I love how music can transport you instantly to another time and memory in your life. All of a sudden Tom Petty’s “Running Down a Dream” comes on the radio, and I am 16 years old again. I am sitting on the bleachers, jamming to him on my first (and original) iPod, getting ready to play in the the championship game for my high school basketball team’s holiday tournament. So last week in yoga class when “To Build a Home” by The Cinematic Orchestra came on during Savasana, I could not hold it in and the tears started flowing.
Now I am not person that usually cries, but ever since I started practicing yoga a year and a half ago, I have found a deeper connection to myself. Laying on the mat last week I was taken back to where yoga started for me and all the experiences and emotions in between. Needless to say, I am deeply thankful for being able to practice a beautiful moving meditation.
Fast forward a week later, and I found myself really agitated during class last night. During class I was trying to figure out and analyze what was going on. I was agitated that my yoga capris were not stretchy enough and therefore constricting some of my movement. My body felt full of gunk because I had not been on the mat for a week as a result of July 4th holiday and having close friends visiting me. And then I was also thinking about having to pack-up and clean my apartment.
Still even more thoughts were racing through my mind that contributed to this agitation. After an hour and a half of sweaty flow, I finally decided to let go at the end of class, during savasana. One of my yoga teachers mentioned in class a couple weeks ago that “yoga is the space in between our thoughts”. I let go of my racing mind and concentrated on the space in between, the pause of peace and silence. Magically I started to feel better and the agitation drifted away…
…and magically today the music brought me back to yesterday’s agitation. I recently discovered the group Of Monsters and Men and I currently have their album “My Head is an Animal” on repeat on my iPod. After probably the 5th time today of listening to the song “Little Talk”, something finally clicked.
“There’s an old voice in my head that’s holding me back, Well tell her that I miss our little talks, Soon it will all be over and buried without past… Some days, I feel like I’m wrong when I am right, Your mind is playing tricks on you, my dear, ‘Cause though the truth may vary, this ship will carry, Our bodies safe to shore.”
So for today’s words of wisdom and teachings from yoga, although it is good to contemplate and ponder, sometimes we just need to let go. Even though we would love for our problems to magically disappear, releasing the agitation will help us see clearer. Whatever it is, let it go my friends.
Namaste.
XOs
Kristen
