Seated Meditation
This is the pose in which you do your opening meditation. You can sit in a crossed legged position or in easy pose (one leg in front of the other).
Close your eyes & focus on your breath. Take a moment to check in with yourself…
Finish your meditation by rubbing your hands together until you feel that fire increasing in between your hands. Place your warm hands on your lower back and visualise that you breath towards your hands.
Duration
5 – 7 minutes (or as long as you feel you need it)
Options
Supported Sfinx
Move from your seated meditation to all fours (hands and knees).
Place your bolster in one line with the short side of the mat. Gently lie down over the bolster, placing your elbows on the ground.
Make sure that the pubic bone stays in contact with the ground!
Duration
5 minutes
Options
You can drop your head down if this feels more comfortable than keeping your head up.
Banasana on Bolster
Both sides
Moving from sfinx to all fours. Maybe make some movements here, before sitting onto the side of your butt.
Place one hand above the bolster and gently lower the side of the body over the bolster.
Make sure that both your hip as well as the side of the shoulder / armpit is on the ground!
Stretch the arm closest to the ground out and place your head on top.
~the bolster is positioned in the “hour glass” part of your torso ~
Duration
5 – 7 minutes (each side)
Options
Is your head dropping to the side when placing it onto your arm?
Grab a folded blanket and place it in between your head and your arm.
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Different options for your “top” arm:
1. You can stretch your top arm out, placing your hands on top of each other above your head.
2. You can place your top arm in front of you on the bolster, if the stretch in the shoulder is to much in option 1.
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Different options for the legs:
1.You can stretch your legs out and let them rest on top of each other.
2. You can bend (one of your) knees and move them closer to the bolster if option 1 does not feel like your option today.
Supported Childs pose
Moving out of banasana & onto all fours.
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
Setu Bandha Savangasana on Bolster
Depending on your height, you can use either a bolster and a couple of pillows (or two bolsters if you have those ;)).
Come and lie down on your back, place your feet in the ground and lift your hips of the ground. Now slide your bolster underneath your back. Try and lift your butt as high as possible, to create as much space as possible. You want your bolster to touch the back of the shoulders, while the (top) of the shoulders are still on the ground.
Once your back is on the bolster, stretch your legs out. It would be really nice to have an amazing assistent here that can put a pillow underneath your ankles / feet, so your whole body is supported.
Let your arms rest wherever it is comfortable for you.
Duration
5 minutes
Options
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Supported Caterpillar
Place the bolster in one line with the short side of your yogamat. Place your legs over de bolster.
Now drop your head onto your chest and from there explore if there is space to fold forward towards the legs a bit more.
Duration
5 – 10 minutes
Options
Do you have the feeling that you are dropping to the back (after the bolster is underneath your legs?). Fold a blanket and come and sit on top of it.
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You can either place your legs closer together over the bolster, or you can create a little bit of space in between the knees, so your upper body can move towards this space.
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If you choose the option above, with the legs slightly apart over the bolster, you can support your arms or your head by placing a block or pillow on top of the bolster (in between your legs). While folding forward, you let your head, arms or chest rest on top of this pillow.
(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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