Restorative Rest Whole Body Release With One Towel

Hey friend,

It's Susan.

Welcome to a restorative rest practice.

Today a simple whole body release using one towel for support.

Rest is one of the most important things we can do for our physical,

Mental,

And emotional health.

And we are living in a culture that equates stopping and resting with failure and death.

So it's true,

We need to make a practice of resting.

Resting is different than sleep,

Different than stretching.

Resting is non-doing that allows the body and nervous system to unwind itself.

The practice is one of presence and noticing.

It gives the nervous system the opportunity to engage in what Dr.

Herbert Benson calls the relaxation response.

Research shows that the relaxation response may help people to counteract the toxic effects of chronic stress by slowing breath rate,

Relaxing muscles,

And reducing blood pressure.

This practice will begin with some gentle movement and breathing and we will then go into a simple,

Progressive restorative rest practice that releases the body from top to bottom.

For this practice you need one thick towel rolled into a log and the option of an eye covering,

Which could be a soft t-shirt,

Hand towel,

Or cloth.

If you'd like to gather your props,

Just pause the recording and I'll be here when you get back.

Once you've got your towel and eye covering,

Let's set up so we're ready to rest.

You can do this practice either on the floor or on a firm sofa or bed.

Just a note,

If the surface you're on is too soft,

You won't receive the benefits of the towel support under your body.

If you're on the floor,

Make sure there's something under you like a carpet,

A yoga mat,

Or a blanket.

First fold your towel in half the long way and then roll it into a log.

This is a helpful prop in that you can unroll it to make it lower or roll it more to make it higher.

Have your eye covering nearby.

Now that we're set up,

Let's start by moving the body a bit before we rest.

I like to do these movements standing and you could also do them seated in a chair.

Close your eyes and take a deep breath in through your nose and out through your nose.

Notice your body and mind and just see what's happening.

Notice if you feel tension anywhere or openness anywhere or if you feel jittery,

Anxious,

Or spacey.

Just observe.

The next time you take a breath in,

Press both feet down and lift your arms out to the sides.

As you exhale,

Shake your hands down.

Inhale,

Lift your arms and fill your belly with breath.

Inhale with whatever energy feels right,

Shake your hands,

Elbows,

And arms down as you empty.

Inhale long body lifts.

Exhale,

Shake hands,

Arms,

Shoulders down.

Then relax your arms down to the sides.

Really push the heel of your left hand toward the floor and drop your right ear toward your right shoulder.

Relax your right shoulder and put some energy into your left hand.

Drop your right ear.

Stay gentle with these small muscles and allow the weight of your head to lengthen the muscles and tissues in your neck.

If you'd like a little more sensation,

You can put your right hand on your upper left chest and allow the simple weight of your hand to create more length and space in your neck.

Now gently release both hands.

Slowly let your head come up to center.

Take a breath and give your hands,

Arms,

And shoulders a gentle shake.

Then do the other side.

Let your arms relax down to the side.

Then actively push the heel of your right hand down toward the floor and drop your left ear toward your left shoulder.

Relax your left shoulder.

Put some energy into your right hand and drop your left ear.

You might make some micro movements here,

Slightly tipping your head forward or back to see what needs to let go in your neck.

Stay gentle with these small muscles and use the weight of your head to create length in the muscles and tissues on the right side of your neck.

If you'd like a little more,

Put your left hand on your upper right chest and without pulling or forcing,

Allow the weight of your hand to create more space in your neck.

Gently release both hands.

Slowly slowly let your head come up to center.

Take a breath into your nose,

Give your hands,

Arms,

And shoulders a little shake.

Take a wide stance with your feet,

A little more than shoulder width,

Toes either pointing forward or to the corners.

Place your hands on your legs just above your knees.

Avoid putting your hands directly on your knee joint,

But rather just above them.

Shoulders on the inside,

Thumbs close to you.

Take an inhale breath through your nose and as you exhale,

Move your right shoulder across your body toward your left knee.

Your shoulder and knee won't touch of course unless you're some kind of Cirque du Soleil or acrobat.

Just imagine your right shoulder and left knee magnetizing toward each other.

Inhale yourself back to center,

Then let your left shoulder be magnetized toward your right knee as you exhale.

Inhale center,

Exhale right shoulder drawn in the direction of your left knee.

Inhale center,

Exhale left shoulder across and down toward your right knee.

Keep breathing in and out through your nose,

Shifting from one side to the other.

You might experiment with the distance between your feet and notice where you feel the release.

Inhale center,

Exhale shoulder across.

Inhale center,

Exhale other shoulder across.

When you're ready,

Gently drop your chin,

Tuck your tail and roll up to standing or seated.

Pause and see if there are any other movements or stretches,

Maybe some massage that you'd like to do.

I love stretching my side body or you may want to shake out your calves,

Squeeze the big muscles in your thighs or stretch your feet.

Whatever part of you need your attention,

Respond with movement or stretch.

Now take a deep breath and let's set up for our restorative rest practice,

Our whole body progressive release with one towel.

Lie on your back on a soft and firm surface like a carpeted floor,

A yoga mat or blanket or a firm sofa.

Place the towel log under your head so your neck is long and your chin is just slightly tucked.

Depending on your body,

This might mean you need to unroll your towel a little so your chin isn't cranked down to your chest.

Find the right towel height for you and let your head rest on it.

Breathe here,

Long slow deep breaths in and out of your nose.

Notice your body,

Perhaps gently rock your head side to side and then return to center.

Breathe.

Notice if you're holding tension in your jaw,

Your eyes or your scalp.

Take a gentle quiet breath in and out through your nose and let whatever is holding on to release.

Breathe in and let the exhale extend long.

Feel your head,

The heaviest weight of your body supported by the towel.

Let the release of your head invite release in your neck and shoulders.

Let your long breath soften any tension.

Roll to one side,

Take the towel and roll it so it's a little thicker and put it right under your heart and rib cage.

Gently lie back on it so your chest opens and there is no strain in your neck.

In this position,

I need to support my head so my neck isn't craned back so I put my eye covering under my head to lift it into an easy position.

Or if you don't need it under your head,

You can place the eye covering over your closed eyes.

Breathe here.

Notice your body.

Feel the support under your heart.

Inhale into your belly and then chest.

Let your heart float on the breath.

Then exhale chest,

Then belly and let your heart soften.

Imagine your collarbones lengthening out to each side.

Breathe in and let them get light.

Inhale and let them get long.

Inhale and feel your shoulder blades.

Exhale and let them melt down.

Breathe long,

Slow and deep.

In and out through your nose.

On the inhale,

Feel space opening in your rib cage and the muscles around your heart.

Exhale and let any clenching or tension in your heart go.

Feel the soft support of the towel like a hand cupping the back of your heart.

Slowly roll onto one side and slide the towel from your heart down to your sacrum at the base of your spine.

Avoid putting the towel under your low back or lumbar spine.

Feel instead the triangle of bone right at the top of your pelvis and place the rolled towel there.

You can have your legs long here or place the palms of your feet on the floor with your knees to the sky.

Again if the eye covering feels good,

Place it on your closed eyes.

Breathe here.

Slow,

Quiet,

Even breaths.

Notice your body.

Breathe the weight of your pelvis into the support of the towel.

With the big flat bones of your sacrum and the muscles in your belly,

Let go.

Inhale through your nose,

Feel your belly and chest.

Exhale let your sacrum get heavy into the towel.

Breathe in,

Making space for whatever is happening in your body.

Breathe out and let whatever is gripping let go,

Even a little.

Now gently lift your hips and move the towel log under your knees.

Let your feet relax out to the sides and the backs of both of your knees give in to the support of the towel.

Breathe here.

Notice your body.

Exhale through your nose and imagine space in both of your knee joints.

Exhale through your nose and let your knees relax.

Breathe in and notice your face and jaw.

Exhale let any tension there go.

Breathe in and notice your neck and shoulders.

Exhale and let any gripping release.

Breathe in,

Feel your heart and chest.

Exhale and soften.

Breathe in and notice your hips and belly.

Exhale and let them go.

Inhale and fill.

Exhale and let go of whatever you can.

Pause and see if you want to move the towel back to any place again under your head,

Your heart,

Your hips or stay under your knees.

I like to end this practice by placing the towel roll under my feet either with my legs long or with my knees bent.

Take five long slow deep breaths in whatever position feels best to you.

You can stay here as long as you like.

Give yourself all the time you need to deeply rest and soak in the relaxation response.

When you're ready to end your practice,

Come out very slowly.

Roll to one side gently and pause there for a full breath.

Then slowly push up into sitting.

Pause there for a breath in and out.

Feel your body reorient into upright and then gently transition into whatever is next.

Thank you for taking the time for the essential nutrient of rest and for supporting the amazing instrument of your life,

Your body with the relaxation response.

I'm Susan.

Thank you for practicing with me.

Until soon,

Breathe deep,

Shine bright and show up.