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Restorative yoga poses
Yoga Therapy Prescriptions
Restorative YogaRestorative yoga is an exploration into deep relaxation. Restorative yoga explores the stress that is held in your muscles, connective tissues, organs and glands. Restorative yoga is slow, methodical, and meditative. You can use restorative yoga to get to know yourself piece by piece. To know each piece on the experiential level requires practice. There is a constant tendency to mentally turn away from stress in the body. We do not want to look at it too closely. Our mind is in error when it turns away because there is no danger in the body. The rewards for gently attending to the stress in the body are tremendous. Restorative yoga can keep you firmly on your life long journey to find the deeper answers that are beyond the stress filled mind. The answers you will find will include increased health and well being. What would happen if we all relaxed deeply? Do you relax deeply? Do you know people who do? How deeply do you relax? Have you ever had your blood pressure drop 5 points below "normal"? How about 10 points or 20 points? Has your breathing slowed to a smooth and regular ten breaths per minute? How about seven or five ? Have you had long periods in your life where you smiled easily and held eye contact comfortably? Were you increasingly more helpful and compassionate towards everyone? Did your body feel better and recover from stress quickly and easily? Did you catch fewer colds etc? If you answered no to any of these questions then there is only one question left. Are you willing to try Restorative Yoga? Restorative Yoga focuses on deeply relaxing the body while the mind remains alert. Restorative yoga is not sleep. Sleep is often a time where we do not relax deeply. Sleep is often filled with tensions and muscle contractions and dreams of stressful times. Deep relaxation is something different. Deep relaxation is an state of giving up. A state of letting go of the illusion of control. A state of renewal and rejuvenation. Deep relaxation requires no approval, no money, no thought. Benefits of Restorative YogaRestorative yoga promotes healing and balancing all bodily functions. Yoga, especially restorative yoga, helps to switch on your Parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) and switch off your sympathetic nervous system. The PNS calms the body and releases hormones that rebuild and regerate. The PNS lowers the heart rate, blood pressure, allows the immune system to operate more optimally and promotes a balanced endocrine system. The endocrine system becomes imbalanced when the Sympathetic nervous system (SNS) is over-stimulated. Stimulating the PNS helps to bring all back in balance. It is believed that if the SNS is over-active for too long, illness pervades. Thus, forms of relaxation, such as yoga and meditation, that help to stimulate the PNS and calm the SNS are generally beneficial for overall body health. David Spiegel, M.D., author of Living Beyond Limits, reports, "In medicine, we are learning that physical problems, such as high blood pressure and heart disease, can be influenced by psychological interventions, such as relaxation training. Indeed, the Food and Drug Administration issued a report recommending these non-drug approaches as the treatment of choice for milder forms of hypertension. Mind and body are connected and must work together, and this should be a powerful asset in treating medical illness." Props for Restorative YogaThe more your body is supported in poses the deeper the sense of relaxation. With props it is easier for the body to get into certain poses, and thus, surrender to the pose. Essential props include (note, not all of these need to be used in every class):
Restorative PosesThese image are from: Yoga Therapy Prescriptions, 60 Health Restorative Sequences
Unless you are very flexible you will need 1-2 bolsters or 2 - 4 folded blankets (two thick blankets folded can equal one bolster). Sit on your mat with you feet in towards your lap. Place a bolster or two in front of your feet. Lie down onto the bolsters and place your arms out in front to either side. You can also place bolsters / blankets under each knee. Move the bolsters and add or subtract support until there is little tension in your thighs and low back. Stay here and breath slowly and deeply for 2 or more minutes. You can stay in this posture for many minutes if it feels good.
Unless you are very flexible you will need 1-2 bolsters or 2 - 4 folded blankets (two thick blankets folded can equal one bolster). Sit on your mat on your knees with your knees spread apart and a bolster between them. Lie down onto the bolster and place your arms out in front to either side. Move the bolsters and add or subtract support until there is little tension in your thighs and low back. Stay here and breath slowly and deeply for 2 or more minutes. You can stay in this posture for many minutes if it feels good.
Unless you are very flexible you will need 1-3 bolsters or 2 - 6 folded blankets (two thick blankets folded can equal one bolster). Sit on a bolster with your back againts a wall and you feet pulled in towards your lap. Place a bolster or two under your knees if needed. Move the bolsters and add or subtract support until there is little tension in your thighs and low back. Place your hands on your knees. Stay here and breath slowly and deeply for 2 or more minutes. You can stay in this posture for many minutes if it feels good.
Unless you are flexible you will need 1-2 bolsters or 2 - 4 folded blankets (two thick blankets folded can equal one bolster). Sit on your mat on your knees. Place a bolster between your knees if you need it for more support. Lie down onto the bolster and place your arms out in front to either side. Move the bolsters and add or subtract support until there is little tension in your thighs and low back. Stay here and breath slowly and deeply for 2 or more minutes. You can stay in this posture for many minutes if it feels good.
Unless you are very flexible you will need 1-2 bolsters or 2-4 folded blankets (two thick blankets folded can equal one bolster). Sit on your mat wiht one of your legs out in front of you. Bring the other foot in towards the other inner thigh, above the knee. Use a bolster to support the bent knee. Fold forward over the straight leg and onto another bolster that is across your lap. Move the bolsters and add or subtract support until there is little tension in the inner and out thigh of the bent leg and low back. Stay here and breath slowly and deeply for 2 or more minutes. Switch sides and extend the other leg and repeat.
This is not so much a restorative pose. It is more of a gentle yoga pose, but well worth learning. Unless you are very flexible you will need 1-2 bolsters or 2-4 folded blankets (two thick blankets folded can equal one bolster). Sit on your knees on your mat. Move your left foot out in front of the right knee and try to place the left knee and ankle flat onto the mat. Use a bolsters (or blankets) under your left buttocks to help get your knee and ankle flat onto the mat without straining. Push your right foot back behind you and lean forward towards the bent knee. Move the bolsters and add or bolster support until there is little tension in your thighs and low back. Stay here and breath slowly and deeply for 2 or more minutes.
You will need 1-2 bolsters or 2 - 4 folded blankets (two thick blankets folded can equal one bolster). Sit on your mat on your knees. Place one or two bolsters in front of you and move your knees to one side while you lie down onto the bolster(s). Move the bolsters and add or subtract support until there is little tension in your thighs and low back. Stay here and breath slowly and deeply for 2 or more minutes. You can stay in this posture for many minutes if it feels good.
Unless you are very flexible you will need 1-3 bolsters or 4-6 folded blankets (two thick blankets folded can equal one bolster). Sit on your mat with your legs out in front of you. If needed for more comfort: 1) sit on a bolster and 2) place one under your knees and 3) place one on your lap. Fold forward towards your feet and onto the bolster that is across your lap. Move the bolsters and add or subtract support until there is little tension in the thighs and low back. Stay here and breath slowly and deeply for 2 or more minutes.
Lie on your back. Place a bolster or two under your knees to support your low back. Place a blanket over you. Let your mind settle by watching your breath and letting go of arising thoughts. Let each thought go like it was a passing cloud. You cannot stop clouds and you cannot stop thoughts and you do not have to add to them either.
Unless you are very flexible you will need 3 bolsters or six folded blankets (two thick blankets folded can equal one bolster). Sit on your mat with the souls of your feet pulled up towards each other. Use bolsters (or blankets) behind you (under your back) and to the outside of each knee / thigh. Lie back onto the main bolster while letting your knees fall out to be supported by the others on each side. Move the bolsters and add or subtract support until there is little tension in your inner thighs and low back. Stay here and breath slowly and deeply for 2 or more minutes. You can stay in this posture for many minutes if it feels good.
Unless you are very flexible (or fairly inflexible) you will need 1-3 bolsters or 2-6 folded blankets (two thick blankets folded can equal one bolster). Sit on your mat with your legs out in front of you and spread tham as wide as is comfortable. If you are flexible enough to lean forward some, place as many bolsters or blankets in front of you as are needed for support (many poeple cannot lean forward at all and therefore no support is needed). Move the bolsters and add or subtract support until there is little tension in the thighs and low back. Stay here and breath slowly and deeply for 2 or more minutes.
Unless you are very flexible (or fairly inflexible) you will need 1-3 bolsters or 2-6 folded blankets (two thick blankets folded can equal one bolster). Lie on your back with your knees bent. Twist to the left bringing your knees down to the mat. If you cannot reach the mat without tension place a bolster or two under your knees. You can also place a bolster or blanket between your knees. Place a blanket over you if you wish. Stay here and breath slowly and deeply for 2 or more minutes. Switch sides and repeat.
You will need 1-3 bolsters or 2-6 folded blankets (two thick blankets folded can equal one bolster). Lie on 1-2 bolsters with your head and shoulders on the ground. The bolsters are used tosupport your middle and lower back. Move the bolsters and add or bolster support until there is little tension in your upper back and you still get that ehart / chect opening stretch. Stay here and breath slowly and deeply for 2 or more minutes.
Unless you are very flexible you will need 1-2 bolsters or 2-4 folded blankets (two thick blankets folded can equal one bolster). Sit on your knees on your mat. Use 1-2 bolsters (or blankets) behind you (under your back). Lie back onto the bolster while keeping your knees together. Move the bolsters and add or bolster support until there is little tension in your thighs and low back. Stay here and breath slowly and deeply for 2 or more minutes.
You will need 1 bolster or 2 folded blankets (two thick blankets folded can equal one bolster). Place a bolster 6 to 18 inches away from a wall (adjust later until your hamstrings are not tense). Place you buttock on the bolster and swing your legs up the wall. Place your head and shoulders on the ground. The bolsters are used to support your lower back. Stay here and breath slowly and deeply for 2 or more minutes.
When to PracticeRestorative yoga postures can be practiced at any time. It is a great way to wake up and clear the mind before your day begins. It is also beneficial to practice restorative postures at the end of the day. It can be used to help prepare the body for sleep. Many who practice restorative postures (at any time of the day), find that they sleep better and their energy levels are higher. More Information
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