| meditation | |
LEGS-UP-THE-WALL |
Viparita Karani
This pose brings rest and well-being to the child by inverting blood circulation in the legs and increasing blood flow to the top part of the body.
1. Lie on your back.
2. Lift your feet up, and extend your legs against a wall. If necessary, place a cushion in the small of your back and under your buttocks. Keep your eyes closed.
3. The body should be at a right angle to the floor and the wall.
To get into these meditation poses (activities 6 to 11), the child must be totally confident. If necessary, use a mat or a cover. Do the exercise with the child. Support their spine in a straight position, and the lower part of the body arched so they can sit for a long enough time. Also ask the child to sit against a wall so their back is perfectly straight. Have the child relax their shoulders, neck, and jaw, and breathe calmly through the nose while concentrating on breathing and on the air that comes in and out of the nostrils. Concentration will be improved by keeping the eyes shut.
Young children should hold the pose for five minutes (tell them a story or put on some music). The older ones can hold the pose for fifteen minutes.
