Developing a Power Savasana Practice in Paris

Where to do Restorative Yoga, the perfect antidote to our frenetic, always-on times

In a classic Restorative Yoga class, you will do 3 poses during 90 minutes. That’s it.

The first time you do Restorative Yoga, you may well ask yourself what you’re even doing since YOU DON’T SEEM TO BE DOING ANYTHING. But that’s entirely the point: the non-doing.

And of the three poses you’ll “do” the last one will be Savasana. It’s always Savasana.

How do you do nothing in a yoga class? You let the blankets, bolsters, blocks, and straps do the heavy lifting. You position the props around and under you to support your body so that it—and your mind—can release and relax. You close your eyes. You breathe. You let the pose act on your nervous system, down-shifting your energy to a lower register where your thoughts will slow their incessant churn, and your cells will sing a song of healing.

Entrée, plat, dessert

Like a traditional French meal, pose #1 is the entrée, the palate-primer that prepares you for the main dish to come. You will be in this pose for 10 minutes. Pose #2—the plat—is the peak pose and you will remain in it for 10 minutes as well. The final pose, Pose #3, is Savasana, the dessert, and this you will luxuriate in for 20 whole minutes. It is absolutely delicious and nutritious, and worth the price of admission.

Beyond the physical, psychological and emotional benefits of Restorative Yoga, one of the greatest gifts is the quiet stillness of the experience. After you’re done fiddling with the props, you’re ready: immobile, warm, in a darkened silent room, you’ll forget about time. You’ll breathe. You’ll release tension. The teacher will say nothing except to inform you when it’ll be time to emerge from the pose, and you’ll do so slowly, deliberately, in a heightened state of repose. Bliss.

A little background

Restorative Yoga is built on BKS Iyengar’s teachings which is why you will often find it, or some variation of it, on Iyengar Yoga studio schedules. That said, the practice was expanded and popularized by Judith Hanson Lasater who made the world realize that Restorative Yoga is good for everyone not just Iyengar yogis, and so now it is found in studios of all lineages.

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Below, a collection of weekly classes as well as additional ways to deepen your Restorative Yoga knowledge and make it a part of your regular practice.

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WEEKLY RESTORATIVE YOGA CLASSES IN PARIS

Here are some Paris ideas to make Restorative a regular part of your yoga rotation. These classes happen weekly so no excuses 😉 Our Picks in BOLD.

• “Restorative and Yin” with Magali at The Space Paris

• “Deep Restoration Iyengar” with Shane Phillips at Rasa Yoga Rive Gauche

• “Restoration Yoga” with Paola la Falce at Ashtanga Yoga Paris

• “Yoga Restauratif” at Yoga & Co

• “Détente Profonde et Récupération” at Le Centre de Yoga Iyengar de Paris

• “Yoga Soft et Récupération” at Studio Yoga République

• “Détente Profonde” at Yoga Raspail

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©Ananda Kala Yoga, Montreuil

Restorative yoga Teacher Trainings and a workshop in Paris

If you’re ready to experience more, a workshop or a training might be just the thing to help you better understand Restorative Yoga or perhaps begin to incorporate it into your daily life. Judith’s books are an invaluable tool, but even more important are the right—and right amount of—props. This style of yoga necessitates a LOT of accessories so be ready to invest in bolsters, blocks, blankets, at least one strap and an eye pillow.

👉  2-hour Restorative Yoga Workshop, all levels welcome

Saturday May 13th, 2023: “Soulager la Fatigue avec Savasana” at Ananda Kala Yoga (Montreuil)

👉  120-Hour Restorative Yoga Teacher Training with Lou de Vitry

May 1st-July 21st, 2023: Five sessions at Samasthiti Studio designed for students wanting to deepen their practice as well as teachers wishing to add Restorative Yoga to their teaching quiver. More details here

👉  “Finding Silence” 18-Hour Restorative Yoga Training with Lizzie Lasater (Judith Hanson Lasater’s daughter)

June 2nd-4th, 2023: This training at Ashtanga Yoga Paris is open to serious students of yoga (all styles and lineages) and teachers. More details here

“Mom didn’t invent Restorative Yoga, she just drew a circle around it and said ‘this is its own practice.’” —Lizzie Lasater