Freedom From Resistance
Sounds like defeat to most people. It makes one think of going to war and throwing one’s hands up while they wave the white flag. As a healer for the past 17 years, I notice it’s something that people struggle with in particular. We live in a society where control and dominance reign supreme and letting go of control feels precarious. Our brains are wired to keep us safe and alive and surrender goes against all of that.
In a spiritual practice, however, surrender is known to bring the ultimate peace. It’s when we stop fighting against what is and accept it; we melt into what is. The challenge is, even if we are sold on the benefits of surrendering, how do we do it?
Basically, the more we let go, the more we are in the flow of the universe (whatever that might mean to you). The act of surrender is something that may help you to release resistance. Again, we have so much programming that stops us from letting go and it does take a pretty strong intention and some safe space to do it. It’s also not a switch, it’s not like we can turn our resistance off so to speak, it’s more like a dimmer switch: bit by bit, allowing yourself to let go.
Surrender isn’t about defeat. It’s about trust. Trusting in something that is far beyond our comprehension, something that is guiding us toward our greatest healing, growth and ultimately our truest selves. Let us start with the mind; Setting a powerful and clear intention for your surrendering practice can be all you need to get started. Now turning our attention to our body, feeling our body, and releasing all the air out would be a way to surrender, allowing the body to become just a bit heavier, deflate the body bag with each exhale we’re dropping down into whatever is holding us up. Softening each muscle of the body and allowing ourselves to just be here now.
The spiritual part of us is always there and is waiting for the opportunity to come through the top of our heads and to fill up the entire body with beautiful energy. It may feel like a subtle buzzing current or warmth. It’s the effort of no effort. We make a choice and then let it go. We keep dropping down into the chair or floor you’re lying on, bit by bit, muscle by muscle, choice by choice to be led by the unconditionally loving and wise part of you. You’re higher self, the part of us that knows just what we need, when we need it.
So, next time you’re feeling overwhelmed, exhausted or just curious, lie down on your bed with the intention to surrender.
- Close your eyes and go inside your body, feel your heart space.
- Start noticing your breath, feeling your breath. Following it in and out.
- Become aware of your back body, feeling where your back meets the bed/mat.
- Start letting go, softening, releasing, muscles starting from the back of your head, neck, shoulders and all the way down the body through the stomach, hips, thighs, calves and finally your feet. You’re feeling into that place in your body and being present with it, allowing it to release more and more as you breath.
- Reminding yourself that there is a higher force at play that will take over this healing for you. You only need to intend for the surrender and healing and then let it do it’s job. You’re not doing anything, actually , the less you do, the better. You may fall asleep, you may see colours, you may experience seeing images or simply feel very relaxed. All of these experiences are normal and each time will be different as you continue to play with this process of surrender.
- Let me know how it went and if you have any questions about how to surrender, find me at apanabodywork.com
To your greatest healing,
Madeleine Chevrier
