Seems like ages since I last wrote. Crazy busy for the last month or so, but the last couple of weeks I’ve added a new dimension to my self-care – restorative yoga, and I’ve put that ahead of almost everything else lately, including blogging.
I did practice yoga back when I was a lot younger and a wee bit more limber, but I let it go in favour of other forms of exercise I thought would lead to better fitness – cardio, weight training, and core building. Then the erosive gastritis hit and sapped my energy for months which turned out to be a blessing since it directed me to a “kinder, gentler” exercise designed to heal and restore balance.
If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you know I been receiving massage therapy for some time now, and loving it! (For those of you in the Burg who are interested in trying it out, my therapist’s name is Allison Beaudoin. That’s right – Beaudoin. No relation, but a kindred spirit. 
Her web site is www.allisonbeaudoinrmt.com ) So profoundly relaxing, I look forward to it every other week, but the problem was, it wasn’t enough. I needed something for in between, especially since some lower back pain has been making its presence felt. I was at the point where the only way I could relieve it was to lie down, and that’s not always convenient. Early in the morning, I’d try out some yoga poses I remembered, but it didn’t seem to be making a difference. I don’t know if I actually prayed for guidance on this, but a few days later as I watched a video on self-care, the psychologist recommended restorative yoga for people who have suffered trauma, or illness, or stress. There’s even a restorative yoga program for veterans who suffer from PTSD. Sounded good, but I wasn’t really interested in turning myself into a pretzel. But wait! RY uses pillows and blankets to help you to hold a pose.
Pillows and blankets? Tell me more!
Every pose is designed for comfort. The books say things like, if your feet tend to get cold, put on a pair of cuddly socks. If you need another pillow under you head, use it. If you want another blanket for support or to cover up with, by all means! Oh honey! you are SO speaking my language! The first pose I tried really sealed the deal. It’s called The Pose of The Child and basically required me stacking a bunch of pillows and blankets on the floor, crawling on top, and relaxing. I can do that. I can so do that.
I’ve only been practising a couple weeks, but already I feel calmer, and best of all, the lower back pain is all but gone. It takes about an hour a day, which is sometimes difficult to squeeze in, but I think that will get easier as it becomes more routine. And The Mister even built me a box for all my accoutrements that stores under my desk which saves me commute time back and forth gathering up my all props.
So if you don’t heard from me for a while, chances are I’m sprawled atop a big fluffy mountain on the floor of my office getting myself rebalanced.
Whatever works.
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