#Restorative yoga sequence with props how to#

She revisited the idea several years later when she personally felt the need for physical, emotional and spiritual restoration.ДЇor a year, 90 percent of her practice was supported poses, and the switch helped her so much that it inspired her first book, Relax and Renew: Restful Yoga for Stressful Times. вЂњI didnвЂ™t want people walking around in the dark, so I improvised a restorative class and everyone loved it,вЂќ she recalls. Iyengar and familiar with props, San Francisco resident and co-founder of Yoga Journal magazine Judith Hanson Lasater, Ph.D., found herself leading her first class comprised entirely of supported poses during a power blackout at a 1980 workshop. Restorative poses are necessary to help restore us physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.ДЄn early student of B.K.S. вЂњPoses for healing may require targeted gentle stretching, but prop use will coax the body into desired positions without requiring muscular effort,вЂќ says Cole. They also can be therapeutically tailored to support natural healing for issues related to tension, premenstrual syndrome, weak immune functioning, back pain, pregnancy and recovery for athletes. Perfect for beginners and used by longtime practitioners to complement other yoga styles, restorative poses are designed to accurately realign and reshape the body. He attests that it also serves as preparation for pranayama (mindful yoga breathing) and meditation, which require a clear, well-rested, focused mind. вЂњRestorative yoga allows both muscles and the brain to recover from fatigue, so we are stronger, sharper and better able to act in the world afterward,вЂќ explains Roger Cole, Ph.D., a certified Iyengar yoga teacher in Del Mar, California, and a research scientist studying the physiology of relaxation, sleep and biological rhythms. Each pose gifts us with longerlasting benefits, including more time for the mind to unwind,вЂќ advises Carey. The physical, mental and spiritual benefits are similar to those of active yoga, but because poses are held longer and supported by props such as bolsters, blankets, belts and blocks, вЂњThereвЂ™s no stress on the tissue and joints. It feels like a massage for the nervous system and encourages self-inquiry, reflection and change, rather than perfection.вЂќ Leeann Carey, author of Restorative Yoga Therapy: The Yapana Way to Self-Care and Well-Being, explains, вЂњThis passive asana practice turns down the branch of the nervous system that keeps us in fight-or-flight mode and turns up the system allowing us to rest and digest. In restorative yoga, the peak pose is savasana-in which the practitioner fully relaxes while resting flat on their back. If you have any questions or concerns about participating in a restorative yoga class, don't hesitate to email us at or call us at 51.In classical yoga, teachers often sequence instruction toward reaching a pinnacle pose such as an inversion or arm balance. Click here to view our schedule and sign up for a class online. You can enjoy a restorative yoga class with Nancy on Thursday mornings at 10:30am, or a Restore & Meditate class with Amy on Wednesdays at 9:15am. Our restorative yoga instructor, Nancy Rich, describes her classes as 'nourishing, and balancing.' She likes to remind her students that restorative yoga is 'a practice of doing less,' and that we can 'move out of the place of doing, doing, doing' that we so often get sucked into in our lives,В and 'move into a place of being-ness.' She emphasizes that the benefits of a regular restorative yoga practice include 'stress relief, immune support, and increased flexibility,' through long holds in very gentle postures rather than deep stretches. It's highly accessible, even for those with injuries and those who don't practice yoga at all. I don't like to make generalizations, but I do believe that restorative yoga is great for everyone.

#Restorative yoga sequence with props how to#

You'll be instructed on how to set up the props in class so that you feel totally supported and can fully relax into each pose.

You'll notice that most are supported with props.

You can click here to view some examples of restorative yoga postures to get a better idea of what to expect in class.