“Surrender is faith that the power of Love can accomplish anything even when you cannot foresee the outcome.”
~Deepak Chopra
I love the act of surrender. When weāre holding on tight to something with so much effort, it means we can thankfully let go.
When we feel like weāre carrying the world on our shoulders, we can give it back, drop the weight, and trust that things will be okay.
The Ease of Surrender
I surrender a lot. When life presents me with a situation that I just canāt figure out, I stop trying. Instead of endlessly rolling it around in my mind, I wait, listening intently, fully receptive to the answers that might appear.
When there are too many things to do, I stop trying to do them and let myself be guided.
And when things just donāt feel right, I know Iāve taken a turn off my true path. And thatās the perfect time to stop, let go, and surrender.
From where I sit, surrendering makes life so much easier. You donāt need to stay stuck in the fog of confusion. You donāt need to know all the answers. The pressureās off, so you can truly relax.
āGoing with the flowā takes on a whole new meaning.
How Surrender Works
I recently found myself urgently trying to make a decision, and the way forward just wasnāt clear. I tested out a couple of different options, but each time I felt an inner āNo.ā I had no enthusiasm and felt forced to do something I didnāt really want to do.
There were red flags everywhere that I was looking in the wrong direction.Ā So I decided to surrender.
Instead of choosing with my mind about what I thought should happen, I went to my heart. I asked:
- What would I enjoy?
- What am I enthusiastic about?
- Where does my creativity want to express itself?
- What would be fun to do?
And as soon as I started asking these questions, the answers flooded in. To my surprise, I realized I wasnāt confused or stuck. I just hadnāt created the space for these answers to emerge.
Hereās the lesson that came as clear as day. The mind creates struggle, and the heart knows. I can spin around in my mind with its desires, expectations, and judgments, or I can let all of that mental activity merrily float off into the ethers.
I can suffer and contract into an agitated little ball, or I am here, happy, clear, and free, with a smile on my face.Ā š
Your Turn to Surrender
Are you interested in surrendering? Hereās what to do.
- Get to know that cranky, needy personal voice with its endless desires, requirements, and opinions. Recognize it, then let it go. Donāt give it your attention.
- If it feels right, ask questions appropriate to your situation. How is your heart wanting to speak?
- Now hereās the juicy part. Simply listen. Find that place of supreme openness beyond the thinking mind where you donāt need to know, and be available to what that openness has to tell you. Let yourself be visited by the grand intelligence that lies behind everything. And trust it no matter what your fears tell you.
Surrender your mind to your loving heart. Itās simple and courageous and the only sane thing to do.
What About You?
What keeps you from surrendering? What happens when you do? What do you surrender? Iād love to hearā¦and if youāre reading by email, please click here to visit GailBrenner.com and to comment.
Always in love,
Gail
Note: You are most welcome to attend our next live meeting of Living in Truth. Please click here for the info.
Tiffany sanborn says
I love this article.. I have been recently told by two separate people in two separate situations to “STOP THINKING” so much! I didn’t really hear the first person, but the second wrote it in an email yesterday just like I did above and I “saw ” it.. it was a light bulb..stop over thinking.. surrender.. go with the flow.. It all makes so much sense and I can sense that life is easier from that place but my brain is so hardwired at 48 and it off and running before I even know what is up. So when you say “don’t give it attention”. I don’t understand. I was trying yesterday to focus on the sensations and to realize that is all they are with a story attached.. but I find the sensations so uncomfortable I try to make them go away.. I know it makes it stronger to resist but again it is the go to thing that happens before awareness,,
any suggestions would be most welcome! I wish I lived in SB so I could join the group!!
Gail Brenner says
Thanks for your questions, Tiffany. I sense your true desire for freedom and your interest, and here a some thoughts for you:
First of all, don’t try to stop your thoughts. Peace doesn’t come from trying hard to resist what’s here. And if thoughts are here, accept that. It’s more about your relationship to these thoughts and how important you make them.
Distinguish the difference between the energy of a thought and the content of a thought. A thought can be present, but you don’t have to put your attention into thinking the content and making it real in your experience. You (as awareness, the observer) can just notice thinking without getting involved in all the stories. It’s like you’re standing at a train station watching the train go by. You don’t have to pay attention to every window and car. You can simply stand there peacefully as the train passes you. You might even feel an urge to get on it, but you can stop and breathe and be this unmoving presence. It might take some time, but eventually you’ll see a gap between you (your awareness) and the thoughts. Then they can be there, but you’re not paying attention to them. Instead, you’re present, alive, and alert to what’s here – not lost in the content of the thoughts.
Thinking you’re too old to change your relationship to thoughts is another thought! I know the brain is hardwired, but let these thoughts also float by without making their content real. Then here you are as peaceful, aware presence.
Experiment with “going with the flow.” See what the thoughts are saying, then listen more deeply to how you are guided by the stillness underneath the thoughts. You may make some amazing discoveries!
Let me know how it goes…xoxo
Phyllis Johnson says
This is a great article. REALLY Great!!
Gail Brenner says
I’m so glad, Phyllis! I love when things resonate. xx
jollyjohn says
I would like to thank you for your inspiring thoughts about surrender.I am so glad to read it . Thank you.
Gail Brenner says
Glad you found this post helpful, Jolly John. You are most welcome. xx
joanes says
I am greatfull to read the article ”surrender” because it has really shade some light that were engulfed in darkness for me. Keep it on it is kind of stress management and more so, counseling on its own. thanks alot for the inspiration you offer to the readers of this.
Gail Brenner says
It is my absolute pleasure, Joanes. Yes, when we apply these teaching to our own experience, we are finding just the medicine we need.
Malcolm Cragg says
I used to be an independent happy adventurer that took on new challenges all the time.Then I met a lady who I put on a pedestal.
It took all my attention and energies just to remain in a relationship with.Each day waiting for the next text and making sure I said all the right things.
Yesterday she finished with me as I had made a couple of mistakes,in her eyes.So in truth she did not love me as I am.People around told me I had become so different from the happy go lucky character that I used to be.I have now given up,but feels as though I have had to surrender,and already I am starting to feel easier in my mind at times.
Gail Brenner says
So beautiful, Malcolm. Your relationship with this woman is serving your awakening. Completely giving up can lead to a deep surrender where you admit that you don’t know. Now patterns and habitual reactions can dissolve as you’re receptive to what’s actually true in the moment.