A Restorative Yoga Workshop

Blankets, bolsters, bricks — and a skeleton! These were the props Katie brought out for us in her Restorative Yoga workshop. We had a great two hours together exploring the whys and wherefores of restorative yoga.

If you’ve been to a restorative yoga class with either Derek or Katie you’ll know that there can be quite a lot of set-up involved — piles of blocks and elaborately folded blankets. The use of props supports the body, encouraging it to soften more deeply into postures that tend to be held for longer periods of time (five to twenty minutes). But the props can be intimidating if you want to incorporate some restorative poses into your home practice. Katie showed us some really simple set-ups that would be easy to recreate at home and showed how we could use regular pillows instead of a yoga bolster to equally good effect.

Finally she guided us through a restorative practice, encouraging us to let go of effort and to receive the poses passively, softening more deeply with each exhale. Practice ended with her signature blanket-tucking to support the neck (so simple but so amazing!) and a mini massage of the forehead with some lovely scented oils. The opinion afterwards was that we simply didn’t want the final śavāsana to end. Even the skeleton seemed a bit rejuvenated!

By Victoria

Restorative classes are held on Mondays at 19.45 with Derek and Fridays at 17.45 with Katie.