Mindfulness in a Restorative Yoga Practice?

Frequently in a group class, as people emerge from a restorative pose, there is a very settled quality in the room.  I recognise it from my own experience of feeling the effects of relaxation.  The practice of relaxation often brings about a feeling of not needing to do anything, feeling replete and complete.

It is from this state that I began, quite spontaneously, to include some mindfulness for myself in my own restorative practice. In the moments after a restorative pose, I feel less likely to judge, more able to be in a mode of receiving the present moment.

In their newly published book ‘Feeling Happy: The Yoga of Body, Heart, and Mind’, authors Richard Freeman and Mary Taylor write about embodied moments as opportunities to embed the experience:

‘…practice calming the mind so that you can show up in the present moment while remaining alive and awake in your embodied state.’

I find that this practice helps me to notice and become more familiar with feeling rested and restful.  The pause between relaxation and the next thing in my day is a moment of savouring.  It is why I include mindfulness when I teach restorative yoga, and why it features in the training immersion.

photo by Hanna Kuikka