It has been a week since the last writing and yes, I’m still pulling the woad here. Just in maintenance mode trying to get as much as possible out of the field until it seeds. As I’m pulling the woad I’m in a love/hate relationship. I’m really in awe of the heartiness of this weed and its very deep root. Just a reminder that the root is sometimes as long as 5 feet. How could you not be in awe of that root? The slow, steady, growing of this plant makes it so stable.

So of course, I can’t help but find parallels to that deep-rooted plant and yoga-

I personally prefer a slow, steady practice in yoga that brings in mindful, functional asanas with strength and stability. This practice just brings me into a meditative, mindful integration of my mind and body, coordinating breath and movement as one, with no beginning or end. I am able to check in with my body and what it is feeling and release the tension with the help of my breath. The classic example of just letting it all go and surrendering to what is, without judgment.

Slow, steady practice allows time for internal alignment instead of external alignment. It seems that some students want that external alignment from the yoga teacher to reach “the perfect form”, but the true alignment needs to made internally by the student so their mind and body remember. The yoga teacher can help the student by making these adjustments verbally with cues. 

Another benefit of a slower practice is increased flexibility. The student does not need to push the pose to the maximum exertion. In fact, this is probably more harmful to injury. Asanas really should be effortless with meditative breath and mind. If the student is exerting, so much so, that their heart rate and breathing increase in both, this is not asana. The student could back off and lighten up and use their breath as a guide, to determine how far to go into an asana. Yin yoga is based on the principle of releasing into a pose and increasing connective tissue flexibility. In Yin yoga, we practice being rather than doing. 

Of course, the best teacher in a student’s practice is themselves. If the practice is fast and choppy and not following a student’s breathwork, the student is just playing catchup with a figure in front of the class (the teacher). The student themselves know how fast their practice should be that makes their body feel good. Yes, I know another reason to have a self-practice of yoga at home. Or at least try a private session with a yoga teacher. If the student takes the time, energy and effort they will begin to notice what emotions, thoughts, and triggers come up in asanas. When following a teacher, the student can practice being able to fully integrate all that is going on in their body internally. It is truly an awakening to notice and learn the body’s responses to poses. This can then be taken “off the mat” and into the student’s life.

More benefits of a slower practice are less injury. You really don’t have to go too deep into a pose to reach the full benefit of the pose. Going too deep into a pose can injure the body over time. Really, trust me, less is more. It’s like surrendering to what is versus controlling and pushing. There is no hurry. There are no gold stars at the end. And there is no finish line with yoga. This is why we need to slow down in classes.

As a yoga teacher, teaching a slower class has many benefits. The emphasis of the class is not on flow but on the deep, internal work of the students. That takes the pressure off the teacher to choose the “right” music with the “right asanas”. Is this yoga? The pressure is on the student, the teacher should help guide the students by asking them to answer questions throughout the class.

Where are you feeling this pose?

How does this pose feel?

Are you breathing? Or holding your breath?

What are your emotions in this pose?

What are you thinking?

Just asking students to notice subtle mind and body shifts throughout the class.

Another great reason, yoga teachers, need to slow down classes is student injury. If the teacher slows down the class, they are able to check in with students based on their body language, facial expressions and help students make their own adjustments.

Most students in a yoga class are not advanced yogis, so it’s nice to slow down the pace and teach the asana in steps with modifications, so frustration and injury can be avoided. All asanas can be broken down and made accessible for all bodies of students. For example,

Utthita Tadasana/ Starfish

    I

Wide leg Utkatasana/ Chair 

   I

Utkata Konasana/ Goddess

   I

Malasana/squat with block/bolster/blanket

All of these asanas provide the same benefits, no asana is more advanced or better than the next, teach the student the options. This can easily be made into a vinyasa flow taking 3-5 breaths for each asana, with the student moving at their own pace.

Lastly, slowing down the pace enables the yoga teacher to watch all their students during the class and make adjustments based on the energy and needs of the students attending the class. Where is the class struggling? Where is the class advancing in practice? Does the class need a mini savasana? Or does the class need to dance to pick up energy and let go of energy stored? Sure most teachers have a class planned, but most times you need to feel the energy of the students and be flexible enough to change the class to benefit the students.

Let the roots of your practice deepen by maybe trying something new today and slooooowwwww way down. Notice your body. Listen to your breath. 

Love to all, light to all-Namaste