10 Steps to letting go of fear in your yoga practice…
When you first stepped onto your yoga mat, odds are you quickly realised that if you were going to embrace this whole “yoga thing,” you were going to have to let go.
“Letting go” is a central theme in a Yogic lifestyle, and is one half of the balancing act that includes “dedicated effort” as the other half. In Sanskrit they are:Abhyasa (dedicated effort) & Vairagya (practice of non-attachment or letting go).
No matter if you’ve practiced yoga once, or more times than you can count, this practice of “letting go” is something that you continuously need to do. Otherwise, fear can creep in and get in the way.
Here are 10 steps to letting go of fear in your yoga practice:
Step 1. Identify
Ask yourself what your fear is, and then say it out loud. Once you are able to acknowledge and vocalise your fear, you will feel a shift in your body which will help you get past the fear altogether.
Step 2. Evaluate
Assess your fear. I know I am not the only one who over-exaggerates my fears. Ask yourself, Is this fear rational? Better yet, ask yourself, Do I want to overcome this fear? Your answer is most likely going to be a resounding yes, which means that letting go is already underway.
Step 3. Understand Failures
Accept that you are only human, and therefore, you will occasionally mess up. It is perfectly okay to fall out of a pose. What really defines us is how we get back up from falling.
Step 4. Journal
In times when you cannot find the words to speak about your fear, write it down. Take the first words that come to mind after your yoga practice and jot them down – this is your raw emotion. Journaling after every yoga practice allows you to express yourself and also track your progress. Plus, documenting your progress is incredibly inspiring, which will empower you to push past your fear.
Step 5. Share Your Authentic Self
When I first began yoga, I kept hearing phrases like, “drop your fear,” or “let go of your fear.” I had no clue what anyone was talking about, until I was able to drop my own wall of fear. This taught me that letting go of my fear really meant sharing my true and honest self with my practice and the world. It’s fear that holds us back from showing the world our unique and authentic selves.
Step 6. Visualize
Picturing success will help you train your mind and body for achieving your goal. Seeing success mentally helps you stay calm and focused. It helps to combine your five senses with your mind in order to imagine, visualize, and thereby manifest with as much detail as possible.
Step 7. Practice, Practice, Practice
The more you practice yoga, the more comfortable you become with your mat and the art of yoga. With more practice comes confidence in poses like balancing or inversions that may create a sense of fear at first . . . but keep going! When you push through the fear, on the other side lies freedom!!
Step 8. Have Faith
Believing in yourself will help you face your fear. In times of doubt, whether it is on your mat or elsewhere along your journey, having faith helps create a little voice inside that becomes your biggest cheerleader. Faith and confidence in yourself will inspire you to keep moving forward.
Step 9. Confront Your Fear
The only way to conquer your fear is to simply face it. Remember to confront fear at your own pace, honor your feelings, and take action with confidence. Fear is like a predator, so you have to stand tall and show that you are brave enough to face it. Facing your fear will immediately diminish it.
Step 10. Celebrate!
Fear creates a heavy weight on our shoulders. Once we overcome a fear, it feels as if a huge weight has been lifted. Remember that celebrating every victory, regardless how small, counts as a step forward. You’ve worked hard and you’ve shown real courage, so now is your time to shine, rejoice, and bask in your power and accomplishments!
Always honor yourself, enjoy the journey, and shine bright! You are too radiant to let your fear get in the way of achieving what you want.
Need to plan ahead, our NEW Activity Plan notepad has been created to assist with your practice – sketch, list your poses and create your routine. Planning ahead eliminates that fear of the unknown, allowing your practice to flow with clarity and joy.
Great for planning your class or personal practice.
