My Love,
Not everything needs to be earned.
Not every breath needs to prove its worth.
Rest is not indulgence.
It is essential.
You are allowed to soften.
To be held.
To bloom open — not through effort, but through ease.
This is the quiet gift of Restorative Yoga:
A place where you are not asked to push.
Only to release.
When the Soul Is Thirsty for Stillness
We live in a world that confuses rest with laziness — that glorifies the grind but forgets the bloom.
But like a flower without sunlight or rain, we begin to wilt when we are not cared for.
The mind tangles.
The body holds.
The spirit fades at the edges.
Restorative yoga is the replenishing rain.
It is the return to softness.
To support.
To stillness that heals.
It is where you lie back — props beneath you, breath within you — and let the ground do the holding.
What Is Restorative Yoga, Truly?
It is not passive.
It is receptive.
In restorative yoga, the body is cocooned in bolsters and blankets.
Each pose is held for minutes — not to stretch, but to surrender.
🜂 The muscles are not activated — they are softened.
🜄 The breath becomes slower, rounder, deeper.
🜃 The nervous system shifts from “fight and flight” into “rest and receive.”
This is not about shaping the body.
It is about unfolding it.
Like petals opening in moonlight — slowly, naturally, without force.
Why Deep Rest Matters
We think sleep is enough.
But not all sleep is restful.
And not all rest comes from sleep.
Deep rest is something else entirely.
It is the kind of exhale that rewires the nervous system.
That tells the body: You are safe.
That tells the mind: You can let go.
In this kind of rest:
🜄 Cortisol wanes.
🜃 Muscles unclench.
🜁 Digestion returns.
🜂 The heart slows.
🜃 And the mind, no longer bracing itself, begins to unravel the knots.
Restorative Yoga as a Bridge to Sleep
Falling asleep is not about exhaustion.
It is about permission.
And the body does not shift from stress to slumber in a snap. It needs a bridge —
a soft descent into rest.
Restorative yoga builds that bridge with:
🜁 Full-body support
🜂 Dimmed light and softened sounds
🜄 Gentle postures like Reclined Butterfly and Supported Child’s Pose
🜃 A breath that deepens like dusk
You don’t force rest.
You allow it.
You invite it.
You become it.
Soothing the Mind Through the Body
We often try to sleep by “turning off” the mind. But the mind doesn’t unwind through willpower.
It follows the body.
When you place the body into a position of ease — one that says I am safe here —
the mind begins to trust.
To soften.
To slip beneath the surface noise and float.
In this way, restorative yoga isn’t just physical.
It is mental quiet, initiated through embodiment.
A Practice for Emotional Rest
Sometimes, the body is ready for sleep… but the heart is not.
There are nights when emotions linger like thunder behind the eyes.
Restorative yoga is a practice that makes space for those feelings — not to overwhelm you, but to move through you.
🜂Poses that open the hips, belly, or heart centre gently invite the body to feel.
To sigh.
To let go.
This is not catharsis. It is care.
And through this care, sleep comes not as escape… but as release.
Breath as the Medicine of Night
In restorative yoga, the breath is not controlled.
It is listened to.
Each inhale draws in nourishment, like a flower soaking up dew.
Each exhale releases tension, like petals softening back to earth.
Try: Breathing in for 4… and out for 6.
Or: Placing one hand on the belly, the other on the heart, and simply noticing which one rises.
No counting if it stresses you.
Just be with your breath.
It will lead you.
Creating a Bedtime Sanctuary
Restorative yoga is not something to squeeze in.
It is something to build a nest for.
Make your space a welcome of sleep:
🜃 Low lighting
🜁 Lavender oil
🜂 Cosy blankets
🜄 Quiet music or silence
Use 2–3 poses, held for 5–10 minutes each.
You are not working toward sleep.
You are becoming the space sleep can enter.
Suggested Evening Sequence
Reclined Butterfly
Soles together, knees open, bolsters under the thighs.
Hands on belly and heart.
Stay 6–10 minutes.
Supported Child’s Pose
Knees wide, bolster or pillow between. Arms alongside or wrapped.
Stay 5–8 minutes.
Legs Up the Wall (or over a bolster)
Feet elevated, back fully supported.
Stay 10–15 minutes.
Optional: cover the eyes. Let the world fade.
Savasana with Support
Blanket over the body. Neck and knees supported.
Breathe.
Stay as long as your body allows.
Long-Term Blossoming
The more you return to restorative yoga, the more your body remembers:
How to soften
How to slow
How to feel safe enough to rest
This isn’t just about tonight.
It’s about changing your relationship with rest — forever.
Over time:
🜄 Sleep deepens.
🜂 The mind grows quieter.
🜁 Emotions become waves, not whirlpools.
🜃 You become someone who does not fear stillness.
You begin to bloom, night after night, into your own softness.
A Final Whisper: You Deserve to Unfurl
Let this be your permission:
You are not a machine.
You are a wild, wonderful being.
You bloom not through effort — but through being held.
So let the ground hold you tonight.
Let the breath soothe you.
Let the stillness soak into your bones.
This is your invitation.
To rest.
To receive.
To return.
Let yourself soften.
You don’t have to bloom every day.
Some days are for rooting. For resting. For being.
Wrapped in quiet,
Lily
If this practice speaks to you, I offer guided sessions on YouTube — soft practices, meditations, and seasonal stillness for the nervous system. Come rest with me, if you like.
YouTube: Serenity in Motion Channel
Serenity In Motion 
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