Letting Go
Two traveling monks reached a river where they met a young and very attractive woman. She was in despair. She had to cross the river, but was afraid to do so. The current was too strong and she was afraid of drowning. Without hesitation, the older monk picked her up onto his shoulders and carried her across the river. Arriving safely on the other bank he sat her down and bowed. She expressed her gratitude and departed. The monks continued their journey in silence.
Unable to hold his silence any longer, the younger monk spoke with reproach “Master, of all people you should have known that our spiritual teaching forbids us contact with women, but you have picked up that one and carried her on your shoulders! How can that be!?”
“Brother,” replied the master, “I set her down on the other side of the river hours ago, but you are still carrying her.”
~
I learned of this parable a long time ago...and then I forgot about it. It wasn't until recently when I felt a calling to let go of "stuff" that it came back to me. Maybe it came back because letting go feels so hard to do, but can be so simple if we allow it. Or maybe I just needed to be reminded. And, thankfully, it just so happens to be the season of letting go. Kapha season. A time of release and renewal and re-growth. A time when nature is calling us to let go. So what can we do to facilitate this release? Can we make the emotional part easier by incorporating physical practices to encourage the letting go?
Ayurveda says "yes...for sure!"
In Ayurveda, early spring is dominated by Kapha dosha, and our bodies and minds will feel the effects of its qualities: heavy, slow, cold, oily, dense, soft, and static. This can sometimes lead to a “stickiness” or a feeling of being stuck, so it makes sense why we naturally gravitate toward cleansing our systems in springtime. Why else do they call it “spring cleaning”?
Why is letting go so hard?
Kapha’s stickiness likes to hold onto things, especially those we love - things, people, emotions, or memories. While it’s beautiful to feel and love so deeply, too much of this can also lead to us clinging onto things that no longer help us grow and thrive, keeping us stuck in a negative place.
This is where the hard work comes in. To say to yourself, “That's it, I've suffered enough and I want to change. That’s it, I want to liberate myself from this person, from this trauma, from this stickiness, from that deep pain.” The hard choice to do this is where the change, and the magic, happens.
Thankfully there are some simple Ayurvedic practices that will help you let go and move forward into a fresh space - one that creates space for growth and newness. When you are doing these, tap into that feeling of creating movement to shed and release anything that is stuck in your tissues, any kind of stickiness to set yourself free.
1. Dry Brush Your Skin
If you’ve never dry brushed your skin before, now is the perfect time to start.
(Tip: Always brush toward the heart - ask Kasey if you don't know what brush to use or how to do it!)
.
The next time you dry brush, add a new understanding of why you’re doing this. On the one hand, you can say you’re brushing your skin to activate the fats and combat surface level cellulite. It's also great for stimulating lymphatic movement..our bodies drainage system. Kapha’s stickiness in your blood and liver will create a sticky mind and sticky emotions where we just get stuck. Dry skin brushing will activate and stimulate whatever is stuck - both physical and emotional - so that it can enter your body’s drainage system and be flushed from your system.
2. Drink CCF Tea
Use the support of an Ayurvedic classic: cumin, coriander, and fennel tea in Kapha season. Not only does it balance every dosha, but it is great for the kidneys and cleansing for the whole urinary system.
Every time you go to the bathroom, feel that you’re releasing and shedding the past in fluid form. You can even connect it to being “pissed off”! (LOL) You may have never thought about going to the bathroom like this before, but you can use urinating to literally let go.
3. Journal
Get it out. Let it go. Journaling is an effective way to start an Ayurveda emotional detox. Find a notebook, or choose a special bound journal. (Avoid journaling on a device.) Feel the pen in your hand, it's movement across the paper, let everything slow down.
Benefits of Writing in a Journal:
Reduces Stress and anxiety
Improves communication skills
Strengthens memory
Stimulates creativity
Provides a vehicle for processing emotions
Boosts health and a sense of wellbeing
Helps to clarify your next steps, as well as wants and needs
Boosts emotional intelligence
It's my hope that you, too, will be able to let go of something holding you back, or down, this season. With the help of these Ayurvedic tools, may we all enter the next season with a renewed sense of self and purpose!