Additional Restorative Class added

Noeline takes a new restorative class on Thursdays at 5.30pm

True restorative yoga is a resting yoga practice. I often call it meditation from the body up. We hold a small set of poses on the floor, supported by comfy props that allow the body to relax. When the body is relaxed, this sends a signal to the brain that it's OK to relax, too.

This style of hatha yoga was initially popularized in the U.S. in the 1970s by Judith Hanson Lasater, a student of renowned teacher B.K.S. Iyengar, whose practice involved heavy use of props. The poses aren't stretching, striving poses. The practice is all about asking yourself to do less: to see where you can release tension and efforting and ground more into the earth. To become fully present in this moment in your body. To breathe with whatever arises in body and mind.

The practice can help us;

Reduce stress and elicit a deep relaxation response

Get out of our over-busy heads and break negative thought loops

Learn to better connect with ourselves (body, thoughts, intuition, etc.)

Connect to our body's innate healing and relaxation tools

Identify where tension lies in the body and begin releasing it

Lessen the impact of physical and emotional pain

Reduce inflammation

An incredibly effective reset for body, mind and nervous system in particular, it might just be the practice that you need most along with a regular Hatha/ Yang practice, a balance can be created in body, mind and spirit—a powerful counterbalancing for our society's overemphasis on constantly doing, doing, doing.

It might not feel peaceful at first, practicing Restorative yoga could feel restless or even agitating. Slowing down to stillness exposes the internal agitation that was already there. Restorative yoga doesn’t create agitation, it gives us space to witness it, perhaps witness what we’ve been avoiding—our persistent feelings of unease.

At first, Restorative yoga could feel boring. What am I supposed to be doing laying here for 15 minutes? I could be getting something productive done! I could be looking at my phone. Remember, rest is productive. Learning to rest, to truly deeply rest, is a health-bringing life skill. And maybe it’s a practice for later....

All this Restorative yoga glory aside, it’s not always the right time to dive into such an extended practice of stillness and silence. Although I believe a deep reservoir of resilience is within everyone, accessing it might require shifting through those states of agitation, unease, and restlessness. There is nothing inherently wrong with distraction as a coping skill, especially if you don’t feel ready to “go there.” In these cases, a practice of yoga that involves more movement and less space to yourself might be a better entry point. But don’t write off Restorative yoga forever. Dip your toe in from time to time. There is so much to gain from giving yourself time to practice and receive rest and deep ease.