move… and REST a little more in Winter.

I still remember my very first experience of Restorative Yoga with Nuria, about 10 years ago. Legs up the wall at the end of the practice for 10 minutes. I experienced a state of deep relaxation and calm that was completely new to me. It lasted days. 

This changed my life and my own practise. This also explains why I love teaching Restorative Yoga and my enthusiasm for the benefits it brings to our overworked, stressed and overcharged nervous systems. 

As the days grow shorter and the temperatures drop, Winter itself invites us to do something many of us strongly resist: slow down & Rest! Nature is resting. Trees conserve their energy, animals retreat and the earth in our hemisphere becomes a little quieter. As humans, we’re part of that same natural rhythm, yet we often try to push through Winter with the same pace and expectations we carry through the warmer months.

This is why Restorative Yoga is such a valuable practice.

Restorative Yoga was pioneered by Judith Lasater in the 90’s to deeply relax the nervous system, and encourage the body to shift from a state of doing into a state of being. (more on Judith Lasater here).

Supported by bolsters, blankets and props, each posture is held comfortably for several minutes, allowing muscular tension to dissolve and the mind to settle. At Centenary Yoga, we often describe it as essential self-care for modern life.

Winter is the perfect season to embrace more rest. When we allow ourselves to slow down, we often experience improved sleep, reduced stress, better immunity & digestion and greater emotional resilience. Rather than seeing rest as unproductive, Yoga teaches us that rest is an important part of growth, healing and day to day vitality.

As I write in The Real Me, “It’s simple, but not easy.” The practice of resting can feel surprisingly challenging in a culture that celebrates constant activity and overachieving. Yet learning to pause and listen to ourselves may be one of the most powerful things we can practise.

Judith Lasater reminds us that: “Rest is not inactivity. Rest is the key to restoring balance in our lives.”

This Winter, consider giving yourself permission to do less, rest more and trust the wisdom of the season. A little more stillness may reveal exactly what your body, mind, emotions and spirit have been asking for.