The practice of yoga has taught me many lessons, on and off the mat. One of them is non-attachment (Aparigraha in Sanskrit, the fifth yama in Patanjali's 8 limbs of yoga); it is probably the most challenging yama for me to put into practice in my daily life. The philosophy behind non-attachment (and behind most philosophical discussions really) can relate to many aspects of life. Aparigraha can also be translated to non-greed or non-possessiveness. All those definitions are the negation of some concept. I like to think of aparigraha as the capacity to allow things to flow, to flourish in their own due course. Essentially, it comes back to being present. Whichever feeling creates the thought that I want to accumulate things or hold on to them comes from a place in the past or the future. Holding on to things to remind myself of a distant past, or accumulating objects to prepare for an uncertain future.
Although I am still figuring out and practising non-attachment in my daily life, I am so much more gracious in my yoga practice. Through a constant asana practice, I have learned to let go of poses for a while and make space for that pose to flourish. It's like re-potting a plant when its roots get stuck to the walls of its pot; I give it more space for its roots to expand and breathe so that it can grow. This process takes time.
Today I went for a walk and sat in the grass for a while, listening to the birds singing, the wind playing with the branches of the trees, and the sounds of the city around. I like practising outside when the weather allows it, which is finally happening now. Today I played around with a pose I never practise and surprised myself. Thank you for the support Mother Nature <3
