Restorative retreats in Southern Maalhosmadulu Atoll

Restorative yoga is rest with structure. You spend each pose fully supported by bolsters, blankets and blocks, and stay there for five to twenty minutes doing as little as possible.

You get permission to do nothing, with the props doing all the holding. Your body sinks into soft supports in shapes that open your chest, rest your legs or let your back lengthen, and your breathing tends to slow on its own. Many people leave feeling rested in a way a nap or an evening on the sofa does not quite match. It is especially welcome after a hard week, a long flight or a run of short nights.

Classes usually last 60 to 90 minutes and include only four to six poses. The facilitator spends a lot of time helping you set up: stacking blankets, placing bolsters, adding an eye pillow or a sandbag. Then the studio goes quiet, with dim light and soft music or silence, while you rest in each shape for a long stretch. There is no effort, no sweat and very little talking. Some people fall asleep, which is fine.