How Do You Like Your Vinyasas?

Slow vs fast pace dilemma!

I love the creativity and heat of fast pace flowing yoga classes but I feel more centered in a slow-paced anatomy and mindfulness focused ones. My home practice is also more slow-paced and sometimes even restorative. I don’t think that one is better than another but they are definitely different and serve different purposes.

Below are a few of my rambling thoughts on the subject of fast vs slow yoga classes but I would love to hear your thoughts! Do get more out of a Sun Salutations-rich heat building fast flow or do you prefer holding poses and working deeply with anatomy and breath?

Slow	Fast
More strength building, calms the mind, creates a more centered and deeply internal practice	Creates more heat within the body and mind. It allows for more creativity, flexibility, energy building. It can lead to an antsy mind and anxiety for those who are hyperactive and too worried to begin with.
Slow pace makes you face your internal world more than anything. It create moments of stillness and all the internal deep-seated emotions and thoughts start to come out. It can be uncomfortable and scary in the beginning but it is never boring.	Fast flow allows you to focus more on the breath and create more of a movement/breath connection. It increases your awareness of moving your body through space around you. There is less internal work.
In slow pace classes it is your responsibility to work with every asana internally and take it deeper with every breath.	In a fast pace class you can turn off your mind. The movement is led by the instructor and your mind can rest and take a break. There is a lot less of a required internal work
Slow is more for the mind and can help achieve quiet mind and stillness necessary for meditation. It helps to become comfortable with emptiness.	Fast is more for the body because it warms up muscles, fascia, joints and creates a sensation of lightness in all your movements after the class