Restorative Yoga is a very popular form of yoga. It is interesting to know the uniqueness of this form. Simply put, Restorative Yoga literally restores the muscles and the mind!
The poses are held for a minute at a time up to 15 minutes, after an initial warm up, which can include the Sun salutations.
History
Restorative Yoga classes are inspired by the teachings of B.K.S. Iyengar, who came up with the use of various props for perfecting poses. Judith Lasater Ph.d. ,one of his students, popularized Restorative Yoga, as it is today.
What it does
It works to heal your body emotionally and physically. A restorative practice is very welcome when you are dealing with a traumatic time in your life or if you want to relax and unwind your mind and body completely.
The use of several props like bolsters, blankets, belts, eye bags, chairs, walls, etc., used as supports in the poses aid in holding the postures for a longer duration with considerable ease. In fact the more fully your body is supported the deeper your sense of relaxation will be.
Although the restorative poses look peaceful they can be very challenging since even though the body relaxes it is difficult to relax the mind for long. Be patient and be prepared for dealing with a rebellious mind till it gets trained into staying calm!
When to Practice
Incorporate restoratives into your practice in a small way by perhaps adding a pose or two in your daily practice and then progressing to doing a weekly complete restorative practice to get the delicious, rested, centred feeling which comes with it!
Namaste!
Neelanjana Bharadwaj– Yoga Expert