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Restorative
Yoga
By Debbie Grossblatt
Greetings! Have you ever felt so
fatigued or stressed that you could not find the energy to practice the
most basic yoga postures that you learned in a Level I class? Have you
ever looked at the schedule from your favorite yoga studio for a class to
restore your mind and body into an aligned relaxed natural state, in which
self healing may occur without effort, and suddenly noticed the words
Restorative Yoga following an Iyengar Level II class. The description on
the flyer says one-hour class to restore the body and the mind. Now
you ask yourself, “What is restorative yoga and how can it work to
reduce chronic stress?”
Yoga is not a one-size fits-all form of
exercise. It is a practice that fits everybody regardless of age or
condition at the time that they want to practice. The student must find a
style that most fits their personality or their needs to get the greatest
benefit. If you go to a bookstore or look on the web under “yoga”, you
will see a vast collection of yoga books and styles. The styles most
frequently mentioned are Ashtanga, Bikram, Iyengar, Kripalu,
Kundalini and Viniyoga as these are the most popular in the West. All
of these styles have their own philosophical basis as conceived by their
individual creator. One in particular, Iyengar (B.K.S. Iyengar of Pune,
India) conceived of yoga as an art and a science in which props can be
used to assist the student in performing a posture regardless of his/her
limitations or condition. Consequently, restorative yoga, which relies
heavily on props such as blankets, cushions and pillows as well as the
floor, is rooted in the Iyengar tradition.
I believe that restorative yoga was
really the brainchild of a blanket and bolster manufacturer in India who
was facing bankruptcy and suffered from great worry and stress.
Fortunately, he practiced Iyengar yoga and thought, well if I can use
blocks, straps and chairs why can’t I use my blankets and pillows to
heal myself? And so he did. Using his sturdiest blankets, his
finest pillows and the floor, he created a soft comforting environment
allowing his body to heal. Once his stress was reduced, he focused on
getting out the message about his discovery to the thousands of
townspeople. People flocked to his tiny shop to buy the blankets and
bolsters and very soon he was able to pay off his debts and reduce his
stress completely. Sounds like a yogic fairy tale and maybe it is,
but this little tale may be closer to the truth than we know.
Lying on the floor enveloped in pillows
and blankets in Savasana creates the feeling of expanded space and peace,
thus reducing chronic stress. Thus, yoga therapy promotes natural healing.
Dr. S. V. Karandikar of Pune, India (who studied with Iyengar) observed,
“As we grow older our body shrinks and the spaces between the body
tissues and the skeletal joints decrease. This anatomical distortion leads
to physiological dysfunctioning, resulting in pathological changes. The
regular practice of yoga stretches and strengthens the different muscle
groups and creates space in the body. This helps to bring back to normal
the physiological functioning of the different anatomical systems, which
enables nature to re-arrange and repair the diseased parts of the body the
natural way.”*
In Judith Lasater’s book, Relax and
Renew, this Iyengar trained yogini demonstrates in words and pictures
how the reader can set up a restorative practice at home or away to travel
to the state of relaxation by “quieting the gross movements of the
body.” Let me warn you that this style of yoga is not about doing. It is
about actively relaxing so that you can lose sense of time and place to
allow a wonderful sensation of peace to permeate your whole being.
In one of my recent Sunday morning yoga
classes I taught legs up the wall (Viparita Karani) at the opening of my
class while the students practiced the diaphragmatic three-part breath. By
lying still on a soft mat, inverted on the floor with the heels of the
feet touching the wall and focusing on the breath, my students had the
opportunity to just let go and relax prior to the hour-long class. The
results of this simple posture were evident to me, as the students
appeared more relaxed and alert while fully enjoying the present moment.
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