In honor of Chodesh Adar, let's try a new approach to "letting go" of non-Kosher tensions; "Happiness"! The entire world is in pursuit of this elusive prize, but for us Jews, Happiness is not just a means to fulfilling selfish interests, it is a Mitzvah in it's own right! The Beis Ahron of Karlin writes that what Happiness can bring a Jew to--no Mitzvah can, and what sadness can bring a Jew to--no Aveira can!
The following may seem a bit queer, but it can't hurt to try! Next time you are feeling the tensions build up, or you're feeling vulnerable and down--try this. Go into a room where no one is around and just start laughing out loud, hearty, rolling laughter, for a minute or two. Then dance a little jig and sing "I'm happy, I'm relaxed", "I'm happy, I'm relaxed". You will be amazed how much freer and stronger you will feel!
For an example from a Yoga master, copy and paste the following link into your browser and press Enter.mms://media.a7.org/a7radio/misc/video/08/tov/laugh.wmv