The Yogic moral Aparigraha can be translated as meaning non-grasping, non-possesiveness and non-hoarding. Clearing our homes, bodies, minds and lives of things we don't need can help us to 'let go' and make space in our lives. One way to practice aparigraha is to let go of some of our physical possessions. Did you ever ask yourself what you really use or what items you really love? Is your home full of clothes, things, gadgets, lotions, potions and paperwork that you don't use? I’m pretty sure most of us have extra stuff that we don’t really need. Maybe you live in small flat or apartment and even have to pay to keep stuff in storage. Yes, decluttering can make you richer! ;) “Letting go isn’t the end of the world; it’s the beginning of a new life.” - Unknown On an extreme level you could even be physically bound by your things. We have one friend that wants to move across the country but can't get rid of any of her things. Its easy to look in from the outside and see how this is sabotaging her dreams but harder when you are inside it. By being aware of our attachments to our possessions and recognizing the mental bonds we have created to ‘things’ we are on the path to self awareness. Once we do this we can then take small steps to change and free ourselves from some of these mental bonds that keep us stuck. “But when we really delve into the reasons for why we can’t let something go, there are only two: an attachment to the past or a fear for the future.” Releasing and letting go of things from your physical environment can also feel amazing. We love it! It can help you feel lighter and literally give you more space. In feng shui, clutter is often said to be stagnant energy and clutter clearing can help positive energy(chi) flow just how a physical Yoga asana practice can help the energy (prana) flow through the body.
So my loves final thoughts of the day.....Let it go and let it f low! Need help with where to start? Check out Marie Kondos’ book ‘the life-changing magic of tidying up’ I read it last year and it really is a game changer.
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Aparigraha is one of the Yamas (morals of Yoga) from Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. It can be transalated as,“non-hoarding”, “non-possessiveness” and “non-attachment” This Yama can be related to so many situations in its meaning. Anything from hoarding to many shoes, clothes and lovely things to being over possessive in our relationships, or too attached to our status or jobs. The one phrase I would say best describes Aparigraha is to 'let go'. We can remind ourselves to practice Aparigraha in our physical Yoga class by letting go. Whenever we remember to stop clenching our jaw when balancing, or holding on for dear life by crunching up those toes, and stop holding our breath, we are practicing Aparigraha. aparigrahasthairye janmakathamtasambodhah When we learn to phyically let go of what is not needed in our yoga practice, we can stop trying too hard. We can get out of our own way and just let it happen with ease and enjoyment. This concept can be seen in our daily lives too. Have you ever struggled with the following? We certainly have at times!
There's an important difference between giving up and letting go. |
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