Dear Free_Spirit:

Welcome to the Forum. You wrote about restorative yoga: “just a way of ‘spending time with oneself’, an excuse for escaping from the norm”- if we want to be mentally well, we have to escape the busi-ness of life from time to time and spend time with ourselves; therefore it is a need, not an excuse.

Here is what I am reading about restorative yoga practice which I like and agree with, quotes with my thoughts in parentheses: “A restorative practice frequently relies on props (yoga blocks, not the wooden ones, is my favorite) and the prolonged holding of a few simple poses to achieve a deep level of relaxation… an excellent opportunity to disconnect from the frenetic activity of daily life… Moving slowly through the poses…

The slower pace and deep breathing… triggers (relaxation)… helps to mitigate the effects of the regular fight-or-flight stress response that can be damaging to your physiology and well-being (which may be why you, Free_Spirit,  feel “drained over the last few year”.)

Slower movements cultivate… awareness of the physical sensations, the thoughts or emotions that arise, or sounds in the environment (Meditation/ Mindfulness)…Sadly, many people aren’t intimate with their own bodies. Through restorative yoga practice, however, such intimacy can be explored and embraced… helps you draw attention inward and away from external events and situations… a sanctuary for the mind… As this experience continues to deepen, you begin to make more deliberate and attentive choices, both on and off the mat.

Restorative yoga is the antithesis of the ‘no pain no gain’ mentality. .. helps to cultivate acceptance of your body and its inherent limitations.. increased ease and comfort are the theme.”

anita

Dear Free_Spirit:

You are welcome. Glad you are here and hope you post anytime you would like.

To be engaged in your day, so to not be bored, it will greatly help for you to develop your ability to be Mindful, meaning, to pay attention to the here-and-now, to stay at the moment and pay attention to things you normally ignore, let the present experience be your focus. It is a skill that develops over time practice, patience and persistence (not a decision made once followed by perfect execution).

anita

Dear Free-Spirit:

In the practice of mindfulness, I find that there is more and more to it. There is more that I notice over time, the months and years of practice, my own very emotions as they begin, the distress as it starts. Before, I was already drowning in distress when I noticed it. Now, I notice it before I am overwhelmed and I am able, more and more so, to quiet that beginning distress.

It has been and continues to be a very, very… very slow process. The most difficult times practicing mindfulness is when I was distressed, anxious, it was most difficult to stay aware, to stay with the distress, most difficult. Unfortunately, it is necessary. I think I gave up and most people give up on mindfulness when very distressed and not wanting to be more aware of distress.

We instinctively want to move away from pain/ distress, not toward it. And mindfulness is moving toward distress, relaxing into it, being okay with it. That is tough.

anita

Dear Free_Spirit:

Yes. It is that inner fight you mentioned, the fighting with oneself, that adds more distress to the original, existing distress. It is like .. being distressed about being distressed. Remove the secondary distress and you have less distress to deal with.

When we start feeling distressed, can be about feeling physically uncomfortable, automatically we tense up, most of us, anyway, wanting that discomfort to go away. Or worse, we think something like: why am I feeling so distressed, what is wrong with me? And that adds to the original distress (the physical discomfort, let’s say).

So yes, it is about not fighting with oneself, being gentle to oneself, being okay with not feeling okay.

anita