Viparita Karani - The Inverted Pose

"Viparita" means "inverted" and "Karani" means "action" in Sanskrit. The usual posture of the body is inverted in this practice.
Sequence:

1. Lie flat on your back and keep your legs together.
2. Keep your arms on their respective sides.
3. Inhaling, press your palms down and raise your legs slowly together.
4. Without bending the knees or raising the hands till they are perpendicular to the floor.
5. Exhale Completely.
6. Inhale deeply and exhale slowly.
7. While exhaling, press the palms down again and without bending the knees or raising the head, move the legs towards the head.
8. While doing this, raise the hips and the small of the back also from the floor and curve up the lower part of the spine.
9. Bring the legs parallel to the Root.
10. Take a deep breath and breathe normally a few times.
11. Bend the arms at the elbows and support the slanted trunk with the palms which should press the upper portion of the posterior on each side.
12. Inhaling, bring back the legs again perpendicular to the floor, using the elbows as a fulcrum.
13. Exhale and breathe normally.
14. Keep the knees straight and the feet together.
15. Fix your gaze on the tips of the big toes.
16. Maintain this position for about three minutes.
17. Return to the starting position in the reverse order.

Benefits:

* One who practices this Mudra regularly becomes healthy and strong and attains longevity due to the secretions of the thyroid, pituitary, gonad and adrenal glands which are stimulated by this practice.
* This posture promotes inner harmony through the regulation of pelvic circulation and increasing the supply of blood to the thorax, brain, face and neck.