Relaxing Restorative Yoga Classes

Restorative yoga is ultimately about relaxation. Unlike the faster paced sister practices of yoga, restorative is all about slowing down. During the practice of restorative yoga, shapes are held with the support of props such as blankets, bolsters and blocks for anywhere from five to twenty minutes. In restorative yoga the body is to be completely supported and held, allowing the practitioner to let go of all effort and release into the pose.

Restorative yoga has many physical benefits, but perhaps the most important benefit of all is that through providing the right conditions, the body enters a state of relaxation which helps to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, thus reducing the impact of the body’s stress response. Each sequence aims to move the spine in all directions, undoing many of the habitual movements in our average day for example, hunched over desks, driving cars, holding babies.

Let go of the day and come back home to yourself. Our gentle restorative yoga classes are suitable for all abilities and will stretch out your tension and help you to find stillness within. Using guided meditations and relaxing yoga nidra while supported by props, this class will help you float away home for a peaceful night's sleep.

Find your next restorative yoga class:

Mindfulness teaches us how to be disciplined with our focus. Our mind habitually wanders away from the present moment. It is easy for us to get lost in this state of almost ‘virtual reality’ and forget to pay attention to what is actually happening at any given moment. Practising mindfulness helps us to become completely engaged in the present moment, allowing us to notice small and enjoyable things we may have missed. Meditation is a more formalised way to practise mindfulness and perhaps the one people are most familiar.

In a mindful movement and meditation class at Calm we will start with a gentle movement practice suitable for all to prepare your body for seated meditation. You will be guided through several short meditation practices before finishing the class with a deeply relaxing yoga nidra (yogic sleep). Wear warm comfortable clothes.

It is a common myth that you need to clear your mind to meditation. It is important to remember that thoughts are inevitable. Thoughts are like clouds in the sky. Sometimes there will be lots of clouds, sometimes the sky will be clear. Even when there are clouds, if you were to take-off in an aeroplane you can go beyond the clouds to see the clear sky.

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Not to be confused with restoraitve yoga, but similar in the overall feeling it create. In a Yin Yoga class, you will enter into a deep state of relaxation where you can let go of your worries, to develop a greater sense of awareness and contentment. Yin Yoga is a slow- paced style of yoga, which involves melting into a reclined or seated position and holding these restorative poses for 3 minutes or more, depending on your ability.

As with restorative yoga, in yin yoga we are supported in our poses by props such as bolster cushions and yoga blocks and bricks, which enable you to really stretch out the muscles and tissues around your joints, combatting tension in a subtle but unique way, that might not be possible in more energetic yoga classes.

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Can you think of a better way to unwind? Similar to our mindful movement and meditation class but with the addition of an aerial yoga hammock for a truly relaxing experience. Float away with us in our low lit warm and cosy aerial room in Derby. You will be guided through mindful gentle movement, breathing exercises to calm the mind, and meditations to bring you into the present moment. We end the class with a long sweet guided relaxation (yoga nidra/yogic sleep) where you will be fully supported lying down in the hammock with blankets for extra comfort as you drift away into a deeply relaxed state. Anyone can practise yoga nidra but it is particularly beneficial for those who struggle to let go and it can be great for reducing stress and anxiety as the mind relaxes, brain activity reduces and the body enters a healing state. It is said that one hour of yoga nidra can give the same benefit as four hours of sleep!

Aerial Mediation and Yoga Nidra is only available at our Derby studio and not suitable during pregnancy.