I just love the insights that can surface during yoga class! The other day, I was trying to maneuver my way into some incredibly deep postures, when my teacher shared a story with us that had a pretty profound impact on me… Not only did it shift my entire yoga practice, but it also gave me such an incredible insight into the true power of our minds…
My teacher had been talking with a friend of hers who is an anesthesiologist… And what she has witnessed throughout her career is pretty unbelievable. She said that when patients are under the effects of the anesthesia, they have the ability to move their limbs and their bodies without any resistance… And they can literally demonstrate the same level of flexibility as a young baby or an experienced yoga guru.
Without the mind limiting or gripping movement, the patient’s bodies could naturally bend and twist in any direction. And they experienced no pain or injury when they awoke because there was no resistance at all during movement…
As my teacher was telling us this story, she prompted us to start ‘relaxing’ into the difficult postures to just see what happens. I noticed that as I was trying to get deeper into the posture, my body would tense up and get tighter because it was stretching beyond it’s normal capacity and it was quite uncomfortable. But I consciously decided to relax into it and let go of any resisting or tension I was holding in my muscles…
Just as I did that, it felt like a new barrier had been crossed. My body sank so much deeper into the pose than it ever has before… And any feeling of discomfort just melted away. I was quite shocked at how deep I could really go without any pain when I just ‘let go’ of resisting.
It’s amazing to see how much of a mind-body connection we really have. Our bodies tense up when our minds are resisting… But when we just relax, let go, and let everything just flow naturally, we can experience a much greater depth and capacity for growth than ever before.
It is quite literally our minds that limit our power… If you truly believed that ANYTHING is possible, you would experience just that. But all too often, we cut ourselves off from our inherent power because we tense up, we resist life and it’s challenges, and we fail to see that WE are the only ones holding us back in life.
You’ve probably heard the saying ‘What you resist persists’… Well, not only does more of what you DON’T WANT resurface again and again when you resist something, but you also completely block the flow of your potential power to create and manifest.
Non -resistance is actually a spiritual practice that I’ve been applying to my own life for quite some time now. When you resist something, you’re saying to yourself and to life, ‘this is not okay’. And when something is not okay, there is struggle. But if we can learn to just let go of our expectations and desire to control, we can become more of a conduit for life and let energy just flow through us. Now, this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t want to change an undesirable situation… It just means that in order to truly create change, we have to let go of resisting the situation first and focus more on the result we DO want.
The times in my life that I’ve felt the most empowered have been the times when I’ve just let go of my mind’s grip on life. That’s when I naturally re-align with my internal power and let life’s natural flow live and operate through me.
When you resist something, you create tension and struggle… And that can either be in your body, such as in yoga, or in your life. So I ask you, where are you resisting life right now? Where are you experiencing tension, difficulty, or unhappiness? And I encourage you to take some time and really reflect on those situations… What do you tell yourself about it? Is this really the result you’d like to create for yourself?
The more we start to understand and tap into the power of our minds, the more we can shift our entire lives and current situations around in an instant. But first, we have to let go of our own resistance. Accept where you are at in your life right now and know that that’s exactly where you are supposed to be. Why? Because that’s what is! After you accept what is, you open yourself up to truly create and manifest change.
So all we really need to do is become aware of the struggle and tension we’ve created for ourselves, and let go of our resistance to it. Once we do, we’ll be like open channels for creation, flow, and joy. And the depth that is possible becomes virtually unlimited…
Yours in Joy,
P.S. If you enjoyed this post today, do me a favor and use the ‘retweet’ button down below to share it with your Twitter friends and followers (You can also share it on Facebook, Digg, or any of the other sites you see below as well). And I’d love to get your feedback… What do you think about non-resistance? Please share with the community any stories or insights you’ve had when you just let go… Thanks so much!
October 1st, 2009 at 11:40 am
Hi Katie,
I enjoyed reading your insights about the true power of our mindsets. Our mindsets have such an impact on everything we do including our thoughts, decisions, expressions, and performance.
If we can let go our resistance, we free up our minds and enhance our creative potential and all sorts of wonderful opportunities will emerge.
Thanks for sharing.
Laura
October 1st, 2009 at 2:06 pm
hi Katie, Great post as usual. I am really enjoying your blog and appreciate all that you do. Not sure if you received the email I sent– I know you are super busy.
Keep creating the inspiring content and I’ll continue to spread the word about what you do!
peace, Kevin Doherty
Kevin Doherty´s last blog ..Online Article Marketing–My Absolute Favorite Free Internet Marketing Strategy
October 1st, 2009 at 9:06 pm
Hi Katie!
What you mention in your post here is definitely an amazing phenomenon and that is the power of our minds! When we resist things we are just holding ourselves back from tapping into our true inner power. I like to compare it to the forces of nature- wind, water, air… they don’t resist anything they just simply flow around any obstacles they can find. Even the biggest and baddest man-made machines are no match for the power of the natural elements. Thank you for sharing this post, I quite enjoyed it!
Yours in growth,
Amanda
Amanda´s last blog ..SuperQuick Tip Of The Week – You, Inc.
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:14 am
Katie, great blog post! (I especially like the photo)… when we get a chance to truly relax, EVERYTHING comes naturally…
Love it!
David Wood
David Wood´s last blog ..An Article Marketing Technique That Will Boost Your Results By 200%
October 3rd, 2009 at 6:17 am
I think what you felt during yoga is the same of what I experienced when my instructor attempted to hypnotize me. During that moment I was freed from anything, you have to let go of things you are thinking and just listen to what the person is saying. Any resistance would just bring failure to the process. The feeling was great during the initial phase. The muscles were relaxed and feel like you’re floating. I honestly want to feel that again. Unfortunately, I just had the first phase and I got lost so I was not hypnotized. I guess when you’re mind is too busy and preoccupied over things that bugs you, you’ll never be at a state of comfort and higher peace.
Alex Lim ´s last blog ..Before You Purchase A Domain Name Availability
October 5th, 2009 at 2:39 pm
It is AMAZING how much the mind effects the body. I find it incredible how much the mind can limit the body in so many ways. We have all these things built up in our minds, fears and our ‘idea’ of the way things are. Unless we free ourselves of those thoughts we can never be open and move past them. Thanks for sharing such an inspiring post Katie!
Danielle
Danielle Zack´s last blog ..What is Your Mental Energy Telling the World?
October 6th, 2009 at 7:06 pm
Hey Katie, thanks for sharing your experience. I could see how reaching higher levels in yoga could benefit our general physical and mental health. Stretching is one of things even experienced body builders dread doing. I guess winners will do what the losers won’t.
October 7th, 2009 at 1:31 pm
Katie,
I had a “personal adjustment” class in college and we did a lot of yoga and talked about letting go of our tension. I wish I would have appreciated it more back then, because at that time I just enjoyed laying on the floor with the lights off during a whole period! It’s amazing that when we hear “you can do anything” we just seem to think of it as just another motivational phrase. The funny thing is though that it is the absolute truth, I think that we are conditioned to let it go in one ear and out the other! Doubt is poison, and letting go if it can be the key to success. As much as we have the power to accomplish anything, that same power is often used against us in the form of doubt and negativity. Stay Positive! Great post!
Dennis´s last blog ..Banning Social Media
October 7th, 2009 at 7:45 pm
Hey Katie …Wow these words are so true: “Without the mind limiting or gripping movement, the patient’s bodies could naturally bend and twist in any direction.” We all should keep this in mind when approaching a seemingly impossible challenge. Looking forward to more motivating posts!
-Dan
Dan D´s last blog ..DubLi Facebook Training: Using Fan Pages to Syndicate Updates
October 9th, 2009 at 6:32 pm
Hi Katie!
This is such a beautiful blog you have here =)
I’m so happy and grateful to have found you!
I really love your aura, girl!
I wonder what you see in your mind when you
relax.
For me, I’ve tried and I see the image of butter
melting for some weird reason and my whole
body just relaxes.
I think a higher level to what you mentioned in
this post is how SERIOUSLY we take our lives
sometimes.
I mean if we just let go and let God while doing
all that we can, with a child-like curiosity of
what’s going to happen and take any challenge
along the way as an adventure, life will be so
much FUN!
Wouldn’t you agree Katie? =)
Saiful Rizal´s last blog ..8 Words That Will Help You Reinvent Yourself… Instantly!
October 10th, 2009 at 6:07 pm
I love reading your insights about yoga and the true power of our mind.
Patrice´s last blog ..Exercises to Shape Up Your Self Esteem
October 12th, 2009 at 12:53 am
Hi Katie,
Just a quick note to say I love your site! The picture with you leg twisted looks uncomfortable…and then I realised I just made that up in my mind.
Keri Eagan
Anything Alternative
Keri Eagan´s last blog ..Unauthorised Experiments In Alternative Healing
October 14th, 2009 at 4:06 pm
There is a similar concept in martial arts, specially in Aikido and Judo. The most important concept is to stay balanced and relax. To flow with the attacker movements instead of trying to stop them. Only then can you use your opponent’s strength to your advantage. I believe life holds a similar truth.
Job Self @ Goal Setting´s last blog ..Basic Goal Setting Worksheet
October 17th, 2009 at 6:41 am
i do Yoga everyday for the purpose of relaxation. Yoga really helps me in getting a very relaxed mind and body.
October 30th, 2009 at 10:39 am
Beliefs are a powerful thing. Successful people started off with no more skill than anyone else, but their belief in themselves and their ability to grow and move through obstacles is what takes them to the top. I like the Yoga analogy, puts thoughts into a more physical form.
Jason Kerchner´s last blog ..Understanding Product Purchases, Investments and ROI
November 2nd, 2009 at 7:45 pm
Hi Katie,
Thanks for sharing your experiences. I ‘ve been practicing yoga & meditation for quiet a while, and is really amazing the transformation we can experience when we learn to accept things as they are, and focusing on the results we want instead of the problem.
Love
Raisa
November 18th, 2009 at 6:12 pm
I have tried to retweet this. I love it. Thanks very much. I need to practice more! Susanna
December 22nd, 2009 at 6:30 am
I practice Yoga at home mainly for the purpose of having a relax mind and body. Stress is really high on our workplace and yoga helps me relax.
.
February 2nd, 2010 at 7:20 pm
Thank you so much for sharing this Katie. Our minds truly are a powerful tool….if we could only learn to let go and trust it to do what it is naturally meant to do life would be so much easier! Great post.
In Celebration,
Kitara
Kitara Wilson´s last blog ..What I Miss Monday
March 7th, 2010 at 11:49 pm
Aloha Katie,
I’ve got it! The message…Perfect for me today…you are such an angel. The mind is such an amazing tool, yet, if not properly trained can be so troublesome. I love the little reminder to be okay with what is. I begin to believe that everything is possible, and that when I do, I invite all kinds of miracles and magic into my life. They may not be shazaam, big type hype miracles, but often the subtlest message of signs, that make me realize that my state of gratitude, focus and clarity with the intentions is creating all of this.
You gave me an idea to begin yoga?
Great post Katie
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