Well, technically, Restorative Yoga focuses on relaxing the body in restful postures. But many familiar asanas can be performed in a way that makes them restorative. For example, this week I’ll be teaching the forward bend, Janu Sirsasana. I’ve been teaching the basics of this pose for the last three weeks. The full pose is quite tricky. This week we’ll do it again, but with our heads resting up on a chair. It will help us lengthen the front of the body and feel the breath move into the chest properly. So, we can use more props and therefore hold poses for longer times to open the body in a more passive way than usual. Some people find it more beneficial as layer after layer of the body gradually opens. Some people find it harder as it can be a challenge to stay still and watch the breath. The body relaxes, releases stress and the nervous system is calmed. In the Iyengar system, it is traditional to teach a restorative class one week a month, though not all teachers do. I feel it is a logical approach to balance our practice: so over a month 25% of our practice is restorative, and 25% active, with the remaining 50% encompassing other poses and breath work that allow us to benefit from a balanced, holistic practice.
