Release?! Release what exactly?
I am not sure I have ever been in conversation with someone, friend, colleague or vague acquaintance and they have advised me to ‘release’. However, as a yoga teacher, and yogi, this is something I say, think and feel A LOT.
To those who are unfamiliar with yoga, or disconnected from their nervous system, body or the effect of stress on all of these elements the idea of ‘release’ may feel like a foreign concept. ‘Why the hell does my yoga teacher keep telling me to ‘release’ for goodness sakes?’ is a question that has been asked many a time!
But… it is all for good reason! I promise you :)
AN INVITATION
Firstly, it is not a command, but an INVITATION. By inviting you to notice where you are NOT releasing e.g. holding on/ tense/ tight/ stiff/ blocked/ knotted/ stuck in a loop/ obsessing or mithering about things that have or haven’t happened/ angry/ confused/ frustrated/ upset/ distracted/ comparing… we start the process of OBSERVATION which is the first step to getting to know ourselves better - to the ultimate aim of yoga - ‘unity’ or connectedness.
Secondly, the concept of release or ‘letting go’, quite often feels foreign to us in our western, ‘hustle’ culture, as we have been taught that activity, ‘busy-ness’ and constant focus on forward motion is where we should be placing all of our energy and focus. Therefore, in inviting release we are looking for it’s antithesis - slowing down, softening, adapting and flowing to allow ourselves the space to feel rather than think, know rather than do, be rather than act. This is why we call this our ‘practice’ - it takes time, focus and repetition to be able to start to feel into this instruction.
Thirdly, and building on the previous point. The concept of release is quite likely going to be met with RESISTANCE. It might feel counter-intuitive, unfamiliar and SCARY even! This idea that I could actually loosen my (perceived!) control on my life, my thoughts, how my body feels, and soften into the place where I am in the NOW (the present moment) can feel wildly TERRIFYING as we slowly begin to see that there is always another way, and that our current way might, just might, not be the best way. But what if we gave it a go anyway…??
In yogic philosophy (my lineage follows the Samkhya philosophy) it is said there are 5 ‘koshas’ (meaning ‘sheaths’ or ‘layers’) to each of us. The first relates to the physical, matter, the body - Annamaya Kosha. The next ‘Pranamaya’ kosha to the energetic body, the breath, your life force. The third ‘Manomaya’ kosher to the layer of the mind, the intellect, the emotions. The forth Vijnnamaya kosha brings our awareness to the intellect, our discernment and wisdom. Finally, the fifth kosha Anandamaya kosher relates to bliss - pure consciousness or spiritual connect to self and the divine.
BUT WHAT DOES ALL OF THIS MEAN?? Well, this philosophy has vast, sacred roots that underpin and inform yogic, Hindu, Jainism, Sikhism and other belief systems. However, for me, as a white female teacher doing my best to convey this rich instruction to rooms of students perhaps totally unfamiliar with this philosophy or any of its component parts… I explain it as follows…
Release in the BODY. Body awareness
Release in the BREATH. Breath connection and control
Release in the MIND. Observing the ‘Ripples of the mind'.’ (Sutras of Patanjali, 1.2 ‘Yogas citta vritti nirodha’)
Release in the HEART. Removing the ‘thorns’ which keep us trapped. (Michael Singer, Unteathered Soul, Chapter 9)
Release of the SPIRIT. Letting the tiger out of her cage! One-ness. Unity. Yoga. BLISS. (My own analogy from a savasana vision - but also one which Glennon Doyle uses in her book ‘Untamed’ of a cheetah named Tabitha!)
So…. how about it then?! This is YOUR invitation to find a space, a time, perhaps a yoga class, or teacher, or friend, or therapist or any creative pursuit, or time in nature, or with animals, or simply ON YOUR OWN… where you feel safe and able to start to observe, love, and release parts of you, which you have been holding on to for far too long. It is a PRACTICE. A marathon and not a sprint. A never-ending but increasingly beneficial, enjoyable and joy-full practice of stripping back all of the layers of BULLS*** which have amassed over the course of our lives - taught, leaned, borrowed, bestowed, ingrained, forced - and truly take back control of how you FEEL IN YOUR HEART.
If you’d love to try but aren’t sure where to start… come along to any class and begin the journey. I will be there right with you as your guide.