Have you ever felt overwhelmed by circumstances? Have there been times when you just didn't know where to turn, or what course of action to take? Would it be useful to be able to cast your burdens away and have them taken care of?
Well, you can.
Today, I'd like to talk about "surrendering". A dictionary definition of "surrender" is "to relinquish or give up possession or power". So how can this relate to your life?
Spiritual texts over the ages have written about the concept of surrendering to a "higher power". For the purposes of this article, you can define a higher power in any way that feels comfortable to you. You may call it God, Higher Spirit, The Universe, Jesus
Christ etc. It's not the name that matters, but the nature of the force.
So how can surrendering help us in our every day lives?
When we surrender, we give up control and let the spirit within us take over. We are admitting that we can't control every circumstance around us, and that we can just let go and surrender to a higher power. In a way it is an incredibly freeing experience. How many times have you tried to solve a problem only to feel blocked in some way. You then gave up worrying about it, and lo and behold, the solution just popped into your mind.
Surrendering allows this process to take place. So if you can do it with the little things, how about the major issues in your life.
So, just how do you surrender?
I will admit that surrendering has been a major issue in my own life. Even after reading countless books that spoke about letting go and having faith, surrendering has been difficult to put into practice in my life.
Here is an example out of my own life. I was married for over 10 years and have 2 wonderful boys, who are now 12 and 8. My ex-wife remarried and moved to the USA with the boys. I should mention that I live in Sydney, Australia. My ex-wife and I have recently had some major issues that have led to her not allowing me any contact with my children for over two months. (I used to speak with them via the phone at least once a week.) As you can probably imagine, this has been a major source of angst in my life. I am very close to my children and not being able to talk has been a major blow. I thought of many strategies including legal options to "make things right".
I realised though, that some things were just not in my control, and that I needed to give up attachment to having contact and just be secure in the knowledge that the boys did love me, and that at some point things would work out. Of course, realising that I had to let go on a conscious and rational level is one thing… actually doing it was another entirely!
Over the last few days I decided to truly cast the burden onto a higher power. When I phoned the USA today, I did get my ex on the phone, and while I didn't get to speak to the boys as they were out, the conversation was cordial (rather than just having the phone put down), and my ex suggested I "keep trying". Small steps. I didn't get the total outcome I wanted, however, I realised that I haven't completely let go either, and my faith was not absolute. I know that when this does happen, Spirit will move, and the highest good for all of us will be served.
So here are some of the things I have learnt along the way. I would love feedback from all of you as to what you have found works and examples out of your own lives.
Lesson 1: Surrendering and faith go hand in hand. It is no use telling yourself that you are going to surrender, and indeed have, if you don't have absolute faith that the solution will come and the situation will be resolved for the highest good of all concerned. Faith is the operative word! You must believe with no doubt whatsoever, that what you have asked for will come about, or if not, something better will happen. This is probably one of the hardest things to do and will take practice.
Lesson 2: Not everything you ask for will come about. It may not really be in your best interests to have what you actually asked for. There is an old saying, "be careful what you ask for - it may not be what you really wanted."
Lesson 3: Spirit does not measure time - after all, how does one measure eternity. So we may not always get the thing we asked for when we ask for it. Just have faith that it will come when it's needed.
Lesson 4: Be specific about what you ask for. However, this should never be at someone else's cost. So don't go and ask for someone else's house - and fixate yourself on moving there, or someone else's partner. Instead ask for a house "just like this one - with these features", or a partner in life with these qualities.
Lesson 5: Let go and let God take over. Once you've asked, let go the end result. You have to allow Spirit to work with and through you. If you are attached to the end result, you are not allowing the forces to work, and you will not get what you need. If you persist in being attached to the outcome, you are not demonstrating the necessary faith. Nor have you truly cast the burden.
Lesson 6: You've asked for something, and you're waiting for a result. You now have to be alert for messages that guide you in the fulfilment of your desires. Listen to your intuition, listen for messages from people - be they strangers who may make some strange remark that has meaning for you, or people who just seem to come into your life, or for that matter, leave! Be prepared to take action, knowing that you are being guided.
There are no mistakes in life, just learnings.
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