Friday Book Report: Relax and Renew

I confess that I have a bias against restorative yoga.  Most of the time, I’d just rather take a nap.  However, Judith Lasater’s book Relax and Renew provides a good introduction to why one might consider restorative yoga instead of napping.  Hint:  knowing how to relax while awake is a useful skill.

Restorative yoga, as described in this book, is all about Stuff.  Lasater recommends using lots and lots of them to get the most possible support, allowing for maximum relaxation.  Fortunately, the chapter on coping with jet lag includes some useful make-do suggestions if you don’t happen to travel with a mat, six bolsters, 27 blankets, an eye bag, a sandbag, and an emotional support animal.  (Just kidding:  the book says nothing about emotional support animals.)  I have, in general, a tendency toward minimal Stuff in my fitness, but a person who really wants to feel pampered might gravitate toward this way of coaxing the body into a more supple, relaxed, and gentle place.