Restorative Yoga
“Work is not always required …
there is such a thing as sacred idleness,
the cultivation of which is fearfully neglected.”
– George MacDonald
In our modern day society and our western culture, slowing down and doing less is not highly valued. In fact in many circles it is frowned upon. Much of our focus is on more, bigger, better, and faster. These qualities tend to create a high level of stress and tension that permeates the body, mind, and spirit.
The practice of yoga in general is about slowing down, turning focus and attention inward, and cultivating an intimate and loving relationship with the self. In the practice of restorative yoga you get to do all of that while practice being in deep rest mode. This deep rest mode is immensely important to your overall health and well-being. Restorative yoga is a calming, grounding, supportive practice where every posture is supported fully by props. Blankets, pillows, bolsters, blocks, and straps are used to create a scaffolding to completely hold the body. Fully supported, you are able to sustain postures longer, allowing you to open your body thru passive stretches. This is a practice of deep rest and relaxation and slow, gentle opening. Yoga teacher Jillian Pransky says “Restorative yoga is much more like meditation or yoga nidra than it is like hatha yoga.”
The benefits of this practice are immediate, profound and include:
• Lowering blood pressure
• Decreasing stress
• Boosting the immune system
• Enhancing the process of digestion
• Helping fight fatigue
• Improving sleep
If you’re feeling stressed out, physically depleted, or mentally and emotionally exhausted, this is the practice for you.
