Restorative Yoga Practice
Restorative yoga is meant to bring balance to the nervous system, helping in turn to balance our whole body. Our nervous system interfaces with all parts of our body including our physical body, fascia body, mental body, emotional body, deep visceral body, pain pathways body, and immune system body. When the nervous system is out of balance, the release and healing that occurs in these bodies is limited. Chronic pain, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, auto immune diseases, irritable bowel syndrome, and even migraines are all examples of a nervous system that is not in equilibrium. Practicing restorative yoga will help you put your nervous system back in balance, leading to a healthier, happier you!
For those of you who may not know what restorative yoga is, it is a quiet, effortless form of yoga. Restorative yoga may be practiced in supine (lying down, upward facing) and/or prone (lying down, downward facing) postures. While in these postures, you are completely supported by props (i.e. blankets, bolsters, and blocks). When practicing restorative yoga you should not exert any muscular effort and you should not feel any muscular tension. The goal of restorative yoga is to feel supreme comfort. There are numerous benefits to practicing restorative yoga, some of which include a greater sense of calm throughout the body, stimulated lymph flow and enhanced immunity, as well as reduced blood pressure and stress hormones.
To start your practice, click on the link that suites your current state of being.
Kate Millen is a yoga and Pilates teacher who has worked in the field of health and wellness for over 20 years. She created Giving Tree Wellness in order to provide innovative mind-body therapeutics for clients in the Middle Tennessee area.