Restorative Yoga

As a newcomer to the world of Yoga, I feel that my perspective of yoga is very narrow. I certainly understand the philosophical texts associated with the practice, but know very little about how yoga is practiced and viewed be the millions who practice yoga in America.

            In class on Tuesday, our instructor shared a type of yoga meant to relax and rejuvenate the body and mind and in doing so, helped to expand my understanding of American yoga. This particular practice took us through a sequence of poses mostly done on the back. With the help of a bolster, straps, and blankets, we performed various supine poses that expanded the chest and groin, aligned the spine and neck, and relaxed the entire body. These poses allowed me to focus on my breathing and shut out distractions more fully than I ever had before. When my torso was lifted by the bolster, my lungs and airways felt clear and capable. My mind was calm and focused.

            This sequence of restorative poses was an exciting new practice for me. I feel that Tuesday’s lesson showed me a glimpse of what yoga practice in studios throughout America might look like. In our modern culture, especially in modern fitness culture, people tend to isolate and specialize to a high degree. In the weight room, this is shown to be the norm, and probably for good reason. Lifters typically isolate a region of muscles to focus on in a single workout e.g. “today I’m working back and biceps” and “don’t skip leg day.” I’m assuming that this habit of separation extends into the yoga world, where instructors might lead their class in restorative poses one day, and core strengthening poses the next. This segmentation makes a lot of sense, especially in a world we’ve organized into rigid categories. Yoga sequences that isolate one type of pose or aim for a few, select benefits in particular show that yoga is a practice that can benefit everyone in many ways and can be adapted to an individual’s own needs.

            The acceptance of tools like bolsters, straps, blankets, and blocks also shows that yoga can be molded to fit any individual. Uses of these tools are often personalized so as to meet the individual’s specific situation. Yoga is truly a practice everyone can benefit from.