Do you ever feel burnt out? Exhausted by the busyness of your work/school week? Stressed? Sore? Of course, we all do at different times in life. When this happens, it is a good time to get some rest, check in with yourself, restore your mind and body.
Typically, a yoga class begins with a series of more active poses and ends with a brief restorative time.Restorative Yoga is intended to take the mindfulness that is found in all disciplines of yoga to the next level. It is slow, and it is still. It is as much (if not more) about the mind as it is about the body.
Restorative yoga is simply that, restorative. It is the centering of your breath and body, where you will align the physical and mental state by practicing stillness and gentle movements. A typical restorative yoga class will be 60-90mins, during that time participants move slowly from pose to pose and use as many props as possible to find a deep stretch. Poses are held often 6 to 9 mins at a time.The goal of restorative yoga is to calm the mind and body and to be wholly present, focusing on one breath at a time, as it is with meditation.
“ There is nothing mysterious about practicing restorative poses: you gather the props you need, set yourself up in a pleasant space, then settle in and relax. Unlike other exercise programs, restorative poses place the minimal metabolic demand on you. They add to your energy rather than subtract from it. During these periods of deep relaxation, you will be healed and nurtured from within.” Relax and Renew by Judith Hanson Lasater, Ph.D.,P.T.
In life, we are often asked to do more and more, stay busy and multi-task, yoga, especially restorative yoga asks us to be still on purpose, to notice how we feel and to be “okay” with slowing down. Restorative poses relieve the effects of chronic stress and help us “reset” physically, mentally and even emotionally.
Often, restorative yoga feels and looks very different from a regular workout… however, if we can be open and understand the incredible benefits of restorative poses we can enjoy this yoga practice and add it to our regular fitness routine.
You’ll never know until you try! Join Monica on the third Sunday of every month at 6:30pm!