Submerge, surrender and immerse yourself within your restorative practice
In yoga, we talk about the influence the mind plays in our emotional worlds. The practice can be done to target a tired body or a stress-filled mind. Our experience is that restorative postures, done once a week, will be integrated into your practice with a welcomed boon.
Women naturally have that reminder once a month while in their cycle. If you’re a woman that has reached menopause or a man, what reminder do you have to take a much-needed break and treat yourself to a quiet practice?
These practices help to bring stillness to the mind and nervous system whilst soothing the muscular and nervous systems.
The sequence can change due to the type of stress you are experiencing, whether from physical tiredness or mental agitation, dullness, or lack of clarity. The sequence here will hopefully help to address both.
The body cannot be separated from the mind and vice versa. In order to help one or the other, both must be addressed. You will see I am holding poses longer to receive the benefits of slowing down and allowing myself to become quiet while drawing my attention inward. This duration of being in the pose, which can even be longer, allows the cells to be bathed in the naturally occurring chemicals that the parasympathetic nervous system releases.
The deeper physiological changes take place after 7-10 minutes. There is no emphasis on getting anywhere! I ask you to submerge, surrender and immerse yourself within your practice, allowing time to stop and simply receive. With the breath, give yourself this special gift you have within your full control. Observe….reflect.
This sequence includes:
Supta Baddha Konasana ( Reclining Bound Angle )
Supta Sukhasana ( Reclining Easy Pose )
Supta Virasana ( Reclining Hero Pose )
Adho Mukha Virasana ( Forward Hero Pose )
Adho Mukha Svanasana ( Downward Dog Pose )
Uttanasana ( Forward Bend Pose )
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana ( Bridge Pose )
Viparita Dandasana ( Inverted Staff Pose )
Ardha Halasana ( Half Plough Pose )
Supta Tadasana ( Reclining Mountain Pose )
Viparita Karani ( Leg Up Pose )
Upavistha Konasana ( Wide Leg Forward Bend )
Baddha Konasana ( Bound Angle Pose )
Paschimottanasana ( Head to Knee Pose )
Savasana ( Corpse Pose )