At the beginning of every yoga class, I ask my students to find an “anchor” for class. Something to bring them back to the present moment when they notice their mind has slipped into thought and wandered away from the mat. An anchor can be something such as staying connected to the sensation of the breath—soft inhales, gentle exhales—or the feeling of the mat beneath their toes, or to find a word or mantra such as “acceptance” or “find the ease.”
However, for the month of March, I decided to set a theme for the class as a collective anchor. Everyone’s interpretation and choice as to how to implement the anchor is completely up to them (or even to choose something totally different. I’m here for the yogis that go rogue!). The class theme is: RELEASE.
I invited the class to find a comfortable position to begin, and prompted the students to take an inventory of themselves to find what they need to release throughout the class. This would be their anchor. It could be physical, mental, or emotional. The magic about releasing is it creates space in the body and mind to go deeper. Physically, deeper into the posture. But also mentally and emotionally, it allows us to reach new depths inside when we release the things we clench and cling to: perfectionism, resentment, self-judgment, doubt, control, fear… the list goes on and on.
I’ve since been reflecting on what it is I need to release in my life. I don’t give a damn about released hamstrings if my heart isn’t open and released as well. It’s funny how I can be blind to my own self sometimes, but surely enough, as I let the question sit and ponder within, I realize I need to let go of control. The need for certainty. The resistance to change. The fear of the unknown.
But what is control? In the context I’m using it (something I need to let go of), even the word is annoying to me! But truly, all that control is, is self-protection. It’s disguised fear. It’s an attempt to find a sense of autonomy or even certainty over a given situation, outcome, etc. But at the end of the day, the things we are trying to control end up controlling us. And none of us want that.
Life is not linear. It’s more like the ocean. An ebb and flow. Rise and fall. Things come and go.
Have you ever tried to scoop up water in your hand and close your grasp to keep the water? The water slips through the cracks, and you end up clenching onto nothingness (and likely end up with achey fingers too). It’s wasted energy. Control is merely an illusion. But we so often cling to it for dear life only to have all sense of peace slip away from our hearts and a lot less energy for the beautiful things of life.
So I ask you: What do you need to release?
Below are four tips I have for you to get you started!
Step one:
Discern what it is that you need to let go of. Be specific about what it is you’re releasing.
Ask yourself: What’s making me feel stuck and held back? What heaviness am I carrying? Where am I holding tension?
Perhaps you need to release expectations of yourself or other people. Maybe you need to release self-judgment to make space for self-compassion. Maybe, like me, you’re working to release control and learning to surrender to where life is calling you to go. There are many things we hold on to. Pick one or two things that you want to focus on. Below are a few other prompts that may help your self-inventory.
Do you feel the need to always be busy or productive?
Release the fear of being still (staying busy can be its own addiction!)
Do you find yourself resisting your current life situation/relationship/etc?
Release the fear of accepting things as they are.
Do you feel the pressure to do everything perfectly?
Release the fear of imperfection.
Do you find yourself comparing your current situation to other people and judging it as better or worse than your own?
Release the fear of comparison and unfairness (comparison doesn’t help any situation).
Release, release, release…
Step two:
Think of one way today that you can release what you intend to let go of.
Ask yourself: What can I do about it? How can I create more space in my life?
Much like I do for my students in my class, I like to get into a relaxing posture (child’s pose, savasana, reclined butterfly pose, just to name a few) and rest there for a few moments, allowing my breath to relax my body. A relaxed body creates an environment for the mind to soften and the spirit to restore. Once my body has relaxed, I call to mind what my heart is yearning to release. Releasing emotions or pain comes naturally once you’ve cultivated this space of safety inside. It’s like embodied prayer.
Find whatever it is for you that will release your heart. It could be the relaxation technique I described above. Or a simple prayer. Time in nature. Expressing yourself through creativity (I hear painting is cathartic). Hold yourself accountable and do your one thing today.
Step three:
Notice how you feel after.
Ask yourself: How do I feel now? Do I feel any different?
Find a journal to write it out; this will be your very own data for your self-growth! Maybe you feel more open and spacious inside. Maybe you feel a greater sense of peace. Maybe you don’t and that’s ok too. Releasing takes time. There’s no magical short cut (and if there is, someone please tell me!) and the deeper engrained things are, the longer it can take to release.
Step four:
Practice. We don’t change or improve by doing something once and never going back. Practice creates lasting change!
Ask yourself: How can I implement this practice in my daily life?
Start with a week. That’s just 7 days! It could be 10 minutes a day if that’s all you have. But keep this promise to yourself and do it. You can even tell a friend as an “accountability-buddy.”
I can’t wait for you to experience the beauty of releasing. Bringing mindfulness to what we are releasing is a very powerful thing. Let’s invite peace into our hearts, today and everyday :)
Serenity and love,
Colleen