I once read that it is not the earth that needs changing, the earth replenishes itself. Its the human condition that needs to change. I stood at the edge of the ocean today and let the earth move underneath me. I stood and breathed in the immensity of the beauty that stood before me. As I stood and watched the waves come up over my feet, and felt the earth move beneath me, I knew I was looking at the earth at work. Bringing in the new and letting go of what does not serve her any longer.
Letting go.
This is something that most people struggle with on a daily basis, on and off the mat. It’s something I struggle with each time I step on my mat. I can’t let go, if I fall out, I analyze why, if I couldn’t do a posture the last time I stepped onto my mat, I need to try again and figure out how I will do the pose. I have trouble letting go.
I have been to two yoga classes so far on vacation. Yesterday we were asked to get into wheel three times. The first time I made it half way through the pose. I thought that maybe, since we were in a hot room, that each time I would get a little deeper into the pose. That did not happen. Instead, I struggled the second time, and felt utterly defeated by the third time. It was a very frustrating moment for me.
Today in yoga I witnessed what it was like to let go. I fell out of every balancing pose, but I let it go. I kept on going and tried my best. We did bridge pose and from bridge we were asked to go into wheel. For a moment I cringed. I wasn’t going to do it. But then I thought, Maria don’t think about it, just do it, jus let go. And suddenly, unexpectedly I was in wheel. I swear my eyes must have popped out of my head like a cartoon character, that’s how surprised I was.
But as I stand here looking out into the vastness of the ocean, I understand. All I needed to do was let go,and allow my body, that holds all of my secrets show me just how powerful I am.
Just like the ocean, our bodies change from moment to moment. Just think about the last time you were frustrated or sad. Are you still frustrated or sad? Probably not, and even if you are, probably not about the same thing. That’s because we change.
I learned today, that just like the ocean we can let go of what does not serve us, and we can become active in our process of change. I wanted so much last week, and yesterday, to get into wheel, but all I had to do was have faith that my body could do it. I needed to relinquish control of the process and just let it happen. I needed to listen to my body whispering to just let go, rather than try to control it.
The body is just like the ocean, it wants to let go of what does not serve it. But due to our fear of letting go, our fear of the trust in the process we so not allow it to happen.
As I stared out into the ocean today, I felt as if it were speaking to me, showing me that today was not a fluke, but a moment of peace where I listened and learned. And now I know with patience, understanding, and trust in the process nothing is unachievable.
Today my mind bowed to my body and i learned to let go.
Living yoga in a military wife's life 