Come As You Are
This is where I would normally quote Kurt Cobain with some witty tie in, but as much as I love Nirvana, this post has nothing to do with their genius or the song’s contradictory lyrics.
Although, now that I type that …
Contradiction, by definition, can mean ‘conflict’ or ‘inconsistency’. Two choice words to describe my relationship with restorative and yin-style practices. While I may not be classified as type-A, I was raised on a steady diet of vinyasa and ashtanga aka hours of sweat-inducing asana. Tack this onto years of working in the field of fitness and wellness that conditioned the belief that daily movement must involve physical challenge.
Can I just say — as I sit here with no intentions of sweating today — what an absolute crock.
And yet, I imagine many of you are nodding your head as you read these words. That you too battle the beast of physical expectation. And what artillery could possibly slay this ferocious dragon? Funny enough, a weapon of contradiction: restorative posture.
When we take the time to actually slow down, we shift our sympathetic reaction (fight-or-flight) to parasympathetic (rest-and-digest). Not only is this physically glorious, this is a key factor for many of us who struggle with regular stress or anxiety. If we were to translate this into a formula, it would look a little like this:
Subtract societal b.s expectations from beaker of swirling anxiety. Replace, in equal parts, with slow, held posture to equal clarity of mind and heart.
Need to see it to believe it? Try these three postures on for size, and if it feels good, check out our class Come As You Are Restorative, available in Replays.
1. Bananasana
focus: side body, outer hip, serratus, gall bladder
Begin on your back with your legs straight. Reach your arms overhead and bend your elbows, clasping either your forearms or elbows. Keep your pelvis stationary as you march your heels toward the left edge of your mat or until you feel expansion in your right side. If this creates enough sensation, stay here, close your eyes, and breath. If you want a bit more, wiggle your left elbow and upper body toward the left side of the mat (hence the ‘banana’ shape). Decide if this is your sweet spot. Want a pinch more? Cross your right ankle over your left (hello IT band!) and keeping your left elbow bent, extend your right arm straight into a side bend, clasping your right wrist with your left hand. Give it a gentle pull, creating traction on your wrist and a stretch in your upper right ribs. Stay here for 8 breaths or up to several minutes. Wiggle back to neutral and then switch sides.
2. Hip Opener
focus: front body, psoas, quads, gentle chest opener
props needed: 1 bolster or 1-2 blocks and a blanket, or something soft to place over blocks
Place the bolster the wide way on the center of your mat. If you’re using the block, place it on the lowest level and drape a blanket over it. You might even explore two blocks on their lowest side, long edges pressed together. Sit on your bolster or block(s) and extend your legs as you slowly lie back. Your hips will be elevated, maybe even a bit or your lower back, but shoulders and heels will rest on the ground. You can extend your arms straight overhead or make cactus arms (try both, see what feels best). You may even find you like a thin blanket under your head. If you’re keeping your legs straight, don’t let the feet roll open. Maintain gentle internal rotation of your thighs and keep the feet roughly hip width apart. If your lower back feels sensitive, lower the elevation under your hips or put a slight bend in your knees. Stay here for 8 breaths or 1-2 minutes. To exit, bend your knees and roll over onto your side.
3. Blissful Banana
focus: side body, lower back, oblique release
props needed: 1 bolster and a block or 2 blocks and a blanket or something soft
Place your bolster the wide way at the center of your mat. Drape your left side over the bolster (you’re draping over the shorter distance of the bolster) or drape your left ribs over a medium height block(s) covered with a blanket. Your left shoulder should fall off the opposite end of your bolster/blocks, where you’ll extend that arm straight, away from your shoulder. Place a block the high or medium height under the left side of your head, just like a pillow. Keep your left leg straight as you bend your right knee and let it fall to the left. Play with how deeply you bend your knee until you find a sweet spot. Reach your right arm straight up, rotate the palm toward the back of your mat, and extend your arm over head. You can keep this arm straight or bent, resting your upper arm along your head. Take 8 breaths or hold for several minutes. To release, reach your right arm back up and place your hand onto the mat or bolster to press yourself up and switch sides.