Do you remember to slow down?

DO YOU ALLOW YOURSELF TO SLOW DOWN?✨

My story with slow forms of yoga and why you should consider practicing them.

When I first started to go to the very slow YIN yoga classes years ago it was only after a vigorous and strong Vinyasa flow class, almost like a reward for doing the work first. I remember spending my Sunday evenings at my favourite yoga studio to join a 1,5 hr vinyasa followed with a 1,5 hr yin class. Unknowingly these last 1,5 hours of my week became the most cherished ones - The time when I could finally have space to process the week, to feel and process my feelings, to allow myself to completely discharge any excess, rewind and almost press a reset button- connecting back with myself, with what really mattered, and getting completely grounded to start the new week with a sense of stability, of openness and flow, yet sensing my two feet firmly on the floor. More than that, it was an opportunity to just be- to just be myself, just the way I was that day, with no expectations, with nothing to prove. I could just be there in this dark room with an almost cave-like safe feel to it, curl up under a blanket in poses, listen to the soothing music, comforting voice yet provoking words of my dear teachers, and just be present with anything that came up.

I never went to just a Yin class on its own until around 1,5 years into my practice. When we first sat down in the beginning of the class and closed our eyes that day, I felt a sudden overwhelm of emotions. I realised that without putting in the work of a physically hard class I didn’t feel I had earned the right to slow down, didn’t feel I was worthy of resting, of receiving, of just being. This shift in paradigm completely shook my world that morning. It made me realise how I treated myself, how I always felt I had to be strong, so strong and constantly prove myself. It made me realise that it’s okay to be soft, that it’s okay to slow down and just be.

In the high-speed societies many of us live in where we’re always on the go, always tackling that endless to-do list, all the inner and outer expectations making our nervous system to constantly be on the edge and stressed out, knowing the art of slowing down feels more and more crucial.

Even now, when seemingly our lives are slower and our calendar aren’t as full, it has struck me how many people I know are struggling with sleep, stress and heightened anxiety more than ever - how many people’s nervous systems are still on overdrive.

I took a teacher training in Yin yoga only around half a year ago but started teaching slow classes right away. I must say i never expected to enjoy teaching these classes as much as I do. I have found it to be the most rewarding feeling to be able to hold a truly warm, loving, and safe space for the students where they can just be, just the way they are, in acceptance. To see how their shoulders and their whole bodies drop the tension, to see some emotions being gently released with occasional tears, to see that blissful and peaceful smile at the end of a class.

In Yin, or Destress classes the tempo is slow- there is some gentle movement in the beginning to get away from our heads and into the bodies and to loosen up any tension. After that we go into physically passive poses close to the ground which are held for a few minutes each. Staying there that long really gives the chance for us to slow down and be. It’s almost like small meditations held in physical shapes. Staying with our breaths gives the body and mind an opportunity to actually relax and gradually stretch out and release both the physical and emotional tension we so carefully hold in our bodies, in our connective tissue. Allowing that tension to stretch out enables a fresh flow of energy, a sense of being more aligned and alive. This slowing and destressing soothes the tension in the nervous system and helps us move from the ‘fight or flight’ stress-mode and activate the parasympathetic nervous system sending ourselves a signal that it’s safe to rest now.

The most challenging part of these classes actually is just staying there and being- doing nothing. Sounds scary? Boring? Just like in meditation right. Just like myself in the beginning (and trust me, I still struggle with that as well) we often feel we need to do and push more and more in the fear of losing productivity. That we haven’t earned the rest, not worthy of it. I really believe that we can’t pour from an empty jug. Do you allow yourself to slow down and just be, unconditionally?

I don’t want this to be a promotional post but if any of this speak to you and you feel like filling your own cup a bit then it would be my absolute honour to hold a loving space for you in the slow classes where we do exactly that- slow down. I honestly feel so grateful to be able to offer this gift of you-time right now!

When signing up to my newsletter you will get a short, 16-minute evening unwind class to practice any day you need to slow down the pace, restore your nervous system, and melt into relaxation. I am also teaching weekly online Destress classes in my zoom room - find the schedule at the ‘online classes’ section at my website or sign up for he newsletter to get the weekly schedule to your inbox every new week.

All the best and I hope you will remember to slow down a bit more