The Nuance of Surrender

BLOG POST: The Nuance of Surrender 

Even the dictionary defines surrender as “giving up completely”, along with other definitions of the word.  That’s not how I see surrender…at least now.  I definitely viewed it that way in the past, when I was busily hammering out a life for myself and my family.  Over time, however, I have come to see surrender in a whole different light. 

Several years ago when I wrote a speech called “Row, Row, Row Your Boat Gently Down Life’s Stream”, I saw a vision of all of humanity in boats floating down life’s stream, with some people paddling furiously trying to get back to where they had been, some giving up and jumping in the water to drown, and others working with the flow by paddling to stay off the rocks, but heading where the stream was taking them.  This latter group were the ones I saw as surrendering.  They were demonstrating a yielding of control; a turning oneself over to a stronger, wiser influence; a willingness to forego their own desires and ego-driven plans for the guidance of Spirit.  I view surrender as letting go of my agenda in order to experience the Divine Agenda.

If we view surrender as paddling with the flow, opening to Spirit’s guidance, and letting go of agenda for the opportunity to experience Agenda, we might wonder how best to get there.  How do we avail ourselves of Surrender?  When I notice what moves me from clutching, gripping, making things happen into a space of surrender, the first things I notice are stillness, silence, breath, and Being.

It is in the quiet where surrender is most easily found.  Stopping all activity.  Deepening the breath.  Releasing the muscles.  Being.  And we don’t have to be perfect at it.  Just setting our intention that this is what we’re desiring makes it easier to attain.  So breathe.  Be.  Let go.  Sit in that stillness and observe with all of your senses.  Everything you need is right there.