Healing Through Restorative Practices with Kathryn Robinson Breath, Mantra, Restorative Asana and Yoga Nidra

2025 Schedule:

Feb 6th, Thursday — 5:30-8pm

Feb 7th, Friday — 2-4pm, 5-8pm4

Feb 8th, Saturday — 1-6pm

Feb 9th, Sunday — 9-11:15am, 12-5pm

Join Abhaya Yoga for an immersive deep dive into the benefits of Restorative Yoga. We will spend the weekend in practice, exploration and inquiry around how restorative Yoga and applied inner practices of pranayama, mantra, and Yoga Nidra aid in promoting the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of ourselves and our students. While a good amount of the weekend will be spent in juicy restorative poses and learning how to teach them, we will also dive into the magic of what it feels like to heal though and with our voices and breath. Lastly, and yet importantly, we will sink into the power of Yoga Nidra (Yogic “sleep”) as a practice, how to teach it, and its incredible benefits on the nervous system. Often we experience and see in our students, that they have a difficult time, resting in silence. Yoga nidra, and the body scan or breath awareness techniques thereof, give our students someone, something to follow so that eventually the mind can rest. The ultimate goal of Yoga Nidra is brush up against waking and sleeping, so the body/mind is at rest but our consciousness is very much awake and alive. As the brain waves still, slowly, we may be able to enter into what is called the Theta state, which is a state of deep rest, healing, and rest/ digest.

Together we will:

● Cultivate a deeper understanding of the practice and healing benefits of Restorative Yoga including how deep relaxation affects the nervous system in supportive ways and promotes healing on all levels.

● Learn the technical aspects of Restorative Yoga including expert instruction in restorative postures, sequencing , use of props, Yoga Nidra scripts and safe physical adjustments, applied anatomy and Ayurvedic principles and philosophy.

● Expand our toolkit, understanding when to use movement, pranayama, meditation, visualization, music, and affirmations to deepen relaxation.

● Learn how to create safe space when rest does not feel relaxing and how to support from a trauma informed lens.

● Understanding the role of the teacher and how to hold space for yourself and your students.

Walk out with:

● Skills on how to safely and effectively guide students into Restorative Yoga Poses

● Specific breathing techniques and ways to find automatic breathing

● Specific mantras for healing

● Scripts and Options for Yoga Nidra

Restorative Yoga is an oasis in our modern busy lives and you’ll experience first hand how deep intentional rest supports the holistic health of ourselves, our students, and our communities.