It seems apt to end the year with letting go of what has passed,
ready to welcome in the new. Here is how it works…
Let go of the past like a tree lets go of its leaves…
You can think of letting go as the opposite of clinging or grasping. When we want something, we cling to it and grasp at it. We become fixated on something. Letting go reminds us not to even push things away. Letting go really means letting be. Allowing things to be as they are, and not getting caught up in not wanting it to be that way, is letting be.
In India, they have a particular way of trapping monkeys. They cut a coconut and put a small hole in it. They tie it at the base of a tree with a banana inside. The hole is created in such a way that if the monkey grasps hold of the banana, they are unable to get their hand out. The fist is too big and so you must let go of the banana to get their hand out. Monkeys don’t want to let go and they become trapped.
Recognise when you are caught by your own desire or attachment. It can be painful but the letting go is the doorway to freedom. This should be practiced over and over again. Every time you catch yourself clinging remind yourself to let it go.
The breath can be a reminder of this. Every time we take a breath in, we have to let it go. If not, there is no room for the next breath. Receive and let go. For this reason, you can practice really letting the breath go by exhaling every out breath fully. Add to this practice by saying in your mind ‘let go’ when breathing out.
Letting go is easier said than done. It is a long process that can be assisted by yoga practice. Sometimes letting go doesn’t always mean relax and instead it can be a painful task. For example, when you are aware of the presence of the painful emotion and you let go the need to distract or fix. Maybe you choose to let go of reactivity. In yoga, if the mind grasps less often, you can be present for a broad range of experiences. It we let go of grasping we no longer experience disappointment. Letting go can be a quiet affair. Letting go can be a step towards forgiveness. If you let go, you can let the light shine in.
She Let Go - Rev. Safire Rose
She let go. Without a thought or a word, she let go.
She let go of the fear. She let go of the judgments. She let go of the confluence of opinions swarming around her head. She let go of the committee of indecision within her. She let go of all the ‘right’ reasons. Wholly and completely, without hesitation or worry, she just let go.
She didn’t ask anyone for advice. She didn’t read a book on how to let go. She didn’t search the scriptures. She just let go. She let go of all of the memories that held her back. She let go of all of the anxiety that kept her from moving forward. She let go of the planning and all of the calculations about how to do it just right.
She didn’t promise to let go. She didn’t journal about it. She didn’t write the projected date in her Day-Timer. She made no public announcement and put no ad in the paper. She didn’t check the weather report or read her daily horoscope. She just let go.
She didn’t analyse whether she should let go. She didn’t call her friends to discuss the matter. She didn’t do a five-step Spiritual Mind Treatment. She didn’t call the prayer line. She didn’t utter one word. She just let go.
No one was around when it happened. There was no applause or congratulations. No one thanked her or praised her. No one noticed a thing. Like a leaf falling from a tree, she just let go.
There was no effort. There was no struggle. It wasn’t good and it wasn’t bad. It was what it was, and it is just that.
In the space of letting go, she let it all be. A small smile came over her face. A light breeze blew through her. And the sun and the moon shone forevermore.
Take a breath to let go of what has passed,
so you are able to welcome in the present.
References
https://safire-rose.com/books-and-media/poetry/she-let-go
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBCithP9JrM