Restorative Yoga Class NIDRA- Enjoy this recording anytime!
Find a quiet space where you can be in an undisturbed restorative yoga class for 25 minutes.
Lie down, and place your head on a pillow. Maybe lie your legs over a pillow or bolster. Ensure you are at a comfortable temperature. Lie a blanket over your body.
Prepare to let go of your own zone of bliss. Follow the instructions as you enter a healing state of consciousness, or at the very least profound relaxation.
Are you:
-
Looking for yogic methods to help you manage through stressful times?
-
Experiencing anxiety, insomnia, or depression?
-
In the stage of recovery post-surgery or injury?
-
Living with having to manage through pain?
The fast pace of modern life and the challenges presented to us can manifest in many ways in the mind/body. Metaphorically, the speed of daily life gets trapped in our nervous system. Stress makes the human more susceptible to illness, ailment, injury, anxiety, and depression. When a part of the body is tense, circulation decreases to that area, thus reducing immunity. Restorative yoga postures are effective in relieving tension and increasing circulation.
Learning true yogic relaxation techniques is the key to unlocking the door toward more physical and mental freedom.
What is Restorative Yoga – The antidote to stress
In restorative yoga, the body moves into comfortable and supported postures, with gentle attention directed toward the breath. Students are supported by a bolster or blanket in postures; therefore there is no need to use energy to get energy. Rather, students place themselves in a position to receive energy.
Restorative postures are held for between 3 and 10 minutes, allowing the benefits of the pose to fully permeate the body and mind. This allows the nervous system to shift from the stress response to the relaxation response i.e. from the “fight or flight response to the restore and nourish response. As such, restorative postures help relieve and heal the effects of chronic stress.
Psycho-biologist and yoga teacher Roger Cole, Ph.D., found that restorative yoga poses dramatically alter hormone levels, thus reducing brain arousal, blood pressure, and fluid retention. Restorative yoga is also very beneficial for the organ and glandular systems of the body. Practicing restorative yoga can result in the enhanced exchange of oxygen and waste products across the cell membranes, enhancing overall health.
The antidote to stress is relaxation. To relax is to rest purposefully with full consciousness. This intentional or purposeful rest in restorative yoga is different from ‘relaxing’ on the couch by the TV with a cup of tea or reading a book or even gardening. The reason is, we are still engaging all our senses during these ‘relaxing’ activities. In restorative yoga, we try and completely surrender to relaxation and aim for ‘pratyahara’. Pratyahara is the Sanskrit word for ‘withdrawal of the senses’, which is one of the 8 limbs of yoga.
Scientists have researched the effects of relaxation and reported measurable benefits, including a reduction in muscle tension and improved circulation.
Practical information For Restorative Yoga:
-
Wear loose, comfortable clothing.
-
Avoid eating 2 hours prior to class.
-
Bring your own drinking water.
-
All props are provided.
-
Bookings can be made by calling, texting, or calling Christina on 0403 775 760.
Please feel free to contact me to discuss the classes in more detail or answer any questions about the practice.
