Let Go

Monday Night’s Yoga (5/03/10)

Because I am prone to stiffness and back pain, I try to do yoga at least two times a week.  I like to do yoga sessions in between cardio work-outs—it’s a nice break and it helps to undo all the soreness that cardio can induce.  I’ve been doing yoga for years now, and I do believe that it’s made me stronger and leaner.  But the reason I continue to do it is for peace of mind.

I’m really enjoying the Hatha yoga work-outs offered by yogadownload.com.  They are the most relaxing yoga work-outs that I’ve tried yet!  I usually do them at night just before bed.  I get the best sleep after Hatha yoga.

Last night I did Gentle Hatha Yoga #1, an old favorite.  I started my yoga session feeling agitated about an e-mail exchange with a friend and the deeper issues underlying it.  My mind kept drifting back to its agitated state even as I tried to breathe my way to peacefulness.  Let go, I urged myself.  Just let go.  But sometimes my mind is like a dog with a bone, and it just can’t drop it.  So I continued to breathe and stretch, and it felt good.  By the end, even though I never managed to let go, I did feel better—more peaceful, more relaxed—and afterward I slept like a rock.