Shoelace
Featuring Mindy, NS Lead Teacher
Shoelace is a seated yin pose that opens the outer hips, glutes, and IT band—the places we often carry daily stress and physical storage. In this posture, the knees overlap like crisscrossed shoelaces, mirroring how life becomes entangled until we pause.
The magic happens in stillness: as you breathe into the shapes and spaces, the body softens and the mind can follow.
Shoelace reminds us that some untangling takes time. It asks us to sit, to breathe, to stay. And in that staying, the softening begins.”
How to Practice Shoelace:
Begin seated with legs extended.
Cross your right leg over the left, stacking knees as close as is accessible.
Bring both feet toward the outer hips, grounding evenly through both sit bones.
Keep a tall spine or gently fold forward—choose what feels supportive.
Breathe here for 2–5 minutes, then switch sides slowly.
Modifications
Prop up your sit bones on a folded blanket if knees lift.
Place blocks under knees if they hover above the seat.
Fold over a bolster or block for gentle support when leaning forward.
Mindful Tips:
Keep the breath slow and even—especially if the pose feels intense.
Use the stillness to notice urges to rush, fix, or judge—and then return to breath.
Affirmation:
“I breathe into what feels bound. With patience and breath, unraveling unfolds.”
Shoelace offers more than stretch—it offers metaphor. It teaches us to sit with our own complexity, to stay long enough for release, and to notice the unfolding story of resilience woven through each breath.
Join us in class to explore Shoelace and its lessons in presence, patience, and presence. Your body—and your heart—will thank you for staying.
