Thoughtful Transitions

It can make us anxious when we don’t know exactly where we’re going. I’ve been feeling anxious since I’ve moved out of my yoga studio and don’t yet know what the future of my yoga teaching will look like. The vagueness of this “in-between” time has me feeling a little unfocused and grounded. I read something somewhere that made me feel calmer about it all. To paraphrase, it was something like “Take time to be in the pause between what was and what will be in the future.” I immediately felt I had permission to not yet know what I would do next.

In yoga practice, the in-between time could be characterized as the transitions between poses (asanas). Sometimes students try to rush from one pose to another to avoid the feelings of instability that can occur as we move from one pose to another.

Today’s practice is an opportunity to grow by focusing on making thoughtful transitions. The beauty of slowing down to transitions thoughtfully and gracefully has 3 main benefits: 1) the in-between moments create strength; 2) the decrease in momentum creates stability; 3) we have the time and incentive to improve the quality of the gaze - drishti - and the breath

Practice

Slow Cat/Cow

Standing Forward Fold w/ hands on blocks > standing split

Surya Namaskar (optional blocks for hands) w/ standing split & low lunge

Pigeon > ½ Matsyendrasana

Seated observation

Journal

What did slowing down make you aware of in your practice?

How did it feel to focus more on the journey of getting to a pose?

Are you in the “pause” between two ways of being? What came before and why did it end? How does being paused make you feel?

Is this practice something you’d like to do again? Why or why not?