Restorative yoga

Restorative yoga uses props to support the body in releasing physical effort and held tension so that we can settle and come into ourselves more deeply. It’s sometimes also known as ‘active rest’ because of our intention to rest (rather than sleep), restore and replenish.

Restorative is a wonderful complement to active movement practices and our busy modern lives. By inviting the body to soften, restorative yoga helps to stimulate our nervous system’s relaxation response.

Moving out of a ‘flight, freeze or freeze’ always-on response where many of us spend a lot of our lives and towards ‘rest and digest’ has a calming effect on our whole system, with benefits to all the body’s key systems. The heart rate will slow, respiration (breathing) rate will reduce, blood pressure drops, and digestion and reproductive systems function better to name a few.

Poses are often held for up to 20 minutes, to give you time for your body to relax, for your mind to quieten and the awareness to become more internally focussed.

Part of the magic of this practice is that it will often leave you feeling far more refreshed than having a nap - although sometimes naps do happen in restorative classes (and that’s ok too).

I offer regular restorative yoga ‘mini retreats’ in a beautiful Walthamstow church. Join my email list or see the Seasonal Retreats page for details of the next one.