Originally posted February 18, 2022
Scary words? Often, we may think of things like conflict, losing out, giving up, when considering what letting go or surrender means. The meaning of these words tends to be deeply rooted in Western traditions. In Yoga traditions, these words can be used to effect positive changes, both physical and mental.
We can start with attitudes. What kind of positive attitudes could be associated with the word surrender? If it means letting go, that letting go is not always about losing out. It can be considered a way toward freedom. Independence. Freedom from cultural or familial ideas that are worn out and may not fit in your ideas about how you want to live your life. Freedom from an unhealthy habit. Letting go of a thought harmful to your well-being. Letting go of an emotional attachment; fear of loss; even letting go of anger. These emotions may have served you well but ask yourself, “Do they improve the quality of my life now?” If not, holding on might be detrimental to your health.
Letting go takes practice. It might involve cherished opinions or beliefs. The threat of loss can create resistance to new ideas. If what needs to be let go is about control, that’s often more challenging than other emotional issues. However, the need to control can have a detrimental effect on any relationship, whether a loved one, a friendship, or on the job. It takes discrimination, thinking carefully, having a sense of what may be sacrificed when standing firmly on a principle or goal.
Near the end of a yoga practice there’s an exercise called Savasana. Savasana means “corpse pose”. After stretching, balancing, and twisting, the benefits of physical exercises are deepened with a time of relaxation. During this time your whole being is given time to relax, to let go, to stop holding onto stuff, to opinions, to cherished beliefs. It can be anything we hold onto and the time of rest allows the body to regenerate along with the mind. Just stop. Be in the moment, still, with the gentle rhythm of the breath flowing in and flowing out. The breath can bring us to balance and foster cooperation of body and mind. This is the state of mind that can open to possibilities of letting go.
Savasana may look easy as it appears that you are just lying on the floor on your back. What makes it yoga is applying awareness to the exercise, keeping the mind alert while the body relaxes. Mind is the observer, the guide that keeps us present to the process of relaxing. As we develop that skill it can be used in other circumstances. For example, sitting at a desk, concentrating on a job. Tension starts to arise. Mind changes its focus. You get up, walk around and tell the body to relax; then go back to work refreshed.
Now, as I surrender into the corpse pose, I become aware of all the muscles that are tense or relaxed or somewhere in between. My body speaks to me, I respond. The more I practice, the more I am able to surrender. Let go. It feels great! I have choice. I can think what I want to think and let go of the rest. Tension takes energy. I get tense when needed and then when the need is gone, I relax. Sounds simple, right? Yet, it’s not always easy. It takes practice. Life gives me a lot of opportunities to surrender. I’m getting better at letting go of what I don’t really need.