The following poses are helpful when you need to rest during your practice. The restorative poses from page 350 require a little more in the way of set up, but are great to use toward the beginning or end of your practice.
When you encounter a new posture, it can be a real challenge. It feels as if it demands all you can give and there is not a lot of room left for any relaxation. If a posture is 95 percent effort and just 5 percent release your practice might feel rather tight and constrained. However, as you become more comfortable in a pose, you’ll find that it becomes less all-consuming. You will be able to hold a strong pose physically, yet still have room left to bring an element of self-nurturing to the posture. Your work to release ratio will slide to 80:20, then 70:30 and so on. As this happens, a posture becomes steady (stira) and comfortable (sukha). Since steadiness and comfort develop with regular practice, your practice will become more rewarding as you experience more joyful freedom.
Child Pose, page 100, and its variations Extended Child Pose, page 102
This gives a break during standing postures. Modify the full Deep Forward Fold (page 68), by taking your feet hip width apart and bending your knees to rest your chest on or near the thighs. Let your arms dangle or fold them so you don’t need to grip with your hands. Let the head hang down like a rag doll’s. Feel your face soften and let go so much that even your cheeks droop.
Rather than keeping the legs straight, bend them enough to rest your ribs on your thighs. Let your head drop, perhaps resting your face down between the knees. Find the most released position for your arms. Allow yourself to feel very supported.
Embryo Pose, page 103
Crocodile Pose, page 246
Corpse Pose, page 310