Deep rest
Yoga nidra and restorative classes across Santa Cruz.
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Deep rest in Santa Cruz
Deep rest in Santa Cruz is mostly yoga nidra, restorative and yin practice, held in the evening after the working day. The classes are slow and supported, using blankets, bolsters and blocks to hold poses for minutes at a time. Most of them run in the studios of Felton, Rio Del Mar and Scotts Valley.
Where to start: Watsonville Yoga, Dance and Healing Arts, Sol Hot Yoga in Scotts Valley or Anahata Hot Yoga and Wellness Center in Felton
It suits you if
- you want to rest after a long working day
- you prefer slow, supported poses with props
- you are new to yoga and want a gentle start
Read more about Deep rest in Santa CruzWhat the practice is, Where and when to practice
What the practice is
Deep rest here is built around restorative and yin yoga, with yoga nidra adding a guided practice of stillness. Restorative classes use props to support the body in each position, so the muscles can let go without effort. Yin classes hold each pose for one to three minutes, sometimes longer, to work on the connective tissue of the hips, spine and joints.
Some studios combine these with other work. Anahata Hot Yoga and Wellness Center offers yin and restorative yoga alongside energy healing bodywork in a 75 minute class. Sol Hot Yoga runs hot restorative yin as well as an unheated version, so the warmth of the room can be chosen.
Where and when to practice
Most of these classes are held in the evening, when the day is done. A smaller share falls in the morning, and weekend classes make up about a fifth of the schedule. The busiest start times are 6:30pm, 7pm and 6pm, with a few mornings starting at 9am. No classes begin before 9am or run at midday.
Watsonville Yoga, Dance and Healing Arts and Synergy Dance Fitness are the studios with the most classes in this collection, and they cover a good range of start times and styles. A handful of studios hold most of these classes, so the choice of place stays close to the route home.
Deep rest: questions and answers
When do most people practice deep rest here?
Most of the deep rest classes in Santa Cruz run in the evening, with starts from about 6pm to 7pm, and a smaller share falls in the morning. Weekends hold about a fifth of the classes. Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday are the days when the most of these classes run.
Is deep rest suitable for beginners?
Yes. Watsonville Yoga, Dance and Healing Arts offers beginning and level 1 hatha yoga with restorative work, and its restorative yoga classes are 75 minutes long. Restorative classes use blankets, bolsters and blocks, so the body can be held without effort.
Are there unheated options?
Mostly yes. Sol Hot Yoga offers hot restorative yin yoga, and its unheated restorative yin class is the other option. Anahata Hot Yoga and Wellness Center and Synergy Dance Fitness also run yin and restorative classes, so the room temperature varies by studio.
Where can I try a yin and restorative class?
Anahata Hot Yoga and Wellness Center in Felton offers a 75 minute yin and restorative class that includes energy healing bodywork. Synergy Dance Fitness in Rio Del Mar runs a 60 minute yin and restorative yoga class. Both are a good place to see how the practice feels in a slower setting.
Who leads these classes?
The classes span about ten facilitators, and Victoria Grace, Tricia Aminifard and Henry Cleveland appear most often in the schedule. Mara Ruth, Judi Remillard and Erika Hay also lead several classes. Most classes are held in Felton, Rio Del Mar and Scotts Valley.
How long are the classes, and what happens in them?
Most deep rest classes in Santa Cruz are about 75 minutes, though several yin classes run 60 minutes. Yin classes hold each pose for one to three minutes, sometimes up to five, which gives the connective tissue time to release. Restorative classes rely on props so that the position can be held with little muscular effort.