We don't dive, we cannonball...
(Thao with the Get Down Stay Down)
A couple weeks ago I attended a restorative yoga workshop with the amazing Amy Armstrong at Yoga Bhoga.
She began by explaining the basics of the autonomic nervous system, functioning largely below the level of consciousness, and controls visceral functions. affects heart rate, digestion, respiration rate, salivation, perspiration, diameter of the pupils, micturition (urination), and sexual arousal. Whereas most of its actions are involuntary, some, such as breathing, work in tandem with the conscious mind. It is divided into two categories, sympathetic and para-sympathetic.
The sympathetic nervous system always active at a basal level sympathetic tone and becomes more active during times of stress. Its actions during the stress response comprise the fight-or-flight response.
The actions of the parasympathetic nervous system can be summarized as "rest and digest". It slows the heart rate and circulation and sends blood into organs and our of muscles. This is the system we are looking to activate with restorative yoga.
Today's life style is contstant sympathetic - stress state. The relaxation response is a physical state of deep rest that changes the physical and emotional responses to stress... and the opposite of the fight or flight response.
The stress reaction happens immediately without any effort on your part. A loud noise at this moment would startle you, and the stress reaction would speed through your body. A stress reaction happens automatically while the relaxation response must be purposefully sought and brought under control.
While the relaxation response will occur naturally as when you sit on the beach watching the ocean; hectic modern society does not give us many chances for such natural elicitation. To control our stress we must engage in an intentional practice of creating the relaxation response.
Here are some resources to start your own restorative practice, the pictures say it all.
The strap is optional, a belt can substitute. If you don't have a yoga block, grab some thick books.
Here is a variation I like for the gentle twist shown above
So take some time this winter... light a candle or two. Play your favorite music, and turn off your phone, laptop, crack-berry or pager (haha).
Schedule an appointment with yourself, and allow yourself to truly relax.
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