Restorative posture is by nature a receptive practice wherein you can guide yourself towards a healthier and more balanced state of being. It is a practice of consciously turning inwards, of quietening the body and mind and nurturing ourselves.
Another great benefit of restorative yoga is that, it can be a great segue between more active yoga postures and meditation.
Restorative postures are much more than just Pranayam, meditation, relaxation or yoga nidra. These are higher levels of physiological state of our body, prior to which we need to enhance our health first. We need to prepare our physical body for Pranayam, Dharana and Dyana. Otherwise one will get many diseases, this has been maintained in hatha yoga text.
The restorative postures are safe and much more effective and beneficial in today’s lifestyle than other dynamic forms of postures and relaxation techniques.
As the body begins to settle in these poses, our breath slows down and the mind also begins to find more stillness and spaciousness thus making it a perfect prep for meditation.
Our aim is to stay aware of our body, the sensations and emotions that arise as we remain in the poses, and observing all of these without judgement. It imbibes the quality of acceptance and surrender to the present moment.
As we are accustomed to holding ourselves together at all cost, it can sometimes be a little unnerving to begin to let go of that rigidity and surrender, and for some people it can be very challenging to just “be”. But as we continue to stay and soften, we will begin to find more ease in our bodies and minds, and shift into a different way of being, both during our practice and in our daily life.
Restorative postures can be seen as a special treat, and time to really slow down and let go, somewhat similar to having a massage. However, with regular practice, the more often we do these slower and longer-held poses, the more we can reap the benefits. It’s also worth remembering that in order for us to be able to really surrender and release deeply held tensions, it is important to take time and care when setting up our props for these poses, so that we can feel completely at ease and almost cocooned in each pose.
So why not take some time out to let go, slow down and just see what happens? You may soon find yourself wanting to carve out time to do this every day and make it a part of your life!
