Embrace Calm and Balance with Restorative Yoga and Pranayama
“Healing happens when the body is in a state of deep relaxation”
In our fast-paced modern world, finding moments of tranquility is essential for overall well-being. Restorative yoga offers a deeply relaxing and nourishing practice designed to soothe the nervous system, relax muscles, calm the mind, and relieve tension in the diaphragm and rib cage. This gentle practice also supports the restoration of kidney and adrenal function, helping to balance the body's natural capacity for health.
The Essence of Restorative Yoga
Unlike more dynamic forms of yoga, restorative yoga focuses on complete relaxation. The use of props such as bolsters, blankets, and blocks provides essential support, allowing the body to release tension without any sense of effort. This practice does not aim for intense stretches or noticeable sensations but seeks to reprogram the nervous system and gently stimulate different organs.
A Journey Inward
During a restorative yoga session, you withdraw from the external world, creating a unique opportunity to be fully present with yourself. This inward focus enhances inner awareness and provides a break from the constant input of the surrounding environment. The mind becomes conscious, the body and breath relax, and a state of enhanced inner awareness is achieved.
As you move through restorative poses, you are encouraged to let go of memories, plans, worries, and fantasies, focusing on the present moment. By moving your awareness calmly and quietly from one part of the body to another, you cultivate a sense of peace and mindfulness.
Two Restorative Yoga Poses and Breathing Exercises
Incorporating specific restorative yoga poses and pranayama (breathing exercises) into your practice can deepen your relaxation and support your overall well-being. Below are two recommended poses and associated breathing techniques that can be done separately or combined into a blissful 30-minute home practice.
1. Viparita Karani (Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose)
Benefits:
Revives the legs
Relieves tension in the brain
Releases tension in the diaphragm
Aids digestion
Quiets the mind
Refreshes heart and lungs
Helpful for varicose veins
Contraindications:
Hernia
Eye pressure, glaucoma
Retinal, heart, and neck problems
Menstruation
Pain or discomfort in the pose
Pressure in the head
Respiratory or sinus infection
How to Practice:
Lie on your back with your legs up the wall, eyes closed.
Place a firm cushion or folded blankets under the sacrum and lower back.
Rest your arms on the floor next to the body with palms facing up, or place the arms overhead if feeling exhausted.
Use a yoga belt around the center of the thighs, if available.
Soften the belly, close the eyes, and breathe normally.
Visualize fatigue draining from the legs, back, shoulders, and mind.
Rest in the pose for 5-15 minutes.
2. Pranayama Pose (Diaphragmatic Breathing)
Benefits of Diaphragmatic Breathing:
Activates the rest-and-digest response by stimulating the vagus nerve.
Helps access feelings of calm and balance.
Provides a sense of clarity and space.
Contraindications:
If experiencing low back pain, leave about a fist-length space between the edge of the bolster and the sacrum.
How to Practice:
Lie lengthwise on a bolster with the upper back supported from the kidneys up, and a folded blanket under the head.
Relax the arms on the floor away from the body, with palms facing up.
Allow the belly to be round and move into complete stillness.
Focus on letting go of physical and mental tension with each exhalation. Rest in this pose for 10-15 minutes.
Diaphragmatic Rib Cage Breathing Exercise:
Place one hand right under the lowest ribs and one hand on the lower belly.
Focus your breath between the lowest ribs and the collarbones, keeping the lower belly relaxed.
On inhalations, expand the breath from the center of the ribcage outward.
On exhalations, allow the breath and ribcage to move back toward the center.
Focus on this three-dimensional movement for about five minutes, then rest in the pose for another 5-10 minutes.
4,2,6,2 Breathing Exercise:
Inhale to the count of 4.
Hold the breath for 2 counts.
Exhale to the count of 6.
Hold the breath for 2 counts.
Continue this pattern for about 5 minutes, then return to normal breathing.
By incorporating these restorative yoga poses and pranayama exercises into your routine, you can tap into your inner calmness and enhance your natural ability to relax and restore. Enjoy the journey to a more balanced and peaceful state of being.
“Every breath contains the power to transform you.”
