Letting Go - The Lesson of the Fall Leaves

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-J1wqSH-TUM&t=835s


Autumn leaves teach us the beautiful lesson that everything in nature, including ourselves, is cyclical -the continual cycle of birth, sustenance and death.  Just when the leaves are at their peak of beauty, with all their abundance of color,  they "fall" to the earth and provide  nutrients for the soil so that this abundance will shine once again in the Spring. Fall is a time of letting go... In the practice of yoga we call this Aparigraha - meaning non-clinging, non-attachment, non-possessiveness and also... letting go. How often we cling to our possessions, people in our lives and our inner thoughts. Take some time this fall to practice letting go by doing a more mindful and grounding yoga class. Check out my video Let Go - The Lessons of the Fall Leaves.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-J1wqSH-TUM&t=835s


Here are some more inspirations for you during this change of season.

Read The Fall of Freddie the Leaf by Leo Buscaglia

Ponder on the following Poem called She Let Go by John Siddique which can be heard on the App Insight Timer. 

She Let Go
She let go. Without a thought or a word, she let go.
She let go of the fear.  She let go of the judgments.  She let go of the confluence of opinions swarming around her head.  She let go of the committee of indecision within her.  She let go of all the ‘right’ reasons. Wholly and completely, without hesitation or worry, she just let go.
She didn’t ask anyone for advice. She didn’t read a book on how to let go.  She didn’t search the scriptures. She just let go.  She let go of all of the memories that held her back.  She let go of all of the anxiety that kept her from moving forward.  She let go of the planning and all of the calculations about how to do it just right.
She didn’t promise to let go. She didn’t journal about it. She didn’t write the projected date in her Day-Timer. She made no public announcement and put no ad in the paper. She didn’t check the weather report or read her daily horoscope. She just let go.
She didn’t analyze whether she should let go. She didn’t call her friends to discuss the matter. She didn’t do a five-step Spiritual Mind Treatment. She didn’t call the prayer line. She didn’t utter one word. She just let go.
No one was around when it happened. There was no applause or congratulations. No one thanked her or praised her. No one noticed a thing. Like a leaf falling from a tree, she just let go.
There was no effort. There was no struggle. It wasn’t good and it wasn’t bad. It was what it was, and it is just that.
In the space of letting go, she let it all be. A small smile came over her face. A light breeze blew through her. And the sun and the moon shone forevermore.
John Siddique


And finally for all the Star Wars Fans - ponder the wisdom of Yoda…

Yoda: Premonitions, premonitions. These visions you have...
Anakin Skywalker: They are of pain, suffering. Death.
Yoda: Yourself you speak of, or someone you know?
Anakin Skywalker: Someone.
Yoda: Close to you?
Anakin Skywalker: Yes.
Yoda: Careful you must be when sensing the future Anakin. The fear of loss is a path to the dark side.
Anakin Skywalker: I won't let these visions come true, Master Yoda.
Yoda: Death is a natural part of life. Rejoice for those around you who transform into the Force. Mourn them do not. Miss them do not. Attachment leads to jealousy. The shadow of greed that is.
Anakin Skywalker: What must I do, Master Yoda?
Yoda: Train yourself to let go... of everything you fear to lose.
Star Wars Episode III - A Dark Path Leads to The Revenge of the Sith
​George Lucas