30 Days of Relaxation - Day 29

We are coming up on the home stretch of our challenge. I thought I would post a couple of my favorite short home sequences for these last two days.

Also, FYI, tomorrow is International Restorative Yoga Day. I will be teaching Restorative Yoga at Yoga North in Duluth, MN, Saturday morning, 8:00-9:15 am. Please join me for a live class.

For today...

Supported Reclining Bound Angle

 Details on how to do this pose here.

Supported Child's Pose

 Details on how to do this pose here.

Supported Reclining Side-Seated Twist.

Make sure to take the twist in both directions.

 Details on how to do this pose here.

Feel free to keep on going and take more poses or finish up here.

30 Days of Relaxation - Day 7

Let's combine the poses from the last week into a slightly longer sequence. You can arrange your sequence how you like it. Perhaps Side Seated Twist - Child Pose - Side Seated Twist, or Child's Pose - Side Seated Twist - Side Seated Twist - Child's Pose, or add in Legs-on-a-Chair or Legs-up-the-Wall at the end. Or some other pose combo of your choice. I'll post a few picture sequences here and you pick your favorite or make up your own.

1) Twist-Child's-Twist

Just make sure to turn the other direction for the 2nd 1/2 of your twist.

2) Legs-up-the-Wall + Child's

 

 

3) Twist + Child's + Legs-on-a-Chair 

Just make sure to turn the other direction for the 2nd 1/2 of your twist.

 

 

4) Make up your own sequence and enjoy!

30 Days of Relaxation - Day 6

Let's help out insides refresh today with a Supported Side-Seated Reclining Twist.

Setting up:
Get yourself a bunch of blankets or pillows and stack them up neatly into a lengthwise pile. As long as your props are of a length equal to or greater than your torso, you are set.

Coming into the pose:
Sit on your shins on the floor with a bolster (or pillow pile) at your side (next to one thigh). The bolster should extend long-ways away from the body. Let your seat slide off of your legs towards your bolster / pillows so that you are seated with your knees bent and your feet are slightly away from your body, off to one side.

Turn the torso so the belly is facing the bolster, place one hand on either side of the bolster, lengthen the spine, then start to lay the body down on the bolster for a side-reclining, supported twist. Head can rest facing either side. Arms can rest in a comfortable position.

For full support make sure that the bolster / blankets /pillows are right up against your thigh before you lay down. Height of your bolster is determined by length of torso. For example, a more petite person may only need 2 folded blankets or pillows, whereas a longer waisted person might need 3-4 folded blankets and possibly an extra one to raise their head.

Stay in this pose as long as it is comfortable for you. Try to take this pose on each side for about the same length of time.

Switching sides and/ or exiting the pose:
To come out or change sides, push the palms against the floor to gently raise the torso up off of the bolster, unwind slowly, and take a few breaths before switching sides or moving to a new pose. I like to swing my knees in front of me to come to the other side, but some of my students sit on their butt and swing their legs all the way around instead. Either way is fine.

Enjoy!

Reclining Twist with a Bolster ~ Salamba Bharadvajasana

Enjoy Supported Reclining Side Twist

Generally Bharadvajasana is done from a seated position, sometimes with a blanket supporting one hip as shown in this Yoga Journal image:


But for my Restorative Class I like to bring it down to the floor with even more support than a blanket under one hip.

Setting up:
If you are setting up in a classroom and have traditional props, you can fold 3 firm blankets into quarters and then into thirds and stack them on top of each other. On top of that, I like to lay a soft blanket down for more comfort on the face.


If you are at home, you can do the same set up or you can use any number of couch pillows, blankets, or even bed pillows. As long as your props are of a length equal to or greater than your torso, you are set.

Coming into the pose:
Sit on your shins on the floor with a bolster at your side (next to one thigh). The bolster should extend long-ways away from the body. Let your seat slide off of your legs towards your bolster / blankets so that you are seated with your knees bent and your feet are slightly away from your body, off to one side. Turn the torso so the belly is facing the bolster, place one hand on either side of the bolster, lengthen the spine, then start to lay the body down on the bolster for a side-reclining, supported twist. Head can rest facing either side. Arms can rest in a comfortable position.
For full support make sure that the bolster / blankets are right up against your thigh before you lay down. Height of your bolster is determined by length of torso. For example, a more petite person may only need 2 folded blankets, whereas a longer waisted person might need 3-4 folded blankets and possibly an extra one to raise their head.

Stay in this pose as long as it is comfortable for you. Try to take this pose on each side for about the same length of time.


Switching sides and/ or exiting the pose:
To come out or change sides, push the palms against the floor to gently raise the torso up off of the bolster, unwind slowly, and take a few breaths before switching sides or moving to a new pose. I like to swing my knees in front of me to come to the other side, but some of my students sit on their butt and swing their legs all the way around instead. Either way is fine.

To read one student's reaction to this pose click here.

Enjoy!

A Student Observation

One Student's Reaction to Restorative Class

I spoke with a student who had attended my open Restorative Yoga class last Friday. His usual practice tends more towards Astanga but he told me he had been sick and was looking for yoga postures or ideas that would restore his body, not wear him out.

I saw him last night and asked what he thought about Restorative. He said he really enjoyed it. I think he was a little surprised that laying around totally supported could feel so good and be so beneficial. He reported that while laying in Supported Side-Reclining Twist he suddenly felt an opening and his twist got deeper. He said usually he tends to push into poses and was surprised to feel that kind of an opening in his body.

I was greatly encouraged by his observation of what was going on in his body. I know quite often students (and teachers) tend to go for the push rather than allowing an opening when the body is ready. This "allowing" is a lovely benefit in the practice of Restorative Yoga.