It’s all about flow these days. Check out the latest yoga magazines and you’ll read how students are clamoring for vinyasa or flow yoga classes that incorporate sun salutations and other connected sequences of poses. Proponents cite benefits such as increased heat and flexibility in the body as well as the ability to quiet down the chatter of the mind as they practice.

Falling into the rhythm of a flow linked to slow, deep breath can be a wonderful way to practice yoga, but lately I’ve been thinking about the fact that for so many students and teachers this is the only way to practice.

Our daily lives are filled with non-stop mental and physical action. So it makes sense that it would be comforting to fall into that same mode in yoga class, the mode of strenuous physical activity and non-stop movement that matches the pace of our minds. But what about finding balance through your practice by engaging a part of yourself that is typically neglected?

Students often feel bored by holding poses for extended periods of time, drumming their fingers and waiting for the teacher to call out what’s next. It’s easy to think that the teacher is punishing you or holding you back by keeping you in a pose for a long time. You may feel like you’ve already ‘accomplished’ this one and are ready for your next challenge.

But your next challenge is already here. Try shifting your perspective of what it means to flow. The moments between poses are the greatest opportunities for discovery. What happens after you’ve come out of a long hold in triangle pose and prepare to the second side? Does it feel like time off, time to think about how your day went and what you’ll have for dinner? Does your breath become shallow and your feeling of connectedness fade?

In my own practice the in-between moments are the most exciting and challenging opportunity to discover the subtle flow. I love to explore how my breath moves as I continue to grow into a more complete expression of the pose. When I allow myself the time to settle in, I scan my body to understand how each part is working and where I can do less by letting go of tension. And as I come out, it takes a lot of mental involvement to not disengage and think ‘Check! Done with standing poses, now what’s next?’ The in-between moments are the gems that teach me about myself and the tendencies of my mind. They are the revealing moments of my practice. When I find myself wandering in those moments, I reengage my breath and come back.

Yoga is not solely about the physical, and experimenting with the in-between moments has helped me to understand that more completely. Explore what can happen when you use these in-between times as the flowing connection in your practice. When you feel antsy try holding the poses: instead of moving fast find the subtle movement even as you stay seemingly still. When you come out of a pose and prepare to move to the other side, experience the same sense of connectedness as when you swan dive into a forward bend in a sun salutation.  Practicing in this way requires that you bring your full attention to each moment, rather than relying on constant external stimulation or bodily sensation to keep you present. It’s a wonderful tool to help prevent you from growing too attached to physical sensations.

The in-between moments are essential off the mat as well. They are the quiet times in your day when you think: I’m bored. They're the weeks before a big event you're looking forward to, when you just can't wait to be at that moment. As you learn to be present and fully embody these in-between times in your yoga practice, you'll find it easier to handle them in your daily life. You may feel less of an urge to disengage or fill time with meaningless distractions, finding instead that every moment, no matter how subtle, deserves your full attention. Embrace the in-between and enjoy the subtleties of flow in your life.