The Law of Surrender: Giving Up That Which You Desire
There's an indescribable freedom that comes from letting go. I say this without hesitation because I spent decades trying to hold on to people and things or to control outcomes. Having given that up, I speak with certainty about the joy of surrender....a concept that engenders fear in so many of us and yet, ironically, is the only way to know and experience Life at its best... and as intended.
Ask most people to define surrender and you'll hears words such as as "defeat", "subjugation", "giving up", "abandon", "relinquish" or "yield." Even Dictionary.com gives the preferred meaning as " to yield something to the possession or power of another; deliver up possession of on demand or under duress."
No wonder we fear the thought of surrender. It's gotten a really bad rap for, well, at least two millennia!
But what if we look at surrender another way? What's to lose? (no pun intended).
How many of us have sought, or striven for, something or someone only to find that the "getting" is not only less exciting that the striving...but also that the "having" isn't all we hoped for...nor does it bring us the happiness or satisfaction we believed it would?
I'd say almost everyone can identify with such experiences and feelings...probably more times than we'd like to recall. And yet, most of us just go on repeating the same pattern... simply changing the object of our desire or the intended outcome.
In reality, trying to control either the process or the outcome just isn't all its cracked up to be.
So what's the alternative?
Spiritual surrender.
We have been misled into thinking that surrender means weakness. But, as power is to force so spiritual surrender is to weakness. What do I mean by this statement?
Power originates from within and radiates outward. It's source of supply is regenerative. It emanates from certainty. Its goal is harmony. Force is finite, external pressure applied against resistance. It seeks to dominate. Its goal is victory.
Power has nothing in common with force.
Spiritual surrender seeks to go within. It is a conscious choice freely made to align One's Self with a Greater Knowing. It's goal is Unity for the sole purpose of experiencing Love. It is predicated upon Trust in the goodness of All Creation. It presupposes no harm.
Weakness is a reluctant relinquishment of One's Self to an external force which, through imagination, has been attributed inauthentic power. It is predicated upon fear of the unknown. It seeks to exchange autonomy for the illusion of protection.
Spiritual surrender has nothing in common with weakness.
As I said at the outset, my conclusion is based upon my knowing. It's not something I've read...although there are many versions of it in various spiritual writings. Knowing comes from direct experience. It is, therefore, imbued with certainty and results in an expanded consciousness.
Like power.
Like surrender.
Posted by Carole Gold at 31 Oct 2009, 8:52 PM 
Categories: Religion,Values,Behavior,Spirituality
Tags: force fear surrender spiritual power freedom experience
Categories: Religion,Values,Behavior,Spirituality
Tags: force fear surrender spiritual power freedom experience
You wrote: "Power originates from within and radiates outward...Its goal is harmony."
I disagree that power's goal is harmony. I think power's goal is conformity. And yes, I believe there is a difference. Power does not seek to foster an atmosphere in which differences can work together. Instead, power seeks to make differences conform to a norm and thus appear "harmonious". Thoughts?
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Tim, the harmony I describe is not about conformity. Its about "allowing." Its the result of allowing others to be and choose as they wish without judgment. Its the outgrowth of the right application of co-creative energies.
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I like this alot. Thank you, Carole.
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