Relax & Renew® | RESTORATIVE YOGA CHRISTMAS SPECIAL

A Cozy Restorative Yoga Sequence for the Holidays: Amid the fray of the holidays, rather than waiting for peace to descend, we can create our own with a bolster, a block, and our own two hands before the new year arrives. Let go off the old, welcome new and reflect your whole experience in the past year!

Restorative yoga balances a hectic and stressful modern lifestyle and has an enormous capacity to heal physical and mental effects of everyday stress, and as we know, many diseases these days are stress related. Restorative yoga accelerates the body's natural healing process. During deep relaxation, all the systems of the body are benefited from the practice. Restorative yoga postures help us learn to relax our overstimulated mind and body and to rest deeply and completely to achieve physical, mental and emotional release.

This class suits everyone but it is especially helpful to those who are suffering from chronic stress related illnesses and those who are in need for restorative emotional support. It’s being especially popular with students who are recovering from illness or injury. You may leave the session feeling supported, grounded and connected.

This practice is great to balance an active yoga schedule or to give yourself a break when you feel under the weather, too.

BENEFITS

With the use of specific restful poses and deep breathing techniques, practice stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, which slows the heart rate and breath, increases blood flow to the vital organs, regulates the blood pressure and helps to improve the immune system. It promotes improvement in digestion, fertility, elimination and the reduction of muscle tension and general fatigue. The regular practice of restorative yoga has been found to reduce the autonomic symptoms of chronic stress such as anxiety, insomnia, headache, giddiness, chest pain, palpitations, sweating, digestive issues or abdominal pain.

HOW TO DO IT?

For Restorative yoga, the intention is to relax as far as possible into the postures, using as little physical effort as possible with the aid of props, without strain or pain. The mind focuses on the breath in order to cultivate mindfulness and release tension from the body. It is neither stretching nor strengthening practice but very much opening. It is a therapeutic form of yoga with the goal of conscious deep rest to facilitate rest & digest response of the body - the opposite of fight or flight response. Restorative yoga classes tend to be relaxing and slow paced, with a whole sequence using postures which are held for long periods of time. Props, like blocks, bolsters, blankets and straps are used so that you are supported in your pose comfortably. Gentle music may be played, and the practice may be combined with guided meditation.

Resting is not a luxury or an optional privilege you have, it is essential for self-preservation and a manifestation of your respect to your unique life.

*Relax & Renew® Restorative Yoga is a signature training and can be taught only by internationally registered teachers.

£35 Advance booking is required. Places are not secured unless paid for in full.