Releasing Our Grip on What Should Be

I had an epiphany the other night while practicing a yin class. I was holding a long hip opener—low lunge on forearms—and the instructor cued us to lessen the gripping sensation and just allow the body to naturally go where it needed to. I realized then that I was holding the pose with quite a bit of tension—with this awareness I was able to release the gripping sensation in my body and find some softness and space in the surrender. It was a great reminder and the idea stuck with me and later transformed to my asking, "what else in my life am I gripping on to?"


Although I do believe that setting goals and having aspirations is a wise thing to do—you need to let the universe know what you want—I do feel we get caught up in the how it should happen. The practice of going with the flow comes from us checking in every now and again and bringing some awareness to the bigger picture and maybe reassess what it is we are holding on to—whether it is where we think we should be in our career, our relationships or financially. We need to loosen the grip on the how, 'cause sh*t is going to happen that is not part of the plan.


So, while you work out your goals for 2012, keep an open mind to how you will be able to achieve these things in your life. Ask yourself why you want these things and be open to how they might manifest in your life. Most of all remember to breath when things don't go according to plan—it's a reminder that we need to loosen our grip and just go with the flow.

Blessings and peace for a wonderful holiday season and see you in 2012!

Image: Natarajasana (Dancer's Pose) Yoga Art by Nancy Van Kanegan