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Take Your Time: Yoga Classes that Hold Each Pose

Take Your Time: Yoga Classes that Hold Each Pose

Sometimes when you are seeking more clarity, the best move you can make is to hit the pause button and slow down. This week’s classes help you do that with a mix of Hatha and Iyengar practices designed to help you reach a deeper level in your mind, body, and spirit. Sequences vary in each class, with poses held for several breaths instead of flowing breath to movement. Quieter styles of yoga give you the opportunity to savor the feelings that arise in each asana (pose).

Hatha yoga is the umbrella under which all physical styles of yoga reside. A Hatha Yoga class combines asanas and pranayama, usually at a slower pace than some other practices like Ashtanga and Vinyasa. Hatha classes are known to be more mellow but don’t assume that makes them easier. Sometimes holding fewer poses for a longer time is more challenging than flowing through a faster-paced Vinyasa class. These more gentle classes are also excellent if you’re nursing injuries or experiencing physical limitations but don’t want to miss your yoga. 

Iyengar Yoga, created by Yoga luminary, B.K.S. Iyengar, helps you slow down so you can develop a deeper sense of awareness of physical sensations and tune into your thoughts. The author of Light on Yoga, Iyengar was a physically frail child and believed yoga was for everybody regardless of physical or mental challenges. Iyengar highlights integrating props like blocks and straps into a slower alignment-based practice. This style emphasizes fewer poses, each held for a significant time, which helps you settle into stillness. 

Sometimes stepping back and focusing on alignment can help you make sure you’re receiving all the benefits from each pose. When we flow quickly, sometimes we sacrifice form for speed. A periodic reminder of what each asana actually feels like in your body helps you stay strong and supple and avoid injury. So this week, slow down with us and savor the experience. 

Dana Hanizeski - Deep Release for the Back


Keith Allen - 45-Minute Heart & Hips Hatha


Desiree Rumbaugh - Strengthen, Protect, & Heal The Hips


Patrick Montgomery - Focus on Form - Twists & Arm Balances


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