
Hello and welcome to your Restorative Yoga for Relaxation and Stress Management program. I invite you to watch this video to learn more about my very first experience in a restorative yoga class (as a participant), and how transformative the practice can be! I will also provide an overview of what is included in this program so that way you know what to expect throughout your journey. Whatever has brought you here, trust that you are in the right place. Enjoy the process and the journey.
~Rachel
Let’s talk about props! What do you need for your restorative yoga practices? The beauty of an at-home practice is that you can use household items as your props. There’s really no need to buy a bunch of props for this program. With that said, I am happy that I purchased a bolster as it has a firmness that is really nice and supportive for a variety of restorative yoga postures. If a bolster is not available, you can create your own bolster using firm pillows and/or stacked, folded blankets instead. Work with what you have! Kindly watch the video to learn more about mandatory props and optional props for our program.
Create a space that will support you in your practice. This video will provide ideas, tips and suggestions for creating a space that will allow you to get the most out of your restorative yoga practices.
Learn more about restorative yoga, its origins, the benefits of the practice, and why it is needed in today's world. As you listen to this presentation, I invite you to reflect upon how restorative yoga can support you physically, mentally, emotionally, and/or spiritually both on and off of the mat. For example, "I am encouraged to pay attention to my breath during restorative yoga practices. When I focus on my breath, I feel calmer, less anxious and at ease. I can use conscious breathing off of the mat whenever I find myself in a challenging or a stressful situation."
Let’s be real, it is difficult to go from busy and on the go, to then being instructed to find stillness and quiet the mind. We are not light switches; we are not “on” one moment and then “off” the next moment. Instead, we can choose to act more like a dial. We can ease into our restorative yoga practices in a gentle, loving and nurturing way. This is why I have created a short routine that you can do before each restorative yoga class. With that said, this is an optional practice. You may find that you’re ready to begin your restorative yoga practice right away. This empowers you to check-in with your body, your thoughts, your energy level, and how you’re feeling before you even begin your restorative yoga practice.
For this practice, I invite you to bring a yoga mat, as well as a blanket or a pillow to your space.
Enjoy!
Learn about ways in which you can calm your mind before beginning a restorative yoga practice. I provide my best tips and strategies for calming down the nervous system so that way you can enjoy all the amazing benefits of your restorative yoga practice.
Progressive muscle relaxation involves the conscious creation of muscular tension and relaxation in the physical body. We use our inhalations to create tension (muscular contraction), and then we use our exhalations to relax the muscles that were in a state of tension. For example, breathing in to contract your calves and breathing out to relax your calves. Here's another example that you can try right now: slowly breathe in through your nose as you make fist with your right hand, hold onto this for a moment, and then on your breath out, uncurl your fingers as you relax your hand. This relaxation technique invites us to pay attention to what it feels like to create tension in the body, and also what it feels like to soften each muscle group, one at a time. You can do this technique whenever you feel it will best serve you. I personally like doing this technique before bed. I've also found it quite useful during panic attacks. This technique can help you stay grounded as you bring your attention to a physical action (i.e. muscular contraction, muscular relaxation, and breathing). This can help calm the mind and body, inviting the relaxation response to kick in. Enjoy!
Side Note: This practice is available on my YouTube channel.
This guided meditation practice encourages you to reflect upon your understanding of self-love. We explore self-love affirmations, as well as a visualization technique designed to cultivate self-love. Choosing to meditate is an example of self-love as you spend time tending to your inner ecosystem.
Throughout this practice, I invite you to pay attention to your inner dialogue. What words are coming to your mind? What messages are you telling yourself? Do you see any patterns? How can you reframe your thoughts to be more loving and kind?
Finally, self-love is a practice. It is something that may not come easily. It may feel unnatural. Perhaps it feels a little icky or selfish. I am here to gently remind you that self-love is a gift; it is a gift to your mind, body and spirit.
It is my hope that you enjoy this self-love meditation practice. Sending so much love and light to you!
Side Note: This meditation practice is available on my YouTube channel.
Shower yourself in love with self-love affirmations. I invite you to listen to these positive affirmations first thing in the morning and/or before bed. I encourage you to listen to this video every day for 30 days to see if you notice a difference in relation to your inner dialogue, your behavior, energy level, breathing patterns and mood. Perhaps you notice a shift in how you respond to your external environment (e.g. your interactions with others). A gentle reminder that you are worthy of love.
Thank you so much for choosing to be here! I hope that you enjoyed this program. :)
A kind reminder that you have lifetime access to these practices.
I invite you to leave a review! Feel free to tell me about your experiences on the mat. You can tell me about what you enjoyed, your favorite class, your favorite restorative yoga pose, a challenge you encountered, a key takeaway, your reason for choosing to take this program, and so on. I would love to hear from you! Your feedback is valuable and greatly appreciated!
Thank you once again! Sending love, light and gratitude to you.
Restorative yoga is NECESSARY in today’s world. We live in a world of distractions and noise. Every single day, we are bombarded with advertisements telling us what we need to be happy (usually material possessions). Social media is conditioning us to constantly seek external validation to substantiate our self-worth. The news typically highlights all the terrible things happening across the globe, which can keep us in a state of fear, hypervigilance and uncertainty. If that wasn’t enough, each of us have personal stressors to attend to.
I invite you to take a moment to consider your external environment; your home environment, your neighborhood, your community, your workplace, the stores you shop at, your travels, and so on. What do you see? What do you hear? What do you smell? What do you feel (this could be an internal feeling)?
As I reflect upon these questions, I see individuals rushing to get from point A to point B. I see erratic driver’s on the road, even on a Sunday morning. I hear people speeding on the expressway every night before I fall asleep. I observe a lot of people looking down at their phones while out for walks and while shopping. I see very few individuals making eye contact or even speaking to the person they are with. I can smell car exhaust on my morning walks. I feel thrown off when I overhear people arguing with one another. I feel disconnected to the environment living in a city. I feel anxious when I see others rushing around. I feel overwhelmed when I have deadlines to meet. Of course, there are many wonderful things happening all around me on a daily basis; things that I am grateful for. My point is that your external environment can influence your internal landscape. Your internal landscape includes how you feel (your emotions), your responses to challenges, your behaviors, your thought patterns, how you view yourself, and so on. Shifting the focus from external to internal can be a huge game-changer in relation to how you feel physically, mentally and emotionally. This shift can help bring about balance to the mind, body and spirit, which is exactly what is needed in today’s world.
This is where restorative yoga comes in! Restorative yoga gives you the opportunity to explore stillness and silence. This practice invites you to turn your attention inward. As you look inward, you begin to observe your thoughts, your breath, as well as physical sensations in your body. You may feel certain emotions in different parts of your body. You may become more aware of the sounds in your space as you take note of whether you find these sounds soothing or overstimulating. You may notice how your props and the surface beneath you feel against your body. This inward exploration is unique to each participant.
There are so many benefits of a regular restorative yoga practice. Restorative yoga can promote better sleep (especially deep and REM sleep), resolve chronic stress, release muscular tension, improve posture, soothe pain (acute and chronic pain), relieve migraines and tension headaches, improve self-worth, stimulate the vagus nerve, improve breathing, promote emotional resilience (the ability to bounce back quicker from life’s challenges), improve your inner and outer ecosystem (deepening your relationship with yourself and others), and so much more.
Restorative yoga gives you the time and space to explore the mind-body connection. You have the opportunity to consider how your inner dialogue, beliefs and attitudes can directly impact your physical and emotional well-being. You have the opportunity to observe how your emotions can impact your physical body. You have the space to consider how your posture can affect your thoughts and how you view yourself.
As you do this internal investigation, you may begin to notice that the external stuff (social media, news, advertisements, personal stressors, environmental stressors, etc.) don’t seem to bother you as much anymore. Why? Because you have the tools and strategies to help calm your nervous system. You begin to feel more calm, at peace, grounded, present, balanced and connected. You realize that you have all that you need to support you as you navigate the ups and downs of life. All that you need is YOU!
On a personal note, restorative yoga has played an important role in my physical, mental and emotional healing journey. I am beyond grateful for the practice as it has helped me explore self-love, forgiveness and compassion both on and off of the mat.
Sending love and light to you.
Disclaimer - Before starting any exercise program, it is important to speak with a healthcare provider to ensure that the program is appropriate and safe for you. Please follow any safety precautions as indicated by your healthcare provider. Participating in any fitness regime involves the possibility of physical injury. Listen to your body, and back out of any posture or movement that causes pain or discomfort. If you decide to engage in an exercise and this exercise program, you agree to do so at your own risk. You are fully aware of this risk and hereby release Rachel Van Huis from Yoga with Rachel from any and all liability, negligence, or other claims, arising from, or in any way connected, with your participation in this activity.