I’M A BIG PROPONENT OF SLEEP HYGIENE & A FIERCE PROTECTOR OF MY GOOD REST.

(Hello Dream Time! It’s a creative hub for me.)

I (humbly) asked my dear beauty-heart and compatriot, Kat Reiner to share her wisdom, love and “sense” of nurturing yoga poses that offered (and mirrored) winter’s rest and replenishment messages to the restorative landscape within to help with #BeYourOwnSanctuary. Enjoy her take and offering of ease, peace, and joy that come with each.

Allow 3-5 minutes per posture. Be mindful of bringing ease to your breath during the transitions. Please consult the advice of your healthcare practitioner before any physical activity to be certain its best for you.

a | Easy Pose
At the root of yoga, is simple breath meditation. Sit on a bolster, block or pillow so the pelvis is elevated above the knees. Bring attention to the base of the belly, creating slight engagement in the lower core, imagine the shoulders, face and head relaxing. Hands on thighs with palms facing the sky and fingers soft. For 5 minutes, keep returning your attention to the breath and a sense of receptivity and ease in the palms. 

b | Child’s Pose (modified)
This pose allows us to turn inward and shine the back of our heart toward the sky. Tuck toes under and allow hips to stay high for this variation focused on increasing circulation. This can be intense for some feet, breathe deeply in through the nose and exhale through the mouth with an audible sigh to help move the sensation through the body. 

c | Supported Bridge Pose
Use a block or bolster to hold the hips high. Press gently into the mat with the feet, back of the heart, and back of the head. The chest reaches toward the chin. The chin moves away from the chest. Imagine the chest is in love with the chin, but the chin is like, “No thanks, I’m cool.” Take this opportunity to relax and be held by the support system you’ve created.

d | Happy Baby!
Lay on your back and bend knees toward the side belly. Press soles of the feet toward sky, gently hold outside edges of the feet. Press pelvis and low back toward the mat. Smile and think of something fun or joyful – maybe a sweet baby in your life, yourself as a child, or something beautiful in nature. Rock gently or find stillness. Think, “All is well! I am joyful!” 

e | Wide Leg Supported Fold
Many people may enjoy this with knees bent instead of straight. Use a bolster to elevate a and tip pelvis forward. Fold forward, hinging from the hips until you feel your spine starting to found forward. Use a bolster or blocks on the forehead to relax into the position. In Chinese medicine, the liver and kidney energy channels run along the back of the legs and up either side of the spine. This pose allows more circulation within those channels. If anger or frustration arises in the stillness, this is natural. Breathe in, and think the thought, “May I look after myself with ease.”

f | Banana Pose
Perfect pose before getting out of bed. You’ll passively create energy and openness in the body and mind. Lay flat on your back with arms stretched above head and legs long. Keeping hips, torso, and shoulder blades grounded, walk legs and arms to the right until you feel stretch along the left side-body. Cross right leg over left to keep in place. Rest here for at least 3 minutes, then repeat with arms and legs toward left. Side body fascia, muscles, ligaments all awaken and find ease together in this pose. 

Kat Reiner is the Director of Education and Outreach at Growing Places Indy, a non-profit dedicated to sustainable urban farming, providing access to fresh local food, and mind-body education, in Indianapolis, IN. She and her husband are currently delighting in the process of opening a studio space which will offer yoga and meditation classes at accessible pricing.

Follow along on Instagram @heartwood_studio_indy and @growingplacesindy. 

This is an excerpt from our Winter 2019 ri-ˈstȯr-ə-tiv Magazine.Visit our Resource Roost where you can access the entire Red Bird publication library!