Photography by Christopher T Martin

After three years rooted in the Carrboro community, the beloved yoga studio has moved into historic Carr Mill Mall — bringing with it a mission that goes well beyond the mat.

Recess Yoga, founded by Tom Sowders, is a small, independently-owned family of studios, with deep roots in Carrboro. The historic brick walls and arched windows of Carr Mill were a natural fit for a practice built on presence, community, and an unhurried calm.

The Recess Philosophy

Walk into Recess and you can tell the difference. There’s a certain energy to the space, and it comes from more than just the classes on the schedule.

Recess is built on three pillars. The first is beneficial movement — the physical practice itself. The second is what Tom calls light. Positive energy, a little bit of joy, and the simple happiness of being there. The third is mindfulness.  Helping people tune into the inner peace that, as Tom puts it, is already there.

“Everyone is already complete, and what you need to live your best life is already inside you,” Tom says. “It’s about tapping into it and letting the stuff that is not helping melt away.”

Yoga, at Recess, is a philosophy, not just exercise. Tom weaves traditional ideas like Santosha, the practice of cultivating contentment with how things are now, into the fabric of every class. “This is not about performance, or how it looks,” he says. “It’s about how it feels from the inside.”

What’s on the Schedule

Recess offers a range of classes designed to meet people wherever they are:

• Vinyasa Flow — breath-guided movement that helps you arrive in the present moment, with an emphasis on freedom to modify, take breaks, and make the practice your own.
• Yin — an all-floor, super-mellow class where you hold poses for up to five minutes using gravity, targeting deep tissue, connective tissue, and joint health. “That kind of fascia and joint work is way more important for longevity than just getting extra flexible,” Tom notes.
• Pilates — a community favorite, led by excellent teachers.

Throughout it all, a sense of meditation is threaded into the practice. “We are using our breath to stay present,” Tom says. “When you stay present, you’re getting in touch with a deeper, truer self.”

A Path In for Beginners

For anyone who has never practiced, or is trying to find their way back, Recess offers a 6-Week Yoga Transformation Program. It begins with a one-on-one session with Tom, who provides a personal mantra, a daily meditation practice, and a nutrition guide, along with six weeks of unlimited yoga. It’s a thoughtful, guided on-ramp designed to make the practice genuinely accessible.

Rooted in Carrboro, Growing Beyond

Recess is part of a small, independently-owned family of studios, led by Tom with a mission to strengthen the physical and mental health of the community — one practice, and one small act of connection, at a time.