Day 2: #30daysofselfcare - Restorative Yoga Update

Restorative Yoga

So I had to share this self care update because I ended my previous post taking off to a restorative yoga class.  All I have to say is this will be a regular class for me.  Ms. Faux is crazy tight from starting to run and her CorePower Yoga Core Power Fusion which mixes hot yoga with some tougher postures.

Restorative yoga however is a different discipline which focuses on relaxation and stretching connective tissues rather than muscles.  It utilizes yoga blocks, towels, pillows, etc... to bring your body closer with the earth without strain so that it can get to the connective tissues that are harder to engage.  Poses are held longer to engage these tissues. Connective tissues are much more static and harder to stretch than a muscle.  Ms. Faux knows because she has IT Band issues as well as the tissues around her piriformis.

In lay terms it is my hip and butt area.  I thought that this would be the place that benefitted the most and it did, but I have to say my spinal area and that stretch was what released some emotion tonight.   It is understandable why.  Over the past year I have been worried that I would have to undergo spinal surgery and actually did many months of physical therapy in order not to.  Add that and the steroids the doctors put me on caused me to gain weight drastically which in turn I'm sure added to my stress as now I'm uncomfortable in my body.  This practice causes you to focus on quiet, relaxation and to become one with your body and your breath.

My teacher was very helpful and even asked questions about stretches I wanted to engage in.  I told her about my spine and my hips.  I noted my hips were particularly tight and during the practice she came over and rolled them out.  Dear God I wanted to hire her to do that all the time.  Sweet relief that I rarely get.

I'm am now happy to have this practice as part of my self care practice and plan to start alternating it with my Hot Power Fusion classes.  Check out the Chopra Center's 10 Benefits of Restorative Yoga.

That is all.  I was just very excited about this so wanted to share.