The Art Of Surrender
Surrender to what is. Let go of what was. Have faith in what will be.
In a world where goal setting and manfiestation is the new big thing, we are told to hold focus of those big dreams and plans at all times. Whilst this is great thing to do in moving towards the future you want, there is a question of whether we are possibly fixating on it too much and in a sense getting in our own way?
We are told we can vibe our way out of a bad situation, and manifest a better life for ourselves through regular visualisation. But what if, what is happening right now is exactly where you need to be. What if these moments that you’re missing, by focusing on your big goals and dreams, are the moments that will help you grow and expand, and will ultimately be the path to your highest good.
Maybe we need to embrace our own journey more, and allow it to guide us in the direction intended for us. The ups and down, the bad and good, and welcome the growth that can come out of even the crappiest of situations. There is a beauty in sitting with our emotions and allowing them to just…be. The grief, the pain, the trauma…it is all part of us, and it is all a necessary part of this thing called life.
I recently rewatched ‘Becoming Nobody’, about the life and work of Ram Dass, who is always someone I go to in times of uncertainty and he said this about meeting the Maharaj-ji …
“The experience of surrender, which was no surrender. In other words I didn’t begrudgingly give up my ego. It was as if I came home to the place I no longer needed it.”
Surrendering helps us let go of control, and allows us to put our ego aside for a moment to just feel and listen to what is happening in our life. Without forcing a change in our situation, we allow ourselves to just be at peace. To let go of our fear and worry of the future, and just allow ourselves the headspace for clarity to receive the insight we need.
Surrendering to the flow of life helps us trust in those moments of pain, and makes them less scary. Rather than worrying about what may be and channelling our energy into forcing a ‘better’ outcome, we can begin to trust in where we are heading and build our own resilience and power, for future situations that may arise. When we allow ourselves to breath and feel what is going on we start to build faith in how the big wild universe works.
Surrendering is allowing ourselves the chance to enjoy every part of our human experience. We are not machines, and we are not meant to have it all figured out. To live a true authentic human experience is to feel EVERYTHING, to wobble, to mess up, but to accept, love, be kind to ourselves regardless, and be free.
Maybe then, when we are truly at peace with where we are we and grateful for each moment and lesson, we will be able to look forward to the future with curiosity, hope and excitement, rather than from a place of lack and fear.
Steps to Surrender
〰️ Be Grateful
Instead of focusing on what isn’t working, and how you wish things where different, be grateful for what is good.
Learn to love the body you wake up in, the sun on your face, the ground beneath your feet. When you can come back to that, in moments of pain, you may begin to realise that actually all is well. Take time each day for a gratitude practice. Try saying ‘thank you for this day’ when you wake, before you start to think of what isn’t going right.
〰️ Loosen the reigns
Practice giving up control. Even if it is just once a day. Rather than trying to make everything happen the way you feel it ‘should’, let mistakes happen. Just little ones, and experience the joy in watching what the outcome is. When we allow things to happen in a way we think they ‘shouldn’t’, we open ourselves up to new possibilities.
〰️ Ask for Guidance
Maybe it’s the universe, god, your akashic records, tarot, whatever your jam is. Take a minute to sit and be open to the receiving messages from whomever, and see what comes through. You don’t have to be a believer in anything spiritual, maybe you just take the time to tune into you. Your inner wisdom has some great insight is you just allow yourself to listen.
〰️ Get clear
The world of manifesting and law of attraction has gotten somewhat messy over the years. Don’t get caught up in striving only for the car, the big house, the million pounds bank balance. Get clear on what you want on a soul level as well. Who do YOU want to be…do more towards being that. If you want to be calmer, more peaceful, practice that and try not to get caught up in all the material stuff you desire.
〰️ Let go some more
If you still can’t surrender, rinse and repeat. Surrendering is a PRACTICE, as you would practice anything to master it. It won’t happen over night - it will never be that easy - but in the long run, putting the daily work in is needed.