In every spiritual tradition there is a process that encourages us to trust God or a Higher Being with our worries and challenges. In doing so we rely on a force who is omniscient, some power who is far wiser and more powerful than we.
In Matthew 11, Jesus said, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
In the Buddhist tradition there is a prayer that reads in part, "... I will give to Buddha all that brings confusion..."
In metaphysical studies there is the recognition of the power of angels and other beings to help lift burdens, give clarity and comfort and grant miracles, especially when they're called upon. And as in the Christian practice there is the belief that reliance and faith in God can move mountains.
With all of this help and support available, why is it that we still try to struggle on our own? Is it so hard to let go, when receiving guidance and other blessings could be so profoundly positive for us?
Perhaps part of the problem is that we aren't practiced in the art of trust, or maybe it's that our muscles of faith aren't well developed. Or maybe disappointments of the past get in the way of our hope and ability to believe. Sometimes letting go with trust is the hardest thing for us to do.
As a business owner, my husband finds it extremely difficult to let go. It doesn't matter if he's sick, or long overdue for a vacation, he finds it hard to step away from the business and its daily concerns. But when he finally does, a funny thing happens.
Each time he manages to let go and embrace a change in scenery, positive changes start to flow -- deals that were stuck find new life, phone calls get returned and new business comes in. Good things consistently happen. We occasionally joke that he needs to vacation every week.
There's definitely something about letting go, not trying so hard to control everything ourselves and relying on a higher power that tends to bring good things to pass. Control is highly overrated. Most times we just need to get out of our own way.
We can do a daily release that only takes a few moments. This daily practice sends a message that we're ready and willing to receive help, and it opens the proverbial door for that to happen. Close your eyes and envision angels, God or your spiritual guide in front of you. Place all of your worries, frustrations, and limiting patterns in their capable hands. When you're completely through, see them taking the whole lot back to heaven to take care of everything. As they're leaving, if you see any cords attached to your concerns, release and let go of them. This is an especially good practice to do before you go to sleep at night.
Whether you're at the altar, the prayer bench, in meditation or just sitting on your deck after a long day, you need to create a daily practice of letting go. The key seems to be, however, that you let go to a Higher Being. Whether you use the term God, the Universe, Source or if you work with Angels or Buddha, that's your choice. But the gifts really do flow when you learn that you can't do it all on your own. We need to have a daily practice of letting go.
For more by Melissa Van Rossum, click here.
For more on emotional wellness, click here.