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Practice Of Letting Go

Releasing All that No Longer Serves You

Jan 04, 2017

The practice of letting go, is a significant aspect of a lot of yogi thought and is one of the hardest things to achieve.

I had done several yoga flows that focused on letting go, and while meditating I found how hard that is, more for some than others. Going into 2017, the idea of letting go brings a good kind of challenge, especially when we really look at, what it exactly means to let go.

I heard repeated in one yoga class, letting go is not giving up or giving in, it is growing up. It is accepting what is, and being comfortable moving forward. It is fearlessness. When I hear the term "letting go", I think of it as being compromising. I never want to be compromising. I want to be aggressive and unrelenting and fight for what I believe in and my dreams. However, negative thoughts and energy have an insidious way of clinging to your consciousness in almost a tangible way. I have always wanted to be that person with a rocky exterior who doesn't allow anything to get to them. But that easier said than done.

Often times we cling to things that we have come to believe will make us happy, or at least supposed to. Finding love, leading a successful career, being the best daughter, mother, friend and more. Though there is nothing wrong with all of the above, there is a distinct way in which these goals lend to unnecessary stress and misdirection. Is tirelessly pursuing my career going to bring me the happiness I seek? Each and every person has imbalance in their life.

Letting go is in a way a type of mindfulness. Realizing what is really going on in your life, and releasing things into the universe. Releasing control. Living in alignment.

Yoga practice truly is a great method to gaining this sort of letting go. Yoga poses and practices can drastically alter how the mind, body and spirit function alone and together. As I am working on meditation I like to think of the seven energy Chakras and how energies of the body effect of we feel, and also how we are feeding into those energy centers.

Let us make the mantra of 2017, letting go. Let's stay focused and not allow for the opinions of others the change our course. Stay humble, work for balance, and let go of all that does not serve you.

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.

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Practice Of Letting Go

Releasing All that No Longer Serves You

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All names should be "unisex names."

1. Communicating via email can be awkward.

2. Appointments usually accompany weird looks.

3. Introducing yourself to someone is never without a hitch.

4. You’ve probably thought about changing your name.

5. You’re often asked why you have the name you do.

6. You get excited when you meet someone of your gender with your name.

7. You feel awkward when you meet someone of the opposite gender with your name.

8. You’ve had someone say to you, “I knew a [your name], but they were [your opposite gender].”

9. You’ve heard a bad joke/pick-up line or two about your name before.

10. People are surprised when they see you.

11. You’re extra sensitive to other unique or unisex names.

12. You’ve fought with your parents about it.

13. All things considered, you’re happy your name makes you unique.

You know that all of these things apply to you. You'll just never tell.

I get it... I'm pale.

1. At least I can't lose you in a crowd!

2. Oh my goodness your skin is like glow-in-the-dark.

3. Can't you just get fake tan?

4. Do you tan or just burn?

5. Your kids are going to look like Casper the Friendly Ghost!

6. *holds arm against your arm* Look how much darker I am compared to you!

7. *holds pale arm against another pale arm* Aw, at least you're darker than her!

8. I laid out by the pool almost every day over break!

9. I haven't used sunscreen since I was, like, five.

10. *adjusts selfie lighting to their face* Oops, where'd you go??

11. *after working out* Your face is SO red!

12. *wears white* Look! You're all one color!

13. You need to get some sun.

14. Aren't you excited for summer?

The struggle bus is real.

1. Child prodigies:

2. Hearing other musicians in the practice room next door and accepting that you will never be as talented as them:

3. That anxiety that takes over before every performance:

4. Taking a million 0 credit classes:

5. When there's a paper due the next day, but you have to attend yet another concert in order to pass a 0 credit class:

6. When your friends try to encourage you after a performance, even though you are criticizing everything in your mind:

7. Knowing that there's always that one professor during juries:

8. The oh-so-attractive band/choir uniforms:

9. Realizing that a college campus is maybe not the best atmosphere to finish your latest composition:

10. Hearing "Oh, you sing opera? I LOVE Phantom of the Opera!" for the hundredth time:

11. When people think finals week is a breeze for you.

12. When you're drowning in the stress that comes with 18+ credits (and not to mention all those 0 credit classes) and people ask you how you are:

13. When it all comes down to it, though, you know that at the end of the day, music is your passion:

Because you need it in your life.

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6. holds arm against your arm Look how much darker I am compared to you!

7. holds pale arm against another pale arm Aw, at least you're darker than her!

10. adjusts selfie lighting to their face Oops, where'd you go??

11. after working out Your face is SO red!

12. wears white Look! You're all one color!