Tuesday, September 9, 2008

What I Want: The Art of Surrender

My friends and I were speaking of surrendering and what it means to us to let go; how we go about releasing attachments and what issues can arise in the space of the unknown.

We previously struggled against letting go of desires, dreams, goals or outcomes because we thought letting go meant giving up. After all, don't we have to fight until the end, persevere, and focus non-stop to get what we want and deserve? I mean, life has its share of challenges and we must use force to either maintain a position or achieve a desired outcome, right? Well, we realized no -- this is not the case. We came to the conclusion that our surrendering was more like being open to life and flowing instead of giving up. So it was not necessarily our inability to accept the concept of flowing as it was to change our view of surrender so that the act of "submission" could be more palatable for us.

We also acknowledged the importance of knowing how to recognize alignment and to shift our energy so that we could remain centered under any circumstance. We became highly conscious of the different thoughts and emotions that are produced through struggling against and tightening the grasp versus being aligned and open. When we were able to feel the difference, we were able to choose to be centered and witness ourselves moving freely in the most beneficial ways, with grace and ease.

When I think of loosening the grip on any given desire, I think of allowing my hands to open from the tight grasp and trust that the essence of my desire is resting there -- gently and peacefully --in the palm of my hand. Like the palm of my open hand, my heart, mind and emotions rest openly and I can remain there knowing there is nothing to lose and really nothing to gain. But how is that possible? This is possible because I have reduced my true desire to wanting an experience that allows me to be in a state of oneness with the Source, the Creator -- at all times. If I accept that I am already one with the Creator, then all that I desire, I already have. There is no need to grasp tightly. I can relax, let go and be at peace, knowing that my actual desire is the essence of the illusion which I have projected as separate from who I already am.

The attempt to complete oneself through desiring that which lies outside of us can take many forms. We can use food, drugs, alcohol, conditions, sex, excitement, achievements, money, material objects or even people in an effort to experience satisfaction or pleasure but once we can see that these "wants" or "needs" are not producing true fulfillment, we can begin to explore what it is we truly desire. Through observation and meditation, we can begin to sense the vast and open space inside, the space looking for a very deep connection instead of a temporary fix. By allowing ourselves to observe and let go in a meditative state, we can access the truth of who we are. Going within offers a beautiful awareness of the present moment and the eventual freedom from seeking anything outside of ourselves for peace and fulfillment.

There are many excellent resources online that address the importance and benefits of a regular meditation practice. Meditation does not have to be difficult or complicated. Feel free to contact me for more information on the healing meditation at 619-852-5773 or contact Jerome Gross for information on his Light Body Meditation practice at 619-884-2662.
Also, see: http://www.thedharmabums.org/

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Brigitte, you're the real deal!