Editor’s note: This post was written last evening after having the most luxurious experience at a restorative yoga class.
I just experienced a little slice of heaven tonight.
Restorative yoga.
Have you ever tried it? It is a definite must.
The class was lit by just a few tea light candles. They were placed in the center of the room as the night sky grew darker outside the windows of the peaceful studio.
Beautiful music played softly in the background as we were gently guided by the teacher’s calm, soothing voice into various nurturing restorative postures.
Our bodies were propped by supportive bolsters, a sandbag and blankets, eyes gently weighted with a lavender scented eye pillow.
So moved by the experience of class tonight, I am writing this post in my car on my iPhone after pulling up in the driveway after class. (The pictures you see I added on my computer once I went into my house). I feel so calm, light and free in my body. I want to share my experience with you so that you too might experience the wondrous and divine beauty and relaxation of a restorative yoga class. This is something everyone should experience.
I am so thankful I carved time out of my schedule to go tonight and broke away from my long to do list around the house. After tonight’s experience I plan to go every Wednesday night (starting the week after next as I already made plans with friends next Wednesday evening).
If you have not tried restorative yoga yet, please do. There is no yoga experience required. Restorative yoga deeply relaxes and nourishes the body, mind and spirit. Any stress and worry we may feel gently loosen and slip away from our body and conscious thoughts. As our nervous system relaxes, our blood sugars stabilize and even out. Yoga in general can have very positive effects on our blood sugar. This has been my experience.
Thank you to my wonderful yoga teacher Jessa. You are a gift to me and many with your teaching.
May sweet peaceful dreams be waiting for you as your head meets your pillow tonight.
Here are a few articles to learn more about restorative yoga and its benefits. This first article talks a little bit more about restorative yoga and shows some sample postures with some of the props used. This second article states some of the health benefits of a restorative yoga practice. Lastly, this article from Yoga International speaks to why a restorative class can be beneficial over a regular (vinyasa/fitness) yoga class and how it provides much benefit to someone experiencing fatigue. It also includes instructions for poses that you could try at home. The last pose pictured, legs up the wall, is not only easy to get into yourself at home (and requires no props), but also beneficial for those of us with endocrine issues.
One more thing. If you can, find a studio close to your house. I am fortunate that this yoga studio is just a little over a mile from my house. Not having a long or stressful commute to and from yoga allows some of the benefits of yoga to more easily stay with you.
If you live in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, here is a link to the wonderful studio I write about in this post.
If you would like to take a class with this amazing yoga teacher (which I highly recommend), here is a link to her personal website.
Blessings, light and love,
Cynthia
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