“She was limited physically but no means spiritually…”
– Andrew Wyeth
The above painting from MOMA is painted in a style known as “Magic Realism”… There are different styles in paintings as there are different styles in Yoga…
Restorative Yoga… What is it good for? NOT absolutely nothing – quite the contrary! Absolutely Everything!
So people might assume that my yoga practice is all about R&R. Well, actually, I love vigorous Vinyasa Flow as well as steady mindful alignment based Iyengar influenced practice; and all in between and the undefined. I love the blend and the whole – based on how you feel that day. You might say, I am an expert in none and beginner in all as expounded by Shunryu Suzuki. All yoga whatever style is beneficial but Restorative Yoga holds a special place for me – when my teacher Judith Lasater who is the co-founder of Iyengar Yoga Institute of San Francisco, Yoga Journal, physical therapist, yoga instructor, a PhD and from what I hear, raised 3 kids while teaching full time, publishing best selling books, many other accolades I am not even privy to – when SHE, the accomplished and the wise yogini so many look up to said “there was a time in my life when the only and all yoga I did was Restorative Yoga” – it was an Ahhh-Hahhh moment. Super achievers and the most enlightened too, we all have different kind of needs at different times. Through that first hand experience she gained so much insights – and precious enlightenment she shares with us today. Our batteries need recharging and more frequently you do that, less likely you fall prey to various forms of modern disease that plagues even the most health conscious of us with good intentions.
That method of recharging our batteries – that is misunderstood. It can take various forms – yes; first thought – sleep? Movies? Wine tasting? Exercise some more to release endorphins and serotonin and feel “happy”! or too exhausted? Then…the infamous …”couch” work in front of TV or as in therapy?… all good and we deserve the slouching time too but even that fix-all meditation will lead nowhere without you “showing up” to uncover your own healing powers.
In restorative yoga, you are in yoga poses – it may not be that pretzel pose you saw on the magazine cover or the cool WOW arm balances and the inversions you are “fighting” with “burning” desires to “achieve” but it’s still yoga in a different, these days, novel kind of a way. It can almost be a serendipitous encounter … after a sweaty practice. OR it can be created methodically and with care in a therapeutic way.
We are again ready to re-engage in the “zone” with that once lost “flow” … able to relish the everyday miracles with clarity. Otherwise, everything is a fast forward and life will just zip by.
Transformation is such a big word but it does’t have to be big – small gradual shift is all it takes. To be able to see people transform before your eyes – vitality and beauty restored little by little, literally, like a battery recharing – it’s an honor – life is not all about work and play. Transformations is not about shedding that 50lbs or not aging to everyone’s amazement(though may happen); it’s a measurable unveiling of your true light and that light switch may have a dimmer – you can transform how your room looks – you have the hand on that dimmer.