If I were to sum up the experience of ‘being blissd’ – the moment captured in this photo would come pretty close for me! Taken amidst the astonishing natural beauty of the Scottish Highlands, the air fresh, the sky blue, with my amazing hubby & my gorgeous pup close by while I took a rest stop in one of my favourite yoga poses, Viparita Karani, perfectly supported by the most incredible tree. Not something you’d expect to see someone doing whilst on a walk through the wilds of Scotland (& ok, so I attracted some curious looks!) but definitely a great example of me following my bliss!
However, while also the result of a beautiful, spontaneous moment, this perfectly imperfect tree & my impromptu ‘yoga moment’ reflects so much more about me and my journey in recent years. Like me, this tree – weathered by strong winds, storms, adversity, has adapted its shape, bowing closer to the ground… essentially creating a new normal to survive & thrive. My has journey has followed similar lines – the onset of chronic autoimmune & neurological conditions forcing me to forge a radically different ‘normal,’ necessitating a whole new way of life. As in the pose Viparita Karani, my world was tipped upside down: & a new perspective & approach was needed!
Prior to this, I had enjoyed an active (& compulsively busy!) life. Continuously teetering on the edge of burnout, the truest moments of peace & relaxation were found on my yoga mat and usually in the strongest, sweatiest, most dynamic practice I could find – anything to still my racing mind and bring about a sense of grounding & calm in my body. Sadly, adjusting to chronic illness and a ‘differently abled’ body also put a stay on my ability to tap into this yoga bliss. Attempting various styles of yoga, each time seemed to lead to the inevitable finding that a physical yoga practice was beyond my physical capabilities. But I’m nothing if not determined!
The desire to find a way back to my yoga bliss – and to feel more empowered in my own healing journey led me on a path of healing, learning and discovery (one that I’m still very much on!) With the support from incredible teachers & my fellow yogis, I completed my yoga teacher training, where I was given the spiritual name, Ananda, meaning pure bliss. I could not have asked for a more beautiful gift in this name: holding the reminder that, regardless of what was happening in my body, my life, there was this place of deep joy & peace within me. Not only did I learn a myriad of beautiful yoga practices to tap into my own well-spring of bliss whenever needed, I received a deeper appreciation of my body and developed a profound love of the more meditative, restorative and healing aspects of yoga.
As is often the case with the hardest climbs & more challenging journeys – the greatest gift of my newly-abled body was the time & space it gave me to rebuild my life into a more mindful, meaningful &, at times, truly magical design.
And so began the love affair with learning how to keep healing my body: specialising in therapeutic & restorative approaches, using this as a support system for my own body, mind & spirit – then moving towards sharing this multi-dimensional approach to empower others to follow their bliss toward a life of peace, ease & joy.
To follow are three of my favourite restorative yoga poses that I hope will bring you an abundance of peace, ease & joy!
You will need:
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- A yoga bolster (or a firm sleeping pillow/sofa cushion)
- A couple of yoga blocks (or some firm cushions/folded blankets)
- A yoga mat, towel or quilt to lie on
- Lots of cushions, blankets and warm, comfy layers
- A chair at the end of your mat (or position your mat close to a couch or bed)
I would also suggest that you take time to create a beautiful and soothing space to practice in. You may like to diffuse some calming essential oils, light a candle, play some soft music – even place some fresh flowers close by. It doesn’t need to be complicated, just a few things that make you happy to surround yourself with!
Constructive Rest Pose (‘Conscious’ Savasana) – 10mins
Begin with a couple of breaths in a comfortable seated position. Consciously relax the belly, the shoulders, the jaw – taking any slow, gentle rocking motions through the hips, the knees, the neck and head that feel nourishing.
Then, gradually, bring the body to lie down on the Earth. Take your time moving from a seated position – keeping the feet grounded, slowly roll your way down to rest on the forearms, before laying the upper back and head down to rest. Keeping the feet grounded, knees pointing up to the ceiling, begin to walk the feet out as wide as the mat, turning the toes in towards each other, letting the inner knees rest against each other. Take some time to notice how your body is feeling.
Bring the hands to rest gently on the belly, feeling the natural rise and fall of the breath. Take a few slightly fuller breaths: inhaling comfortably through the nose and softly sighing the breath out through the lips. Then simply allow your breath to return to its natural breath rhythm – keeping awareness on this flow of breath as you rest.
To transition out of the pose simply walk the feet back to hip distance allowing the knees to part then come to rest in a foetal shape on one side of the body.
Restorative Fish Pose (Matsyasana) – 10mins
Gently make your way up to a seated position, using your hands to help. Create a wedge shape by placing two yoga blocks in a T shape at one end of the mat (one on its lowest setting, the other on the middle setting) with a yoga bolster resting lengthwise over the top. Alternatively, if working without yoga props, place a couple of firm cushions at the top of the mat and place a firm pillow perpendicular to that.
Sit facing away from the wedge set up (you may wish to have a folded blanket under the hips to support your lower back). Place a bolster or pillow under your knees, the legs long. You may wish to wrap yourself in a blanket. Then, using your hands, gently lie the back body over the bolster. Take any adjustments you need, placing an eye pillow over the eyes and anything else that will help guide you into a state of rest.
Allow the arms to rest at the sides – turning the palms up to deepen the sense of opening at the front body or turning the palms down to feel more grounded and supported in resting here. Begin to tune into the feeling of the breath in the front of the body: feeling the belly expand with each in-breath and soften inward, downward with the out-breath.
To move out of the pose, gently roll off the bolster, taking a few breaths back in a foetal position – making sure that every part of your body is still warm and supported by your props. Rest here as long as you need – allowing the breath, belly and heart centre be soft as the back of the body receives a sense of opening.
Legs Over the Chair Pose (Viparita Karani) – 10mins
Take your time in moving from the last pose – taking a few breaths in a seated foetal shape if needed. When ready, you’ll move to the end of the mat closest to your chair (or alternatively a couch or bed). Place a folded blanket at the base of your chosen support then sit side on to the chair. Place another folded blanket or pillow a little further back on your mat (this will be for your head) and your eye pillow beside it. You may also choose at this point to wrap a blanket around the legs.
Slowly bring one leg, then the other to rest on the seat of the chair. Then using the hands pivot the torso to face the chair. Adjust your position, then slowly roll your way down to the Earth – taking your time as we did in the very first pose. Make sure your head is resting comfortably, then place your eye pillow over the eyes.
Move and adjust as needed – snuggling the shoulder blades, taking a gentle roll through the hips, across the ribcage. Find where your hands feel most comfortable and comforting. Then simply allow your body to still, your breath to soften – staying here for as long as you can, allowing your awareness to simply rest on the gentle rise and fall of your breath.
Blissful Beings, I hope that this practice has left you feeling relaxed, rested and more in the flow! If it connected with you (yay!) do get in touch with any thoughts, questions or inspiration.
With much love,
Katy Ananda x
