Do not fight the dark,
just turn on the light,
and breathe into
the goodness that you are.-Swami Kripalu, Self acceptance
At Wanderlust Vermont last weekend, my friend Chelsey Korus encouraged us before class to consider the idea of just be-ing, or existing as your whole self AS the present moment [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][even the qualities or memories you would rather eliminate] versus being IN the present moment.
Similarly, I’ve been thinking lately about the popular yoga-world phrase “let it go.” We see blissed out faces on yoga teachers and students and associate that with letting go of the baggage that makes people cranky, and thanks to yoga everything seems “all good.” For the moment, anyways.
Although letting go it is a practical and primordial survival instinct – we must let go of something to move onto something else – it is not something we can all easily put into practice, even if you do a physical yoga practice every day. It often takes time, awareness, and understanding before we can let something – emotion, person, place, thing – and our attachment to it move onward.
Parents eventually know and learn to let go of control over their children, possibly against their desire to hold on tightly. Whether or not they do it, how they do it, and if they ever let go of the grasping or sadness is unique to each individual. So although parents see their kids off to school, to travel, to get married – it does not mean they necessarily let go of the feelings that went along with the act of letting go.
At times the act of letting go is out of our control. Children eventually have no choice but to let go of their parents, whether that means the first day of school or watching them pass on. Whether or not they let go of the emotions linked to their situation is unique to each child.
Many of us might associate letting go with ridding of possessions, starting fresh à la KonMari from The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. We envision ourselves free from the shackles of objects that take up unnecessary physical or mental space, or that represent undesirable memories. Then we are confused why we continually end up with stuff to get rid of, or the same emotions kicking us in the face.
Amanda Giacomini and Coby Kozlowski both introduced a relatable concept in their Wanderlust classes [was the universe trying to drill this into my head?], that relinquishing our earthly possessions as modern house-holding humans is not always a means of finding enlightenment.
“Letting go” physically and emotionally does not mean we don’t love our home and new shoes, that we don’t fight for what or who we believe in when we need to, that we don’t still feel sad when we think of heartbreak or the Orlando tragedy or the loss of a loved one.
It is these emotions, memories and experiences that make us gloriously, uniquely, beautifully whole. Chelsey shared a personal revelation where she invited parts of her past she preferred not to identify with to hop onto the bus, but insisted that her Self in the present moment would be driving. We are all at the wheel steering our own vehicle, whether we’ve “let it go” or not.
You might have had or still have a junk or miscellaneous closet, where stuff is shoved to remain temporarily out of sight. Then comes the day when we open it up to cram in more stuff, and it spills out all over you. Perhaps we can all learn to avoid this by looking at what you want to hide and sitting with the discomfort before you decide what to do with it.
Toward the end of Tuesday’s proper ass-kicking class when we were feeling worn out, Rodney Yee said we don’t have to always fix what we interpret as our restrictions, we just have to see them.
How does this translate into life? When I feel overwhelmed with someone or something, I’ve been trying to allow the feelings to be there, to look at them and watch them move through my body. Sometimes it results in a growl or loud expletive, letting the tears flow or quietly journaling my frustrations. Then I watch it pass, even if only for that moment.
Occasionally the dis-ease returns, even if I think I’ve let it go, so I try to learn from and be with it again. Spoiler alert: even yoga teachers and practitioners might not have fully let go of all of their shit [yet].
As if I needed another reminder, my applied kinesiologist doctor said to me this week, “You’ve got to stop worrying so much about the future Sasha, the present is what matters most. Be here.” Point taken.
So yeah, let it go, whatever that means to you. Know that you are deserving of the peace you believe the act of letting go might make space for in your life. Remember to shift the power your thoughts and emotions might have over you, if and when you are able to.
But also let it be. Be here, be whole. Be a mess, then let it pass and be clear. Be overwhelmed, and be bored. Be in your darkness, and be so fully in your light you feel as though you could float and fly and laugh and cry all at the same time. Be the moment.
I understand this is variable depending on our individual physical and mental situations. Regardless, I invite you to invite in whatever you want to let go of and let yourself be with it for a moment. It might sit stubbornly still, it might pass, it might see-saw back and forth. Learn, watch, be with the awareness.
Please share what helps you to let it be.
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*Photo by Renee Choi with Caroline Smith, wearing Hyde yoga apparel.[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]
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