle to the legs and toes should form a hypotenuse with the head.
• This is one of the easiest and most effective asanas for overall maintenance of health.
• Initially, practitioners will find difficulty in maintaining position, but over time, this will stabilise.
• Also, it may be difficult to maintain position for extended period of time. So, one should initially split this effort into 3-5 minutes twice with a rest interval of 2 minutes. Over time, this can be made into a single effort with time taken up to 15 minutes