Ever been in the middle of your yoga practice and just needed to stay in child’s pose for the rest of the session? It’s okay to give in to this impulse. We need to listen to our bodies and honor how we feel each day of our practice. Some days we may be called to rest and go easy.
Restorative yoga brings peace and rest to your mind and body. Today, we’ll be exploring restorative yoga’s benefits and how it can help you stick to your yoga goals, such as completing the HYL Spring into Yoga Challenge.
Benefits of Restorative Yoga
Restorative yoga has so many powerful benefits for our mental and physical health. When life is stressful and busy, our minds and bodies speed up, and our nervous systems end up taking a beating. We can unwind from a busy week with restorative yoga. Using props such as bolsters, blankets, and blocks, you relax into each pose, releasing tension from your muscles. Restorative yoga benefits include:
- A quieted mind
- A relaxed body
- A balanced nervous system
- An ability to recognize where we’re holding tension
- A strength to face what we’re avoiding
- An increased compassion and understanding for self and others
- A boosted immune system
- An improved capacity for self-healing
Be Where You Are
As you’ve seen, you can still receive tremendous benefits from a slow practice. Some days you may want to skip your Chatturanga and just rest in child’s pose…and that’s okay! Listen to your body and be where you are! You don’t have to constantly put strain on your muscles to see health benefits. Staying tuned to your body’s needs can help you find inner healing.
Resting with Yoga
Whether you step onto the mat every day or multiple times a week, your mental and physical health will be stronger from participating in a restorative yoga session. One of our certified yoga instructors, Purvi Patel, offers Restorative Yoga Classes on Sundays from 5:45 – 6:45 PM EDT. Grab your blankets, bolsters (or pillows), and your mat, and join us for deep relaxation to start the week right. Are you participating in our 30-day yoga challenge? These restorative yoga classes count towards your 30 days of yoga! What are you waiting for?