Are you pushing yourself too hard with no time to replenish your reserves, recharge your batteries and refill your cup? Restorative yoga is an easy and doable practice that helps you feel renewed and refreshed. The best part is, anyone can do it—even those of you who have never tried yoga in your life!
Life is a constant juggling act with career, family, self care, hobbies, etc. and it can be really overwhelming and draining. It’s important to have activities, practices or techniques that help you refill, replenish and recharge your mind, body and soul.
“Do something nice for yourself today. Find some quiet, sit in stillness, breathe. Put your problems on pause. You deserve a break.” – Akiroq Brost
What is Restorative Yoga?
Restorative yoga is a gentle yoga practice of stillness where you position your body in yoga poses using props such as bolsters, blankets, blocks and pillows. This allows your body to feel completely supported and comforted, inviting a deeper sense of rest and relaxation. .
The practice originated from the teachings of B.K.S. Iyenger and evolved from my teacher, Judith Hanson Lasater, who is one of the leading yoga teachers in the country.
In this type of yoga practice there is no stretching, straining, sweating or intensity.ou surrender into a relaxing pose for long, extended periods of time ideally ranging from 15-45 minutes. Relaxing in these supported poses is designed to help you open, release, soften and surrender… easing the body and mind, relieving stress and tension.
Benefits of Restorative Yoga
Feeling Supported
The use of bolsters, blankets and pillows to comfort and support every single part of your physical body in the restorative yoga poses will translate into feeling supported in other areas of your life. When you feel supported, you feel more safe and secure, reducing stress and anxiety and enabling you to live a more happy and fulfilling life.
Embracing Stillness
It’s important to take time off from your busy, on-the-go day and embrace complete stillness and quiet. It allows you to switch gears from
your long list of to-do’s and slip into a quiet state of introspection. When you’re constantly on the go and only still when you’re sleeping or watching tv, it’s hard to notice the world within. With conscious stillness, you can witness what arises, revealing your inner world of thoughts, emotions, and sensations. This prolonged stillness promotes a sense of calmness and peace.
Letting Go
As you lay on your mat, in stillness, supported by props, you can finally allow yourself to let go of worries, let go of stress and let go of any holding and tension in your body. You may encounter emotions, tension and thoughts that you didn’t even realize you were holding on to. Letting go is not a doing, it’s an allowing, and when you have the right environment and support, you’re able to move towards letting go and releasing the grip that causes the tension that ails you.
Activating Relaxation Response
Restorative yoga has the perfect set of conditions to help activate the relaxation response. When you’re in a relaxed state, your parasympathetic nervous system is activated, releasing hormones that help to slow down your heart and breathing rates, reducing muscle tension and promoting a feeling of general wellbeing, which is the “relaxation response”. The more you activate the relaxation response, the more you can reduce stress and anxiety throughout your day and into the night when it’s time for a good night’s sleep. Learn more ways to activate this response here!
Restoring, Rejuvenating, Recharging
When you feel supported, embrace stillness, let go and activate your relaxation response you give yourself the ability to restore your inner strength, rejuvenate your vitality and recharge your batteries. You’ll feel more energetic, alive and vibrant. This is your natural, healthy state of being and you want to have a close relationship with this. It’s crucial to know how to renew your mind, body and soul.
Check out my YouTube channel for restorative yoga poses and more.
