"Are ya grippin'?"

There it is again, that right tensor fascia latae, outer right hip. Beyond holding, more like muscle holding to bone for dear life, gripping as tightly as if I was hanging off the side of a mountain instead of sipping a cup of morning coffee.

And that's just the physical part of it. Besides which, that gripping wouldn't be so useful on the side of the mountain either.

In the yoga class, in the studio and with the horses, we've been exploring this concept of gripping. Gripping muscle to bone, jawbone clenching-throat closing gripping of the breath, mind gripping to thoughts, gripping to our self-stories.

Are you gripping that Trikonasana, or are you holding Trikonasana? What's the difference? Check with your breath, smooth,uniform, even, subtle?

Gripping is 'just' a samskara, a habit. It's not a particularly useful habit, so is one worthy of developing your awareness around, and then choosing to exhale softly instead of grip tightly.

Are ya grippin?