Yoga Info

Restorative

This page helps you regain normal function with restorative yoga

Restorative/therapeutic yoga helps you correct physical problems with your heart, lungs, back and knees and regain normal function through gentle, relaxing, supported poses held for a long time (5 - 20 minutes). Since the population in the developed world is aging rapidly, it is currently the fastest growing area of yoga.

If you ask people why they do yoga, many say they do it because they have a physical problem. If you look closely at what is happening during yoga classes, you will discover that yoga doesn't really fix or cure anything. It simply helps bring the body and mind into an aligned, relaxed natural state, in which self-healing may occur spontaneously. Yoga practiced to this end is called 'restorative yoga'.
- David McAmmond

As we grow older, our body shrinks and the spaces between the body tissues and skeletal joints decrease. This anatomical distortion leads to physiological dysfunctioning, resulting in pathological changes. The regular practice of yoga stretches and strengthens the different muscle groups and creates space in the body. This helps to bring back to normal the physiological functioning of the different anatomical systems, which enables nature to re-arrange and repair the diseased parts of the body the natural way.
- Dr. S.V. Karandikar

Yoga for a Healthy Heart
This material is based on a number of sources:

My personal observations
Photos
Dr. Karandikar's book, A LIFESAVER
Conversations with and notes/photos supplied by him