Every day our attention is in constant demand from all directions. From the moment our alarm goes off, summoning our eyes to open and beckoning us out of bed, to the algorithm that seduces us to scroll, preventing us from regaining the sleep we once yearned for upon waking that same day.
There is an unspoken expectation to be constantly producing, improving, and achieving. Modern society has idolized a lifestyle that is always on the move and rushing through life. At one point, being “too busy” became a badge of honor as we became accustomed to filling the empty spaces in our calendars, homes, and minds.
But when was the last time you created space for yourself to slow down? When was the last time you truly sat in stillness? And not only in stillness, but also in silence? Music, podcasts, and TV are all means of distracting ourselves from the stillness we need in our lives. It is just another way to fill the space instead of slowing down and being present.
Society often labels slowing down as a sign of weakness, but I believe there is a lot of strength in stillness.
In the asana practice, faster-paced “power yoga” classes are often associated with “strengthening” and “sculpting” by the constant movement and cardio-based element to help you build a sweat and increase your heart rate. Although some may say my classes still move fast, I like to intentionally build pauses in my classes. I think that taking transitions slowly and intentionally can build more strength than getting to the next pose quickly. I love to create space and time for exploration of a pose, so that the practitioner can really take a moment to land and notice how their body feels, all the way from their toes through their fingertips.
I believe that holding stillness invites more awareness into our bodies and creates a challenge for our wandering minds. There is a common phrase in yoga: “the pose begins the moment you want to leave it.” It is a practice to remind ourselves to be present in where we are versus allowing our minds to think, “what is coming next?” It is a practice to commit to taking one more breath in a place that makes you feel uncomfortable versus escaping into the next thing.
One of my favorite poses to illustrate this concept is upward facing dog; a pose we often flow through during our chaturanga transitions. Next time during your practice, make it a point to hold your upward facing dog (an active one) for at least 3-5 breaths. A pose we often move through in autopilot can suddenly require so much strength and attention when holding in stillness.
Another pose that examines stillness is, of course, savasana. In this pose we look not only look to find stillness in our bodies, but also in our minds. As a yoga teacher I prefer to say a few words to help guide students into savasana then leave space until it is time to exit the pose and conclude class. As a teacher, I think it’s important to not try to constantly “fill the space”. A lot can be said and learned by simply saying nothing. I believe savasana is the culmination of the asana practice; it is what we lead up to and is a pose that really allows us to turn our attention inwardly. It is probably one of the most important poses in an asana practice and one of the most difficult!
Next time you find yourself overwhelmed or feel like you don’t have enough time, give yourself permission to slow down. Give yourself the space (even just thirty seconds) to sit in stillness. Know that this a powerful choice to make and a lot can be learned in finding strength through stillness.
Practice with me
The Power Yoga Podcast 