What is Restorative Yoga?

There are so many “kinds” of yoga available these days that it is easy to get confused, and difficult to know if a particular type of yoga might be right for you.

Restorative Yoga is a gentle yoga experience where the student is supported in each pose with blankets, blocks, bolsters and other props in such a way that s/he can completely relax and let go.  These supported poses allow the muscles to slowly and gently relax and open.  Combined with conscious breathing, these poses allow the mind to slow down, and the body to achieve deep, restorative relaxation.

(Sign up here for our upcoming Restorative Yoga Class!)

Some of the benefits of restorative yoga include:

1. A calming of  the nervous system:  Most of us spend the majority of our time in some state of anxiety or stress, causing us to be in a chronic “flight or fight” mode.  This increase the stress hormones which can have a negative effect on our health. The combination of conscious breathing and slow movement moves the body out of this state into relaxation mode, allowing the body to heal and restore.
2. An increase the Body/Mind Connection: Restorative yoga give us the opportunity to slow down  our busy minds, and become connected to our bodies.  We spend so much of our lives from the neck up:  thinking, talking, seeing, listening etc, that we forget about the rest of our body (until it tries to get our attention with aches, pains and illness!)  Restorative yoga gives us the chance to connect, and appreciate, our physical selves as part of our whole being, and to become aware of what messages our body might be trying to give us.
3. Increased Mindfulness: In our fast paced lives, we are often reacting and responding to outside influences in automatic mode.  We multi task to get it all done: eating, typing, emailing, talking, driving, creating, texting, with out complete attention or mindfulness.  Our minds are running a mile a minute, and they are often so far ahead of us, that we don’t experience being right where we are!  The slow pace of Restorative Yoga slows us down so that we can bring awareness and mindfulness to every movement, every breath, every sensation.  This gives us a sense of presence that is calming, peaceful and full of new perspective.
4. An improved sense of Self:  The inner focus of Restorative Yoga, and the perspective of “presence”, allows us the time to listen to parts of our self that are often drowned out with the busy-ness of our lives.  This allows space for introspection, self-awareness, and even increased self-acceptance.  The safe and nurturing environment of a restorative class encourages an opening of the heart to our deepest selves, allowing for an experience of deep healing and an appreciation of our true selves.

(Sign up here for our upcoming Restorative Yoga Class!)