The practice of Re…

Rest, relax, restore, rejuvenate, revitilise, refresh, regenerate, reinvent, renew, reclaim, replenish….the list goes on. The prefix “re” in Latin means “again and again” or “to go back to “, so it’s not surprising that the verbs that represent these states of being use it so widely . As humans we unconsciously drift away from these natural states of harmony, only to find ourselves consciously revisiting them through various means of recreation and therapy to restore the balance in our lives. Now more than ever this is needed! We’re a week into being locked-down in Newport so maybe it’s time to make the most of being reclusive, and drop into some restorative yoga practice to let go of frustration and disillusionment and find courage and acceptance to navigate the rocky road of Covid 19.

Restorative yoga is a passive and therapeutic form of yoga that provides deep rest for tired bodies, stillness for busy minds and rejuvenation for the entire nervous system. The yoga concentrates on surrendering your weight to supports and softening stretches helping you to relieve negative stress and emotional strain. Restorative yoga helps you to discover where you are unconsciously holding tension and how to release it.

Yoga props required with alternatives

2 Yoga Blocks/bricks
Yoga blocks and bricks are great props for all types of yoga not just restorative. A good place to start looking for substitutes is on your bookshelves. The brick is short and thick, whereas the block is flatter and wider.

Yoga Strap
Yoga straps are wonderful for working on going deeper into your stretches, but not everyone has one lying around at home.You can easily use a belt, a tie, a piece of rope or your dressing gown belt as a yoga strap. Just be sure to check that the fabric or material that it’s made of is strong enough to hold your stretch.

Yoga Bolster
A bolster is really just a long pillow with more stuffing than most pillows for greater support. They’re used a lot in gentle restorative backbends. Roll up a big towel into a tube shape and place a pillow over the top for extra support.

2 Yoga Blankets
In all seriousness, nobody really needs a yoga-specific blanket. Yoga blankets are often rolled up to support parts of the body, used to slide the knees or feet across hard flooring, or used to keep warm during savasana. You could even use a regular towel or a bed sheet.

Eye pillow
A clean sock will do to keep out the bright lights.

Using your homemade props as support, essential oils and candles create your own sacred space and sink deeply into “ananda” (bliss) through these nourishing restorative postures releasing all effort and letting the tiredness begin to drain away leaving you feel revitalised.

Clothing

Wear warm loose comfortable clothing and warm socks and we won’t be moving much.

This photo shows alternatives to traditional yoga props.  Please contact me if any queries.

Friday 2 October 7.30 -9.15 pm

This workshop is £9 or £5 for monthly unlimited

No yoga experience required

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