After a class last week, one of my new students shared that she appreciated the opportunity to do restorative postures in our Basic Yoga sessions.  This brought a smile to my face – I have always believed that any yoga class is better digested when you take time within the session to do a supported pose.  Whether it occurs at the beginning or end of our class time, I try to incorporate a posture that we can marinate in for a few minutes.

I thought about why slowing down is so important. Especially when we share a class experience.

1.) We tune in.

Often times in class we are caught up in our surroundings and what others around us are doing.  Sometimes we are asked to focus on the breath but it’s rare to find the opportunity to tune in with our mind and become still.

2.) We find our center.

We need moments without instruction, interaction or stimulation to center and find the deeper connection.  Time to allow an opening or balancing to come from the pose. For many, it is only when the pose slows down that the breath joins in and the body begins to truly “feel” the yoga.

3.) We get into our bodies.

There is so much going on in a traditional pose.  The right leg does this, the left arm does that, the head looks up and through it all the spine tries to remain aligned…  Restorative poses, especially when guided with props, allow you to just be.  The pose is doing you.  We receive the support for our bodies and breath – and our minds respond by opening.

We don’t use the body to get into a pose – we use the pose to get into the body.

– Bernie Clark