Why Restorative Yoga Rocks by Bekah Finch
My introduction to yoga was in a basement classroom at a community college. I was so impressed by the girl in headstand I began to seek out studios. The first studio I went to was a Bikram studio. Then I found Ashtanga. I spent the next three years in love with the physical benefits of yoga. Power yoga, Vinyasa flow, Anusara and whatever level 2/3+ class I could find was where I put my mat. I had no interest in slowing down. I used to come to class five minutes late and leave five minutes early so I could miss the “breathing” and the “savasana.”
In early 2006 I made some life changes for the better; however, without the self-medication I was used to, I began having panic attacks. A lot of them. Every day. I could barely function, none the less do a handstand. I was shaking and scared and miserable. After two months of doing nothing but short walks and long naps, I crawled into a restorative yoga class. It was the first time in sixty days my heart beat slowed and I could breathe fully. As fate would have it, there was a workshop the next week on Yoga for anger, anxiety and depression and then on restorative yoga. My boss, a close friend who was aware of my condition, sent me to this workshop. It changed my life.
Nearly three years later I teach 3 restorative classes a week. I practice restorative yoga at least 30 minutes a day. Not only did Restorative yoga help calm my nervous system, it put me in touch my with my body and breath more than I ever could have imagined.
I learned that Yoga is not just about handstands- it’s about creating balance within your body and your life. We all have different bodies with different needs. Restorative yoga treats the parasympathetic nervous system (the system that keeps the nervous system out of fight-or-flight mode) and it is a tricky little asana practice- even though you don’t get the cardio you get in some asana classes, restorative still incorporates backbends, inversions, twists, and foreward folds- all the movements necessary to keep the spine healthy and flexible. Another secret of restorative is that we rarely are able to relax in this day and age- even sleep is not relaxing for some of us- but restorative is meant to relax the body, which allows the systems to do their jobs better. My metabolism increased from a more gentle practice because my body was not constantly thinking it had to stay in fight-or-flight and needed to hold on to everything I put in it.
The benefits of a restorative practice for anyone- from brand new to yoga to injured to overweight to overworked to the “advanced” yogi are numerous. There are so many lovely restorative teachers, classes, books and articles out there and I strongly urge everyone to try a class. It changed my life and saved my yoga practice. Don’t get me wrong, I still love a good handstand and a flow class but I will scream it from the rooftops, “restorative rocks!”
