Restorative Yoga & why you should practice it!
What the heck is Restorative Yoga?
Yoga has been a part of my life for decades, and I was surprised that I had never heard of this style of yoga until about 12 years ago.
The first time I tried Restorative Yoga was at Toronto's annual Yoga Conference. I remember walking into a large conference room and noticing huge containers that held blankets, blocks and bolsters and felt nervous and excited. The lights were dimmed, and we held postures for 10-15 minutes, and by the end of the 2-hour class, I was amazed at how relaxed and recharged I felt. I was hooked, and in 2012 I participated in a teacher training with Cyndi Lee and starting offering restorative yoga classes to my students-and no surprise, they were very popular.
Restorative Yoga was offered as part of Iyengar Yoga - a style of yoga that was developed by world-renowned yoga teacher B.K.S. Iyengar. Iyengar brought yoga to the west in the 1950's, and his style of yoga included the use of props so beginners, the elderly or individuals recovering from illness or injury could practice yoga. He also included restorative postures in his classes.
One of his former students, Judith Hanson Lasater, brought Restorative Yoga practice into the mainstream with her book “Relax and Renew: Restful Yoga for Stressful Times “in 1995. She was essential in popularizing Restorative Yoga and referred to it as "an active relaxation.” Lasater says. “This deep relaxation and inward attention is known in yoga texts as pratyahara—a conscious withdrawal from the senses. That's the state where you're resting in your true self."
In a typical Restorative Yoga class, postures are held from 5-20 minutes so the body and mind can slow down and relax. Props are used to support the body so the student feels comfortable and safe and can completely let go of any muscle tension.
If you are new to Restorative Yoga, you may find the first part of a class challenging as your body is releasing and settling into the posture. What is usually more challenging is being comfortable with quieting the mind, but if you stay with it, it will happen. Our minds are chaotic with jumping thoughts, to-do lists and the same loops playing over and over again. One cannot truly rest until the mind is calmed.
The martial arts coach Eric C. Stevens stated that he found Restorative Yoga more difficult than a "five-mile run.” He found his mind strongly challenged during the class, but slept very soundly afterwards and recommended the practice for people who feel burnout.
Roger Cole, PhD, a certified yoga instructor based in Del Mar, California, states that "Restorative practice works because you're restoring your muscle and brain function." Cole says there is a growing body of evidence that demonstrates its’ measurable health benefits.
Restorative Yoga Benefits
Deeply relaxes the body
Stills a busy mind
Releases muscular tension, improving mobility and flexibility
Calms and balances the nervous system
Boosts the immune system
Improves sleep
I highly recommend attending the occasional yoga class to obtain a good understanding of how to set up the postures and choose 1-2 postures that you can practice on your own a few times a week. Elevating legs on a chair (last picture above) or upon a wall is my favourite pose and no matter how I’m feeling-sad, stressed, or angry I feel completely balanced and calm after holding the posture for 10-15 minutes.
I teach an online Zoom Restorative Yoga class on Wednesdays from 8-9:15 pm. Hope to see you in class.
In peace.
Anita
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“Yoga is not about touching your toes, it’s about what you learn on the way down.”
Jigar Gor
DISCLAIMER; The information provided on County Yoga Loft’s website blog is for general health care informational purposes only. All information on the site is provided in good faith, however it should not be considered to replace consultation or advice from a physician and/or other healthcare practitioner. The use or reliance of any information contained on this site is solely at your own risk.
