December Theme – The Discipline of Moving Slowly

Every December, I find myself swept up in a mix of festive enthusiasm, reflection, exhaustion, and “oh god, how is it already the end of the year?” Instinctively, it seems right to counter all that by taking a step back and finding pockets of rest and stillness. As a yoga teacher, I spend a lot of time inviting people to “slow down.” Yet, this month, instead of talking about slowing down just because life is hectic or the holidays are stressful, I want to explore slowness as a choice. I want to look at the ability to savour life as a skill that we can train.

This month, our theme is The Discipline of Moving Slowly. We are going to work with Tapas, one of the five Niyamas in yoga philosophy, which involves cultivating an “inner fire” through perseverance, focus, and commitment. 

A quote from Donna Farhi really snapped this into focus for me. So much so that I have this quote written out and posted above where I make my morning coffee. She writes:

“Discipline is having enough respect for yourself to make choices that truly nourish your well-being and provide opportunities for expansive growth. Far from being a kind of medicinal punishment, tapas allows us to direct our energy toward a fulfilled life of meaning … that is exciting and pleasurable.”

I love this because it reframes discipline entirely, not as harshness or restriction, but as a form of self-respect. A way of choosing what lifts us up.

And slowness, when practised intentionally, is precisely that kind of discipline.

Why slow is strong

In vinyasa, we sometimes fall into thinking that “strong” means fast, fiery, flowing nonstop. But I’ve learned, in my own practice and by watching those around me, that moving slowly is often way harder.

When you take three breaths to lower into Chaturanga, the body starts talking. When you hold Warrior II for longer than you’d prefer, suddenly the pose becomes very honest. When you transition as if you’re moving through honey, you’re using strength rather than momentum. 

This month, we’re going to feel that in the legs, arms, and core, how it impacts balance, and in the quiet moments between the shapes. 

Tapas: Choosing slow on purpose

Tapas is often described as “inner fire.” I think of it as the moment you meet yourself honestly and decide to stay, to breathe, to soften, or to continue with intention rather than impulse.

Slowing down is a form of tapas. It demands attention and presence, and asks us to give up shortcuts.

When we move slowly, we see where the mind tries to rush ahead. We notice impatience. We catch the habits that slip under the radar when we power through flows on autopilot. Slow movement reveals these things and serves as a tool to help us meet ourselves more truthfully.

This is tapas: steady effort, without drama. 

The listening body

Slowness also invites one of the most important skills we cultivate in yoga: interoception, the ability to sense what’s happening inside.

This isn’t just the phrase “listen to your body” advice that can sometimes feel a bit hollow on its own. This is literal, physical listening. The kind that only becomes available when we give ourselves enough time to feel.

When you pause mid-transition, you can sense the exact moment your breath gets rough.
When you hold a pose longer, you notice which muscles switch on and which ones try to tap out.  There’s a kind of pacing “sweet spot” in practice where your body works deeply and your mind stays fully connected to what’s happening. When we move too quickly, the practice can still be valuable, but we’re less likely to absorb the details — the learning that occurs in the transitions, the awareness that builds strength, the noticing that changes patterns over time.

One of the clearest indicators of that sweet spot is the breath. When your breathing stays smooth and even, it’s a sign that your body isn’t overwhelmed by outer demands. You’re in a rest-and-digest state, present, steady, not bracing for anything. But when the breath becomes shallow or erratic, it’s often a cue that you may be moving beyond your current capacity, or that your nervous system has shifted into fight–flight–freeze mode.

Neither state is “good” or “bad.” Yoga isn’t about labelling; it’s about awareness. We need access to both states. But rest-and-digest is our natural baseline, and spending too much time in the high-alert state eventually drains us.

For me, the rest-and-digest state also opens the door to interoception. When the breath is steady, you can actually feel what’s going on. You start picking up tiny details, like the glide of your ribs, the weight in your palms, the subtle sway in your balance. 

How this theme will shape our classes

No matter which class you take, vigorous vinyasa, gentle flow, or something in between, the through-line in December is the same:

Intentional pacing.
Breath as a guide.
Strength through control.
Listening as practice.

Here’s what that might looks like in class:

Slow transitions – Three- and four-breath movements, steady step-throughs, slow rises into balances, Chaturanga variations with control.

Longer holds – Warriors, lunges, planks, and balances all become opportunities to build heat without rushing.

Breath-led tempo – Moving only as quickly as you can breathe smoothly.

Interoceptive pauses – Short rests to feel what shifted, what activated, what settled.

Gentle classes with sneaky strength – Slow cat–cow waves, controlled mobility, breath–core coordination, long supported holds.

When we move slowly, we see the truth of our patterns, the helpful ones and the ones ready to be released.

An invitation to get to know yourself better 

As you step onto your mat this month, I am inviting you to see what happens when you refuse the rush. See what happens when your body speaks, and you actually take the time to listen.

And remember: tapas isn’t the whole story. Discipline needs its partners, Vairagya (letting go of the outcome) and Santosha (contentment, softening, acceptance of what is).

Effort and ease, side by side.

That’s the real practice. And balancing those is the lifelong adventure we get to live inside our own bodies.

I can’t wait to explore this with you ❤