Restorative Yoga uses bolsters, blocks, bricks, chairs, straps, blankets (lots of blankets!) and eye pillows to invite us to slow down.
Restorative Yoga is a mainly floor based, passive class (chairs sometimes used); where the body finds the shape of the asana (pose) with the support of props. The body will still feel gently stretched but crucially in this practice we are able to let go of tension and find stillness to facilitate a greater sense of introspection as we feel the props hold us.
*The parasympathetic nervous system is stimulated and you’ll find a deeper sense of presence. This practice shifts the nervous system out of ‘fight or flight’ into a deeply felt relaxation response.
It’s not yin
Usually when you try and describe Restorative Yoga you often hear back, ‘it’s like Yin then?’ And it’s just not really. The two practices can be compared in that they are still, introspective, mainly floor based practices that utilise props. But that’s where the comparison ends. Yin yoga promotes at a deep muscular level, trying to ‘stress’ the muscles, targeting the connective tissues and working with meridians from Traditional Chinese Medicine. Whereas restorative yoga is super gentle, comforting and nurturing and the focus is almost entirely on nervous system health. So you’ll hold the poses for longer, and you’ll use a pile of yoga props to achieve supreme comfort. The body feels this relaxed response on a profound level and the result is a soothed nervous system amongst other wonderful benefits.
When can I come?
We hold restorative yoga classes on Tuesdays 18:00-19:00 and there is a monthly Sunday class which is 90 minutes long. More details can be found on our events & workshops page.
*Thanks to Anna Ashby’s wonderful book Restorative Yoga:Power; presence and Practice for teachers and trainees to help with the above.