Letting Go

"Freedom does not come from acquistion. It comes from letting go." -Sogyal Rinpoche-

All too often, the holiday season becomes a time of acquisition. The aphorism, "less is more" tends to be forgotten, as we run from store to store making sure that each person on our list gets that "perfect" gift. How freeing it would be to "let go" of that idea of the perfect holiday, with the perfect gift.
I might ask myself the same question with regard to my yoga practice. What would it look like if I were to "let go" of the image of the perfect triangle pose, for example? What if I were to listen to my body and do the pose in the imperfectly perfect way that is mine? That is not to say that it is not ok to always strive to do better. However, if I am always putting the image of perfection in front of me, I am surely setting myself up for failure, or at the least, disappointment. I find it much more gratifying to look upon the progress I have made in my practice. Perhaps, just for today, I will let go of the need for perfection in my practice. As I stand in my imperfect triangle pose, I will bring my attention to the breath, letting go of all tension in my physical body, freeing my thoughts and focusing on the joy my practice brings, warts and all.