By Gwendolyn Ren www.gwendolynren.com Two of the things I appreciate about social media is the way it can lead to deepened relationships and shared ideas. One day, when checking my Instagram feed, I saw I was tagged in the wonderful photo of a restorative pose you see above. I saw it was from a customer who recently purchased a lot of Salamander buckwheat filled bolsters and many of them were in the photo. Not being a restorative yoga expert I was intrigued by the placements and interested in knowing more about what I was looking at. This lead me to learn of the wonderful work of Gwendolyn Ren, her poetic relationship to practice, and her brilliant and practical advice. Plus I had a chance to experience this deeply grounding practice for myself, which is a treat you will enjoy given the time and the inclination. When I went to Gwen's post I encountered these words. A LOVE LETTER TO STILLNESS // Stillness is not always synonymous with non-movement. The ways in which your body changes shape make room and takes the room, ever-evolving, morphing, adapting. The ways the mind flickers illuminates. Your stillness a synonym for autonomy - your depth of discovery untethered, limitless in its quiet expanse. Your stillness, not stillness. I love the way Gwen describes the stillness of restorative practice and I reposted this with her permission and asked her to fill me in more so I could share details of the practice in this blog. Below you will find my interview with Gwen edited for length and clarity. Also attached below is a printable "recipe" for setting up Foothills in your own home or studio. Gwendolyn Ren YLS: What is your background, training, experience with restorative practices? Gwen: To say that Restorative Yoga changed my life barely does it justice. I was [...]

Making Yoga Gentler with Props like Pune Backless Yoga Chairs might look imposing and far too advanced for your average yoga student, but nothing could be further from the truth. These chairs actually make poses easier and less intimidating by taking pressure off one area that might not bear it well like your arms or your belly and putting it somewhere like your butt or your back that takes the weight easily. Plus it can be used for all sorts of fun chair yoga exercises. Before attempting these poses on your own it is a good idea to try them in a studio that supports the use of these props. Most Iyengar studios and many others will be able to help you. Number 1 is a Supported Wheel Pose Pune Yoga Chair Supported Wheel Pose Image via nelumboyoga.com The Supported Wheel shown at left above, may look complicated but it is really a much gentler version of the traditional wheel, shown at right, which takes a lot of upper body strength to maintain for any length of time. The Pune Yoga Chair can make it possible for you to get the deep backward bending stretch associated with the wheel with much less discomfort. While this pose should only be done when you are fully warmed up, it is shown first here because it is a great example of a supported pose that takes advantage of the missing back and front support bar of this special chair. Number 2 is the Supported Shoulderstand Pose BREEZE Rectangular Bolster and Pune Yoga Chair supporting Shoulderstand Image via wikipedia.com Two things that bother many people about traditional shoulder stand shown at right above, is the extreme pressure on your neck and the arm and wrist strength needed to support your back. You can easily see [...]

The unique design of the Teardrop support enables it to open your upper back, support your mid-back and traction your lower spine. The overall effect frees most back pain sufferers from discomfort. The Teardrop Support yoga cushion is the most effective, comfortable, and least expensive back arch available anywhere. Made using the same sturdy cotton canvas that we use in our studio-quality round and rectangular bheka Bolsters, these little organic buckwheat hull filled back supports are double stitched and built to last. While the most common benefit of the Teardrop Support yoga Cushion is to open the spaces between the vertebrae, restore the natural arch of the spine and relieve discomfort, it is useful for opening the chest, expanding the lungs and relaxing the entire body. It also makes it easy to apply a gentle compressive force to hard to reach areas of the spine. With the tapered end near the tail bone and lying back, the bolster tractions the lumbar vertebrae and opens and expands the thoracic spine with a gentle compressive force. With the blunt end near the tail-bone, more compressive force is applied to the lumbar region and there is a tractioning effect on the thoracic spine. Positive results like the relief of back pain, sciatica, and peroneal nerve discomfort can often be felt immediately. For long-lasting results and help with spinal curvature, lordosis, kyphosis, and the like, 5 minutes to 20 minutes a day of use is desirable. Paying careful attention to how you use the cushion will enhance your experience. It is nice to have the Teardrop on a comfortably padded flat surface like a yoga mat with a blanket on it. The surface should be firm but comfortable to lie in. Snug the Teardrop near your tail-bone and lie back very slowly along the length of it. Go as slowly as you can and [...]

Anyone who would like to increase their flexibility for backward bending and/or to expand their chest for greater lung capacity and ease of movement will find the Mysore Back Bender Eco 2 a valuable tool. It is a superb antidote to the hunch of looking at computers and phones all day. Clinically, it can be used for lordosis, scoliosis, and kyphotic postures as well as stiff and frozen shoulders. Everyone who employs this simple yet powerful prop will feel the relaxed flow of prana it triggers and enjoy greater mobility in the back and spine. Other benefits of the Back Bender include increased blood flow to the spine and openness between the vertebrae. The arch offers support while enhancing spinal flexibility. Yogis and non-practitioners alike can reap the benefits. The Back Bender can provide relief from back and chest pain while opening the lungs for greater air capacity. For laborers, bodybuilders, and others who are exerting their upper bodies for hours at a time, the Back Bender can be a passive and effective way to relax and stretch compressed muscles and well as correcting any imbalances in alignment. Bobbi Goldin: Director of The Yoga Institute of Miami since 1978shares some of her favorite poses on the ECO2 This new version of the Back Bender retains the arch pattern of the original so you can still put greater emphasis on the lower back with the blunt end and more focus on the upper back and shoulders with the tapered end. What's new is that the Back Bender Eco 2 is made of 100% sustainably harvested medicinal neem from Indian plantations. It is finished with eco grade glues and polishes and is elegant, sturdy and beautiful to look at. Like the first Back Bender, it is 18 inches long, 7.5 inches tall and about 4 inches wide. The Eco 2 [...]

Heavenly experiences await you on the Bheka Celestial Crab your personal rocket ship to deep inner work and self-fulfillment. The Celestial Crab supports your entire upper leg so that your comfort is assured and you can focus more on the journey inward than the fact that your legs, knees, and ankles are in distress. Heavenly experiences await you on the Bheka Celestial Crab your personal rocket ship to deep inner work and self-fulfillment. You can't make progress in your pranayama, meditation, or other seated practices if your lower extremities hurt. You have entered the infinite realm of the Celestial Crab. From your perch on 6 inches of body molding organic buckwheat, you will love the way the crab's two legs slowly taper to about 2 inches off the floor, supporting your thighs the entire way. This design allows your knees to rest below your hips, which is necessary for correct back and pelvic alignment while giving you the support your legs need. The Celestial Crab, a C-Shaped Meditation, Pranayama and Sitting Cushion with Organic Buckwheat Fill All Celestial Crab cushion covers are 100% cotton, ethically made with AZO-free dyes in India and hand stuffed with organic buckwheat in New York State. The seat is 14 inches wide at it's narrowest point and 22 inches wide at the end of the legs. The legs are 17 inches long from back to front. There is a hidden zipper at the back where buckwheat can be removed or added for customization and if washing is necessary. A sturdy handle at the back makes it easy to carry your cushion which weighs about 8 pounds. For those who want to stuff their own cushion, we offer empty covers and 5 lb parcels of buckwheat hulls, separately, as well. Two bags are necessary to stuff a Celestial Crab. The covers come [...]

UnWool Blanket - Firm, Cozy, Uniform Texture When I bought bheka Yoga Supply we were selling a lot of wool blankets, because they are firm, warm, and durable. Since I don't want to live in a world that enslaves animals to serve humankind we discontinued selling them. It was a costly decision both in terms of disappointed customers and the business we did in the wool blanket trade. I wished I had a good alternative besides the Mexican Style blankets which some customers just don't like, but I did not, till now. One day while practicing in a local yoga studio with a friend I noticed she was using a "wool" blanket that was 70% polyester and 30% wool. I got to thinking, I wonder why the manufacturer even bothers with the wool. The fine qualities of the blanket are clearly defined by the polyester, but I guess they can charge more for wool, so they put some in. While this idea was marinating in my practice softened mind it hit me. I bet someone out there is making an UnWool blanket. A blanket that has a lot of what people love about wool but without the wool itself and perhaps without the expense of wool. Sometime later I did my research Stitched Edges of the UnWool Blanket and I found just what I was looking for made right here in the good old USA. I obtained a sample and immediately started using it and I was impressed from the start. Lighter and less scratchy than wool, the UnWool Blanket has the firmness, uniformity, and warmth that make wool such a great blanket material. All without bothering a single sheep. After months of strenuous use, I'm finding it to be durably well made, and I am now delighted to offer you this great product made from [...]

Though the ingredients and processes are secret, all bheka Deluxe Long Life mats meet Okeo-Tex 100 certificate standards for environmental safety and lack of toxicity. Also, the workers who make them are treated well and are not exposed to any harmful chemicals. Okeo-Tex 100 is the same standard by which European cosmetics are deemed fit for human use. It is a comfort to know that your intimate partner in yoga has been tested and is completely safe. bheka Long Life yoga mats offer superior quality and durability. This is due to their density, unique formulation and European origin. The special orange peel texture of these mats creates optimal traction, so you do not slip on them nor stick to them, even when they become moist. bheka Deluxe Long Life Yoga Mat - a beautiful mat for your beautiful practice. bheka Deluxe Long Life mats have been sold for over a decade to discerning studios and their continued popularity, despite all the newer competition, is a testimony to their durability and other fine features. Made from the same material as the legendary Manduka Black Mat Pro, the long lives of these mats make them a wonderful value and an ecologically sound choice. They are machine washable with mild detergents and guaranteed to be an excellent surface to practice yoga on for as long as you care to use them. These mats require a short break-in period based on the thin wax coating used to create their unique texture during manufacturing. The best way to remove this coating is to use the mat. After a few weeks of regular use it will begin to give you excellent traction. These mats are 24 inches wide, and about 3/16 of an inch thick. They are each 69 inches long. Link to Purchase: bheka Deluxe Long Life Yoga Mats

Plum BREEZE Round Zafu The bheka BREEZE Zafu can be used on any chair you will sit on for long periods of time to alleviate back strain caused by static inflexible positions. The bheka BREEZE round pleated sit cushion is traditional and contemporary all at once. The cover is the same design we've been making for decades but the insert is an inflatable cushion designed to give firm lightweight support to the traveling meditator. The BREEZE Zafu is slightly rounded at the top and if you move on it moves with you like a ball chair. While you can sit in meditation poses with it on a chair as shown above, you can also use it as a cushion for your chair at work or at the dinner table or anywhere else.. When you use the BREEZE Zafu as a chair cushion you will have an active core and spinal and hip flexion all day long. This helps to alleviate back pain caused by a weak core and holding one position for too long during the day. Flexible support is the way to go for lower back health and the BREEZE Zafu is a great tool to achieve it. Link to Purchase the bheka BREEZE Zafu India Print BREEZE Tadpole Bolster The bheka BREEZE Tadpole is small but mighty! Among its many powers is the ability to be a comfortable seat in cross-legged and knee forward positions, so it is a super meditation or pranayama cushion. It is also great for knee support in cross-legged poses, under the neck or head in supine poses (or when traveling by air or on the train or bus). Because it is inflatable, it is also adjustable so you can get just the right amount of support or height for each situation. As if that were not enough [...]

The bheka Tadpole Mini-Bolster will be the most used item in your practice room after your yoga mat. It's soft, it's small, it's cute, and there are so many ways to use it! The most obvious use would be to sit on in meditation, but it can also be a support for knees in any seated pose such as siddhasana or child's pose. The Tadpole supports the back during meditation or pranayama. Those with less flexible hips can sit comfortably in Siddhasana. Take the pressure off the knees in Child's Pose. There are many other asanas to get creative with! Stick some tadpoles under your bridge or shoulderstand and reap the benefits of holding the asanas far longer than before! The Tadpole can help you with pranayama! You’ll love using one or two Tadpoles as pranayama cushions for chest expansion...and as a gentle weight on your belly or sternum to bring your attention to your breath. And of course, the Tadpole can be used in tons of ways during everyone's favorite asana... Savasana! Use the Tadpole as a pillow...or support for the lower back and knees. People use the Tadpole for lots of other purposes too, spot cushioning for the knees, hips or elbows, or to keep the knees apart in side-lying poses, sacral support when sitting in a chair. Craniosacral Therapist and Educator Margery Chessare has developed the use of Tadpoles and Salamanders to support the long contacts she often makes with her clients. She explains, "As craniosacral therapists, we make light touch contacts and often stay in one position for several minutes or even more. Therefore, correct ergonomics are critical. We use all shapes and sizes of pillows to support our arms so we can sit in as comfortable a position as possible, shoulders relaxed, spine aligned." Margery likes [...]

This big meditation cushion is a great seat with a wonderful pedigree. Its history is a fun story and its future is full of possibilities. Plus, it is just what you need for maximum comfort in a variety of restorative poses. Sit fully on the cushion for leg support or closer to the edge of the cushion for pelvic tilt and straight back. The Pharoah pose on a folding chair was never this relaxing before the Turtle came along. The bheka Turtle is a line extension brought on by the huge popularity of the bheka Tadpole. While I know lots of people who love their Tadpoles as meditation or pranayama seats I personally do not. For short sits the Tadpole is fine but for longer sits my particular butt wants a bit more support. I also do a lot of chair work on folding chairs either seated or in some state of lying on the chair, so I measured a folding chair seat and made the Turtle fit on it. It still works great on the floor and it is perfect for use as a folding chair cushion. In addition, it incorporates two of the great features of the Tadpole. It has the beautiful soft flocked polyester cover and the molding comfort of organic buckwheat hull filling. A Spinal Twist and Legs on Chair are more comfortable with the support of the bheka Turtle. Just having these comfortable and lovely cushions around is a call to practice. I keep finding new ways to employ them. Check out these relaxing stretches you can totally melt into using your bheka Turtle. This is a lovely restorative backstretch. It can be deepened with two or even 3 Turtles. When you are ready for a supported wheel, find your folding chair! Anything that makes a great [...]

Tadpole mini-bolster is just enough support for comfort in cross-legged poses. Many of us need a few inches of help on Virasana or Hero Pose and the tadpole is happy to give it. There is no longer any reason to strain forward in cross-legged poses. Take the BREEZE Tadpole with you everywhere. The bheka BREEZE Tadpole is small but mighty! Among its many powers is the ability to be a comfortable seat in cross-legged and knee forward positions, so it is a super meditation or pranayama cushion. If your knees need support it is there for you too! It is a great neck pillow. With a little air taken out, it really follows your contours. It is also great for knee support in cross-legged poses, under the neck or head in supine poses (or when traveling by air or on the train or bus). Because it is inflatable, it is also adjustable so you can get just the right amount of support or height for each situation. Nothing beats the soft flowy BREEZE Tadpole. Keep it loose when you need it gentle and fill it firm when you need more presence. In combination with other bolsters, the BREEZE Tadpole finds a place in most restorative positions. Once you have it you will wonder how you ever lived without it. At a recent yoga conference a woman in a wheelchair was looking for back support at my booth. Fully inflated she did not like the BREEZE Tadpole but half-inflated she loved it. It is great for lumbar support in the car too! And like all BREEZE bolsters, the inflatable bladder is made from 7 phthalate-free PVC and can be cleaned with most common cleansers and disinfectants and the outer cover is either flocked polyester (solid colors) or 100 percent cotton (India Print) and can be [...]