Advanced restorative practice combined with pranayama brings about deep relaxation while making us become conscious of our breathing patterns and energy flow. This advanced two-hour session integrates supported restorative asanas with pranayama techniques.
Regular restorative practice brings notable benefits: improved sleep quality, reduced anxiety, enhanced immune function, and balanced hormonal responses. By activating the parasympathetic nervous system, these poses counteract the effects of chronic stress. Studies suggest that regular practice can lower cortisol levels and blood pressure while improving heart rate variability.
In this class, we will look at how the quality of our breathing changes depending on the pose and how long we hold it. We will go through most of the classic restorative poses.
We will go through all the variations of Supta Padangusthasana to release tension in legs and hips while establishing steady breathing patterns. Viparita Karani with and without a bolster will help us settle down further and redirect blood flow to our vital organs.
Supported backbends like Setu Bandha Sarvangasana with a bolster allow the chest to open naturally, enhancing breath capacity and promoting spinal extension without strain. The strategic use of props ensures complete physical support, enabling full focus on breath awareness and control. By slowing down to the point of being still, we will find it easier to observe the subtler mechanisms of the body.
Advanced practitioners approach restorative practice with greater subtlety, using the stable positions to explore advanced pranayama techniques like lengthy retentions and complex breath ratios. While beginners focus on finding basic comfort with props and simple breath awareness, advanced students can maintain poses like Supported Setu Bandha Sarvangasana for extended periods, allowing deeper investigation of energy flow. The stillness cultivated through years of dynamic practice enables them to work with sophisticated breath patterns while remaining completely supported. Advanced practitioners also require fewer verbal cues and adjustments, naturally finding optimal alignment that creates ideal conditions for pranayama exploration. This makes these sessions significantly more meditative compared to beginner classes that emphasize proper prop setup and basic positioning.
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