The Benefits of My Slow Flow Yoga Classes by Kristin Ravel (she, they) PhD, Registered Yoga Teacher

There are so many benefits to Slow Flow.

Of course, there are the more obvious physical benefits that lead people to sign up for a yoga class in the first place, such as developing strength, flexibility, and balance. And since there is a component of cardio to vinyasa flow, it can strengthen the heart and improve circulation.

Other benefits may not be as immediately obvious until after taking a class (or maybe several classes!): notably, I see vinyasa flow as a means toward self-discovery, and therefore, to self-acceptance.

I sequence the slow flow classes intentionally to foster a greater body awareness and a sense of curiosity (even play) with your body and breath during the hour you spend on the mat. 

This means exploring possibilities as well as constraints: what are you open to, what do you want to test out or explore, and what do you need to say “no, not today” to? And working through this process without attaching your worth or value to whether you accomplish any specific pose is important. As one of my past teachers used to playfully say whenever we practiced a difficult pose: “It’s just stupid human tricks.” And, as I said at the end of class yesterday, “You won’t get a trophy for accomplishing a pose, but yoga, in all its forms, is a medicine that will benefit the body, mind, and spirit.” 

I believe navigating the opportunities and boundaries with the physical self during vinyasa flow (even some that surprise you), can translate to one’s emotional and relational well-being. This can lead to less stress, improve mood, and help with focus and clarity.

I’ve been focusing a lot on the individual self with this description, but it goes without saying, that the more we are attuned to and show compassion for the self, the more space we have to extend love and care to the world at large.

Kristin Ravel, Registered Yoga Teacher at Healing Home Ayurveda