Talking truth about "self improvement" as it relates to health, overall wellness and expressing the truest version of you. This is Marta Mrotek with Something Honest…..

So much of the work we do with Surrender depends on incorporating the first two Principles… and working all three of them together is exponentially more effective than just working on one. In the Yoga Sutras it says that if we could surrender completely we wouldn’t need to do anything else… we’d have the answers we were looking for and all the peace we could ever imagine. But for most of us surrender is an ongoing practice. For most of us it takes time to grow that kind of Faith. So we come back to this strong foundation over and over again. All of the work that lies ahead depends on this…

Hey there everybody this is Marta with the Surrender Challenge! We’ve got a simple method for creating a starting ritual that applies specifically to Surrender and ideas to help you make this a regular practice. If you haven’t listened to the other Surrender Episodes yet you might want to go back for the Talking Points and the Study Journal to get ready to for this. I do hope you’ll to stick around until the end for a short guided mediation that ties everything together and reinforces the idea of Surrender as a form of Acceptance.

If you’ve been following along we’ve already identified some of what we’ve been calling starting triggers, that point to the need for practice to break old patterns and create new ones. So it’s time to work on making just one more starting ritual that can be used as a reminder to change your state before habitual mental processes or behaviors take over.

By now you can probably see a common theme in this equation for building a strong foundation. All three of these principles point to the need for healthy connections. Truth talks about the connection with the present moment. Hope talks about establishing a growing connection with your True Self and an Energetic Source of some kind and that work sets us up for this, where we’re identifying places where we might be over connected or over attached.

The wisdom that comes from yogic philosophy provides so much supporting evidence for the work that we’re doing with these first three principles. It’s always telling us to make a connection, until all of the sudden it’s telling us to surrender completely. But I think that starts making a lot of sense by the time we get to this point in building a foundation for change. The Sutras infer that if we could surrender completely, we wouldn’t have to do anything else! We’d be standing in perfect Truth and everything would suddenly make sense and we’d have access to absolute peace. But for most of us that’s not as easy as it sounds, fortunately it goes on with some things we can do to make it easier when letting go feels like too big of a stretch.

Surrender is also one of the few places in the Yoga Sutras where we hear reference to God in specific terms. While most religions are teaching about making a connection with a specific deity, the primary goal referenced in the Sutras is to make a connection with the True Self, with that part of you that holds a little spark of divinity. But that’s not the case with all yogic texts, some of them are filled with Hindu Gods and a specific theology. I suppose this might be a good place to add that for some it absolutely is a religious practice and it’s important to point out that for some people we really are talking about something that’s sacred.

There has been a lot of talk recently about western yoga as cultural appropriation. And, generally speaking, I stay pretty quiet about kind of thing, but I believe there is a big difference between appropriation and appreciation. I try to make sure I’m not contributing the sanitization or appropriation of any religion or culture, and since I spend so much time talking about it, especially yoga, but I will never apologize for the way I love it and I can’t even put into words how much I appreciate everything it’s taught me. I know for some people yoga is just exercise but for me meditation started to feel an awful lot like prayer and the physical discipline of yoga has taken on an undeniably reverent quality.  And as I’ve already mentioned I think there’s a good chance that when it comes down to it most of us are probably talking about the same thing, or least something very similar, when it comes to an Energetic Source, and trying to name something that really might just be beyond our comprehension. Patanjali however was careful to lay out instructions for a very practical science to quiet the mind that is easy for most people to follow without necessarily having to subscribe to any specific religious beliefs. And when he does reference God here the word he uses is Ishvara which is not so much a specific deity as it is a concept of a supreme Source of Energy that is very similar to what 12 Step Programs call a Higher Power. Both leave room for you to decide what you believe, but they both ask you to believe in something. And at this point both of them ask you to Surrender yourself to the Changeless Source of all Energy with this really big shift in perspective that can literally change the way we look at everything. It turns something that we usually only do in emergencies or when we’re all out of options into something that we do as a regular practice. In both cases one of the major benefits is to quiet the mind and relieve the burdens that cause so much of our overthinking. You don’t have to have everything figured out and you certainly don’t have to agree with everything that I say for this to hold value. Growing Faith is the product of working these first three Principles and so much of that work is a very personal process of feeling for your understanding of spiritual connection as you progress. It all sounds so simple at first but letting go can be a real challenge when it’s time to actually do it.

Fortunately for us the Steps and the Sutras go on to explain further, knowing that for most of us Surrender will need to be ongoing. They give us more information about how to work the Principles and more ideas for how to accept the gift of Faith throughout the process.

One of the analogies I love for this one has to do with finding a peaceful place to land in the middle of a storm and it’s obvious when we look around in nature. Animals are an especially good example if you watch closely, they automatically know where to go, they’re not running around out there trying to perform impossible tasks when shelter is what they really need. And we’re pretty good about that too, we look up at the sky and usually we start heading for a place that feels safe. Sometimes we might even find a place to sit and watch, and marvel at the beauty and the power. Sometimes it’s a little scary. There’s an awful lot of energy in the middle of storm and usually there’s some change. Maybe some of the old stuff blows away, or it washes away completely, and sometimes we’re not so happy about that. But storms don’t last forever. They pass. And sometimes, often really, when we come back out to look around everything feels different. You know what I mean? The plants usually stand a little taller, the animals are all back to work but they just seem like they have a little extra spring in their step and maybe people are out there with more focus, even if they’re just putting everything back together and cleaning up the mess, now they know what needs to be done. The whole world is back out there running around again but with a different kind of energy.

Surrender reminds us to slow down on the thinking part and maybe even slow down on the doing part for a little while. It brings us into a deeper connection with that part of us that knows the way to peace, and it gets us back out there with a different kind of energy.

Physical Practice

We can add a physical aspect to this that helps for creating an energetic shift and a nice physical expression for letting go. It builds on the reaching part of the connection practice from the Hope Challenge and adds to it by bringing us all the way down to the ground. Forward folds, of any kind are always reminders for Surrender.

You can start from that strong standing position, working on grounding in the Truth and when you’re ready, use an inhale to reach up, growing that energetic connection with Hope. Working on grounding and reaching, and adding on to that with an exhale to simply fold forward and let go. Reaching for your toes or the floor. You can keep your hands on the ground or even clasp opposite elbows and sway. Maybe dangle here for a few breaths, or you can go through several rounds of this using your breath to guide your movements. Inhales are always for rising up, exhales are for coming back down to the ground, pausing wherever it feels right to you. It helps to think about how this can apply both mentally and physically whether you’re moving or not. Inhales to grow positive energy and rise, exhales releasing anything that you don’t need anymore, clearing the way for something new. This is the mini sun salute, and the last really physical instructions for practice. In the episodes to come I might mention physical postures for anyone who’s interested. I think it’s interesting to talk about why they apply to the Principles but I wanted you to have one simple sequence that you could use for everything. It’s a great way to get energy moving in a new direction and such a great clearing practice when you need a little extra mental space.

We’ll be adding another video on YouTube for a visual and there are so many ways to physically practice letting go. But for now this simple little sequence that takes you from grounding, to reaching up to connect and folding forward to surrender is an all-purpose physical expression that can be easily applied. Use your breath and everything that you know about these three Principles to make it even more meaningful.

If you’re looking for other physical expressions, one ridiculously simple idea is to be intentional about setting things down. Even if you’re just setting down a cup or your phone somewhere, but certainly when you have to lean over to put something on the ground, you have a chance to make a mental note about letting go. Loosening your grip and reminding yourself, “I can’t walk around physically holding everything that means something to me. My hands would get too full, it would be too heavy and I’d never get anything done.” How crazy would it be for us to try and carry everything we’ve ever touched? We can use that as a tiny affirmation for setting down some of those mental burdens that we carry.

Look for those opportunities. Another one that I try to do for this one every day that goes nicely with that storm analogy is to simply picture everything that I don’t need washing away every time I step into a shower or a bathtub or any body of water. It really does help to take some of those things we just do automatically on autopilot and attach a deeper meaning that makes them more mindful. Like little mini rituals that can keep us focused throughout the day.

We’re gonna take a quick break here to acknowledge our sponsors. Find a quiet spot, a comfortable place to sit and anything else you might need to get ready. We’ll be right back with the Surrender Practice Challenge in just a moment.

We’re back and ready to work on creating a Starting Ritual for Surrender.

Surrender Starting Ritual  

As we make our final preparations for practice today, you’ll want to make sure your journal is close by as you establish a comfortable seated position. Today’s ritual is a little bit different than what we’ve done before but the basics are still the same. Knowing that you can in fact do this from any position, without any preparation at all, once you’ve had the chance to practice.

Now we’re pretending that you just noticed that first painful or seemingly negative thought, an emotion maybe or physical reaction that points to a place where you might be over connected or over attached. And as soon as you notice it, stop what you’re doing, and unless you’re in the middle of an activity that requires visual focus, close your eyes, or lower your gaze. You can do the next part mentally if you’re hands are full, but if they’re free this time we’ll start by rubbing the palms of the hands together. This works best from a seated positions but even if you’re standing or fully reclined it’s still pretty easy to apply. Breathing normally and increasing the amount of friction between the hands until they start to get hot and when it feels right hold them out in front of your chest like you’re holding the sides of a big glowing ball of Energy. At first the sensation here is strong the edges of that energetic ball are almost tangible. Hold here until the energy start to fade and then let your hands slide down the edges of that ball until the outside edges of the hands and little fingers are touching as if you were holding a large bowl in your palms and take a slow deep breath. Tapping into any amount of connection that you can conjure and a connection with the Source of Positive Energy. Big breath in through the nose and an audible sigh to let it out through the mouth. Pause and hold the hand gesture here for a few breaths, creating inner spaciousness, releasing negativity and fostering everything that’s good. Keep the breath slow and deep, opening up to the blessings of universal energy and this posture of acceptance. With your next natural exhalation let the hands drop down, still with the palms open and facing up resting on the knees or the thighs, thumbs are facing out toward the outer edge and the palms of the hands are no longer connected but the tips of the fingers are still pointing toward the center, still resembling the shape of a bowl. Both as an offering of the self and as a symbol of acceptance and gratitude. Stay here breathing, letting the air move naturally… Affirming any energetic shift, any healing that may have happened or might still be happening, recognizing any change in your state or shift in perspective and allowing any information that floats to the surface of your attention. Taking special note of what you’re feeling now. Maybe even mentally or verbally affirm your intention, maybe just to feel more free or to feel a new sense of lightness on a regular basis. Staying here until you recognize the desire to move, but don’t move just yet... This is when you ask yourself, “What’s next?” Maybe right now the answer leads to some kind of physical practice or deeper meditation and this little ritual is just what you needed to get started. But maybe there’s something that needed to step away from and this is what you needed to start letting it go. Or maybe this was enough to get your mind moving in the right direction and now you’re ready to go back to whatever you were doing before with the right kind of energy. When you feel like you’ve got an answer and you’re ready to open your eyes do it slowly, see if you can hold still here for another breath or two and if you have your practice journal nearby, pick up your pen and finish that sentence on the first line with something like, “I take a few slow deep breaths to let go so that I can connect with something more.” If you’re not working on a specific trigger take a moment to write something, even just a few words about your experience. If you don’t have anything to write on nearby just make a mental note to come back to this as soon as you can. Sometimes the information that comes up here is getting up to go… Acknowledge it, accept it and if you’re ready set it free or at least see if you can let it be…

You’ve got three starting rituals to choose from now, and even though they are especially useful when applied to certain principles, they’re yours now. So practice with them and you can use them in any way at any time, you’ll know what feels right. There are so many situations where we could use a little more acceptance, a little more gratitude or a little more space to step back and let things be the way they are…

Meditation

Now we’re ready to take the practice one step further with a short meditation for Surrender.

Once again this mediation is most often done in a seated position, but again, it can certainly be done from a standing or this one’s actually really nice from a reclined position. If you’re sitting on the floor, sit tall with a straight spine, if you’re sitting in a chair find one with a straight back and have bare feet on the floor. Make yourself comfortable, make any adjustments that you need so that you can be still. Put me on pause here if you need to...

Okay. Here we go. Start by closing your eyes, or at least lowering your gaze to move away from visual distractions and take a big deep breath, letting it out now with a long soft sigh…  Let your mental touch be light as you consider whatever you’re working on and why… Are you working on releasing something or accepting it? Maybe that includes letting go of old patterns or losing your grip in areas where you’ve been holding on too tight? Do you think this Principle brings up something that you like to release or maybe it’s still going back to something that you’d like to create or grow? If there’s anything that’s not serving you anymore, anything that you’re ready to learn from, or anything that you’d like to release… Whatever it is, just let it be there in the back of your mind without any negativity at all for just a few moments and see if anything comes up.

Making final adjustments to your physical position. Consider applying the mudra with the backs of the hands resting on thighs, or if you’re laying down you can have the backs of the hands on the ground with the palms facing up, just slightly cupped. Taking a few breaths to be grateful for this moment, and accepting it just exactly the way it is... Feel the connection points, wherever your body is making contact with the ground, but without any tension, there’s no gripping, no tightness… And imagine that seed of Truth that’s been growing and the connections that have brought it the surface.

Big breath in… long soft sigh… as you set an intention to release every unhealthy connection and lay every burden down, “I surrender myself to that which cannot be changed.” Finding the natural rhythm of breath, using what you’ve learned about letting go. Just let it move, slow and deep, as you imagine that perfect seed, broken wide open, grounded, anchored, rooted, reaching and breaking through. Coming out into the sunlight without any struggle, surrendering itself to the process and the Changeless Energetic Source.

And whether there’s a storm raging in your life right now or not, picture everything that’s standing in the way of your intention washing away… making room for something new. Knowing that every intention that you’ve planted here has strong roots, and that once the storm passes it will come back out into the sun even stronger than it was before. Open to every possibility and thriving.

And it doesn’t matter whether the seed of your intent is something that will take physical form or something of a spiritual nature, believe that there is something bigger than you are… something in and all around you that can and will care for it as it begins to flower. Your only job is to keep the energetic connection with the Source. Set everything else down for now, anything that’s outside of your control and just keep your attention that peaceful, stable energy. Still grounded in the Truth of what is, still reaching for a connection with the Source of Hope, and now that you’ve got what you really need, you can let go of the rest… Surrendering to the process of change and to all that is Changeless… This is Faith growing. This is something to be grateful for, so breathe it in… Moving into an even deeper sense of gratitude. Affirming anything, even just one small thing, that’s good right now, just the way it is… And letting it be.. Give this a few more breaths affirming the value of this process without any need for perfection. Appreciating the wisdom that comes from nature and its ability to effortlessly express the beauty of the process, even in its imperfections. Stay with that slow deep breath and see if there is anything else coming to the surface that might want to grow? Or anything that’s coming up to go? Remember to pay special attention to thoughts that might seem to come from out of nowhere, allowing them to come even if you don’t understand them fully. And taking just a few more breaths here to see if you feel any different than you did when you started. Always checking in to affirm any energic shift, any healing that might have happened or might still be happening and affirming any specific intentions that you may have set. When you’re ready to open your eyes and move make it slowly. Taking a few moments to write about your experience. If you’d like a final prompt for reflection ask, “What needs to be offered, accepted, released or freed?” The ability to pause really is such an excellent feature. So take your time.

When you’re ready to come back and wrap things up we’ve got our Challenge Question for this week…

Challenge Question

We’ve been asking, “What does acceptance mean to you?” and maybe now you feel like you’ve got an answer. What are some ways that acceptance might apply to something that you’ve been working on? We’d love to hear from you. We’ve got lots of ways for you to respond. Check the description to find the links so we can get connected.

If you’re ever looking for some visual cues for specific episodes we’ve got them on the Something Honest YouTube Channel, with a little remix every Thursday to put all three episodes together in a little shorter form. There’s also another chance to win this season’s drawing if you subscribe and leave even the shortest comment. Look for the link in the description to subscribe and be sure to hit the bell for notifications. Or check out our website for more details and more ways to play.

I want to thank you all so much for listening. Be sure you’re all set up to get notifications and come back to start working on the Principle of Courage with more talking points and a new challenge for next week. Remember, we’ve got three episodes dropping every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday to help you create a regular practice for increasing the peace in your everyday life.

Check the links to find show notes on somethinghonest.com and go to wellnessmeetings.com for more about the Wellness Meetings Method….. Something Honest is a Wellness Meetings production with original music composed and produced by James Mrotek at Mrotek Media.

This is Marta Mrotek sending out all the love and gratitude. See you next time!