I used to be more into strong, core or cardio exercising... Naturally, I slow down in my practice now, including in yoga, and pay more attention to myself.. And apparently, for a good reason!
"With the explosion of yoga in the West,
there’s been an influx of yoga styles, each expressing their own blend of
breathing, poses, meditation, chanting, relaxation, and philosophy. Restorative
yoga, a practice that leads the yogi toward a more healing and recuperative
experience, ushers in a host of wonderful benefits that are often overshadowed
by the popularity and visibility of more dynamic yoga styles.
A restorative practice frequently relies
on the use of props and the prolonged holding of a few simple poses to achieve
a deep level of relaxation. “Restorative yoga” can also be an umbrella term
that encompasses several sub-styles of relaxation and healing-based Hatha yoga
practices.
But what exactly makes this style of
yoga unique? Here are some of the benefits a restorative yoga practice has to
offer.
Slows Down the Pace of Life
Restorative yoga is an excellent
opportunity to disconnect from the frenetic activity of daily life and let your
speedometer return to 0 mph. It offers a welcome respite among all the
turbulence of life and helps to prepare the mind and body for the inward stroke
of meditation and deepened awareness. Moving slowly through the poses allows
you to explore your mind and body at a steady and natural tempo.
Soothing to the Nervous System
The slower pace and deep breathing that
you get in a restorative yoga class triggers the parasympathetic nervous system
from the very first pose. This activation helps to mitigate the effects of the
regular fight-or-flight stress response that can be damaging to your physiology
and well-being. The overall calming effect on the nervous system sets a deeply
relaxing tone for the class that comforts your mind and body down to the cellular
level.
Encourages Mindfulness
Restorative yoga could just as easily be
called “mindful yoga” due to the expanded awareness of self and body that comes
through the practice. Slower movements cultivate space for a deeper experience
of the poses and the breath. Awareness of the physical sensations, the thoughts
or emotions that arise, or sounds in the environment, can all take on a much
more profound significance in the depth of the restorative practice. Simply
put, you’re able to notice and feel more of the world through your yoga
experience.
Fosters Transcendence
On the whole, many forms of Hatha yoga
are considered a precursor to extended periods of meditation. Through the
practice, muscles, joints, and subtle energy centers are enlivened to help
facilitate a deeper and more comfortable experience of meditation. However, the
practice of restorative yoga in and of itself often leads to a transcendent
experience of deep oneness with the universal level of consciousness. Each pose
and each breath serves to lead you further up the ladder of expanded awareness.
As the practice expands, the vehicle of yoga carries you from the waking state
of consciousness into the silent space between your thoughts—the space from
where you’re able to glimpse the soul and awaken the divinity within.
Cultivates Heightened Body Awareness
The comfortable pace of restorative yoga
opens the doorway to a deeper understanding of your own body, letting you
actually feel what it means to be a spiritual being having a human experience.
Sadly, many people aren’t intimate with their own bodies. Through a restorative
yoga practice, however, such intimacy can be explored and embraced. Deeper
levels of bodily strengths can be integrated and owned and a more profound
sense of self-love and acceptance can emerge.
Deepens Self-Awareness and Introspection
The subdued quality of a restorative
yoga class often helps you draw attention inward and away from external events
and situations of the world. With your awareness directed within, the practice
becomes a sanctuary for the mind and spirit from which you can take a deeper
look at who you are, what you want, and how you can serve the world.
Restorative yoga opens us up to new levels of self-exploration and
contemplation, allowing your inner being to shine forth.
Creates Deliberateness of Action
Through the mindfulness of the practice,
you become increasingly aware of your actions or karmas, and how they influence
your level of comfort or discomfort. You can see the direct cause and effect
relationship between your poses, breathing, and overall level of well-being. As
this experience continues to deepen, you begin to make more deliberate and
attentive choices, both on and off the mat.
Strengthens Acceptance and Detachment
By its very nature, the restorative yoga
practice is the antithesis of the “no-pain-no-gain” mentality. You receive the
greatest benefits from your practice not through forcing yourself into a pose,
but by releasing and surrendering to it. This mentality helps to cultivate
acceptance of your body and its inherent limitations. Further, it strengthens
your ability to let go of preconceived notions of your body and how you think
it should look or feel, both in and out of a pose. When increased ease and
comfort are the theme of your yoga practice, acceptance and detachment
naturally emerge as a result.
Helps You Feel Safe and Nurtured
In daily life it’s easy to get pulled
into the insecurity that is a byproduct of the modern world. Many people move
through their days haunted by fear, anxiety, and uncertainty. Restorative yoga
provides you with a safe harbor wherein you can reconnect with your true
nature, which is immortal, invincible, pure, and nourishing. Making that
connection through your poses, breathing, and deep relaxation restores the
memory of who you are and helps you to reclaim the fearless nature of your
soul. From this refuge, you emerge feeling secure in the inherent goodness
within your heart and in the world.
Connects You to the Divine and Establishes
You in Pure Being
The ultimate goal of yoga is union with
the divine. Therefore, your practice should be a means to that end. Luckily,
restorative yoga is the perfect vehicle to help you reconnect with the divinity
within. Through the techniques of the practice, you awaken grace, poise,
flexibility, balance, strength, and present moment awareness. This combination
creates a mind and body ideally suited for seamlessly merging into the
non-local field of awareness, or pure being.
As a tool for self-transformation,
restorative yoga facilitates the integration of all the layers of
life—environmental, physical, emotional, psychological, and
spiritual—culminating in the goal of all goals, awakening to your own divine
nature.
The benefits listed here may not be
isolated solely to restorative yoga, but they are some of the most defining
benefits to this type of practice. If you’ve never explored this style of yoga,
this is your open invitation."
Source:
http://www.chopra.com/articles/10-benefits-of-restorative-yoga?utm_source=exhale+Newsletter&utm_campaign=d225d92552-Last2016&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_5d3389bb95-d225d92552-319087121&mc_cid=d225d92552&mc_eid=00d3bb55e5
Also
www.soyoga.com.sg
