It was a treat to order this inexpensive video and find it had the Bay Area's own infamous Rodney Yee working his magic to encourage us all to breathe more, and more deeply! It has become my back up when I cannot get to class.

This was given to me as a gift 3 years ago. I had no yoga experiance at the time. I got so frustrated I swore off yoga. But recently I decided to try again in a class. I highly recommend a class for first timers. Now I love yoga and thought I'd give this DVD another try - mistake! It requires a yoga bolster ($50) and blankets. I tried using couch cushions, etc but it just isn't the same. I ended up very frustrated - definitely not relaxed. Know that you need a bolster, and if it is your first time trying yoga - take a class. You'll be much happier :)

Restorative yoga utilizes various props to help the body attain deep states of relaxation. This video is divided in two sections: the first, supported backbends (40 minutes) is the most prop-intensive, using up to two yoga bolsters and various blankets, and the second, supported forward bends (36 minutes) uses only a chair and blankets.

Patricia Walden leads the first practice. She begins with a supported child's pose and then moves into supported backbend, reclined cross-legged pose, supported bridge, supported shoulderstand (aka legs-up-the-wall), and finally, relaxation pose both with and without the props. Each posture is held for several minutes: Patricia allows ample time to set up the props and encourages you to adjust your props as needed to order to achieve greater relaxation. Although using actual yoga props would probably be best, I substituted pillows for the bolsters and was able to make due. The second practice is led by Rodney Yee and begins with a series of seated warm-up movements: you flow from staff pose to cobblers pose to seated wide-legged pose and repeat this sequence several times. Using a chair, Rodney then guides you through several seated forward bends with your head resting on the chair, including wide-legged seated forward bend, head-to-knee pose, and seated forward bend. Next, he uses the chair to support the thighs in a supported plow pose; I especially liked this one, as I usually avoid this pose but enjoyed it here. As with the first segment, each posture is held several minutes, and the practice ends with relaxation pose. Both Patricia and Rodney provide excellent voiceover cueing, and both have gentle, soothing voices which nicely match the soft background music.

Overall, I think this video delivers exactly what it promises, which is to provide a sequence of relaxing yoga postures. If you are interested in trying yoga mainly to foster relaxation, both this video and the accompanying props would be a worthwhile investment. I think that these practices would be appropriate for those new to yoga so long as they carefully follow the instructions; the video is also suitable for more advanced yogis looking for a restorative practice.

I've heard alot how yoga can help you relax so I thought I would give it a try. With so many videos on the market I decided to go to my local libray and check a few out to see; 1. would I like yoga and 2. which video would be best for me. A person under a lot of stress and anxiety I found Yoga Journal's Yoga Practice for Relaxation the best for me. The video is easy to follow, the sounds are very soothing and the moves are very, very relaxing. Working with the props are a bit awkward but after awhile you get the hang of it.

I would higly recommend this video to anyone who wants to learn to relax for a few minutes and just enjoy a quite time.

This is the first yoga video I have ever tried, and I am really happy with it. Patricia Walden and Rodney Yee are great teachers, and the video really does help me relax.
True, the props can be annoying at times-- for each pose in the first session, you need a bolster and blankets. I use firm pillows stacked on top of each other which have seemed to work well.
I would recommend this video to anyone who really needs to relax, provided they are patient and willing to invest the time and dedication that it requires in order to be effective.