wise words

Peter Russell on the

Healing Power of Letting Go

by Linda Sechrist

photo by Peter Russell

In Letting Go of Nothing: Relax Your Mind and Discover the Wonder of Your True Nature, Peter Russell reminds readers what lies at the heart of all spiritual traditions. Based on his half-century of practicing Transcendental Meditation and applying the lessons of ancient and contemporary spiritual teachers, he offers a new perspective on the age-old practice of letting go, which involves not being attached to outcomes, surrendering desires, accepting the present, opening to a higher power, relinquishing the ego and practicing forgiveness. He traces the seeds of many ideas in the book to his time in India studying with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, as well as immersing in A Course in Miracles and the writings of contemporary teachers including Eckhart Tolle and Ram Dass.

What exactly do you advise us to let go of?

While the thought-provoking title suggests that individuals might be asked to let go of a situation, possessions or a relationship, the fundamental theme running through the book is not the letting go of things themselves, but rather letting go the things that only exist in the mind—thoughts, interpretations, fixed beliefs, points of view, expectations of the future, attachments to possessions and relationships, judgements, grievances, assumptions about how things should or should not be. These things in the mind are the lens through which the things of the world are experienced. For example, looking at things through blue-tinted spectacles gives everything a blueish tinge. But the lens itself is not part of the world you see. In a similar way, the lens through which we see our world is not another thing we see. In this sense, we are letting go of the “non-things” that color our view of the world.

What led to your understanding of this?

The questions “Is there another way of seeing this?” and “Could there, just possibly, be another way of seeing this?” occurred spontaneously, without an effort on my part. With an open, curious attitude and without trying to find an answer or even assuming there was one, my inner knowing was able to shine through and reveal another more helpful way of seeing things.

What benefits have you experienced from letting go?

I’m more in touch with my intuition and my feelings and less consumed by my thoughts. I feel better, experience more peace and am content. Discontent is largely self-created by thinking how things should or should not be. When discontent drops away, contentment becomes more prevalent. No one walks around wonderfully enlightened all the time. Letting go is a lifetime process. Noticing where I get caught up, pausing, coming back to the present, to what is, has a feeling of “Ahhh.” It’s a sense of coming home to my inner home.

The world pulls us outward, taking us out of ourselves. When we step back from it and let go for a while, it’s like coming home to our self.

How can we better savor each moment?

In just pausing and noticing what is in the present moment of experience, you’ll simply be stopping and withdrawing your interest from the thoughts that showed up when you paused. If you notice that your attention relaxes and if there is a sense of ease, a gentle sense of happiness or joy or a quality of spaciousness and clarity, savor it. Later, when it occurs to you, pause again and again. But don’t let the practice of pausing become routine or a ritual. Instead, make each pause a fresh inquiry into the moment and be curious about what it feels like, as if it were the first time, because it is the first and only time you will savor “this” moment.

Linda Sechrist is the Natural Awakenings senior staff writer. Connect at Linda Sechrist.com.

Yoga Teachers Association Announces January Workshops

The Yoga Teachers Association of the Hudson Valley (YTA) is offering two workshops in January. Yoga teachers and practitioners—members and nonmembers—are welcome to join both these workshops, as well as any of the YTA’s other 2022 workshops. First up, on January 8, is Posture Tweak with Al Bingham, who brings a unique approach to movement and yoga that helps Al Bingham dispel distress and unease in the body. He’ll share his systematic joint-by-joint method of freeing up our potential in order to gain access to the more subtle and spacious aspects of who we are.

Then on January 29, Ravi Singh and Judy Weaver will present a free workshop to address the trauma caused by the upheaval of the past two years. They will offer techniques to turn this trauma into personal and collective transformation. They will also introduce Yoga Unify, a nonprofit participatory network created by yogis for yoga—the practice as a whole and practitioners at every level—to provide a supportive blend of governance and guidance that Judy Weaver honors ancient wisdom while meeting modern needs. Workshop participants will discover how Yoga Unify is up-leveling the yoga profession.

The YTA’s remaining 2022 workshops will cover topics such as sacred sequencing, yin yoga, and hormonal and immune health and vitality. The three-hour workshops are being offered via Zoom until further notice.

Cost: $45 for members, $65 for nonmembers. For more info, email yta_communications@ytayoga.com or visit YTAYoga.com.

NETWORK

QIGONG

Dutchess County Empowered By Nature Lorraine Hughes 845.416.4598 EmpoweredByNature.net

In Balance Concepts Qigong. Tai Chi. Meditation 2505 Rt. 6, St. 108, Brewster 845.803.1992 Inbalancetaichi.com

TRAUMA-INFORMED YOGA

Finding Peace Within 420 S. Riverside Ave. Box #223 914.281.2225 visit: tinyurl.com/d96atbuw

YOGA ASSOCIATIONS

Yoga Society of New York Ananda Ashram Monroe, NY 845.782.5575 anandaashram.org

Yoga Teachers Association Workshops 2nd Sat. 1:30 pm Club Fit, Briarcliff Manor, NY and via Zoom yta_communications@ytayoga.com ytayoga.com

YOGA RETREATS

Yoga in the Adirondacks, LLC 2 Coulter Rd, Bakers Mills, NY 518.251.3015;914.556.8258 yogaintheadirondacks.com YOGA STUDIOS

ARMONK

YogaShine Kripalu, Mat, Chair, Therapy 914.769.8745, yogashine.com Via ZOOM until further notice

CORTLANDT MANOR

YOGA by Karen Universal Healing Arts 4 Crestview Ave. 914.737.4325 UniversalHealingArts.com

CROSS RIVER

O2 Living Sanctuary 792 Rt. 35 914.763.6320 O2livingsanctuary.com

DOBBS FERRY

Sacred Spirit Yoga & Healing Arts Center 343 Broadway (on campus of South Presbyterian Church) sacredspirityogacenter.org

MAHOPAC

Luna Power Yoga Move. Sweat & Breathe 54 Miller Rd., Ste. 4 845.276.4619; lunapoweryoga.com

Putnam Yoga 30 Tomahawk Street Baldwin Place, Mahopac 845.494.8118 PutnamYoga.com

SOMERS

Zen Garden Health Coaching & Yoga Edit Babboni; CHC, RYT 200 61 Lakeview Dr., Yorktown Heights, NY 917.721.2529 yoga.zengarden@gmail.com

Find & post classes and workshops online: WakeUpNaturally.com/calendar