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Andrea Claassen

What are you clinging to?

Published 4 months ago • 1 min read

Reader, what's the sweet treat you keep reaching for even when it's keeping you stuck?

A few weeks I taught a yin yoga class at our new studio. The theme was non-attachment/aparigraha, one of yoga's most quietly radical teachings. I told the story of Hanuman and the coconut trap: a hollowed-out coconut filled with treats, with a hole just big enough to fit a hand inside. The monkey reaches in, grabs the treat, and then can't pull his fist back out. He's not trapped by the coconut. He's trapped by his own grip.

We talked about what it really means to let go. Not to stop caring but to loosen the grip on the things that are keeping us from moving forward.

And then right in the middle of class- my three-year-old came running down the hallway. Laughing, asking questions to anyone who would listen. (It's solo parenting season over here, so both boys were with me.) I felt it rise up that familiar pull of annoyance and a distraction. The wish that things were just a little more controlled.

And then I caught myself. And I let it go. I gave into my own theme. I lived it for one small moment, right there in front of my class.

I'm not sharing this to say wow, look at me. I'm sharing it because it is not easy to embody the teachings of yoga. It takes practice. It takes catching yourself mid-grip. But when you do? It feels like something.

So here's your question for this week, as we move deeper into summer:

What are you clinging to? What is the sweet treat inside your coconut?

Let that be your invitation. Not to let go of everything but to notice where your fist is still closed and what you're trying to grip in your own life?

Want to Practice with Me?

Green Lotus- Mendota is officially having their grand opening weekend party June 25-27th! I'm offering a free Ayurveda & Yoga to Balance the Pitta Dosha class on Saturday, June 27th from 12:30-1:30pm. I'm also offering 20 minute Dosha sessions on June 26th that you can book here. ​

​Come to this free class by registering here. ​

Slow Down, Tune In,

Andrea Claassen

PS- If this resonated, listen to this week's episode of the Peaceful Power Podcast where I tell the full Hanuman story and go deeper on aparigraha.


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Andrea Claassen

Ayurveda & Yoga as Sacred Rituals

Pull up a chair, pour yourself a cup of coffee or tea, and stay a while. Every week I open up about how Ayurveda shows up in my real life: the messy, beautiful, and seasonal reality. As a certified Ayurvedic practitioner, personal trainer, and yoga teacher, I blend movement, ancient wisdom, and honest storytelling for women who crave a deeper connection to themselves and the seasons. Subscribe below and I'll see you in your inbox.

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