“I will let my body flow like water over the gentle cushions.” - Sappho
Yoga serves to unite body, mind and spirit. During restorative yoga, the body is lovingly supported by props that both stimulate and relax the body to facilitate body systems balance. The supportive environment provided during restorative yoga practice produces a total relaxation effect that calms both body and mind.
Each restorative yoga pose guides the spine gently through the different ranges of motion which helps to elicit muscle relaxation, neural mobilization, and production of joint lubricating synovial fluid. Restorative yoga practice also stimulates increased blood flow to the internal organs to help improve oxygen exchange and the removal of waste products across the cell membrane. Therapeutic effects of restorative yoga practice include:
- Alleviation of stress and exhaustion
- Improvement in digestion processes
- Facilitation of optimal lymphatic system functioning.
Restorative yoga practice also helps to clear the mind, activate the parasympathetic nervous system, lower blood pressure and mediate depression. Restorative yoga therapy is a wonderful recovery process for active athletes. Restorative yoga practice can be modified for any age or health condition. Restorative yoga practice helps minimize your body’s attempts to operate under tension and assists the conception process as well as enhances prenatal and postnatal health and wellbeing.
