Seated position on knees
This is the pose in which you do your opening meditation.
Bring calves under upper legs. Close your eyes, take a couple of deep breaths to welcome yourself to the practice.
Maybe you want to use a Mudra or set an intention for your practice.
Duration
5 – 7 minutes (or as long as you feel you need it)
Options
Pain in feet?
Place a rolled up blanket underneath your ankles
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Pain in knee joints?
Fold a blanket and place it alongside the knee cavities (between upper- and lower legs).
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Pain in kneecap / outer side of knee?
Fold blanket and place it under the knees.
Supported Toe Squat
Place a bolster against the wall (maybe with extra support from a block). Curl your toes in the ground, and gently lean forward so your upper body is supported by the bolster.
You can use an extra blanket to place underneath your head, if you can’t fully relax against the bolster.
Duration
3 minutes
Options
Pain in kneecap / outer side of knee?
Fold blanket and place it under the knees.
Reversed Wall Butterfly
Move the side of your body (in a seated position on you butt, with your feet in the ground) as close to the wall as possible. Gently lie down and swing your legs up against the wall. From there, slowly bring the soles of your feet together and let your knees drop towards the wall.
You can put your arms wherever it feels comfortable.
Duration
5 minutes
Options
You can move closer or further away from the wall, depending on the sensations in your lower back and hips. Do you want more? Move your butt closer to the wall. You want less? Move your butt a bit more away from the wall.
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If you want to move closer to the wall, but your hamstrings are preventing you from doing so, see if you want to put a folded blanket underneath your butt.
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You can support your head with a blanket
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Wrap a blanket around your feet if you notice compression (the bones in your feet pressing against the wall).
Legs up the Wall
Doing this pose after wall butterfly:
stretch out the legs.
Otherwise following the instructions of the Wall Butterfly pose; instead of putting the soles of the feet together, you stretch the legs out against the wall.
Duration
10 minutes
Options
You can move closer or further away from the wall, depending on the sensations in your lower back and hips. Do you want more? Move your butt closer to the wall. You want less? Move your butt a bit more away from the wall.
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If you want to move closer to the wall, but your hamstrings are preventing you from doing so, see if you want to put a folded blanket underneath your butt.
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You can support your head with a blanket
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If possible: let someone else put a heavy pillow on the soles of your feet; because of the wait of the pillow, the hips will move deeper into their hip sockets, creating a really relaxing experience for the hips.
Supported Childs pose
Bring your big toes together and move your knees open to the side. Grab your bolster and move the bolster all the way against the inside of your legs. From there, slowly lie down with your upper body on top of the bolster. Place one cheek on the bolster. Make sure to turn your head, halfway through the pose, to even out the stretch on either side.
Duration
5 – 7 minutes
Options
If the bolster is to low: place blocks underneath the bolster.
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Pain alongside the bridge of the feet?
Place a blanket underneath the feet
(Supported) Savasana
Come and lie down for your final relaxation.
Don’t ever skip savasana! This is the most important pose in every yoga practice. It is the pose that allows your body to come back to a “neutral” position after doing all the “unnatural” movements.
Duration
as long as you feel you need it
(but please go for at least 5 minutes)
Options
You can put a bolster or pillow underneath your knees for extra support (this will help you to relax the lower back even more).
(Alternative) props for Restorative Yin
Bolster = couch pillows or pregnancy pillow
Meditation pillow = regular pillows
Yoga blocks = Big (old) books
Blankets
Restorative Yin on Demand
Do you feel like doing more Restorative Yin practices with me from the comfort of your own home?
Check out the different membership options to get access to the Yoga on Demand Catalogue (more than 250 classes with me in different Yoga styles).
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