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ISBN: Print 978-1-64611-184-8 | eBook 978-1-64611-185-5
R0
For Dad, as promised. Enjoy every sandwich.
Contents
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T he practice of restorative yoga has resulted in life-changing results for many of my students. Take Marissa, for example. With her foot firmly on the gas pedal since college, any hope of deep sleep was thwarted by hectic, caffeine-fueled days juggling career, marriage, and children. Her only relaxation came when she collapsed onto the couch at the end of the night with a glass of wine and a sleeping pill to help her power down for what typically amounted to a restless night.
Shortly after her 56th birthday, she and her family took their annual ski trip to Colorado. Unable to ignore the aches, pains, and exhaustion shed long been experiencing, Marissa skipped a day of racing her young grandkids down the slopes and stepped into her first restorative yoga class with me. Bracing herself for an intimidating physical challenge shed come to equate with yoga, she was surprised to start class lying down, supported by soft blankets and pillows. Twenty minutes in, she had drifted off into a state of deep relaxation. Her mind did an extraordinary thingit quieted down. Years of tension began to melt from her muscles. That night, she slept soundly and woke the next day feeling more recharged and hopeful than she had in years. Upon returning home, she continued a regular restorative yoga practice, and when I saw her back in Vail the following winter, she was 20 pounds lighter, sleeping again, and feeling happier. She attributed her transformation to her yoga practice.
Instead of moving through challenging standing poses, the therapeutic practice of restorative yoga uses supported positions to invoke deep relaxation to settle your mind and harmonize your physiology. It can relieve stress and pain and improve emotional well-being. Ive seen it equally benefit teenagers and seniors, athletes and pregnant women, people dealing with chronic illness and those recovering from surgery.
After years of dedicating myself to a very active yoga practice, I discovered restorative yoga when I was healing from injuries sustained in a serious bike accident. After my first class, I knew I had found something that could unlock years of stress for me and my students. Whats more, unlike the energetic vinyasa yoga classes I was already teaching, restorative yoga was an accessible practice that absolutely anyone can do. I signed up for teacher training and began studying with a group of incredible women who credited the practice with helping them overcome such challenges as crippling anxiety, depression, breast cancer, and lupus. Six months laterdespite feeling convinced that persuading mountain athletes to relax would be an uphill battlemy first restorative yoga class sold out.
Today, as a teacher, business owner, and Ayurvedic practitioner, restorative yoga is something I rely on to help sustain my joy for life, my passion for teaching, and to nourish my energy and creativity. Through my own teacher trainings, it is my great honor to help others discover restorative yogas benefits as well.
I hope this book will convince you of the merits of restorative yoga, but also of your ability to enjoy these benefitsregardless of who you are. Whether old or young, experienced or beginner, injured or sick, or just seeking more from your practice, restorative yoga is for you.
T his book contains everything you need to know to start your restorative yoga practice from scratch, deepen your existing practice, or support your students if you are a teacher. Its contents come from my own experience and passion for getting everybody to relax more.
describes restorative yogawhat it is, where it comes from, and how it works on your nervous system to facilitate the elusive state of deep relaxation. Well discuss its potential benefits and cover practical details such as what to wear when youre practicing, what props youll need (as well as how to make your own props with what you already have at home), and, finally, how to create a lasting habit out of your practice.
contains a detailed and illustrated guide to the gentle, relaxing poses at the heart of restorative yoga. Rest assured, these are poses anyone can do. You will also find 19 sequences you can follow at home for a profoundly rejuvenating experience and tips for creating your own sequences. One thing I have learned in my years of teaching and practicing restorative yoga is that the less you have to think about it, the more effective it is at soothing your nervous system. So, for each pose, I explain how it acts upon your body, how much time to spend in it, what props are needed, the precautions to take, and the benefits.