This weekend we are featuring a guest teacher, Che Vincent who brings us a cosy warm Restorative Yoga Pop-Up. While the name itself is enough to appeal to many, those of us who like to work hard or prefer our Yang-style practices may take some convincing. So you may be surprised at some of the benefits the gentler side of Yoga has to offer.
A restorative class will feature less postures than a dynamic session, each held for a substantially longer amount of time. A little like a Yin class without the discomfort of stretching intensely into your joints and fascia. Restorative postures and sequences are designed to be as effortless as possible so that you may become passive, eventually feeling very little sensation in the body. This allows a concentrated time to direct the mind inward. Blankets and bolsters are there to melt tension and find the feeling of being grounded while simultaneously light. Unlike other styles this is accessible to all bodies regardless of size and condition.
But perhaps the biggest benefits are those which help us to feel better and live in this world more contentedly- physically and emotionally. In Western society we perpetually operate at a base of low level stress which has huge implications for our overall health. By being comfortable, still and breathing mindfully we open the potential for some pretty magical processes to happen.
We trigger the relaxation response or enter ‘rest and digest mode’, also known as operating within the parasympathetic nervous system. This is what’s happening when we feel calm. In this state the body switches its energy toward a wide array of fabulous, health giving processes such as digestion, releasing inflammation and hormone balancing. Relaxation and complete stillness lower levels of the stress hormone called cortisol which in excess plays havoc with our immune system, adrenal glands and can cause weight gain. In the rested state the body’s many healing processes kick in on both a physical and emotional level. Some postures can improve circulation, sleeping patterns and even help with anxiety. And the habit of comparing yourself with others in the room according to flexibility or strength is totally removed. We can all lie under a blanket pretty good right?
But don’t just take my word for it –come in and try for yourself! This Sunday 30th April from 2:30pm – 4:00. All welcome. Feel free to bring your own blanket or two but we will have plenty at the studio. Che is all set to walk you through a depth of letting go that you may never have felt before.
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