Life is a constant cycle of change. This month, as we arrive fully into the autumn season and witness the trees releasing their leaves, we’re reminded of the wisdom of letting go. The tree does not cling to its summer growth, nor does it mourn what has passed. Instead, it sheds in trust, knowing that in time it will bloom again. We can draw inspiration from this natural rhythm, using our practice as a space to release what no longer serves us and prepare for the quieter, more reflective days ahead.
Aparigraha: Non-attachment in practice
In yoga philosophy, the yama aparigraha is often translated as non-attachment or non-grasping. It invites us to loosen our hold on possessions, outcomes, or even versions of ourselves that we’ve outgrown. This doesn’t mean indifference or detachment from life — rather, it’s about meeting each moment fully without clinging to how we wish it would be.
On the mat, we’ll explore aparigraha not only in how we move, but in how we approach the practice itself. Can we release the need to “achieve” a pose and instead soften into what’s available right now? Can we notice where we grip — in our bodies, in our breath, in our expectations — and practice loosening our hold?
Physical focus for October
Over the month, our classes will reflect different dimensions of letting go through nourishing, challenging, and expansive postures:
- Twists and Release (Revolved Bird of Paradise, Revolved Triangle): wringing out what no longer serves.
- Hips and Freedom (Flying Pigeon, Cow Face): exploring the emotional release stored in the hips.
- Backbends and Surrender (Wheel, Dropbacks): opening the heart by letting go of fear.
- Inversions and Perspective (Headstand, Forearm Stand): learning to release fear and shift how we see the world.
Each week, we’ll balance these demanding peaks with intentional cooling postures — folds, restorative shapes, grounding twists that embody the release at the heart of our theme.
Letting go beyond the mat
“Let go of the attachments, keep the lessons.”
Life will present us with countless opportunities to practice letting go. Some are small , a rude stranger, a delayed train, an unexpected change of plans. Others are heavier, heartbreak, loss, the end of a chapter we weren’t ready to close.
Letting go doesn’t mean we forget or dismiss these experiences. Sometimes we need time, support, and compassion to process before release is possible. But when we do let go, we return to the vast expanse of the present moment a little lighter, freer, and more open to what’s ahead.
A practice of awareness
This month, pay attention to when you notice yourself losing focus, feeling frustrated, or caught in an old stories and patterns of thinking. Pause, breathe, and ask: What am I holding onto here? And what would it feel like to set it down?
Letting go is not a one-time act, but a practice. It something that happens breath by breath, day by day.
Affirmations for October
If you’d like a simple way to anchor into the theme, here are a few affirmations to return to in practice or daily life:
- “I let go of the past with ease to create space for new beginnings.”
- “I am right where I need to be.”
- “I let go of things that do not serve my highest good.”
- “I forgive the things and people I feel have wronged me.”
This October, may your practice be an exploration of release, from muscle tension, from gripping, from expectation. May you step off the mat a little lighter, carrying forward not the weight of the past but the lessons it has given you ❤
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