Letting Go
I had a lot of interest in the reading from this week and wanted to post it here
for your use. It came from Yoga Journal, a terrific source of all things YOGA!
Letting Go
Have you ever been in a challenging pose and noticed that you are gripping your jaw
or holding your breath? Of course you have! We all tend to overwork in yoga
class, sometimes to the point that all movement has stopped and we are simply
holding on.
You may hear the teacher say, ‘relax’, or ‘let go’, or even‘surrender’, and although
that sounds appealing, there might be a voice inside you that worries things
would fall apart if you really let go.
What does letting go actually mean? It is not the same thing as collapsing. In fact,
letting go is not another thing to do, it is a nondoing. Letting go is not
something we can force, but we can create the causes and conditions for it to
occur.
Think of bedtime. There is a soft yet firm mattress, delicious warm covers, and maybe
even a little dog cuddled up at your feet. It is dark and quiet and you feel
safe. The next thing you know, you are unconscious, blissfully sleeping.
Similarly, applying the right causes and conditions to your practice will give you the
confidence to let go and open to your yoga experience. Enjoy the support of a
teacher and a community of fellow yogi’s, and study the rich teachings of yoga.
Yoga’s fluid balance of exertion and release as we move through class promotes a
relaxed wakefulness. Turn to your fellow yogis for encouragement and
camaraderie. Remind each other that yoga is a process of unfolding.
And
remember, opposites are interdependent. Doing coexists with nondoing; advancing
informs retreating. Letting go and holding on are also interdependent. Letting
go doesn’t have to mean losing your grip, but it can mean relaxing enough to
create some space. That fresh space is where possibilities live, and opening to
that is the best letting go of all.
I had a lot of interest in the reading from this week and wanted to post it here
for your use. It came from Yoga Journal, a terrific source of all things YOGA!
Letting Go
Have you ever been in a challenging pose and noticed that you are gripping your jaw
or holding your breath? Of course you have! We all tend to overwork in yoga
class, sometimes to the point that all movement has stopped and we are simply
holding on.
You may hear the teacher say, ‘relax’, or ‘let go’, or even‘surrender’, and although
that sounds appealing, there might be a voice inside you that worries things
would fall apart if you really let go.
What does letting go actually mean? It is not the same thing as collapsing. In fact,
letting go is not another thing to do, it is a nondoing. Letting go is not
something we can force, but we can create the causes and conditions for it to
occur.
Think of bedtime. There is a soft yet firm mattress, delicious warm covers, and maybe
even a little dog cuddled up at your feet. It is dark and quiet and you feel
safe. The next thing you know, you are unconscious, blissfully sleeping.
Similarly, applying the right causes and conditions to your practice will give you the
confidence to let go and open to your yoga experience. Enjoy the support of a
teacher and a community of fellow yogi’s, and study the rich teachings of yoga.
Yoga’s fluid balance of exertion and release as we move through class promotes a
relaxed wakefulness. Turn to your fellow yogis for encouragement and
camaraderie. Remind each other that yoga is a process of unfolding.
And
remember, opposites are interdependent. Doing coexists with nondoing; advancing
informs retreating. Letting go and holding on are also interdependent. Letting
go doesn’t have to mean losing your grip, but it can mean relaxing enough to
create some space. That fresh space is where possibilities live, and opening to
that is the best letting go of all.
RSS Feed
