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 Restorative Yoga – a massage for the soul

 Restorative Yoga – it’s like chicken soup, watching a favourite movie or stroking your pet dog. It’s calming, soothing and comforting. For me it’s like coming back to myself. Giving myself time to simply be, time to observe my mind and body unravelling from the many strands of life.

In everyday life we are moving through a constant barrage of situations and experiences. Some good, some not so good, some challenging and others rewarding. The continual maze of life. And if we don’t stop every so often and press pause, then we don’t see the full picture with a clear perspective.

More and more people are experiencing the benefits of Restorative Yoga – out of all the different sessions I teach it’s the one more people are gravitating towards. And that includes the classes I teach at my local gym.

It gives us permission to hold ourselves in a collective space – and when teaching in a room full of people that energy is palpable – it’s as if the entire room is having a long, slow and luxurious yawn.

Which is why the IYTA Restorative Yoga training is such a joy to teach.

Can you imagine – two full days of exploring these shapes, using props and delving into the benefits of this slow-moving and mindful practice. Not only are you experiencing it first hand but you are learning how to share this with others.

I first came across Restorative Yoga while teaching Pre-natal Yoga. I used to set up the students in Reclining Goddess pose – a little like a five star version of Supta Baddha Konasana – it was totally dreamy and you knew it was good for you just by witnessing worry lines melting away like thawing snow.

Post-natally it was even more indulgent – a way to realign the body from hours of breastfeeding and rocking a fractious baby. And it made me wonder why we all couldn’t experience the joy of these poses – to coax our weary, tense bodies out of their malaise and help empty our over-full minds.

And so I began my practice. I loved exploring these poses, either in pure, unadulterated silence or with a Guided Relaxation to focus upon.

Judith Hanson Lasater has written some wonderful books which detail the most gorgeously supported poses. I’ve tried them all! I also developed my own book with around 25 poses – divided into foundation poses (with minimal props) to advanced (with additional props). This forms the basis for our two-day training.

I now tend to sprinkle a restorative yoga pose into my yoga classes – other times I will do a pure Restorative Yoga experience. It’s like a massage for the soul – and also helps us to tune into the soft flow of the breath and tranquilising pranayama techniques.

These days I have a stack of props on hand for when I need to step off the treadmill of life and come into a quiet, nurturing space. I’ll stay for a while – however long I can and then step back into the rhythm of the day renewed and refreshed.

If you would like to experience Restorative Yoga with Katie  Brown (author of Guided Relaxation),  then come along to our face-to-face training in Melbourne on May 14 and May 15. Details and bookings HERE. 

 

 

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How to Clear your Chakras

 

By Katie Brown

We all know about the chakras – but how can we feel them, let alone clear them if we can’t even see them?

The word chakra means wheel – in yoga, there are seven main chakras – each one like an energy vortex sending and receiving vital energy (or prana).

Now think about your energy. What’s it like right now? Is it scattered, depleted or does it feel strong and vibrant?

There are days we feel light – it can feel as if our energy is flowing at a higher vibration. In this state it’s easier to feel positive about life and situations, we tend to move a little easier and our smile naturally stretches a little wider. We feel in the flow of life – more resilient and able to cope with the fluctuations of our day.

Then there are the days when we feel heavy, apathetic – it’s more difficult to motivate ourselves and if we’re not careful we can slip into a negative thought spiral… which only serves to draw that energy downard – now we’re at a lower vibration of energy.

Put very simply the first scenario is when the energy or prana in our body is likely to be flowing more freely and the second is when there is a blockage of energy which creates a stagnation and can then impacts each of the other chakras.

Even if we can’t see our chakras – if we focus our mind and energy on them we can begin to feel them and over time continue to deepen and refine that connection.

As the old saying goes: where our attention goes, our energy flows. By regularly paying attention to each of the seven main chakras:  Muladhara, Svadhisthana, Manipura, Anahata, Vishuddha, Ajna and the Crown Centre Sahasrara – we can begin to tune into each of these energy centres.

I’ve always loved the Chakras and in my twenty years of instructing yoga, I often refer to them within the classes that I teach.

Mini Chakra Cleanse

In my personal practice, if I start to feel my energy lagging or feeling unbalanced, then I do a short Chakra Breathing Practice. I simply spend ten minutes breathing into each of the chakras in turn.

Begin at the base chakra. Take at least three deep breaths into the Muladhara Chakra.

Then move up to the Svadhisthana Chakra and repeat three breaths, continue to move your awareness and focus upwards through each chakra. We always move from the lowest to highest chakra – this ensures you remain grounded, safe and secure. The three base chakras are connected with the gross body, the Anahata is the bridge between gross and the subtle body and the three higher chakras are connected with the subtle body. You can visualise the colours associated with each of the chakras and if possible, chant the Bija Seed Mantras (the sounds associated with each of the chakras) to amplify your experience.

Then sit for a moment feeling the breath flow up from the base of the spine to just above the crown centre and feel the exhalation flow from the crown to the tailbone.

Finish by place the hands in Anjali Mudra at the heart centre. Namaste

 

Restorative Yoga for the Chakras with Katie Brown

 

  • New Year is the perfect time to start your Chakra Journey – and I’m running a 90-minute online Restorative Yoga class on Sunday, January 31, 2021 where we will be focusing on each chakra in turn with yoga pose, pranayama or centring practice which will culminate in a guided relaxation through all of the chakras.

This will be a nurturing experience for you whether you are extremely familiar with the seven main chakras or if you’re yet to explore them.

Click here for details on the class and to book