Finding Peace Through Letting Go
A Yogi's Guide to Holiday Serenity
Hey there! 🧘♀️
Ever notice how the holidays seem to bring out our inner control freaks? I’m always a Type-A’er but the holiday season makes me worse than usual. Between perfecting that Pinterest-worthy recipe and kid craft to juggling travel, I often find myself white-knuckling my way through what's supposed to be a joyful season. Today, I want to share a concept from yoga philosophy that's helped me and I think it may help you find more peace during busy times – it's called "aparigraha."
What's Aparigraha? (Don't Worry, I'll Make This Digestible!)
Aparigraha is one of yoga's ethical principles, and it basically means "non-grasping" or "letting go." Now, before you think I'm about to tell you to become a minimalist and donate all your yoga pants (though if that's your thing, rock on! And donate locally to the Kyle Library Thrift Store), here's the real deal: aparigraha is about loosening our grip on the things that cause us stress – both physical and mental.
Think of it like this: have you ever noticed how your shoulders creep up toward your ears during a stressful day? That's physical grasping. Or how about when you can't stop replaying that awkward thing you said in class? That's mental grasping.
Aparigraha invites us to notice these patterns and consciously release them.
The Science-y Bit (Because Who Doesn't Love Some Nerdy Facts?)
Here's something else: researchers have found that when we practice letting go – whether through meditation, breathwork, or mindful movement – our nervous system actually shifts from "fight or flight" mode to "rest and digest." According to Gerritsen and Band, this transition:
Lowers cortisol (our stress hormone)
Reduces blood pressure
Improves digestion (hello, holiday feasts!)
Enhances immune function
Promotes better sleep
Let's Practice: The "Let It Go" Breath
I'm about to share my favorite pranayama (breathwork) practice for embodying aparigraha. Let’s channel our inner Elsas and call it the "Let It Go" breath, It's perfect for those moments when you feel overwhelmed or caught up in holiday perfectionism.
Here's how to do it:
Find a comfortable way to sit. No need for full lotus – the couch or bed works just fine!
Close your eyes or soften your gaze.
Begin by taking a full, deep inhale through your nose, filling your belly first, then your ribs, all the way up to your collarbones. Imagine filling up a glass of water from bottom to top.
As you exhale through your mouth, make a gentle "haaaaah" sound, like you're fogging up a mirror.
With each exhale, physically drop your shoulders away from your ears and imagine releasing one thing that's been weighing on your mind.
Practice this for 5-10 breaths, or until you feel a shift in your energy.
Tip: Try doing this practice right before walking into a holiday gathering or after scrolling through social media for too long, because let's be real, comparison is the thief of joy.
Applying It To Real Life
The beauty of aparigraha is that it's not about becoming a zenned-out guru yogi master who never gets stressed. Spoiler alert: we all get stressed! No, it's about noticing when we're holding on too tight and having tools to help us release.
This season, I challenge you to notice one area where you might be grasping too tightly. Maybe it's:
The need for everything to be "perfect"
Expectations about how others should behave
Comparisons to what everyone else is doing
Old traditions that no longer serve you
Then, try the "Let It Go" breath whenever you feel that tension rising. Remember, you're letting go of what weighs you down.
Your Turn!
I'd love to hear from you! Drop a comment below sharing one thing you're working on letting go of this season. Remember, we're all in this together, and sometimes the simple act of naming what we want to release can be incredibly powerful.
With love and light,
S’more Fitness & Wellness
