Let go to live fully

Have you contemplated the concept of letting go?

Our biggest experience of letting go is when we let go of the breath on an exhale to make way for an inhale. In yoga, when you let go of tension, you go deeper into a posture and can hold it longer. But the art of letting go can also apply to people, places, and things as well as points of view and emotions. 

When something no longer serves you, hanging onto it can hold you back. When you get stuck on what could’ve-would’ve-should’ve happened, you lose grip on the here and now. Holding onto emotions keeps you from being fully present. (To be clear: it’s fine to feel angry or sad or jubilant or whatever emotion comes up. Emotions are part of the human experience. Feel them fully. Learn from them. Take action if needed. But don't dwell there. Don’t hang onto them once they’ve served their purpose.) 

Sometimes you’re holding onto emotional pain and trauma that didn’t originate with you. You may be holding the weight of something that happened to your ancestors without realising it. A traumatic event can create subconscious patterns – such as avoidance, shutting down, fear – that are passed along from one generation to the next. 

How do you let go of something you don’t realise you’re holding on to? The beauty of kundalini yoga is that it can help you release blocks that you aren't aware you had. All those spinal flexes, twists, and tricky mudras move energy. As things release, you may feel lighter, brighter, more energetic. You may find your yoga practice gets easier. But also, you might find more ease in your daily routine.