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Positively, the MOST relaxing yoga tape ever invented! Many of the Living Yoga and Yoga Journal tapes reccommend this tape for women during their menstrual periods, to restore balance and bring about a peace of mind, and it most certainly does the trick! Unlike the more recent Living Yoga series, the background is not all that fantastic, but that's hardly relevant. What makes this tape well worth the 6 stars is the YOGA.
It is divided into 2 sessions; the first, with Patricia Walden lasts about 40 minutes, and she demonstrates restorative poses to open and soften the body. This session requires bolsters and blankets, as well as the use of a wall for one particular pose. I use rolled up blankets and pillows, which work just as well. The idea here is not to copy what Patricia Walden is doing, but rather to adapt to your own personal needs; she even encourages the viewer to move the blankets and bolsters around in order to find what makes you most comfortable. In the beginning of this session she suggests that these poses be used when one is tired, sick, during PMS or menses. I personally use this tape for all of these reasons, and the results continue to amaze me. Before trying this tape I have seriously considered the use of perscription drugs to treat my PMS and menstrual cramps, which I decided would be a last resort should this tape fail to give me results. I am by NO MEANS suggesting that this tape be used to treat potential medical ailments such as menstrual cramps or symptoms associated with PMS, but in my particular case, it seems to have worked wonders. Patricia Walden guides you slowly and effectively, never neglecting a single detail such as when to breathe or what to visualize. This session is gentle, effective, and probably the most relaxing yoga session I have ever experienced.
The second session is done by Rodney Yee; it focuses on supported forward bends to calm nerves and quiet the mind. I sometimes do both sessions back to back; the tape is a total of 75 minutes, yet this particular session is only 30 minutes long. For this session you need a blanket and a chair (I use a pillow instead ... I always modify props!). There are a few poses I can't see every person trying, espically when they're sick or menstruating or just plain tired. It is a slightly more challenging session but still, it really relaxes you. I sometimes get anxiety attacks during PMS, and although this session is challenging for a 'relaxation' yoga practice, Rodeny's voice and soothing visualization totally melts the stress away. The meditative effects of this session are not to be underestimated ... you simply CAN'T remain stressed after doing the poses in this session ... I DARE YOU!! ;o)
All in all, I can't possibly praise this tape enough. It may not be what everyone wants in a yoga tape, and some of the reviews seem to demonstrate a kind of disappointment with the 2 sessions, but relaxation yoga is NOT about pushing your body to the limits of its flexibility. Patricia Walden explains in the beginning of this tape that this pracice is not about DOING, it's about UNDOING; restoring the body and mind. If this is what you are looking for in a yoga practice, then this tape is absolutley the BEST! Even for the hard-core yoga fans, it's well worth a try ... you never know what you'll find in that quiet medititve state these tapes gently guide you in. Inner peace is not something I'd take for granted, even if it is only on a 75 minute tape!
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I was disappointed with this video, and felt my money would have been better spent on another choice. You really can NOT follow the poses without investing in AT LEAST 2 yoga bolsters and 2 heavy blankets. Couch cushions and pillows just didn't work and I found the whole thing quite an ordeal: switching this bolster and that, moving blankets around. The whole thing is annoying unless you have the right props. Surely it's possible to relax without spending $60 on additional equipment?Best Deals for Yoga Journal's Yoga Practice for Relaxation (1992)
Restorative yoga utilizes various props to help the body attain deep states of relaxation. This video is divided in two sections: the first, supported backbends (40 minutes) is the most prop-intensive, using up to two yoga bolsters and various blankets, and the second, supported forward bends (36 minutes) uses only a chair and blankets.Patricia Walden leads the first practice. She begins with a supported child's pose and then moves into supported backbend, reclined cross-legged pose, supported bridge, supported shoulderstand (aka legs-up-the-wall), and finally, relaxation pose both with and without the props. Each posture is held for several minutes: Patricia allows ample time to set up the props and encourages you to adjust your props as needed to order to achieve greater relaxation. Although using actual yoga props would probably be best, I substituted pillows for the bolsters and was able to make due. The second practice is led by Rodney Yee and begins with a series of seated warm-up movements: you flow from staff pose to cobblers pose to seated wide-legged pose and repeat this sequence several times. Using a chair, Rodney then guides you through several seated forward bends with your head resting on the chair, including wide-legged seated forward bend, head-to-knee pose, and seated forward bend. Next, he uses the chair to support the thighs in a supported plow pose; I especially liked this one, as I usually avoid this pose but enjoyed it here. As with the first segment, each posture is held several minutes, and the practice ends with relaxation pose. Both Patricia and Rodney provide excellent voiceover cueing, and both have gentle, soothing voices which nicely match the soft background music.
Overall, I think this video delivers exactly what it promises, which is to provide a sequence of relaxing yoga postures. If you are interested in trying yoga mainly to foster relaxation, both this video and the accompanying props would be a worthwhile investment. I think that these practices would be appropriate for those new to yoga so long as they carefully follow the instructions; the video is also suitable for more advanced yogis looking for a restorative practice.
