In letting go we are free. Its that simple and that difficult all at once. The issue of bondage is in the head. We become attached to ideas, thoughts, people and places and when it is time to move on, we tenaciously cling. This is where the suffering begins, but the good news is, it is where the healing begins as well.
Freedom begins the moment we let go of our limiting beliefs and the thoughts and ideas that no longer serve us.
It sounds easy, but it’s an intense discipline that takes continuous practice. In the book of Romans, Paul writes: “do not conform to the patterns of the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” When I first read that, I memorized and used it as a touchstone to remind me how to find freedom and transformation. We move beyond the patterns of suffering by training the mind. This idea is reinforced in the yoga sutras when they explain the two wings of the spiritual journey of yoking or integrating mind, body and Spirit as abhyasa(practice), and vairagya (renunciation –letting go). It has taken me countless years of practice and letting go to experience a taste of freedom. It is the sort of freedom that is worth fighting for.
I recently hit a rough patch in my journey. Although I was teaching about freedom and letting go, inside I was suffering. When I feel overwhelmed, sometimes I just put myself to bed in hopes of rebooting the system. I fell into a deep and restorative sleep instantly. When my alarm sounded an hour later, I awoke with the words of my wise teacher in my head. “As long as you cling, you will suffer.” I had to turn in and scan my mind, body, and heart for the clenched fist, only to find I had grabbed onto my college aged son with two hands. Although I sent him away to college and let go 2 months prior, I keep trying to hold tightly to the reigns of control and guide him from afar. It is not working and so…. I suffer. I relinquish control and ahhh I am free. He is on a journey and my job is to love and trust and let go… moment by moment and breath by precious breath.