Aparigraha – The Art of Letting Go

Aparigraha is the last of the 5 Yamas and can be understood as non-grasping, non-hoarding, or non-greed. Now if you asked my husband how I rated in this he would probably tell you that I have this Yama pretty much down pat – since I seem to always be decluttering and giving things away that he isn’t quite ready to part with. However, the truth is, there are still many things that I have a tough time letting go of and if you saw my closet you would probably agree.

When we start exploring the things we are attached to we often surprise ourselves at the discovery of what is more difficult to give away. In a world that puts a lot of emphasis on having more, the thought of having less can raise a few eyebrows and yet this, according to yoga, can be quite freeing. Think about it, with the accumulation of more stuff comes more work, more responsibility, more things to take care of or fix, the need for more space to put it all, and more money to pay for it. Think of how freeing it would be to not have to worry about what to do with or how to take care of all this “Stuff.”

Letting go of “stuff” often triggers old programming of fear that tends to convince us that if we let go we will have nothing. Aparigraha suggests that when we fill our space with stuff or hold onto old beliefs, we are energetically blocking new ideas, experiences and relationships that will be more serving and fulfilling. When we hold onto our attachments and stuff we literally tell the universe there is no room in my life for anything new.

Starting small:

Putting into practice non-hoarding or non-greed first on the yoga mat gives us an opportunity to explore our attachments that can help to build a stronger mindset that eventually leads into our daily life. Begin by observing how often you attend a yoga class looking forward to a particular feeling, result or pose. Aparigraha suggests we let go of our expectations on the mat and allow ourselves to simply experience what is taking place in the moment, to be with any feelings that come up as they are without any need to change them. Bring into your practice a sense and feeling of gratitude for what you are doing and acknowledge the gift in every pose and in every breath.

As we master the art of letting go on the mat, we slowly declutter our mind of old beliefs and attachments that naturally leads towards a need to start decluttering the space around us. This in turn continues to support a freer attitude and deeper gratitude for what you do have.

Of course our attachments exist beyond material things and can extend into our relationships, our job, and the many rolls that we have. Through building awareness and consciously working on this yama we can learn to let go of what we think should be, could be or would be and make room for more fulfilling experiences. This week pay attention to the people, places, things and expectations that you are hanging onto that no longer serve a purpose in your present day life – and if you can, even for just a moment, practice letting go.

Namaste

Paula