A brand new week beckons and we are on to a brand new intention assignment to mull over this week both on and off the mat. This week, we are focusing on cultivating the art of surrender – in our asana practice, and in our own mental and spiritual practice off the mat.
Creatures of control
Humans are creatures of control. We are often unable to find comfort in the presence of uncertainty, and seeking control in every single aspect of our lives is akin to looking for that elusive target that will never present itself. The journey to seeking control thus becomes stressful and discouraging.
Whenever we start to covet over control and answers in every single situation, we unknowingly build an obsession over outcomes. We become dominated and controlled by our worries, fears, and disappointments. Life becomes a little more draining and tiring whenever we feel that control is slipping out of our hands.
However, what we do not often realize is that there is a limit in terms of what we can control in our lives. We may be able to make decisions and exert control over our decisions, actions, intentions, emotions, but a huge chunk of our lives also rely on other people’s decisions, actions, intentions, and emotions that are entirely out of our control. Attempting to seek control over something that we have no influence over is just like trudging in thick mud – you exhaust your energy, but you don’t really get anywhere.
Letting go
This week, start seeking surrender on the mat by finding physical relaxation and surrender in poses that you often find a lot of tightness in. In a deep hamstring stretch or hip opener, such as seated forward fold or pigeon pose, tap deep into your body’s physiological awareness and find that space where you can ease your body into. We often hold tightness in parts of our body without actually realizing it, even in our asana practice. When we can tap into that and find release and space within our bodies, we can be more easily able to extrapolate the physical release to our mental, or spiritual release – is there something deep in your consciousness that you are holding on to, unwilling to let go?
Finding motivation in surrender
Finding surrender is not synonymous to letting go of motivation, letting things come and go as they wish. The art of surrender entails working hard, doing your best, doing what is right, but at the same time, letting go of any attachments of the outcome there may be. Understanding that you have tapped into your potential and have done your best, and the process and journey matters more than the outcome itself. Most of the time, we often find that the outcome is always for the better – we are often able to derive valuable life’s lessons and learning points when we stay present in the experience, no matter whether it is a positive or negative outcome.
Surrender is not passivity. It is knowing when and where to put in your best effort, and understanding that at the end of the day, every single thought and action that you take will manifest into greater personal growth no matter what the outcome may be.
I hope this week’s intention assignment has sparked some inspiration for you both on and off the mat in this coming week. Have a great week ahead!