Every day is a good day for rest. Rest does not need to be earned. The importance of pause is easily overlooked, like taking a pause would be a sign of laziness. Therefore I believe that taking a pause for yourself is a strong self-care practice.
Restorative yoga is pretty high on my favourites list when it comes to restoring my energy and gaining clarity. Restorative yoga aims to activate the PSNS parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest) simply by turning down the sympathetic system (fight or flight).
Practising restorative yoga supports to
relieve stress and tension
have a deeper night's sleep
decrease muscle tension
build a sense of calm and well-being
Props (that can often be found in many homes as blankets and pillows) are used to build the poses in a way that you can be comfortable and at ease. Poses are held for a longer time, to allow muscles to relax, connecting with stillness and enjoying a deeper relaxation and benefits of the pose.
Before my first restorative class as a student in 2016, I was nervous because I did not know what to expect but as the class started slowly I forgot the time and ended up liking the practice, so much that I actually fell asleep And so much that now I want to share the practice with you.
During two weekends between the 10th – 18th of December, there will be Yin & Restorative Training open to ALL certified yoga facilitators from any lineage. These 2 winter weekends will prepare you to share a Yin & Restorative practice; if you are not, then these are simply 2 weekends of self-enquiry into a quiet practice - an urban retreat.
We will be covering the theme of rest and recovery as art and science. You will be learning different tools such as meditation practices and breath techniques to relax your nervous system for more calm and ease in daily life.
Are you ready to make rest a priority? Then register here for the training!
- Tuuli Sofia - Yoga, Movement & Meditation