Posted on: Monday, June 4, 2007
Inner calm
By Loren Moreno
Advertiser Staff Writer
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Legs up the wall
Revives the legs and relieves the back. Also helps open the heart and lungs. Great for people who stand all day or who have varicose veins.
Set up: Place the long side of two to three folded blankets parallel to the wall, leaving 3 to 6 inches between the wall and blankets. Place one to two folded blankets on the floor perpendicular to and in the middle of the other blankets.
Sit with one shoulder against the wall, roll back and simultaneously swing your legs up the wall. Blankets near the wall should support the hips and blankets on the ground should support the spine. Allow yourself to relax and forget the outside world.
Hold for 10 to 15 minutes.
PHOTOS JOAQUIN SIOPACK | The Honolulu Advertiser
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Supported child’s pose
Relieves tension in lower back. Relieves shoulder tension and quiets the mind.
Setup: Using three to four folded blankets, begin with knees hip distance apart and your blankets in front of you. Place the blankets between your thighs. Your torso should be completely supported by the blankets. Let the tailbone drop toward the heels. Turn your head to one side and bring your chin slightly into your chest. Turn your head to the opposite side halfway through.
Let your belly relax and hold for 3 minutes.
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Supported bound angle
Possibly the most important restorative posture. Helps high blood pressure, women during menstruation and menopause.
Setup: Lie down on three to four folded blankets with the short end of blankets touching your tailbone. Place a single folded blanket under your head — your forehead should be higher than your nose, nose higher than your chin. Place the soles of your feet together and let your knees fall to the sides, using a block or folded blanket to support the knees. Bring a strap or belt over your head and put it around your hips. Wrap the free side of the belt under your feet. Lie down and gently tighten the belt so the feet do not slide apart.
Breathe slowly and deeply.
Practice for about 10 to 15 minutes.
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Reclining twist
Relieves stress in the muscles of the back and side of the body. Helps stretch the muscles that assist in breathing.
Setup: Sit on the floor with your right hip close to the end of three folded blankets. Bend your knees and slide your feet to the left so the outside of your right leg rests on the floor. Turn to the right and put your hands on the floor, twisting and resting on the blankets. Turn your head in the opposite direction of the knees, for additional twist. Change sides.
Hold each side for 1 to 2 minutes.
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Mountain brook pose
Helps counteract slumped spine from sitting or standing all day. This pose opens the chest, reduces fatigue, improves digestion and can help to lift your mood.
Setup: Lie down on two folded blankets with the center line of the blankets placed just below the shoulder blades. If your back feels too arched, use one blanket. Place two blankets rolled together under your knees and one half rolled blanket under your neck.
Breathe normally. Hold for 5 to 10 minutes.
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In today's culture of overtime and instant accessibility, relaxation is practically a long-lost mystical art.
Even someone who makes a living out of being relaxed — and helping others chill out — gets wound up.
"I'll just find myself spinning out of control. ..." says Mary Bastien, owner of Open Space Yoga Studio in Chinatown. That's when she knows she needs to relax — through restorative yoga.
Without proper relaxation, through the use of restorative techniques, Bastien says she finds herself "spinning around, like I had 10 cups of coffee."
Restorative yoga, unlike regular asana practice that you find in a studio or gym, is less about a workout and more about allowing the body to release and let go.
"Most of the classes that I teach, they can be pretty vigorous," Bastien said. "But I see a need for a lot of people to just relax."
And scientific research is proving that yoga may be an effective remedy for overactive minds or the blues. Practicing yoga might boost a neurotransmitter associated with regulating depression and anxiety disorders, according to a new report in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.
In restorative yoga, "since you're holding poses for a long time, it's the act of receiving energy. You're gaining energy in a passive way," Bastien said.
And these aren't yoga poses in the downward-facing-dog sense. Restorative postures are generally well supported with the use of props — lots of blankets, straps, eye pillows, bolsters and blocks.
All that support allows the body to literally melt into relaxation — the nervous system receives fewer messages and the mind enters into a quiet state.
"When we're constantly going nonstop all the time, the nervous system on overdrive, stressing the body out, people need to take time to stop and just receive — be passive and let themselves rest and come into a deeper state," Bastien said.
Relax!
Practice these postures to relieve stress and tension from the office and everyday life.
Yoga instructor Mary Bastien suggests starting off easy — do one of these postures a day, then work your way up. Hold them for 15 minutes to half an hour each, depending on how much time you have to dedicate to your relaxation practice.
While holding each pose, breathe naturally, close your eyes, and allow your mind and body to let go. Remain awake and conscious — remember, rest and sleep are two different things.
Caution: Consult your doctor, especially if you’re pregnant, before beginning any new practice.
Classes
Restorative yoga and yoga nidra classes are offered every second and last Sunday of the month from 5:15 to 6:45 p.m. at Open Space Yoga, 1111 Nu'uanu Ave., Unit 211; 232-8851. |
Reach Loren Moreno at lmoreno@honoluluadvertiser.com.
