Relax And Restore: The Many Benefits Of Restorative Yoga

The first time I went to a restorative yoga class I must admit I did think to myself wow, I’ve just paid £20 to go to sleep for an hour! But on my commute home that day I felt so relaxed that the usual hustle and bustle on the street and on the tube didn’t seem to bother me at all and all the little aches and pains I’d been feeling earlier that morning had suddenly disappeared. I felt so calm and relaxed that by the time I got home I was thinking that was probably the best £20 I’d spent in a long time.

Restorative yoga for those of us who are new to the practice is a style of yoga that has been devised and adapted from the teachings of B.K.S. Iyengar. Iyengar, one of the most revered yoga masters of his generation developed and adapted yoga postures using the aid of props so students who were recovering from injury or found that certain postures were causing them pain or strain could relax into a posture fully supported to help ease any discomfort. This form of yoga was later adapted and popularized by Judith Lasater a student of Iyengar in the U.S. in the 1970s and Restorative Yoga, as we know it today was born.

The main philosophy of restorative yoga is based on the premise that relaxing into poses with the aid of props (blankets, bolsters, blocks) for a longer length of time balances the nervous system and can help us achieve total physical, emotional and mental relaxation. As with all forms of yoga emphasis is put on the use of breath during and between postures. Focusing on the breath can help relax the mind and breathing into an area of tension with your body fully supported can help release any tension you may be feeling and staying in the pose for 15 – 20 minutes which is how long it takes for your body to open gently and fully relax into a pose can help ease pain and strain and reduce stress.

Restorative yoga not only relaxes the body and stills the mind but it can also enhance flexibility. I always find that after a restorative yoga class I can glide into postures with a little more ease and grace because a lot of the tension I may have been feeling in certain parts of my body doesn’t feel as restrictive and this helps me not only to get into poses but hold them for longer.

Because of the length of time you need to stay in each pose you will probably only have time for three or four postures in a restorative yoga class. This may sound like a walk in the park but it’s not as easy as you may think. It can be challenging sometimes to stay in the same position for that period of time and to completely ‘let go’. You may find that your mind begins to wander and your body feels that it needs to move because you’re not used to being still. This is why the breath is so important concentrating on your breathing and breathing into any areas of tension can help still the mind and help your body melt into total physical and mental relaxation.

Restorative yoga or supported postures aren’t exclusive to restorative yoga classes, some yoga teachers like to incorporate a couple of restorative poses into their usual classes and this is something you can do at home too.

Here are a three of my favourites:

Supported Child Pose

• Kneeling with your big toes touching and your knees out wide take a bolster and place it between your thighs and bring your torso down to lay on the bolster.
• Turn your head so your cheek is on the bolster in whichever direction that feels comfortable to you.
• Breathe gently and stay here for 5 to 10 minutes if you can and then change sides.

Resting Pigeon

• Position two bolsters, one in front of the other.
• Move the top bolster slightly toward the left so there is a space between both bolsters.
• Bring your right leg into the space between the bolsters with your knee just to the right of the front bolster and your right ankle close to the left side of the bottom bolster.
• Rest your left thigh and shin on the bottom bolster and then slide your leg back and lower your hips so you feel a nice stretch in your right buttock.
• With your torso resting on the front bolster and your chest and belly fully supported take your elbows out wide and rest your forearms on the floor.
• If it’s comfortable for you slide your arms slightly forward and turn your head to one side.
• Close your eyes and rest here for 5 to 10 minutes then repeat on the other side so both sides feel balanced.

Supported Savasana

• Place 2 blankets over your yoga mat.
• Fold a third blanket into a ‘pillow’ and place it at the top of your mat.
• Take a bolster and place it under your knees and rest your head on the folded blanket pillow.
• Let your ankles and feet drop to either side and place your arms by your sides, palms facing upwards.
• Bring your shoulder blades down so your shoulders are nowhere near your ears and ensure that your shoulders aren’t on the folded blanket, only your head should be on the folded blanket.
• If you have an eye pillow or light cloth you can place it over your eyes or if you prefer you can just close your eyes and relax in to the pose.
• Stay in this pose for 15 to 20 minutes.