Happy Friday! Today we’re taking a fresh look at… well… Fresh Take Fridays, your to-do list, yoga itself, the sacred art of rest, non-attachment, and taking your yoga off the mat.
Yoga has become so synonymous with the achievement of poses in the West that many people aren’t aware that the term yoga refers to a whole system of practice. This system includes eight “limbs” that include ethical guidelines (yamas, or restraints), observances (niyamas), breath work (pranayama), postural yoga (asana), and practices that work with the mind (pratyahara – withdrawing the senses, dharana – concentration, dhyana – meditation, and samadhi – bliss/ enlightenment). As you can see, when we just work with the poses for their own sake, we miss a lot of the meaning of yoga.
In today’s video, I talk a little about aparigraha (non-grasping or non-attachment) and really being ok with non-achievement, with letting things go, and with honoring the need for rest or a change in direction.
Let me know your thoughts. What are you letting go of this weekend?
Rachel Ishiguro Yoga Therapy 