Leap Into Letting Go

There are several frogs in our studio. We love them because they are amazingly transformative creatures. Imagine hatching as a tadpole in the water, then growing legs and lungs to live on the land! Frogs instinctively know the meaning of "over" and "next". Yet we as humans forget the nature of impermanence. Everything changes. Nothing stays the same. Yet we foolishly cling and to our experiences with the illusion that we can control things to stay exactly the way we want them to.

The fifth yama, or moral restraint, in yoga is "Aparigraha" which can be interpreted as non-possessiveness, non-attachment, non-greed, non-grasping, non-coveting or simply put, learning to let go. Yoga reminds us that the bridge between "over" and "next" is the present moment. When we breathe, we can enjoy the fullness of the inhalation, then just as deeply and fully, enjoy the release of exhale. The breath is always flowing. What if we could trust life like the breath? Taking in all the nourishment and enjoyment of the moment, and then letting it go fully, trusting that more nourishment will come.

When we come to the mat with expectations, it can lead to disappointment. If we can approach our practice each time with wonderment and simple joy for the breath and how are bodies respond in that breath, the magic begins to happen. We start to let go of judgment, criticism, limited beliefs and begin to create space for all that's waiting for us.

What are you ready to let go of? What holds you back? It's time to be your best self. Start to embrace "over" and leap into the unknown of what's "next".