If you’ve spent any amount of time in the “new age” world, you’ve no doubt heard people talk about the power of manifestation. There have been books, documentaries, and countless other ways this method of creating the life you want has been shared. There are just as many ways to practice this method as there are “authorities” on the topic. I’m not going to discuss whether or not there is any merit to it, because I believe different things work for different people. Today I want to talk about what seems to me to be an opposing force (although whether it really is can – and probably will be – a whole post in itself!). That force is surrender.
The art and practice of #surrender has been on my mind a lot lately. Over the course of the last month or so, I’ve been struggling to find a new job/career, and my spouse has been trying to secure a full-time teaching position. We’ve both been practicing manifestation techniques in our own ways, and for a while it seemed nothing was going to give.
I began to feel hopeless and desperate. I was ready to take any job that came my way, and I did. That lasted all of two days – and I abruptly quit. I could not do something I did not fully believe in, and I could not compromise my physical health in the way required for the job. Lots of walking is not my thing, after getting hit by a car a few years ago. I had no back up plan. This job was supposed to be IT, easy and bringing home more money than I had ever made. It seemed like exactly what I had wanted to manifest, but it wasn’t.
After a few days of wallowing in self-pity (yes, I am still guilty of this!), I decided to approach my situation from another perspective: surrender. When most people think of surrender, they think of it as giving up. I don’t see it that way. To me, surrender is letting go of the attempt to control a situation, and opening ourselves up to endless possibilities.
Surrender is not being weak. It is not about being lazy or scared. It takes great courage to release control and remain in the present moment, staying flexible and adaptable to life as it happens. Surrender is a matter of trust and faith in the bigger picture, and in yourself. In yogic philosophy, we learn about Ishvara pranidhana – surrender to a higher source. Just like Yoga master B.K.S. Iyengar wrote about in his book Light on the Yoga Sutras, “Through surrender the aspirant’s ego is effaced…and grace…pours down on him like a torrential rain.” This means that by embracing surrender, we open up a pathway for possibility and opportunity to come into our lives. Whatever our spiritual inclinations, Ishvara pranidhana is something we can practice. You can surrender to your deity, or to the bigger picture and what your role in that is. Once you let go of control, you let go of the resistance that is perpetuating your current circumstance.
Through my own practice of surrender, I have found a sense of confidence and commitment that I didn’t have before. I know what I have to offer, and I am committed to finding the best fit possible. It took a bit of time, but I was able to find a job where their managing philosophy is completely aligned with how I seek to apply yoga to my life. My skills will be highly utilized, and I’ll have plenty of opportunity for growth and learning, while helping to empower others. This is everything I’ve been looking for. I’m not sure yet how it’s all going to line up in reality, we’ll see as time goes by. All I know is that if I had tried to control the outcome of my job search, I’d probably still be stuck in one way or another.
Are you ready to lose control? Here is a simple guide to practicing the art of surrender in your life:
5 Steps to Practicing Surrender
- Set aside some time for reflection, and ask yourself the following questions:
- Where do you feel yourself holding tightly to outcomes?
- What are you trying to create in your life?
- What do you fear losing by surrendering the process and outcome?
- Once you have answered these questions, imagine what it would be like if you no longer had to worry about these things.
- Imagine that each of your concerns about this situation were a balloon. You can even see them written on the balloons themselves. Once this picture is clear, see yourself letting the balloons go, one by one.
- As you let go of each balloon, see it drifting up and away, higher and higher into the sky, until you can no longer see it. Do this for each balloon until they are gone. Take your time, and notice how you feel as you let each concern go.
- When you have released each balloon, take a moment to sit quietly and notice how you feel. Do you feel lighter? Relieved? Sad? At peace? There is no right or wrong answer. When you have identified your feelings, begin to pay attention to your breathing, and then gently open your eyes. As you go back to your day, know that you have surrendered your situation completely. Any time you feel the concerns and worry drift back, remember how it felt to let them go. You can practice this technique as many times as you need to.
By surrendering, we let go of our need to be in control. We release the tension and stress of being in charge of what happens for us, and allow life to naturally move in our lives. We empower ourselves by learning to accept what is, and to remain acceptable and adaptable to each and every moment. What will you let go of? Leave a comment below, or post on our Facebook page!
Musings on a Whim 
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