International Yoga Day – 21st June
Restorative Yoga Postures series – Part 3
Restorative postures need to be held for a longer duration to get the most of its physiological, psychological and spiritual benefits. You can start with 5 minutes and gradually increase to 20 minutes depending upon your state of health. Keep increasing the duration to reach a deeper level under the guidance of an expert teacher who knows distortion in spaces and forces. Hold yourself in these postures with the support of bolsters or blankets or a wooden bench.
Restorative postures such as Suptaveerasan (straight leg) and Supta Baddhakonasan can be performed immediately after a meal. As the demand of blood towards the lower limbs is reduced, it increases the blood supply all over the organs and organ systems situated in the torso such as the digestive system, along with the heart and the brain.
This enables expansion of muscles in the torso that are parallel to the spine, thereby removing pressure on vertebral column. The abdominal, pelvic and chest cavities open up and create more space. The negative pressure within the organs situated in these cavities gets spread out and are flooded with blood supply.
In my YouTube video where I am explained about Suptaveerasan and Supta Baddhakonasan, and how to master these postures from the comfort of your home. These are some basic restorative postures that are necessary in today’s lifestyle, and are very safe to do as we are not abusing or missing any joints here.
Even though it looks simple, these poses not easy to mature and go deeper and remove the causes. Prolonged period of waiting is very important and necessary to get its physiological benefits (it’s a relationship of space – time and gravity that is hardening).
Start doing regularly and watch your own body. Because of hardening you will not feel any movement and I will not be able to guide you at this stage on the efforts you need to take. Hence be in these poses for as long as you can under my guidance and see how long you can hold it. As I said earlier, if you hold these poses longer, you will be able to get all the physiological benefits.
There is a lot of obstruction of soft tissues in our body within which varies with each individual. Therefore, discuss with me what you feel and in which area of your body, according to which I can guide you and further decide which pose you should do next.
These poses will show you the state of your body at each level that you cross and help you further enhance it.
