Imbolc season can make you crazy. The time between midwinter and the spring equinox hits you with both the quickening of the Earth that yells, “Spring is coming,” and the desire of your body and spirit to stay in the restful renewal of winter. It’s why you might be busy planning this year’s vegetable garden while there’s still snow on the ground.
You can balance both by making space in your day for low-key practices. Restorative yoga is lovely and deeply relaxing. I enjoyed teaching restorative classes and workshops at my yoga studio, and one of my favorites was a workshop I created where you learned how to prop restorative poses with just one folded blanket, so you could recreate the practice at home without having to invest in props like bolsters, blocks and straps.
An old one, but a good one
In 2014, I recorded a short one-blanket restorative sequence to share. I like this sequence because the transitions are smooth, easy, and require little movement, so you stay relaxed. You’ll go around in a circle as you move from pose to pose. It was a nice spring day, so I set up my camera in the backyard to record the video.
Our cat, Kailey, was, however, also outside enjoying the sunny day. If Kailey knew yoga was happening, she had to get in on the action. I’d nicknamed her “the 4-pawed Reiki master” because she loved to give paws-on, energy-laden adjustments. So, I didn’t get to record the video without the cat.
(Please note that Kailey was a stray who was able to transition inside full time a couple of years later. Outdoor cats are neither safe nor good for the ecosystem. Kailey passed away at the end of 2024. She lived a good long life for a former stray and inserted herself into many yoga practices. One of my Zoom yoga clients recently mentioned they missed seeing her on my mat.)
One-blanket restorative yoga
If you’d like to try the restorative poses, grab a blanket, ignore the cat (who shows up just past the 3-minute mark) and listen to my voice in this decade-old video. If you like cats, then relax and enjoy watching her climb on me, rub my face with her head, and get in the way during transitions. You won’t be alone. This is my most viewed YouTube video ever.
Thanks for watching an old one but a good one!
