 | I sat down to write and the word ‘surrender’ came to me. I know nothing about surrender but as this word was floating around in the foreground of my mind for a while, I decided to practise using surrender in a practical way to build a steadier way of being. |
My simple approach began by applying surrender in my day-to-day livingness, such as not reacting to all the little daily, mundane occurrences or how my way was the only way (although mostly it was!).
For instance, observing any reaction I might have to dropping my favourite cup and breaking it, burning dinner, not being able to find my keys or phone or forgetting the one thing I especially went to the supermarket for, although the shopping bag carried home was full! Thus, a plethora of other incidences that can occur, far too numerous to mention here.
Rather than reacting, being disturbed, discombobulated, upset or perhaps judging myself, others or the situation and therefore making myself miserable, I gradually came to realise that this was definitely not a healthy way of being as it brought neither love, joy, harmony nor stillness into my body or my environment.
If these occurrences had shocked or unsteadied me physically, mentally, or emotionally, I decided, rather than be caught up in something that could easily escalate into a drama of my own making, my new approach would be to breathe gently, discern how important the incident was in the scheme of life and even ask myself if it was life threatening or not!
Surrender makes such a difference in how I am in life and with people. I am learning to give people space and let things flow through me without needing to react so much.
Surrender is a vibration that is felt.
If it is to be felt, a certain amount of stillness needs to be established within the body.
Surrender is about a giving up of control, a letting go and letting God, a giving over of the reins as it were, a letting go of ideals and beliefs along with thoughts of how things should be; one could say, living a surrendered life.
It is a dropping back into the body, connecting and releasing any held anxiousness and tension. This allows energy to flow and pass through the body with ease, its movement neither disrupted nor resisted.
It is with a deep sigh that the body surrenders, for any held anxiousness or tension is not to its liking and heralds, in time, ill health in some form or another.
I recalled the words ‘Observe, Allow and Learn’, words I first heard at a workshop in Melbourne in 2019. These words became a focus and are still my most valuable and frequently used tool in my toolbox.
So now, if someone says something that might have rattled me in the past I can just observe and let it go and it feels so flowing and beautiful.
If I am observing, allowing, and learning, there is no ‘I’ or ‘self’ involved, therefore a detachment – and space is brought to the situation.
Over a period of time, I noticed a relaxing, an ease, possibly a reduction of the anxiety and tension I had not been consciously aware of that was held within my body.
Continuing my emphasis on letting go and letting God allowed for a flow in my movements, a reduction in reactions to untoward happenings, and a sense of joy and lightness within that was noticed by others and myself.
I have discovered that as I learn to surrender, I am developing a tenderness in my expression, a feeling of delicacy within the body and most importantly a healthy respect for myself and a deeper sense of self-love.
I now experience ‘surrender’ as an obedience to what is.
Avril McK., Australia
If you enjoyed this article, for further reading you may also like:
Deep Appreciation and Acceptance
For instance, observing any reaction I might have to dropping my favourite cup and breaking it, burning dinner, not being able to find my keys or phone or forgetting the one thing I especially went to the supermarket for, although the shopping bag carried home was full! Thus, a plethora of other incidences that can occur, far too numerous to mention here.
Rather than reacting, being disturbed, discombobulated, upset or perhaps judging myself, others or the situation and therefore making myself miserable, I gradually came to realise that this was definitely not a healthy way of being as it brought neither love, joy, harmony nor stillness into my body or my environment.
If these occurrences had shocked or unsteadied me physically, mentally, or emotionally, I decided, rather than be caught up in something that could easily escalate into a drama of my own making, my new approach would be to breathe gently, discern how important the incident was in the scheme of life and even ask myself if it was life threatening or not!
Surrender makes such a difference in how I am in life and with people. I am learning to give people space and let things flow through me without needing to react so much.
Surrender is a vibration that is felt.
If it is to be felt, a certain amount of stillness needs to be established within the body.
Surrender is about a giving up of control, a letting go and letting God, a giving over of the reins as it were, a letting go of ideals and beliefs along with thoughts of how things should be; one could say, living a surrendered life.
It is a dropping back into the body, connecting and releasing any held anxiousness and tension. This allows energy to flow and pass through the body with ease, its movement neither disrupted nor resisted.
It is with a deep sigh that the body surrenders, for any held anxiousness or tension is not to its liking and heralds, in time, ill health in some form or another.
I recalled the words ‘Observe, Allow and Learn’, words I first heard at a workshop in Melbourne in 2019. These words became a focus and are still my most valuable and frequently used tool in my toolbox.
So now, if someone says something that might have rattled me in the past I can just observe and let it go and it feels so flowing and beautiful.
If I am observing, allowing, and learning, there is no ‘I’ or ‘self’ involved, therefore a detachment – and space is brought to the situation.
Over a period of time, I noticed a relaxing, an ease, possibly a reduction of the anxiety and tension I had not been consciously aware of that was held within my body.
Continuing my emphasis on letting go and letting God allowed for a flow in my movements, a reduction in reactions to untoward happenings, and a sense of joy and lightness within that was noticed by others and myself.
I have discovered that as I learn to surrender, I am developing a tenderness in my expression, a feeling of delicacy within the body and most importantly a healthy respect for myself and a deeper sense of self-love.
I now experience ‘surrender’ as an obedience to what is.
Avril McK., Australia
If you enjoyed this article, for further reading you may also like:
Deep Appreciation and Acceptance