What is Restorative Yoga?
Restorative yoga is a therapeutic practice of asana in which poses are held for extended periods—typically five to twenty minutes each—with the full support of props such as bolsters, blankets, blocks, and straps. Unlike active styles of yoga that build strength or flexibility through muscular engagement, restorative yoga cultivates what Judith Lasater termed “active relaxation”: the conscious, deliberate release of tension while the body is held in stable, comfortable positions. A complete session may include only four to six poses, each designed to activate the parasympathetic nervous system and counteract the chronic stress patterns endemic to contemporary life. The practice is not meditation, nor is it gentle stretching; it is a systematic method of using gravity, time, and physical support to allow the body’s natural relaxation response to emerge.
Origins & Lineage
The practice was foreshadowed by Iyengar Yoga’s use of props in its deliberate style of asana practice. B.K.S. Iyengar, as a child who faced illness regularly, set out to discover new ways that yoga could heal, experimenting with scraps of wood, ropes, or other household objects. The use of wooden bricks to assist in alignment was introduced by B.K.S. Iyengar, founder of Iyengar Yoga, and has spread to practices such as Restorative Yoga. Iyengar developed these tools not as training wheels for beginners but as instruments of precision, allowing practitioners to experience the full therapeutic potential of asanas without strain or injury.
An early disciple of B.K.S. Iyengar, the yoga teacher and Yoga Journal editor Judith Lasater helped to popularize restorative yoga, based on Iyengar Yoga’s asanas and use of props. Lasater met B.K.S. Iyengar in 1974 and became a long-time student. Judith Hanson Lasater has taught yoga since 1971 and was a founder of the San Francisco Iyengar Yoga Institute as well as Yoga Journal. Drawing on her background as a physical therapist and her doctorate in East-West psychology, Lasater synthesized Iyengar’s prop-based methods with contemporary understandings of stress physiology to create a distinct modality focused on deep rest. She authored influential resources about Restorative Yoga including ‘Relax and Renew: Restful Yoga for Stressful Times’ and ‘Restore and Rebalance: Yoga for Deep Relaxation’.
How It’s Practiced
A restorative yoga session unfolds slowly and deliberately. Restorative Yoga sessions allow the body to slow down and relax in a small number of asanas, with each pose held for longer than in conventional classes, sometimes for twenty minutes, so a session may consist of only four to six asanas. The long holding of poses is often assisted with props such as folded blankets, blocks, and bolsters to ensure the body is fully supported and so to allow the muscles to relax.
Practitioners arrange props with care before settling into each position. A supported backbend might involve a bolster placed lengthwise along the spine with blankets folded beneath the head and knees; a restorative forward fold could use a bolster stacked on the thighs to support the torso’s weight. The room is often dimmed, sometimes warmed. Eyes may be covered with an eye pillow. Once positioned, the work is to do nothing—to allow gravity and the passage of time to accomplish what effort cannot.
The experience is neither sleepy nor passive in the ordinary sense. Attention remains present, tracking sensation, breath, and the slow unwinding of habitual holding patterns. The props eliminate the need for muscular engagement, creating conditions in which the autonomic nervous system can shift from sympathetic (fight-or-flight) to parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) dominance. This physiological transition is the mechanism through which restorative yoga addresses stress-related conditions.
Restorative Yoga Today
Restorative yoga has become a standard offering in yoga studios, wellness centers, and therapeutic settings across North America, Europe, and increasingly worldwide. It appears in teacher training curricula, hospital-based integrative medicine programs, and trauma-informed care protocols. Online platforms host recorded classes and certification programs, making the practice accessible beyond metropolitan centers. Retreat centers frequently pair restorative sessions with more active practices, recognizing the complementary relationship between exertion and rest.
The practice attracts diverse populations: athletes seeking recovery modalities, individuals managing chronic pain or illness, caregivers experiencing burnout, and those simply seeking refuge from overstimulation. Corporate wellness programs have adopted restorative yoga as a tool for stress management. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated interest in home practice, with teachers adapting sequences for practitioners using household items as makeshift props.
Contemporary variations include trauma-sensitive restorative yoga, which emphasizes choice, pacing, and safety; and yoga nidra combined with restorative poses, integrating guided meditation with supported postures.
Common Misconceptions
Restorative yoga is not simply “easy yoga” or a practice exclusively for those who cannot perform more vigorous asanas. The precision required in prop arrangement and the psychological challenge of sustained stillness demand their own forms of skill and discipline. It is not sleep, though drowsiness may arise as the nervous system recalibrates. It is not identical to yin yoga, which targets connective tissue through long-held passive stretching; restorative yoga prioritizes complete muscular relaxation rather than the productive tension that characterizes yin practice.
The practice does not produce the endorphin release or cardiovascular conditioning of more dynamic styles. Its benefits—reduced anxiety, improved sleep quality, regulation of stress hormones—accrue gradually and may feel subtle compared to the immediate fatigue or exhilaration of vigorous exercise. Restorative yoga is not a cure-all, nor does it replace medical treatment for clinical conditions, though it can serve as an effective complementary therapy within an integrative care framework.
Practitioners sometimes assume that restorative yoga requires expensive specialized equipment. While purpose-made bolsters and blocks enhance comfort, the practice can be adapted using pillows, folded blankets, and books. The essential element is not the props themselves but the principle of complete support.
How to Begin
For those new to restorative yoga, Judith Lasater’s Relax and Renew remains the canonical text, offering detailed prop setups and photographs for dozens of poses. Many yoga studios offer dedicated restorative classes, typically scheduled in evening hours. Online platforms such as Yoga International and Glo provide video instruction suitable for home practice.
Begin with simple poses: Supported Child’s Pose (Balasana with a bolster under the torso), Legs-Up-the-Wall (Viparita Karani using a folded blanket under the pelvis), or Supported Reclining Bound Angle (Supta Baddha Konasana with bolsters and blankets). Set a timer for ten minutes. Resist the urge to adjust or fidget. Notice what arises—restlessness, emotion, physical sensation—without attempting to fix or change it. This witnessing is the practice.
Teachers certified in Lasater’s Relax & Renew methodology offer specialized training for those wishing to teach restorative yoga. For therapeutic applications, seek instructors with additional credentials in trauma-informed practice, yoga therapy, or relevant healthcare backgrounds.
