These momentary pauses are madhya - the spaces between (two breaths, thoughts, actions...) For the next few weeks, let's offer ourselves the generosity of a tiny moment of pause between movements, poses, and breaths and notice what difference it makes both on and off the mat. These pauses are not "holding" but rather moments of suspension such as the moment a ball thrown upwards pauses just before it falls back down, or a child in a swing is momentarily still before the swing glides the other way.
The great teacher Shankaracharya taught this practice of pause in relation to pranayama: Knowing everything - the whole material world - is a manifestation of Eternal, Timeless Awareness (Brahman) is rechaka (breathing out); knowing “I am a manifestation of Eternal, Timeless Awareness” (Atman) is puraka (breathing in). Steadiness in that knowing is kumbhaka (natural suspension of the breath).This is the truest form of pranayama; the rest only torture the nose.