108. Why Resting Isn't Lazy: 4 Mental Hindrances That Keep You From Rest

When was the last time anyone gave you a trophy for resting? Nobody does, and that's part of the problem. In this episode, Kate sits down with her colleague Lizzie Lasater, daughter of restorative yoga teacher Judith Hanson Lasater and co-author of Savasana: The Practice of Radical Rest, just as the Northern Hemisphere heads into its season of long nights.

Lizzie is honest about why she wrote the book: not because rest comes easily, but because she is a self-described high-achieving workaholic who finds it hard. Together, she and Kate explore why teachers and students sign up for restorative training and then don't practice, why rest feels frightening, and how rest can be a stand-alone practice rather than the five minutes at the end of class.

In this episode:

• Why Savasana is described as yoga's most powerful pose, and why the book calls rest "radical"
• Restorative yoga in two minutes: comfort, props, and supporting the body's own intelligence for rest
• You don't need props or training: resting on the floor or in a side-lying couch Savasana
• Hindrance one: "I'm too busy to rest," and what busyness protects us from feeling
• Hindrance two: "Resting is selfish," and the case that our nervous systems co-regulate each other
• Hindrance three: "I'm afraid of the dark," including fear of the void, of what might surface, and of death
• Hindrance four: "Resting means I'm lazy," and Lizzie's "inner Protestant voice"
• The shift from "I don't have time" to "I'm not making time"
• Why a spacious life needs a spacious calendar
• Strength and recovery as partners, not competitors
• How rest has become slippery in the age of phones, scrolling and AI
• The Savasana Summit, a five-day event starting in December
• Rapid-fire: Lizzie's morning, first drink of the day, and wind-down routine

Take-home practices:

• Pause at the "I could do, do, do, or I could not" moment, and try choosing not-doing as an experiment
• Swap "I don't have time" for "I'm not making time" and notice what changes
• Protect one boundary this weekend (no email, no posting) and see what happens
• Try a side-lying Savasana on the couch with the pillows you already have
• Remember that 15 to 20 minutes of Savasana can be your whole practice for a day

About Lizzie Lasater: Lizzie grew up in a yoga household (her mother has taught since 1971), began her own practice at 18, and now leads retreats and teacher trainings and an online yoga community with her mother. She studied architecture and has a master's in design, and she lives in Austria. Savasana: The Practice of Radical Rest is her first book and her mother's twelfth.

Links:

• Lizzie Lasater: Instagram @lizzie.lasater
• Lasater Yoga online community and Savasana Summit registration: lasater.yoga
• Savasana: The Practice of Radical Rest

Health disclaimer: The information shared on Everyday Ayurveda with Kate is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your diet, supplements, movement, or wellness routine.

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