Restorative yoga uses extra props, like blankets and bolsters, to help you arrange your body in a comfortable position. But relaxing is not just about being comfortable.
Restorative yoga helps you relax by:
- gently stretching fascia which can help relieve pain and tension
- stimulating the body’s rest and digest response which causes the body to physiologically relax (like slowing the heart and breath rate, and supporting digestion)
- helping your body relax so it’s easier to consciously relax with meditation or mindfulness.
There are a range of restorative yoga poses or positions, each with different purposes or benefits. The use of props also ranges from simple to complex.
When I run restorative yoga sessions, I not only help you with the subtlety of finding a comfortable position specific to your body. But I also combine and sequence the positions to guide you to a deep state of physical and mental relaxation. As one attendee once said
“That is the first time I ever stopped thinking.”
I have an upcoming specialty restorative session at Urban Yoga if you want to experience this first hand.
I’ve also written about what restorative yoga is and how it works and you can learn how and why to use the different restorative positions in my Restorative Yoga at Home booklet (print or eBook).
Or if you want to go deeper, see one of my favourite books, Yoga for Life: A Relaxing Way to De-stress, Re-energize, and Find Balance.
