Let It Be
How frustrating is it when someones says…just let it go! Especially if you’ve faced any sort of trauma in your life. I’ve never like this phrase, let it be resinates a bit better with me.
But as I’ve been studying mindfulness, I’ve learned that letting go is more like not clinging or not grasping onto something. It is letting things be, letting things be as they are, right now. Sounds easier than it really is.
In my 20s, I was really into a friend of mine. When I told him that I wanted to be more than friends, he was scared that if we got together it would kill our friendship. I didn’t even think about that, or care, I just clung to the idea that (in a non psycho way) we would work really well together, as partners. After a while, I was able to persuade him and we got together.
At first, I was ecstatic but, then, over a bit of time I realized that I really didn’t want to be with him. I was just so consumed, holding tight onto the idea of being together that I ignored all the signs that arose suggesting that we should just be friends.
In the end, I not only hurt and lost my partner but I also lost a good friend. This was a humbling life lesson.
Take Away Practice
Centering practice that’s part Aikido (partly inspired by Aikido breath practice and Wendy Palmer’s basic practice) and part qi gong that will help you become grounded, centered, and calm that can be done anywhere. Hope you brings some centering grounding when you need it.
Last Week
Last week in Adventures within Somatics, we did energy work to fuel an adventurous hike up our own mountain as we explored judgment.
We did a natural breath practice followed by a breath awareness mindful meditation as we allowed ourselves to be open, curious, non judgmental, to judgments that arise during Thursdays Breath Works & Mindful Meditation class.
Ending, or beginning, the week with Sundays Rest & Digest, we worked with grounding and opening poses allowing us to open up to any judgment that arises then letting it fall away.
This Weeks Class Overviews
Wednesday Aug 23rd, 2023 4pm PT/7pm ET
In Adventures within Somatics, we will play with movements and visualizations. Class is open to all ages, abilities, and levels.
Thursday Aug 24th, 2023 6am PT/9am ET
During the Sunrising Meditation & Breath Works, we will reconnect within our breath and a Mindful Meditation within stillness. Class is open to all ages, abilities, and levels.
Sunday Aug 27th, 2023 5pm PT/8pm ET
LAST REST & DIGEST CLASS
For our final and most delicious class of all…Rest & Digest, is the ultimate stillness practice within comfort allowing us to reset. Class is open to all ages, abilities, and levels.
Even though classes have started you can still join us. Sign up gives you access to weekly class recordings, even if you can’t make the live zoom classes.
Letting go is a natural thing. We do it every moment of the day. When we breathe, we can’t hold onto our breath, we need to let go in order to make room for a new breath.
Throughout your week, if you find yourself grasping onto something, someone, an idea, a thought, maybe take a few breaths and say to yourself….let it be, as you let it go.
With much Luv and Gratitude,
Casey
Enjoy!
Take Away Practice
Centering Practice
Start either seated, standing or even lying down if you like.
Close your eyes or soften your gaze.
Bring your awareness to your breath, don’t change it, just bring your awareness to the inhale and exhale.
Feel the groundedness of gravity on the parts of your body that have contact with the earth.
Feel the groundedness of gravity on your legs, arms, shoulders but this is not a heavy gravity, it is grounding.
Allow your energy to expand
down through the earth
up through the crown of your head
out through the front of your body
out through the back of your body
out all around
Take a moment to be within this safe, calm, grounding energy that you are extending out.
Bring your hands just below your naval, to the lower dantian (energy center) and place your hands slightly apart as if you are holding a ball.
Feel your energy from within fill up your hands with a ball of energy.
Notice the energy flowing within your hands.
Slowly, begin to inhale as you extend your hands, extend your energy out til you are full of breath.
Slowly, begin to exhale as you compress your hands, compress your energy back into a small ball.
Repeat for as long as you would like.
When ready to come out of the practice, end on an exhale.
With your hands right below the naval, at the dantien, press your energy within your hands into your dantien and place your palms on your dantien.
Take a moment to allow this calm, grounding, safe, energy to flow within.
Slowly blink your eyes open.