| There is a physical aspect to surrender which we previously touched on briefly. If we think of surrender as the becoming one with the flow of life we can imagine this flow, like a river; when we surrender to the current we don't fight against it either to go upstream or down. Instead, we just enjoy the sensation of being carried along. This flow in terms of our own physical experience is the flow of Source Energy through us. This is not an abstract concept, but something we can actually feel in our bodies. In order to feel this we must let go of the blocks to energy movement through our body, the emotional blocks that we have talked about which prevent the awareness of energy movement from one part of our bodies to the other. So often when you begin the process of learning to surrender and let go we experience fear and other emotional states that we have previously blocked off from our awareness. As we release these emotions we become aware of a different sensation in our body. It is the sensation of the flow of Source Energy. There are many aspects to this surrender. There is the surrender of ego control of the mind; there is the surrender of relaxation of the muscles and allowing whatever is inside to be experienced without judgment; there is the surrender of any limiting beliefs or ideas about who we are or what we can be; there is the surrender of any idea of separation or smallness. All this can be experienced on a physical level. How do you surrender on a physical level? Previously we mentioned the idea of a clenched fist holding onto something so tightly for so long that it had left conscious awareness. If you imagine that what prevents you from feeling the flow and surrender is bottlenecks in your energy flow caused exactly by that kind of clenching. If you could imagine what it takes to consciously let go of that clenching, to open that fist and let the energy flow, that is the physical act of surrender. It brings relaxation, easy breathing, a sense of energetic flow in the body, a sense of being more and bigger than we are used to, a sense of being connected to a higher order than we are used to, a sense of well-being and a knowledge that everything is exactly as it should be. If you experience difficulty with this process, then there are areas in your body where you are not able to relax the clenched muscular system and you need to find ways of bringing this tightness to conscious awareness. Doing processes like yoga is very helpful in this area to make you conscious of where you are holding on. Taking the time to meditate or be still with yourself will help you see what you are not comfortable with internally. If you just let what you are feeling arise, you will learn more about what you are blocking and not wanting to feel. Do not underestimate the importance of bodily self-awareness as part of the spiritual path. The Western culture has emphasized the power of the mind over the life of the body which has led to many people not being able to correctly identify their feelings and emotional states. There cannot be a true spirituality without a full and open connection with our bodies. |
