The Yoga of In‑Between
Find Balance in Transitions
(Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes)
Yoga offers us shapes and sequences, but its deepest teachings happen well beyond the mat. One of the most powerful lessons we can carry into daily life is how we move through transitions, through the pauses, handoffs, and uncertain spaces between one thing and the next.
In practice, we learn to see transitions not as throwaway moments, but as balancing postures of their own. It turns out the same is true in life. The way we shift from conversation to silence, from work to home, or from one season of life to another carries just as much weight as the “main event” moments.
When we treat those in‑between spaces with the same care we give a yoga pose, everything softens. We create steadiness, breath, and a way of moving through change with more ease.
Why Transitions Off the Mat Matter
Daily life is full of constant micro‑shifts. We change roles, adjust to unexpected news, and pivot countless times before the day is done.
Most often, we rush through these moments. We hurry from one role or responsibility straight into the next without pause, as if the shift isn’t worth noticing. That’s when we stumble (think: snapping at someone we love, spinning into distraction, or losing our ground).
But when we bring balance into the transition itself, when we pause, breathe, and create a controlled “step” from one thing to another, those same shifts become steadier, calmer, and more intentional.
How to Practice Transitions in Daily Life
Here are a few ways to treat everyday shifts as balancing postures:
1. The Pause Before You Respond
Conversation is a constant flow of energy. Instead of rushing to fill the space, pause for a single breath before replying. This pause is your balancing posture. It steadies your words and allows for thoughtful, compassionate response instead of reaction.
2. Between Work and Home
The moment you turn off your computer or close the door at work is a transition. Instead of carrying one role straight into the other, stop and breathe. For example, sit in your car for a moment before driving, or take three grounding breaths at your doorway before stepping in. This creates space to arrive with intention instead of dragging old energy with you.
3. From Stress to Rest
At night, falling into bed is a transition many of us rush. What if, instead, you paused before lying down to notice your breath, dim the lights slowly, and release your shoulders? Those small balancing moments shift your nervous system and prepare your body differently for rest.
4. Life’s Bigger Shifts
Career changes, moves, new relationships, or endings, these are all “macro” transitions that can feel overwhelming. Rather than rushing to get to the next chapter or resisting the change altogether, remember that the in‑between is the practice. Treat this phase like you would a balancing pose: steady your breath, find a counterweight (support systems, routines), and allow
yourself to wobble without giving up.
The Good Kind of Wobble
Balance isn’t about being perfectly still. In a yoga class, when you stand on one foot, micro‑adjustments are constantly happening for you to stay upright. Life transitions are just the same. We wobble. We adjust. The important part is staying patient, attentive, and present in the process.
Try This at Home: A Transition Ritual
Choose one repeating transition in your day—something small, like:
getting out of bed,
shifting from one meeting to the next
moving from dinner cleanup to rest.
Instead of rushing, add a simple ritual: one deep breath, a stretch of your body, or even stating quietly, “Now I arrive here.”
Do this for one week and notice how much more grounded you feel—not only in the transition, but in the moments that follow.
Ask yourself: Where am I rushing past the moments in between? Notice how treating transitions as balancing postures, whether between tasks, roles, or entire chapters of life, changes your sense of steadiness and grace.