What is Restorative Yoga?
Restorative yoga is a deeply nurturing practice devised to help restore physical and emotional balance.
During restorative yoga postures are often held for 5 or more minutes. Props or folded blankets and towels are used to support the body in comfortable positions. At no point is the body stressed or pushed beyond its natural range of movement.
Restorative Yoga provides a time and a space to really explore and discover different sensations within the body; and to discover where tension is stored. By working mindfully with the breath and focussing on the body it is possible to release some of the physical and emotional stress and tension from within the body.
Restorative yoga not only helps release large obvious areas of stress and tension it also allows you to discover smaller areas of tension that often go undetected, these areas of tension may have developed due to the way the body is aligned and used during everyday activities.
By working to release tension in the body whilst keeping the body supported within its natural range of movement the benefits are immense. Physical and emotional stress and tension are greatly reduced, range of movement naturally increases, alignment and posture improves, the body is able to rest, recharge, recover and rejuvenate, the mind is able to still, the nervous system is able to relax and the whole experience becomes deeply nurturing and at no point is the body stressed.
Restorative yoga also acts as a preventive practice, as it highlights areas of stress and tension and allows you to release or work to balance the body so that these areas don’t present a larger issue at a later date.
Restorative Yoga is ideal for all levels with varying degrees of experience, it is ideal for sports professionals, mountain bikers, runners etc. as it will counterbalance an intense training schedule, it is also ideal for those recovering from injuries or illness.
Restorative Yoga is a meditative practice, it increases mindfulness and helps to clear a restless mind, it alleviates muscular aches and pains, it reduces stress and tension, it enhances energy flow, counteracts the stresses and strains of everyday life, balances the nervous system, boosts the immune system, improves range of movement and deeply relaxes both body and mind.
Restorative Yoga allows you to recover physically and emotionally from the stresses and strains of everyday life.
Discover more about Restorative Yoga.
This blog article was written by Sue Fuller creator of the Yoga 2 Hear range of audio yoga classes and yoga teacher training courses.
