The Yoga of Too Much Stuff

I finally acquired a dresser today. I had been living out of four boxes containing clothes for the past week and it was getting old pretty fast. So, after carrying it down two flights of stairs (after buying it off of craigslist) and getting into my apartment, I was really, really excited.

Excitement turned into bummer pretty quickly. It's a four-drawer dresser and, apparently, four boxes does not four drawers make. Clothes are stuffed in, the drawers are barely open-able, and there is still left over that didn't make the cut. What happened to living simply so that others may simply live?

Do I really have this much crap?

Yes, I do. This, mind you, is also having given away a good amount of stuff. In fact, two trash bags made their way to Salvation Army (aka Sallies... we're on a first name basis). I have more than I need. It's pretty freaking clear. Still, I am having hard time thinking of living with less. I become attached to possessions: t-shirts friends gave me, a dress I wore on a special occaision.

Part of me feels like objects hold an energy as much as they hold memories and it can feel terrible to give it up. The bigger part of me knows that I need to be able to fit all of my stuff into those four drawers.

The Yoga of Too Much Stuff

1.11. Memory is not allowing mental impressions to escape.

1.12. These thought-streams are controlled by practice and non-attachment.

1.13. Practice is the effort to secure steadiness.

1.14. This practice becomes well-grounded when continued with reverent devotion and without interruption over a long period of time.

1.15. Desirelessness towards the seen and the unseen gives the consciousness of mastery.

1.16. This is signified by an indifference to the three attributes, due to knowledge of the Indweller.

-The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali 1.11-1.16

1. Sukhasana (Easy Pose)
2. With hands on knees, circle torso. Let head and neck move as well in a way that feels natural
3. Switch directions
4. Table
5. Cat/cow spine in Table
6. Circle spine in Table, moving torso to left, towards floor, to right, and towards ceiling
7. Switch direction
8. Move torso in a combination of steps 5-7 
9. Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose)
10. Undulate spine in Downward Dog, pedal heels, twist around. Move in this pose for 5-10 breaths
11. Tadasana (Mountain Pose)
12. Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I), right foot forward
13. Turn to left, Kaliasana (Goddess Pose). In Kaliasana, take your arms into Garundasana (Eagle Arms). Raise your arms and come a bit out of the squat on an inhale, deepen the squat again on the exhale. Move with 5-6 breaths
14. Virabhadrasana I facing back of room
15. Vinyasa to right foot forward Warrior I
16. Turn again to left, Kaliasana with Eagle arms
17. Warrior I with left foot forward
18. Complete two more circles (one clockwise, one counterclockwise), substituting Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II) for Warrior I
19. Garbasana (Child's pose)
20. Come onto stomach
21. Dhanurasana (Bow Pose). Move into Bow rolls: exhale, roll onto one side. Inhale to extend into Bow on your side. Exhale to roll back onto stomach. Inhale to extend into full Bow on stomach. Repeat on other side. Move between full extensions of Bow on both sides and stomach for 1-2 minutes
22. Parsva Savasana (Half Corpse Pose)
23. Supta Matsyendrasana (Reclined Twist)
24. Repeat steps 22 and 23 on other side
25. Adho Mukha Svanasana
26. Come to seated
27. Urdhva Navasana (Upward Boat Pose), keeping knees bent
28. Lower 1/2 way towards floor and then come back into Boat. Repeat 6-12x, include any movements with the arms that feel natural
29. Boat twists: with straight arms, point one arm towards back of room, other towards front. Move between twists on both sides, moving with breath
30. Lie on back, taking legs and arms towards sky. Let arms and legs move any way they like, 30 seconds-1 minute
31. Garbasana
32. Ananda Balasana (Happy Baby)
33. Savasana