Did you know that it takes the muscles in our body minimally 90 seconds up to 15 minutes to stop firing once we relax and completely stop moving? And sitting on the couch watching TV is not relaxing since our bodies are responding to what we see. When is the last time you sat comfortably, in silence and just closed your eyes for 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes? Probably we cannot remember!

Restorative Yoga is the opportunity to allow the body and mind to slow down and then let the nervous system reset itself, sort of like a body reboot. The idea is that you support the body through the use of props (blankets, pillows, bolsters, blocks…) to put all the muscles in flex-sion (rather then extension/tension). Then the muscles do not have to work and the body can relax and allow the nervous system to stop firing.

After studying this practice with Judith Hanson Lasater, Ph.D, PT www.judithlasater.com I have a new sense of center and grounding. I have begun offering 20 minute restorative poses in all of my yoga classes and the response is amazing. People need this yoga! In our world of over stimulation and constant movement, we need to allow our systems time to reset and restore.

Rest and restoration is not the same as sleep. Our bodies have very specific jobs to perform while we sleep so there is a level of activity in the body that happens when we sleep. Sleep is considered a reversible loss of consciousness. During relaxation we remain aware.

Judith taught that there are 3 stages to of Shivasana (Relaxation or as most Yogi’s teach it a 5 minute final relaxation pose at the end of class). Stages; 1.) Physiological - it takes up to 15 minutes to shift from our sympathetic nervous system to our parasympathetic nervous system. We live mostly in our sympathetic mode which increase hormone production, slows down or stops digestion, and other physiological systems (this is fight or flight). Where our Parasympathetic system is concerned with long term physiological needs. 2.) Withdrawal of the senses (Pratyhara)- Our senses trigger reactions in our bodies, sight sound and smells all trigger some form of physical reaction, in restorative yoga we work to limit these senses again to allow the body to be neutral. Judith believes that it is in stage that healing begins and we need at least 5 minutes for that healing to be effective. Judith spoke of the increased studies that are researching Cell Membranes and the effect they have on dis-ease. The Cell membrane is what controls what comes in and goes out and if it is weakened then things can pass in and impact the DNA of our cells. It is believed that relaxation allows these membranes to maintain strength. 3.) A state of non emptiness (Ashunya) its that place we go when we relax deeply, but its not sleep. You only know it when you have come back from it. I have heard many people talk of this after an acupuncture session and they say “I went to that special place”. If you have never experienced this state you are missing out!

Meditation is not restoration - although you may feel meditative in the beginning of relaxation, the various forms of mediation that exist require an active level of participation which often is stimulating, either emotions or thoughts.. Meditation is used to bring about total awareness. Restorative is used to let go and allow the body to heal.

The rest of what I learned at training can be divided into two area’s: how to teach (which is not something I can share here) and how to be our best, genuine selves (these are my words not Judith’s).

What does that mean “how to be our best, genuine selves”? To me it means becoming aware of what we are attached to and learning what makes us happy, sad, fearful, angry and then recognizing that we own those feelings. Others cannot cause us to feel. Our feelings arise inside of us when we want ‘things’ our own way and we don’t get them. In Yoga this is called Attachment. When we start to learn our own stories of attachment (this can be the start of healing old wounds and may require professional support) we become aware and when we become aware we do not need to blame others for our feelings. Once we do that we can become compassionate even with people we do not like, or toward those have harmed us. From compassion all things become possible…even peace on earth

So here are few things that Judith shared that can help us on our own journey into Compassion:
*****Multi-tasking means you do several things poorly, try Uni-tasking; doing one things at a time really well*****

1. Sleep more! Go to bed 30 minutes earlier then you do now - and then do that for the rest of your life. When we deprive ourselves of sleep it is hard to relax and be open, our bodies cannot support our emotions.

2. Listen with all of yourself when another person is talking, (stop multi-tasking) Pay total attention!

3. Allow yourself 20 minutes every day for a Restorative pose, 1 x per week allow yourself 1 hour of restorative poses, 1x per year practice restorative poses everyday for 7 days.

4. Stop giving advice - unless your a CPA - listen to your family, friends or coworkers and let them talk, they already have the answers they need, they just need to talk it out and feel validated by having someone listen actively (that means asking open questions but not advising them what to do)

5. Hear everything that is said to you as…PLEASE or Thank You. You have to translate what you are hearing not as personal to you but what someone is feeling when they are expressing themselves, and don’t get that mixed up with your own insecurities, issues or emotions.

6. Notice when you hear criticism, does it really exist in what is being said or written to you? or are you translating what you hear into criticism - just listen and then when you feel criticized ask yourself is that what they just said? Go back to #5

7. Find a restorative teacher that you are comfortable with and practice restorative yoga. Judith maintains a site listing all the teachers that she as certified. www.restorativeyogateacher