It's that time of year again. The holiday season is in full bloom.
For many, the holiday season is a bittersweet mix of joy and sadness. As we celebrate with loved ones, we are also reminded of the loved ones we've lost and the relationships we wish might be different. And while the busyness of the season can be a welcomed distraction to everyday stress and worries, many of us spend the holidays and the weeks that follow feeling run down and depleted--emotionally and financially.
For me, the practice of yoga nidra is especially critical during this time of the year. It's my way of slowing down and embracing the fullness of the holiday season while taking time to rest and nourish myself with stillness.
The gifts of yoga nidra are many. Most recently, I've been reflecting upon how my yoga nidra practice strengthens my ability to let go -- that is, to let go of what no longer serves us and/or what keeps us from being present with the blessings in my life.
The ability to let go has never been easy for me. In yoga, the practice of letting go can be interpreted as vairagya -- the release of mental projections and false beliefs that shade our perception of reality. For me, vairagya also means letting go the things that are beyond our control and having faith--ishvara pranidhana--that I'm exactly where I'm meant to be in life.
Throughout my life, I've often relied on exercise as a cathartic release for letting go. As I've gotten older, however, I don't always have the energy to go for a run or hit the gym. These are the days in which my yoga nidra practice is especially helpful. Yoga nidra is a way of letting go through stillness and an opportunity to restore rather than burn more energy.
Importantly, yoga nidra is a way for me to express kindness and compassion toward myself when the practice of letting go doesn't come easily.
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