The Art of Allowing

The Master does nothing, yet he leaves nothing undone. The
ordinary man is always doing things, yet many more are left to be done.

– Lao Tzu

Western culture is rooted in achievement, busyness, and productivity. If someone asks you “What did you do today?” and all you did was take a nap and read a book, you might feel uncomfortable answering the question. Because what’s “productive” about napping? Self-care is not deemed a useful spending of one’s time in modern society and is thus regarded as unproductive. So, to keep up appearances, we stay busy. This culture cultivates a need to fill our time with doing things, whether those things actually need doing or not.

This doing for the sake of being busy can get us in a lot of trouble. It creates far more problems than solutions. It’s the culture of forcing, making things happen, and bending circumstances to our will. And a quick perusal of the plant, mineral, and even animal kingdoms will tell you that attitude is contrary to natural law. Nature doesn’t force, it follows the path of least resistance.

Lessons from Nature’s Archetypes

The archetype of the ram clearly demonstrates nature’s power and humanity’s inversion – the power of a ram can overcome obstacles and generate momentum to get it through difficult situations. Invert that power and the ram is smashing its head against a brick wall, again and again and again and…..in this case, the ram is trying to force something that isn’t meant to happen. When, instead, it could look around and find a path around the wall rather than through. And, if it’s not stubborn and prideful, the ram will take it. What would you do?

The reason why we try to force things almost always stem from self-worth being tied to productivity. This can show itself as too proud to admit “defeat,” too afraid to try something new or different, or too stubborn to let go. But nature will soon be there to remind us of the wisdom of the path of least resistance.

The Horse and the Wise Man

There is an old story about an ornery horse tied up in a narrow street. No one could walk past him because he would kick them, and so the villagers gathered at the end of the alley trying to find a solution for how to walk past the horse. One of them noticed the wisest man in the village approaching and they all rushed to ask him, “Master, master, how do we get past the horse?” The wise man took one look down the street, then walked down a different street.

Why fight the horse when he could just take another path? So why do we fight circumstances and immovable obstacles? There is always another path. It may require sacrifice or discomfort, but maybe that’s the point of the obstacle to begin with! Doors are shut in your life not to punish you, but to guide you. Obstacles are placed in your path to provide opportunity for growth or to redirect your path. When you can shift your perspective to seeing the universe as benevolent, it is much easier to trust that the “difficulties” in your life are there to benefit you, not hurt you. And at that moment, you can turn the ram’s energy upright again, and use your power of change and creation like the earth does. With patience, with a knowing that something as soft and gentle as water can destroy mountains, with the trust to allow a higher force into your life to guide you towards your best self!

Cultivating Trust and Letting Go through Yoga

This practice will ask you to open your heart and be vulnerable while also maintaining strength and integrity. Poses like cobra and camel can be difficult because of the strength required. The stronger your are, the deeper you can do into the backbends - an appropriate metaphor for the art of trust and allowing. True strength is found in profound trust.

If you’re not sure how to perform Ujjayi breath, watch this video.

Hero's Pose - Virasana

Begin the practice in Hero’s Pose. If you have any difficulty resting your hips on your heels, place a block between the feet to sit on.

Close the eyes, and begin to focus your attention on your breath. Breathe in and out through your nose for a minute or two then deepen to the Ujjayi breath.

Cow Pose

After a few minutes, come up to hands and knees, and begin to move through cat/cow with your breath, inhaling into cow, exhaling to cat.

Cat Pose

After a few minutes, come up to hands and knees, and begin to move through cat/cow with your breath, inhaling into cow, exhaling to cat.

Child's Pose - Balasana

After 5-10 rounds of cat/cow, lower the hips and chest to child’s pose. Rest here for 2 minutes.

Cobra - Bhujangasana

Slide foward onto you abdomen. Place the hands b the rib cage, engage your core - pulling bellybutton in and up - then reach the chest forward and up. The elbows stay squeezing in by your sides and your hips stay on the mat. Do not lift the hips here to get “deeper” into the pose - when you do this, you are no longer in cobra. Keep the hips down, keep your core engaged, and let your triceps and back lift your chest up. Stay for 10 breaths.

Camel - Ustrasana

From cobra, press up to hands and knees and rest there until the sensations in your spine subside. Then lift onto your knees, place hands on the hips, and send the chest up as your drop the shoulders and head back. If you can, release hands to heels. Continue to engage the core and press the hips forward. Remember to maintain your Ujjayi breath throughout the practice. If you find yourself struggling with the breath, that is a sign to back out of the pose and do less. Hold for 5-10 breaths.

Bridge Pose

Exit camel by gently lifting yourself back up and resting in hero’s pose until the spine and back have recovered. Then make your way onto your back. Place heels close to your hips, feet hip-width apart and parallel. Peel the spine up off the mat, clasp hands if you can, and squeeze the shoulders together. The only parts of your body in contact with the mat will be your feet, shoulders and backs of arms, and the back of your head. Gently press the head into the mat and rotate the thighs inward. Hold for 5-10 breaths.

Supported Reclined Bound Angle

Stack some pillows or blankets behind you and lay back onto them. Bring the soles of your feet together and allow the knees to fall open. You can place a rolled up blanket or other prop beneath the knees if desired. Open the arms, close the eyes, and rest here for 2-5 minutes.

Reclined Chest Opener

Roll a blanket up and place behind you. When you lay down, the blanket should be running across your mid-back, above the waistline and below the shoulderblades. It is important that the blanket is not in the small of the back. Open your arms and rest for 2-5 minutes.

Savasana

Lay on your back, with a straight spine. Roll the shoulders down your back, open your palms to the ceiling. Allow the feet to fall open. Scan your body for any leftover tension, then allow yourself to relax and sink into the floor. Stay here for 8-10 minutes.

Be well everyone!