Surrender

Do you feel like you are in battle, perhaps constantly or occasionally? Do you feel like there is “something” that keeps you on edge, or is a constant underlying dissatisfaction? Do you have a hard time feeling that you are at peace? Are you in acceptance and fully engaged in life, in it’s difficulties and joys, or do you feel that life keeps being a hassle?

It seems natural to fight against something that you see as “bad,” but violence always brings more violence, and you are actually feeding your demons when you fight them.

We admitted we were powerless over alcohol [or any addiction or obsession] — that our lives had become unmanageable. (our obsession or addiction negatively impacted all of our life).
Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. (Many times I, on my own, had tried to overcome, ignore or indulge moderately in my addiction, all to bad results.)

The  spiritual tools offered by AA and other programs are designed to induce surrender to the fullest degree possible so that defiance, grandiosity or feeling like a victim, actually cease effectively to function. When that happens, the individual is wide open to reality. They can listen and learn and practice without conflict or shame. They are receptive to life, not antagonistic. They can join in the joys of living honestly and fully, being receptive to life, not fearful.

That we are powerless over an addiction once we have begun indulging, is absolutely true. We do have the power to accept that, to surrender to the fact that we have an addiction we can’t indulge in. When we surrender to the simple truth of that, we then have the capacity to begin and to continue moving in the right direction of surrendering to more truths. Truths such as our capacity to find happiness, good relationships and a sense of worthiness and peace within ourselves. We then begin knowing that all people, no different from ourselves, have the capacity to find happiness and peace, and that we might be able to help them move in the right direction, which is what keeps us moving in the right direction. Any sense of connection with our higher spiritual-self can’t be owned or maintained unless we work on opening up our minds and hearts to others.

We need to STAY surrendered and connected, doing the work we need to, helping others, and choosing life over a slow death. We surrender to taking the right action everyday, without an addiction being the major influence in our lives. We surrender to the fact that we are responsible.

We surrender to a practice of meditation and prayer, we surrender to stepping through our fears and begin being a part of, engaging with, a group that we find fosters health, helping others, and living well.

When we surrender to opening up our energies, are able to experience all aspects of life, the joyful and the difficult, coming from a place of surrendering to the innate goodness and peace that is our foundation. We don’t identify with our difficulties or happiness, or try to prolong them by replaying them over and over. We begin to know the warmth of surrendering to the presence of Now.

“We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us.” — Joseph Campbell

We may have traumas that we need time and help to work with, and it is important to do so. But if we continue to indulge in fear and control, we are fighting our imaginary demons with imaginary weapons that only feed the demons. We become lonely and isolate our hearts from life, choosing to live in a non-existent world of our own making. That is why we will feel like life is passing us by, because real life IS.

Surrender becomes so much easier when you realize the fleeting nature of all experiences and that the world cannot give you anything of lasting value. You then continue to meet people, to be involved in experiences and activities, but without the wants and fears of the ego-self. That is to say, you no longer demand that a situation, person, place, or event should satisfy you or make you happy. Its passing and imperfect nature is allowed to be. And the joy, the sadness or grieving along with the happiness, are also allowed to be. We appreciate all aspects of our existence, and then let go, so that we can be available for the next moment. Any grasping at or mulling over the past, or fear of not being able to control the future, darkens the energy our hearts.
One feeling many must get over is feeling sorry for themselves. As soon as you are tired of feeling sorry for yourself, you will have the capacity to surrender to the natural flow of life, compassion and contentment, even through the doubt and confusion of surrender, and start living fully. We know by instinct, what to accept and what is better to let go of. We change our judgments and fears, which only enslave us, to discriminating awareness.

“I have so much to do.” Yes, but what is the quality of your doing? Driving to work, speaking to co-workers, working on the computer, running errands, dealing with the countless things that make up your daily life – how total, aware and present are you in what you do? Is what you do surrendered or non-surrendered? This is what determines your success in life, not how much effort you make. Effort implies stress and strain, needing to reach a certain point in the future or accomplish a certain result.
“…the miracle is that when you are no longer placing an impossible demand on [life], every situation, person, place, or event becomes not only satisfying but also more harmonious, more peaceful.”— Eckhart Tolle

In the process of surrender what I give up is fear and struggle. The challenge is maintaining this openness, with my everyday practices and awareness, rather than grasping at solid forms or quick solutions to feel safe. It’s not that I give up personal responsibility, believing that something external is going to rescue me. Rather, I realize that if I truly listen to the innate wisdom of my spiritual-nature, it will guide me.
Trust your inner knowledge-wisdom. Be quite and listen.

How do you fill your bucket? One drop at a time
The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step
The great arises out of small things that are honored and surrendered to
Heart Of Recovery web site  –  fcheartofrecovery.com