Flow with Intention: Coming Home to the Heart of Yoga

There’s something rebellious and powerful about slowing down.

In a world that moves fast, where we’re always reaching for the next thing, choosing to move with intention is a radical act. That’s what slow flow yoga is for me. A way to soften the edges, reconnect with breath, and remember that presence is the real practice.

When I first started teaching, I thought yoga had to look a certain way; sweaty, strong, impressive. But over time, I’ve come to cherish the slower spaces. The pauses between the poses. The softness that invites something deeper to rise.

Because yoga, at its core, was never about the perfect handstand.
It’s a path back to self.

And that path? It’s beautifully laid out in what we call the 8 Limbs of Yoga, a guide for living a meaningful, connected life. Not just on the mat, but in everything we do.

Let me briefly walk you through them, the way I reflect on them in my own practice, especially in slow flow, where there’s room to feel every layer.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. Yama – Ethical Restraints

These are the “don’ts” that help us live in harmony with the world. Things like non-violence, truthfulness, non-stealing, moderation, and non-attachment.

In slow flow, ahimsa means I don’t push past my body’s boundaries. I listen. I treat myself gently. That’s where true self love begins.

2. Niyama – Inner Observances

These are the “do’s” that help cultivate a healthy inner life, cleanliness, contentment, discipline, self-study, and surrender.

Each time I step on my mat with intention, I’m practicing santosha, contentment. Not needing to achieve or perfect. Just showing up and being with what is.

 3. Asana – The Physical Postures

Yes, the poses matter. But not for the reasons we think. The goal isn’t to become more flexible, it’s to become more aware.

In slow flow, we use the postures not to impress, but to express what’s within. Each shape becomes a mirror. Each breath, a chance to land more fully in the body.

4. Pranayama – Breath Control

This is the heart of slow flow. The breath is what leads. It becomes the rhythm, the anchor. We lengthen it, listen to it, let it guide the shape, not the other way around.

Breath reminds me I’m alive. It reminds me I’m here.

5. Pratyahara – Withdrawal of the Senses

This doesn’t mean ignoring the world, it means turning inward. In slow flow, we dim the noise. We close our eyes. We come back to the subtle.

It’s not about tuning out, it’s about tuning in.

6. Dharana – Concentration

When we slow down, we can focus more deeply. Maybe on the breath, maybe on a mantra, maybe on a single point in the body.

This limb invites us to gather the mind, like drawing scattered light into a single beam.

7. Dhyana – Meditation

From concentration comes meditation. A quiet steadiness. In class, this might show up as a long, lingering hold or a still moment in child’s pose when everything falls into place.

You realize you don’t need to do, you just need to be.

8. Samadhi – Bliss or Union

This is the big one. The feeling of connection, to life, to others, to your own soul. It’s not something we force. It arrives quietly, often when we least expect it.

Sometimes, I catch glimpses of it in Savasana. When the breath is soft, the body still, and the heart wide open.

~~~~~~~~~

So yes, slow flow is a gentler approach to the practice. But don’t mistake gentleness for weakness. It’s a practice of deep inner strength, the kind that doesn’t shout, but whispers.

It’s not about escaping life. It’s about meeting it with open arms and a steady breath.

If you’ve been feeling disconnected, overwhelmed, or just craving a moment of stillness, I invite you to try a slow flow class.

Come as you are.
Bring your breath.
Leave the rest.

Because the more gently you move, the more deeply you feel.
And sometimes, that’s exactly what the soul needs.

BY: MARIE TRIPLETT