How to let go!

We love to cling on to things: opinions, possessions, events, memories. We love to hold on to everything that we can lay our hands on. Resultantly, we are in pain almost all the time.

And yet, we have always been told to let go. Now, that's a dichotomy that we find hard, very hard, to come to terms with. And even harder to deal with.

As we go up the corporate ladder, at every coaching, training and appraisal forum, we are told we must let go, to rise further. When something terrible happens__like the loss of a dear one or losses in a business or loss of a job__we are told by elders and well-wishers alike that we must let go and move on. We attend a discourse to soothe our souls and again we hear the same refrain: 'let go and bliss will follow'.

So, is there a way to let go? Can it be practised? And what's the guarantee that it works?

Be sure, there is a way. But be also sure, like most other things in life, there are no guarantees.

First, accept that letting go is not an option or choice. It is the only way to understand and experience God__and to attain bliss. The key to trying this approach is faith. Keep the faith, all else follows.

To let go of anything__an opinion, an event, a memory or a possession (like a car, a house, a phone or a camera) or a relationship__we must first appreciate our real self. When we came into this world, we came with nothing. No name. No identity. No awareness of our sex. No tastes, no preferences, no opinions. Nothing at all. We just surrendered to the environment around us__which for most of us privileged folks who can read this blog had a, hopefully, happy home with doting parents. We ordered__by wailing__and we were pampered.

Have we ever wondered why we are not in that state of surrender anymore? Why are we not ordering what we want and why don't we have the faith that our wishes, aspirations will be fulfilled? The simple and only reason is that we employ too much of our intellect in living our life. We expect the Universal Creator to do a lot of proving. And given this deeply-held perspective, we just refuse to surrender and accept our real self is the one that had no attachments.

The secret to gaining anything in life__peace, love, prosperity__is to accept our real self and just let go. This involves appreciating the fact just as we are entitled to an opinion, others are too. So, let go of your opinion. Accept that if you lose something__your job, your money, your car, your house, your beloved__whatever, it was ordained. You came with nothing. And you will go with nothing. So, why cling on? Let go, therefore, of what's controlling you. When you practise letting go, you will gain an inner peace, good sleep and will attain bliss.

Learnings:

1. The real self is the one that came with no attachments.
2. All things that control you are things that are preventing your inner growth and taking you away from bliss.
3. Letting go is possible and is the only way to attain bliss.