Four Restorative Shapes Worth Knowing
Supported poses held for minutes rather than seconds. Four that need only cushions, what each is for, and how long to stay.
Restorative yoga uses few shapes, held for minutes, with the body fully supported. Almost nothing is being stretched. The point is that the body is held so completely that it can stop holding itself.
Four shapes cover most of what it offers, and none needs specialist equipment.
Legs up the wall
Lie on your back with your legs resting up a wall, hips a few inches away, a folded blanket under the hips if that is more comfortable. Arms wherever they fall.
Five to ten minutes. Good after a long day standing, and good before sleep. This is the one to learn if you learn only one.
Supported reclining butterfly
On your back, soles of the feet together, knees falling out to the sides. Put a cushion under each knee so the legs are held rather than hanging. A folded blanket lengthways under the spine opens the chest.
Five minutes. This one frequently brings up restlessness, which is worth noticing rather than fixing.
Supported forward fold
Sitting with legs crossed or extended, a stack of cushions on your lap, folding forward to rest your head and arms on the stack. Build the stack high enough that you are resting on it, not reaching for it.
Three to five minutes. Quietening, and useful when you are overstimulated.
Constructive rest
Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat and hip-width, arms out to the sides. That is the whole shape.
Five to ten minutes. The least impressive-looking and one of the most useful, because it needs nothing at all and can be done anywhere with a floor.
Putting them together
Any two of these, ten minutes total, is a real practice. Add slow breathing with a long exhale and it becomes a decent wind-down sequence, described in more detail on the sleep page.