Pen Pals! A conversation with Beverly and Elaine about Restorative and Gentle Yoga
Elaine and Beverly connect over email to discuss the distinction between gentle yoga and restorative yoga. Experience it for yourself at Beverly’s Gentle Yoga + Restorative class on Sunday February 28 at 7pm.
Gentle yoga is a pretty subjective term. How would you define gentle yoga and how is it different from beginner yoga or yoga foundations?
Gentle yoga is great for beginners, but it’s not necessarily for beginners. It’s a slow, grounded practice that incorporates mindful movement and breath. We all need a gentle practice sometimes—movement that soothes the nerves, loosens the joints, and builds strength without revving you up. I’m not a morning person, so I often do a short gentle practice right after getting up just to feel better in my body and allow my mind a little more time to wake up. And I like a gentle practice at the end of the day, when I need to release the stress of the day so I can sleep better. Movement doesn’t need to be sweaty to be beneficial! A little stretching, strengthening, and lubricating the joints can make a restorative practice even sweeter.
That's an interesting distinction; gentle yoga is great for beginners but it's not necessarily for beginners. I've noticed a shift in my own practice in that I used to need very vigorous movement in order to calm my mind, but lately delicate and subtle movement has more effectively captured my attention. Do you feel that a gentle practice can serve as a bridge to restorative yoga? Particularly for people who typically gravitate toward a more high energy physical practice?
A gentle practice can definitely be a good transition to a restorative practice, and you bring up a great example as to how. Many people are surprised at how difficult restorative yoga can be—not because of the physical aspect, but the mental/emotional. It’s hard to be still! Our mind fights it. Yet focus, the ability to concentrate, is a hugely important skill. In yoga it’s part of the path to enlightenment, but frankly, for me, it’s primarily a tool to get through the day. Most people find it easier to focus on movement than, say, the breath or a mantra. By moving mindfully, we can start to draw inward a bit more. In addition to the physical benefits (strength building and injury avoidance), gentle yoga begins to reset the communication between body and mind. Our bodies don’t feel the “threat” of extreme movement, and our nervous system can start to reset—so we can enter a state of physiological relaxation in restorative yoga.
Catch more of this discussion next week!
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