Pausing to Deep Stretch
Exploring Deep Stretching: Taking a Pause
If I told someone I was enjoying a gentle yoga class, they’d probably be shocked. For years, living in a state of burnout made stillness feel almost unbearable. Holding a pause in class meant battling a racing mind that couldn’t wait for it to end—completely at odds with the purpose of coming to class.
This past fall, something shifted when I started attending a yoga and barre studio. On the schedule, I noticed a Deep Stretch class. Knowing my previous history with a yin yoga class, I was a little leery how it would be, but I also knew I was a calmer version of myself. After one class, I knew my body, mind, and spirit need this.
In the darker months, the class is held by candlelight, creating a warm and calming atmosphere. It’s becomes a space where despite others being in the room, your focus is completely internal. While using props, like yoga blocks and bolsters, they offer the support to let you settle into deep stretches and be with your body. There’s no rush, no pressure—just the invitation to let go. I even told the instructor how much her class feels like a true pause in my week.
One of my favorite poses from the class is a heart opener using yoga blocks. You position the blocks to support your spine and gently open your chest. After spending so much time hunched over screens or looking down at phones, the release you feel in this posture is incredible. Its rare that you create space in your chest like you do in this position. As you feel this stretch, it become this energetic reminder to keep your heart open.
If you’re looking to explore something similar, search for classes like yin yoga, gentle yoga, or deep stretching at a local studio. Each of these can offer the same kind of restorative, grounding experience.
And if heading to a studio doesn’t feel like the right fit right now, I found the YouTube video below by Diana Antholis that perfectly demonstrates the heart opener with yoga blocks—it’s a simple way to try it at home.
Listen to your body when starting any kind of stretching and know your limitations. I have found this practice to be deeply restorative and invite you to give it a try.
Take good care of yourself,
