Do everything with a mind that has let go.— John Chan
It's no surprise that today’s entry flows naturally from yesterday’s. To feel a sense of self-worth, to prioritize our spiritual, mental, and physical health, we need to approach life—especially the time we spend on our mats—with the mindset of a beginner. When we surrender to what’s unfolding instead of letting our egos, pride, or fear take charge, we become more present with our experiences as they happen.
Why do we approach yoga (or anything new) expecting that we should already know how to do it, or be good at it, or think everyone is paying attention to us? It’s all ego. Pride and fear, fear and pride—it’s that simple. Gates says, “Pride is really another word for fear—the fear of not being enough.”
I agree, and the idea that we are not enough comes up often, including yesterday’s post. When we feel inadequate, we don’t show up again. If yoga feels hard, if we fear the mat, if we can’t stand the discomfort of not standing confidently on our own two feet, we’re less likely to return to class.
And that’s sad! If I wanted to train as an astronaut, of course I’d have to learn, step by step. Sure, I’d love the feeling of weightlessness, but it takes time to develop the skills to get into that anti-gravity tank. It’s the same with yoga. I’ve definitely rushed through, wanting to skip to the "best" part. But we do get to the best part—though what we define as “best” might change. The practice is being open to change and believing we are worthy of experiencing the full spectrum of what feeling our best can be—on and off the mat.
That word "best" can be a trigger. A useful exercise I give my chakra clients is to list all the ways their thoughts weigh them down—the “shoulds.” I should be a better mom. I should be better at yoga. I should stand up for myself more. I wish I wasn’t fat. I wish I wasn’t too skinny. On and on. It’s a sobering and valuable exercise because seeing it in writing lets you confront how you talk to yourself.
Feeling the freedom of moving from a mind full (of stuff) to being mindful (of our stuff) takes, you guessed it—practice. Step by step, we catch ourselves when we assume we should be experts. We pause, reflect on what’s true, delete the repetitive loop, and shift the message to something more positive and productive. When we do this, we start feeling like the weight of the world—at least the world inside our own minds—is lifting off our shoulders.
This doesn’t mean becoming thoughtless, uncaring, or unfeeling. It’s actually the opposite. It’s about becoming so thoughtful and considerate of ourselves that we begin to understand how to step off the crazy train and walk a more peaceful path.
Today’s quote about doing everything “with a mind that has let go” means approaching life with an open mind—free from pride, fear, and ego. That’s how we truly experience the weightlessness of a mind that’s let go.
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