The concept of “letting go” is a common theme among sentiments and advice when sincere life struggle with one’s purpose and future are causing them torment. Establishing and understanding the meaning behind this potentially, extremely valuable and timeless piece of wisdom, is powerful enough to change lives. Unfortunately, these words are irresponsibly tossed around. They are readily, yet often times casually dispensed and regrettably misreceived, from caring soul to suffering soul.
This gem of wisdom is often and highly misunderstood, in my honest opinion, and has become an unreasonably trite cliché. Unfortunate. Popular misconceptions delude the meaning and mistakenly reduce its message to terrible advice that may be received as any of the following; the analogy of blindly jumping into your destiny; taking a leap of faith; throwing your cautions to the wind; turning your life over to another’s control; just do it– everyone else is doing it; leaving logic for faith; blind trust; reckless abandonment; being unreasonably brave; abandoning concrete knowledge for abstract possibility; basically giving up responsibility for your future; among others. This call to awareness of yourself and the ways of the world has become more like a peer pressure, and has been reduced to the amounts of a profoundly silly dare.
The intention and communication I wish to share by offering the concept of “letting go,” is very much intellectually and responsibly based in a strong, solid reality and awareness thereof. I believe that “letting go” means to let go of the ego; to let go of the struggle against the universe; to let go of fighting and forcing control; to let go of fear; to let go of expectations; to let go of attachments; to let go of delusions. These things are both consciously and unconsciously selfish, misguided, self-preservation practices. Key is finding awareness and realization of the power and strength in surrendering the fight against forces and, instead, joining with them; to recognize our existence in and with the powerful and infinite energy loop of the universe; to accept our existence in and with the universe.
I hope to inspire you to find meaning and understanding in the concept of “letting go.” These words of true wisdom open a whole realm of self-exploration, brave honesty and real challenge. “Letting go” is about taking a fearlessly honest and searching moral inventory of yourself; your misconceptions; your accrued life investments; your ineffective, defensive, coping strategies; your mis-sourced motivations. It is about finding, recognizing, redirecting and not holding on to the wrong efforts. Be big enough to admit to your mistakes, even when they are disguised in success. Find balance. Learn when to exercise effort and when to let go. Recognize and appreciate the tremendous wisdom and benefit in letting this balance.
In expressing my concept of “letting go,” I prefer the analogy of playing with waves in the ocean. Popular analogies of blindly jumping off a cliff or a high-dive display dramatic, bold bravery; but, more importantly display careless, gambling and profound momentary loss of self-respect and intellectual capacity. These analogies also perpetuate miscommunication of a truer message. In the ocean analogy, by swimming and playing with waves, one engages in a beautiful give and take. Being in the water, you literally, physically feel oneness with the element all around you, holding you. You are in it, part of it, flowing with it, experiencing the ebb and flow of its energy. Letting the power of the ocean is scary at first, but thereafter is extraordinarily liberating.
In closing, one thing you should never let go of is hope. Always remember your worthiness and always push forward. The pieces will all come together. Unimaginably good things will transpire in your life, even if everything doesn’t turn out exactly the way you anticipate. Be forewarned, everything will not turn out the way you anticipate. Let that excite you. You will look back on these troubled times, smile and love yourself even more for your strength, courage and willingness on your journey; your willingness to embrace life.
Let go. Let yourself go. Let yourself be. Let yourself free. Be free.
“Life, if you keep chasing it so hard, will drive you to death. Time, when pursued like a bandit, will behave like one. At some point you have to stop because it won’t. You have to admit that you can’t catch it;
that you’re not supposed to catch it.
At some point, you gotta let go and sit still and
allow contentment to come to you.”
-from Eat, Pray, Love
“People think it’s holding on that makes you stronger, but sometimes it’s letting go.”
-Unknown
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