Are you in need of deep, nourishing rest? Whether you are looking for something to compliment your more active yoga practice and lifestyle, or simply want to slow down and reduce stress, Restorative Yoga might be exactly what you’re looking for.
What is Restorative Yoga?
Restorative Yoga is a style of yoga that centers around rest and relaxation. The “goal” of Restorative Yoga is to release tension from the body, quiet the mind, and trigger the activation of the parasympathetic nervous system (aka the “rest and digest” state).
How is Restorative Yoga different from other types of yoga?
Unlike a typical yoga class, a Restorative class might consist of only 4-5 poses that are held for five to ten minutes at a time. The poses are designed to gently stretch the body and provide students with the time and space to sink into a deep, meditative rest.
Are Restorative Yoga and Yin Yoga the same thing?
Though similar, Restorative and Yin are not interchangeable names for the same style of yoga. While Restorative focuses on comfort and passive, propped-up poses, Yin is founded on the principles of Traditional Chinese medicine, and with more of an emphasis on deep stretches (typically done on the floor and with minimal props) that are held for several minutes. That said, both styles of yoga can promote feelings of calm and stress release, which in turn leads to some very happy yogis!
Who can do Restorative Yoga?
Everyone! Restorative yoga is an accessible practice that relies heavily on the use of props. So even if you think your body can’t do certain poses, it’s easy to modify the practice to make it work for you!
Why are there so many props in Restorative yoga?
Restorative yoga relies heavily on props, such as blankets, yoga blocks, and bolsters. However, the amount of props used will often vary from student to student. Rather than strain ourselves trying to fit into a particular pose, the props can do all of the work of maintaining the shape of the pose for us. That way, practitioners can focus on what really matters: releasing tension in the body, quieting the mind, and enjoying the comfortable peace of the practice.
Speaking of, what are the benefits of Restorative Yoga?
Restorative Yoga can trigger the parasympathetic nervous system. Unlike the sympathetic nervous system, aka “fight, flight, or flee” mode, the parasympathetic nervous system enables us to enter a state of deep and healing rest. A consistent Restorative Yoga practice can provide us with the tools we need to enter the “rest and digest” state--no matter how stressful things might be in our everyday lives.
Want to see for yourself what a Restorative class is all about? Check out the Restorative Gentle and Restorative Yoga class that I teach (along with Erin Bedenbaugh) at Good Karma Peekskill on Mondays at 7pm, and every Wednesday at 6pm!