Supported Reclining Twist

Enjoy Supported Reclining Twist

Coming into the pose:
Lay on your back with your knees bent. Have a support ready on each side of your body. Shift your hips to one side and let your knees fall to the other side. Snuggle a bolster under your back hip and bum to support staying in the twist and let the stacked knees rest on a second bolster as they fall towards the floor. Try to keep the shoulders on the floor, keep the heart center open by extending the arms away from the body, palms facing up, and let the head turn away from the knees. Stay as long as you are comfortable.

Changing sides:
Let the head come back to center. Remove the support from under the back hip. Engage the core slightly to support the spine and then bring the legs back to upright, helping the legs with the hands if needed. Settle into the second side the same way as the first and try to stay here an equal amount of time.

Exiting the pose:
Let the head come back to center and then keep turning towards the knees. Remove the props from under the knees, lay on your side for a few breaths, and then gently push yourself back to an easy seated position.

If this twist is not to your liking try Supported Side Reclining Twist ~ Salamba Bharadvajasana.

Supported Corpse Pose ~ Salamba Savasana

Enjoy Supported Savasana Pose

I always conclude my Restorative class with Supported Savasana. I encourage my students to go nuts and prop themselves in all the ways that would support their body's comfort. This picture only shows a bolster under the legs and an eye pillow but you can get really creative with supporting yourself.

Here's some ideas for increasing comfort and adding support (you don't have to do them all - but you could try for fun):

• A small roll under the low back for lumbar support
• A small roll under each wrist
• A small roll under the neck and/or a pillow under the head
• A small roll under the ankles
• Add a sandbag over the pelvis to encourage the hip flexors to let go
• Add a sandbag on each shoulder to encourage releasing tension
• Add a sandbag over the diaphragm to increase breath awareness 
• A blanket over the whole body to keep warm
  

I'm sure there are more tips and techniques out there but this is a great place to start. Stay in Supported Savasana for as long as you like, encourage the mind to focus on the breath: the feeling of the breath in the body, where the breath is in the body, where can't the breath get to in the body, the feeling of the breath entering and leaving the nostrils or the feeling of the breath bellowing the belly and the belly falling back into the body on each inhale and exhale. Let the mind settle into breath awareness as the body settles into stillness.

Enjoy!

Read more about Savasana here.

Supported Wide-Angle Fold ~ Upavistha Konasana

Enjoy Supported Wide-Angle Forward Fold

Wide leg forward fold can be done from a standing position or seated. Generally for my Restorative class we are seated and have multiple props to support this sometimes difficult opening.

Setting up for the pose:
Gather a number of different props: a chair, or a couple of blocks, or a few pillows/bolster, also, either a blanket for sitting on or else a wedge.


Coming into the pose:
Sit in front of a chair, block or bolsters with your legs open wide (about 90 degrees). Support your low back by sitting on a wedge or a folded blanket. Toes draw back toward the body and knee caps point toward the ceiling. Reach out through your heels. Hinge forward at the hip crease, walking your hands out and resting your forehead on the block, bolster or chair. If you are using a chair or bolster pile you can place your arms on the chair’s seat, hinge forward at the hip crease and rest your head on your forearms, keeping length in your spine.

While in the pose:
Keep breathing, keep observing the pose in your body, allow the body to open at its own rate. Commit to the stillness but do allow yourself to adjust your props and your body as you settle deeper in.

Coming out of the pose:
To come up, bring the hand to the floor to support the torso, inhale and hinge or roll back up from the hips, protecting the spine.

Enjoy!

Legs on a Chair

Enjoy Diaphragmatic Breathing with Legs on a Chair Pose

OK - Legs on a Chair sounds silly, I know. But it is actually quite delicious and easy to do. Plus you can do it at work, home, or on the road. All you need is yourself, the floor and a chair, couch, or some other raised surface.


Setting up without additional props:
Sit down in front of a chair or couch with the seat of the chair/couch towards you. Sit with one hip facing your prop. As you start to lay back, you must also swing your legs up and your body around so your bottom is towards the chair. When you are turned tail to the chair, settle your legs onto the chair's seat, making sure they are completely supported from the backs of the knees down to the feet.

Setting up with additional props:
Start the same as above but add a small lumbar support, an eye pillow and sandbag (or big bag of rice) to lay over your stomach and lower ribs.

Settling in:
Lay here as long as you are comfortable. Close your eyes, give your mind the job of watching your breath, and commit to the stillness.

Coming out of the pose:
Bring awareness back to the body, remove the eye pillow, remove the sandbag, draw the legs into the body and roll to one side. Linger here for a few breaths then slowly push up on your side.

This is a great short break at the office, you can practice it in a hotel room if you are travelling, or any other time you want.

Enjoy!

Restorative Sequence

At class or at home, this sequence will relax you.

Begin by sitting next to a wall, roll onto your back and swing your legs up the wall. Really let yourself settle in here. Become aware of your breath, let your mind settle down, let all tension melt away.

Legs up the Wall ~ Viparita Karani

If you would like to add a little more movement to Legs up the Wall you can add the #4 Hip Stretch. Make sure to stretch both hips.

Legs up the Wall w/ #4 Hip Stretch

Stay here about 5-10 minutes. For more information about Legs up the Wall Pose click here.

From Legs up the Wall pose, hug your knees in to your chest, roll over and transition to Supported Child's Pose. Get a bolster, pile of pillows or stack of blankets and lay down in Child's Pose, supporting your torso with the props.

Supported Child's Pose ~ Salamba Balasana

Stay here about 5-10 minutes making sure to take equal time turning your head in each direction. For more information about Supported Child's Pose click here.

After Child's Pose, move into a Supported Side Reclining Twist. 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.

Supported Side Reclining Twist ~ Salamba Bharadvajasana

Stay here about 5-10 minutes per side or for as long as it is comfortable for you. For more information about Supported Side Reclining Twist click here.

After Supported Side Reclining Twist, roll on to your back, lift your hips, slide a block under your sacrum and settle in to Supported Bridge Pose. If you want to use the belt to support your legs, put it on before putting the block under your sacrum.

Supported Bridge Pose ~ Salamba Setu Bandha Sarvangasana

Stay here about 5-10 minutes. To come out, lift the hips, slide the block out, roll down and hug the legs into the chest. For more information about Supported Bridge Pose click here.

From Supported Bridge, roll to one side and ease your way back to seated to prepare for Supported Bound Angle Pose. Sit on a wedge or folded blanket to lift the hips, extend the legs in front of you then bring the soles together, draw them in to the body and let the knees fall apart. Use your prop pile, a block, or a chair to rest your forehead on.

Supported Bound Angle Pose ~ Salamba Baddha Konasana

Stay here about 5-10 minutes, allowing the body to move deeper into the pose slowly. Move your props as your body opens. For more information about Supported Bound Angle Pose click here.

After Supported Forward Folding Bound Angle set your prop pile up behind you to take Reclining Bound Angle. You can use a belt to hold your legs into your body and it is also nice to have a pillow or block under each knee. Rest back on your prop pile, draw your feet in towards your body, let your knees fall open and settle in.

Reclining Bound Angle ~ Supta Baddha Konasana

Stay here 10 minutes or more, allowing the body to move deeper into the pose slowly. Move your props as your body opens. For more information about Supported Reclining Bound Angle Pose click here.

You can finish up your sequence with Supported Savasana. Lay on your back and use any props you need to be as comfortable as possible. Perhaps a pillow under the knees or under the head, maybe a blanket over your body, an eye pillow or a sandbag on the belly - anything that brings you into greater comfort. Rest here, keeping your mind focused on the breath. Stay as long as you want.

For more information on Restorative Yoga visit Do Restorative Yoga's website or blog. Namaste.

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!

Yin / Restorative class

Regarding class on 10-9-09

I've really been enjoying teaching "Restorative Flow" at Yoga North on Fridays. The class is sort of a melting pot of Yin Yoga and Restorative Yoga. We are practicing a number of Yin postures - which are very similar to Hatha postures except they are held much longer to allow a stretch of the connective tissue. But I am also combining Restorative's practice of using props to offer more support and gentler postures to those who need it.

The students who attend the class are diverse in their range of mobility. Some postures work for everyone and some don't. When a pose doesn't work for someone we figure out another pose with a similar stretch and similar benefits. For example, Plow/ Snail Pose is not accessible to everyone but most folks can sit in Seated Staff Pose, tuck their chin and roll down slightly. The stretch is similar - it's just that one is upside down and the other is right side up.

I had a few comments along the line of, "I can't believe how fast this class goes." I think most yoga classes go pretty quickly - after all, we are treating ourselves. But there is something about the deep relaxation that comes with Yin and Restorative that makes us feel like time doesn't exist. We go in, we stretch, release, relax and center ourselves, and time disappears.

It's lovely. Thank you all for attending. I'll look forward to our continued classes. Namaste.