Restorative Yoga Poses

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child's pose

Cues:

• Come onto your knees with the top of the feet on the ground
• Bring the big toes together and the knees out wide
• On an exhale bring your seat back towards your heels and fold forward at your hips bringing the forehead down onto the ground
• There are several options to ensure that child's pose is a restorative one:
  • Your arms can be extended in front of you with your elbows bent
  • You can bring your knees together
    
  • You can bring your arms by your sides and your hands by your hips
  • You can place a bolster between your legs with three quarters of it under the upper body and place your upper body on the bolster
  • You can place a small cushion or foam block under your head

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constructive side stretch

Cues:

• Place a bolster at a 90°as angle from your torso 
• Place your torso over the bolster at the bottom of the ribs and lie on your side over the bolster
• Stack your legs and feet one over the other
• Option to:
  
  • Bring your bottom arm out in front of you with the palm of your top hand on the floor in front of your face
    
  • Extend both arms overhead with the hands going in the opposite direction of the feet

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supported half saddle

Cues:

• Using a bolster place at a comfortable height:
  • You can place a block under the top of the bolster at its lowest height or second highest height
    
  •  You can place the bolster flat on the ground
• From a seated position bend one knee bringing the foot back towards your seat with the top of the foot on the ground
• Lie down with your back on the bolster feeling a stretch in your quads
• Ensure that you knees are as close to even as possible

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Heart bed

Cues:

• Place a block under the top end of the bolster either at its lowest or second highest height 
• Place a small foam block at the base of the bolster
• Sit on the small foam block and lie down with your back on the bolster ensuring that your head is resting on the bolster
• Place your hands on either side of the bolster with your palms facing straight up to the ceiling to encourage the chest and shoulders to open
• There are several options for the placement of your legs:
  • You can have the soles of the feet down flat on the ground hip distance apart with your knees pointing straight up to the ceiling
  • You can bring the soles of the feet together with the knees out wide to stretch the inner thighs and open up through the hips
  • You can bring the soles of your feet mat distance apart and allow your knees to drop in against each other
    • In this positioning if your knees do not rest comfortably upon one another you can bring a block in between the knees

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Restorative Deer

Cues:

• Come to a comfortable seated position that allows you to lengthen your spine with ease
• Place a bolster at a 90° angle at your right hip pointing away from you 
• Bend your right knee to a 45° angle in front of you
• Bend your left knee bringing your left heel back towards your seat on the left side
  
• Place your right foot on the inside of your left thigh
• On an inhale feel the spine lengthen
• On an exhale turn your upper body towards the bolster and fold forward resting your upper body on the bolster

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restorative forward fold

Cues:

• Come to a comfortable seated position that allows your hips to be in a neutral position
• One option to encourage the spine to lengthen is to sit on the front edge of a small foam block
  
• Extend both your legs out in front of you
• Place one or two bolsters on top of your legs
• On an inhale lengthen the spine
• On an exhale fold forward at your hips placing your upper body on the bolster(s)

restorative sphinx

Cues:

• Start by lying flat on your stomach
• Place a bolster under you armpits and chest 
• Extend both arms out in front of you with a small bend in the elbows
• Allow a gentle bend to come into the back
• You can keep your chin up or allow the head to hang relaxing the neck

restorative twist

Cues:

• Come flat onto your back
• Place a bolster to the left side of the mat at a spot that you estimate your knees will be placed once coming into a twist
• On an inhale bring your knees in towards your chest and your arms out wide like airplane wings with your palms down
• On an exhale drop your knees to the right twisting through the spine and allowing your knees to rest on the bolster while turning your gaze to the right

supported back bridge

Cues:

• Come flat onto your back
• Bring the soles of your feet flat on the ground pointed straight forward hip distance apart
• Bring your heels as close to your seat as possible 
• On an inhale lift your hips off of the ground and place a block underneath your sacrum (the flat part of the pelvis) either at it's lowest or second lowest height
• On an exhale rest your sacrum onto the block allowing your weight to be supported
• If you feel unstable adjust the block until you feel completely supported
• Place the hands on either side of the body with the palms facing straight up towards the ceiling

 

Legs up the wall

Cues:

• Come into this pose from a seated position
  
• Bring your left hip next the wall and extend your legs out in front you keeping a bend in the knees
• Swivel on your seat bringing your legs up and onto the wall 
• Extend your legs in line with your hip joints
• You should feel some stretch in the hamstrings, but the intensity should be at a point where you can allow yourself to completely relax
• Place the hands on either side of the body with the palms facing straight up towards the ceiling

Butterfly legs up the wall

Cues:

• Come into this pose from legs up the wall
• Keeping your feet on the wall bend your knees and bring the soles of your feet together and knees out wide externally rotating the hips
• This pose should stretch the thighs, but the intensity should be at a point where you can allow yourself to completely relax​
• Place the hands on either side of the body with the palms facing straight up towards the ceiling

Legs up the wall - straddle

Cues:

• Come into this pose from legs up the wall
• With your legs extended bring them out as wide as you can​
• This pose should stretch the thighs, but the intensity should be at a point where you can allow yourself to completely relax​

Shavasana

Cues:

• Lie flat on your back
• Extend your legs straight out in front of you relaxing your hips enough that it allows your feet to drop out to the side
• Place the hands on either side of the body with the palms facing straight up towards the ceiling allowing your chest and shoulders to relax
• Allow your head to lay heavy onto the ground relaxing your neck and soften the face
• Inhale deeply and exhale strongly relaxing the entire body
• For this pose you may also use any props that allow for total relaxation
• Some example of those are:
  • A bolster under your knees
  • Cushioning under your head
  • A blanket over top of you

Legs on chair

Cues:

• Find a chair that is at a height that when you place your lower legs onto it your knees are close to or at a 90° angle
• Begin by lying flat on your back
• Bring your seat close to the chair
• Place your lower legs onto the chair bringing your knees to or close to a 90° angle
• Place the hands on either side of the body with the palms facing straight up towards the ceiling allowing the chest and shoulders relax

reclined bound angle with cactus arms

Cues:

• Begin by lying flat on your back
• On an inhale bring the soles of your feet together allowing the knees to come wide
  
• At the same time bring your arms to cactus with your forearms coming towards or resting on the ground
• On an exhale allow your inner thighs, shoulders and chest to relax

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dead bug

Cues:

• Begin by lying flat on your back
• On an inhale bring your legs up towards the ceiling to where the soles of your feet are pointing to the ceiling and your hips are at a 90° angle
• On the next inhale extend your arms straight from the shoulders pointing your fingers towards the ceiling
• Allow for small bend in both your knees and elbows