Yoga Journal Presents Restorative Yoga for Life: A Relaxing Way to De-stress, Re-energize, and Find Balance PDF
Preview Yoga Journal Presents Restorative Yoga for Life: A Relaxing Way to De-stress, Re-energize, and Find Balance
Yoga Journal Presents Restorative Yoga for Life A Relaxing Way to De-stress, Re- energize, and Find Balance Gail Boorstein Grossman, E-RYT 500, CYKT Avon, Massachusetts Contents Preface Introduction PART 1: WHAT IS RESTORATIVE YOGA? Chapter 1: History of Restorative Yoga Chapter 2: Benefits of Restorative Yoga Chapter 3: Get Ready to Practice Restorative Yoga PART 2: GETTING STARTED Chapter 4: Breathing and Visualizations CENTERING EXERCISE BREATHING EXERCISES Apa Japa Breath Diaphragmatic Breath Breath with Pause Ujjaii Breath Alternate Nostril Breathing Sitali Breath VISUALIZATIONS/MANTRA MEDITATIONS Cloud Straw White Light Hum Sah Mantra Meditation Word Meditation Yoga Nidra Chapter 5: The Poses WARM-UPS Extended Hand to Foot Pose, Supine Neck Stretches Cat/Cow Tilts with Feet on Wall Wall Downward-Facing Dog Wall Half-Triangle Forward Bend Seated Twist Shoulder Stretches Eagle Arms Cow Face Wind Relieving Pose BACK BENDS Blanket Roll in 3 Positions Simple Bridge with Block or Bolster under Hips Reclining Bridge Pose Supported Bound Angle Pose Cross Bolster Pose Fish Pose with Blocks or Bolster Heart Opening Pose Reclining Hero Pose TWISTS Revolved Abdomen Pose Belly Down Twist over Bolster Scissored Legs Belly Down Twist Side Lying Stretch FORWARD BENDS Child’s Pose Fan Pose Belly Down with Bolster at Hip Chair Forward Bend Down Dog with Head on Block or Bolster Pigeon Pose with Bolster INVERSIONS Legs Up the Wall Pose Without Bolster Legs Up the Wall Pose with Bolster Legs on Chair Two Chair Boat Pose Chair Shoulder Stand POSES OF COMPLETION Prone (on Belly) Savasana Savasana Side Lying Savasana PART 3: THE SEQUENCES Chapter 6: The Sequences SEQUENCES FOR THE UPPER BODY Neck, Upper Back, Shoulder, and Arms SEQUENCES FOR THE LOWER BODY Legs, Knees, Feet Hips SEQUENCES FOR THE BACK Lower Back Pain Sciatica SEQUENCES FOR RESPIRATORY ISSUES General Respiratory Illnesses Asthma SEQUENCES FOR MENTAL HEALTH Depression Anxiety Stress SEQUENCES FOR DIGESTIVE DISORDERS Colitis, Crohn’s, and Irritable Bowel Syndrome Constipation SEQUENCES FOR NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS Stroke/High Blood Pressure Alzheimer’s and Dementia Parkinson’s Disease SEQUENCES FOR WOMEN’S ISSUES Menopause Pregnancy SEQUENCES FOR OTHER HEALTH ISSUES Insomnia Headaches Cancer Osteoporosis and Osteopenia Jet Lag Sore Muscles Weight Loss Afterword: Where to Go from Here Appendix: Recommended Reading Acknowledgments Dedication To my mother and my aunt, who inspire me every day to be like the wonderful women they were. Preface When I first began practicing yoga, I was working in a completely different job, was commuting to the city, and had two young children at home. I came to yoga at the urging of my acupuncturist who suggested that it might help heal a swollen lymph node. I had originally gone to my regular doctor and was told that it was nothing to worry about, but that answer didn’t sit well with me. I knew there was a better way to connect with myself and make myself feel better and I thought yoga might be it. I started taking class once a week, as that was all I could fit into my schedule, but soon started feeling that if I didn’t practice I didn’t feel as good in my body. Before I knew it, I was studying to become a yoga teacher. The knowledge shared in this book has been passed on to me from my teachers, in the same way that yoga has been shared for many years. There are many teachers of restorative yoga, but perhaps the most well-known figure in the field is Judith Hanson Lasater, my teacher. She wrote the book Relax and Renew in 1995, and it is a wonderful resource to yoga students and teachers alike. Judith, who trains hundreds of yoga teachers a year in her Relax and Renew programs, has been an inspiring teacher, as she truly lives her yoga. She has healed herself many times with this practice, and many others as well. Not only is she a yoga teacher, she is also a physical therapist, and I feel very fortunate to have learned from someone who has such a wealth of knowledge. Because Judith has shared this practice with others, because she believes it to be her dharma (life’s work), many people will benefit from this incredibly healing practice. I have also been fortunate to learn from Cora Wen, a gifted teacher who is a longtime assistant to Judith. Cora’s love of restorative yoga has only deepened my appreciation for all the multitudes of therapeutic applications it has to offer. I hope to pass these postures on to you and provide an understanding of how you can benefit from the deeply rewarding practice of restorative yoga. I’m happy that you’ve chosen to learn more about this practice!
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