The Calming Touch of Stillness

Moments of Ease: A Restorative Yoga Pilot for Hospice Patients and Caregivers

When most people picture yoga, they imagine flowing movements, balance poses, or deep stretches. But there is another path—one that asks nothing of you except to rest. Restorative Yoga is a practice where the body is fully supported with props like bolsters, blankets, or pillows. With no effort required, the nervous system is free to shift into its healing state, creating a cascade of calm that ripples through the body, mind, and spirit.

Who Is It For?

The beauty of restorative yoga is that it’s for everybody:

• Athletes use it to balance intense training with deep recovery.

• Everyday people find it relieves stress and helps them slow down in a busy world.

• Children discover that rest can be fun, safe, and nurturing.

• Seniors benefit from gentle, supportive positions that ease stiffness and soothe fatigue.

Rest is universal, and restorative yoga offers it generously.

The Origins of Restorative Yoga

This practice was pioneered by B.K.S. Iyengar, who as a sickly child suffered from malaria, tuberculosis, and typhoid. Traditional yoga was too strenuous for his weakened body, so he began adapting poses with props to support himself fully. In doing so, he discovered a way to access yoga’s benefits without strain—a method that would become Restorative Yoga. What began as Iyengar’s path to healing has since become a global practice accessible to people of all ages, conditions, and abilities.

A Vision for Hospice and End-of-Life Care

The accessibility of restorative yoga is what inspires me most. It can meet people wherever they are—even at life’s most delicate threshold. My pilot study, Moments of Ease: A Restorative Yoga Pilot for Hospice Patients and Caregivers, explores how supported stillness can ease pain, reduce anxiety, and create comfort for patients in hospice. Families and caregivers, too, may find peace in seeing their loved ones experience rest and dignity in their final days.

The Neuroscience & Yoga Community Showcase

I’m honored to share this work at the upcoming Neuroscience and Yoga Community Showcase (November 10–16, 2025). My presentation, Moments of Ease: A Restorative Yoga Pilot for Hospice Patients and Caregivers, will be held on Thursday, November 13 at 10:45 AM EST.

The Showcase is one of the most anticipated events of the year, bringing together 100+ speakers at the intersection of yoga and neuroscience. Tickets are in high demand—last year, they sold out in just one day. This is a rare opportunity to explore how yoga’s gentlest practice can create ripples of healing for athletes, children, seniors, and those at the very edge of life.

✨ Reserve your spot early, and join me in discovering the profound power of the calming touch of stillness.