When I talk about surrender, I’m not necessarily referring to yielding to a higher power.

Surrender often has much to do with learning how to balance effort in ease within our lives and relationships with ourselves as well as with others.

Personally, I don’t believe in an almighty being who watches over us caringly, nor do believe in praying for the outcome of our desire. However, I do absolutely believe in energy, collective energy, and something much more intricate, profound and ubiquitous than we can comprehend.

Why? Because I feel it.

I can feel where energy sticks within my body—where I hold on and grip physically and psychically during a difficult life experience—and, likewise, I can feel its release during my yoga practice.

And many yoga practitioners believe in something that goes along with this notion: chakras.

Yet, while we can find copious amounts of reading material on all of the main chakras, there’s relatively little out there on the lesser—but important—chakra of our knees.

We have minor chakras located in several places of the body, including the knees. Our knees, in general, are physically complex and easily injured. There could be many reasons for knee pain and injury, so do make sure to see a physician if you’re experiencing chronic discomfort; having said that, as a chakra enthusiast, it’s crucial that we bring this lesser known chakra into our understanding.

For me, when my knees are troubling me slightly, I can easily pinpoint places within my life that I’m being overbearing and controlling. My knees—just like other chakra areas—can be used as a tool to notice when and where I need to surrender.

So here are five ways to get in touch with, and heal, your knee chakras.

1. Be flexible. The first and most important thing to do for our knees (as far as chakras and energy are concerned), is to be flexible—mentally and emotionally. When life becomes challenging, one of our first lines of defense can be closing down and becoming rigid—and this internal rigidity affects this area’s energy flow.

If you find yourself frequently feeling the need to take charge of everything then ask yourself why—and try stepping back at least some of the time. Because the simple reality is that we cannot be in control all of the time.

2. Go with the flow. This thought is strongly connected to being flexible, but they’re not entirely the same. There’s being flexible in the sense of allowing yourself to be out of control in situations that you cannot possibly be in charge of—or letting others take the reigns (at least part-time)—and then there’s not always having a plan or an agenda.

As fallible humans we can—and should—make plans and have goals, but then we have to let life take its course. This means trying to allow the day to unfold organically.

3. Surrender. The biggie. The tough one. It’s so important to not let life’s little stresses and worries overwhelm the other wonderful things that we also experience—easier said than done I know. Still, it’s these more minor issues that often take over and destroy our positive sense of self—and, in turn, life. For me, meditation is often the only thing that really brings me back into equilibrium. Try this simple one: imagine water washing over you, cleansing you of all your fears and internal struggles. Then picture this soothing stream of water flowing through your knees, washing away your need to control every minor detail of your life. Feel the suppleness and release that radiate from this inner softening.

4. Reiki. The first time that I recognized the magnitude of this subtle chakra, I was in a reiki session. I won’t even try to explain reiki to you, as I know I wouldn’t do it justice. Trust me, though, if you’ve never experienced this form of healing, check it out. Your knees might thank you too.

5. Genuflect. This particular suggestion really offers insight into the energy of your knees. An online dictionary describes genuflect as “to bend the knee or touch one knee to the floor in reverence or worship” and “to express a servile attitude.”

To me, this word and its definition go hand-in-hand with our knees chakras.

In short, its important to find within ourselves the mindset of servitude and humility—rather than aggression and domination—over both ourselves and external situations.

Much of success in life is learning how to chase our dreams instead of sitting around praying and waiting for them to happen. To be truly happy and fulfilled we need to couple this with surrendering to what winds up coming our way regardless of our efforts.

Because that’s life: unpredictable, changeable and full of surprises—thank goodness.”

Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans.” ~ John Lennon

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Editor: Renée Picard

Photo: Pixoto