Learning To Let Go Of What You Cannot Control

So often in life, we hold tightly to an image of what we think life should be like. We try to control the outcome, and we suffer when things do not go as planned. When the curtain is pulled back, and you're able to look at the whole situation, what IS actually within your control?

Join me for this gentle guided visualization as we focus on the breath and letting go of the need to control, along with the emotions that arise within us. This is a beautiful practice that can bring peace and clarity into our lives, as we learn to let go of the suffering.

Transcript

Welcome,

And thank you for joining me for today's guided visualization on learning to let go of what you cannot control.

We hold so tightly to this image and idea of what it is that we want life to look like,

What we want others to look like or act like,

And we hold tightly to the expectations of how everything should turn out in our favor and in our control.

Only life does not play by the rules that we set out for it.

Life is a flow of energy that continues to move even when we think we are standing still.

A river flowing past a rock as the rock is being tossed and turned,

Somehow thinking it can stop or change the direction of the flow of the river.

Everything becomes affected by this need for control,

This illusion that it's even possible to control.

From where does this feeling come from?

When something doesn't turn out the way you imagined it would,

What feelings begin to show themselves?

What emotions begin to rise within you?

How much suffering do you go through in the name of something completely out of your control?

From where does this suffering come from?

So often in life we identify ourselves with these feelings and emotions.

We step into the role of becoming them and we act and react based on what we think we're doing,

Ruled by the emotion that we've allowed to take charge of the situation.

The emotion which is merely something passing by like a boat along the river.

It might be flowing or it might be raging by.

You do not have to climb on board.

You do not have to let it take control.

You are not the pain.

You are not the emotions.

You are not what you're feeling.

You are not your suffering.

So what are you then?

How long have you identified yourself as the one who suffers?

As the one who agonizes over things happening around you or happening to you?

The one who tries to control the situation or the people around you when it's not possible?

You become the one who struggles,

Who's angry,

Who's frustrated,

Maybe even depressed.

From where do these feelings come from?

Take a deep breath in two,

Three,

Four,

And hold two,

Three,

Four.

Release two,

Three,

Four,

And hold two,

Three,

Four.

Let's do that again.

Take a deep breath in two,

Three,

Four,

And hold two,

Three,

Four.

Release two,

Three,

Four,

And hold two,

Three,

Four.

Continue breathing slowly and allowing your body to soften with each breath in.

Breathe in two,

Three,

Four.

Soften two,

Three,

Four.

Release the tension with each breath out two,

Three,

Four,

And hold two,

Three,

Four.

Continue letting your body soften with each breath in and releasing the tension with each breath out and continue doing this as we move on with our practice of letting go.

With this next breath in,

I invite you to close your eyes and see nothing but the darkness of your eyelids in front of you.

Let your eyes relax and soften and release the tension with the breath out.

Now imagine a white soft light coming down from above and gently touching the crown of your head.

Imagine that this white light begins to cascade through your body like a waterfall from the river,

Carrying with it the highest loving energy light that you can possibly imagine.

A liquid light energy waterfall flowing over you and flowing through every cell of your body,

Continuing to fill the space of everything within and around you.

You are being flooded from this light energy of loving presence and it feels peaceful and calming as it brings love and it takes with it the tension and releases it into the ground below.

You are so filled with this flowing loving light that you cannot see anything else besides it.

Let yourself sit with this feeling of this energy flowing into you,

Flowing over you,

Around you,

And through you,

And also letting it flow out of you.

This cleansing water of white light.

Let it flow and let it go as it continues to move through you,

Washing you clean as the tension continues to be released.

From this beautiful space of loving energy,

Allow your mind to imagine that you are this being of light white energy inside of your body,

Always flowing through you.

Imagine that you are this energy.

You are this loving light.

Imagine yourself flowing through the body,

Cleansing,

Releasing,

And letting go.

You are not the body.

The body is a vessel to hold you.

Like a vase holds water,

Your body is holding you.

This beautiful light energy.

Does the vase believe that it is the water or does it know its purpose is holding the water and letting it go when it's time for it to pour out?

You are not the vase that holds the water.

You are not the body that holds the spirit.

You are the flow of energy inside and the flow outside.

The energy that flows within you.

And in the human form we sometimes get confused.

Sometimes we forget what we really are and sometimes we direct and focus our thoughts towards the confusion and suffering of the mind,

The pain of the body,

Or the belief system we've learned to create within our mind and body.

Rather than remembering who and what we truly are,

The more we have identified with this image of us,

The more we have let it take control over the flow of our energy.

And it can feel stuck inside sometimes.

Swirling around and around and around a current situation rather than just flowing.

Sometimes we try to fix what feels stuck.

We try to put meaning on it.

We try to figure out how we can make it better.

We try to control the outcome.

And when we can't,

We often feel more stuck because it doesn't feel right.

It feels as if something is wrong when we cannot control the outcome.

But what if we're not meant to control it?

Because really we can't control it anyway,

So why do we try?

What if we are meant to just accept it or observe it happening?

Observe our body responding to it.

What if we're meant to learn from it?

To see it for what it is?

Merely an emotion rising and falling.

A moment passing by.

With every breath in that softens,

It opens and releases what feels stuck.

As if you're gently moving things out of the way for it to flow.

Moving the emotions out of the way.

But where do these emotions go?

Do not push them down inside to deal with later.

Let's sit and breathe and practice watching them move by without attaching ourselves to them.

Breathe in 2,

3,

4.

Soften 2,

3,

4.

Release 2,

3,

4.

Let go 2,

3,

4.

Do not hold on.

Just let the emotions flow and let them go.

Continue to sit with this practice of breathing in,

Softening,

Observing,

Releasing,

And letting go.

There is always an opportunity for growth and deeper understanding.

For learning and observing.

When your energy is feeling stuck again,

Remember to breathe in the softening and release the tension.

And simply watch it go by.

Be the river of light energy flowing.

Letting the tension go.

Let the need to control pass you by.

You have no control over any situation.

Let it pass.

You have no control over others.

Let it pass.

What about your identity?

What about your ego?

What about when it feels as if something is off or someone is lying to you,

Or if someone is betraying you?

What if it feels like nothing is going your way?

What do you do in situations like these?

Be the river of light.

You are not the identity you think you are.

Let go.

You are not the ego.

Let go.

You are not the feeling or the emotion.

Let go.

Let go.

You are not the victim being lied to,

Or the victim being betrayed.

And you don't have any control over what happens.

That's the other person and their karma.

The only thing you can control is your reaction to it.

How can you let peace and love and light flow through this?

How can you respond from the energy of loving presence?

Be the river of light and let it flow.

You are the creator of your life's experiences.

You control how you experience it.

Not what happens.

Be the river of light,

Of love.

Let it flow.

Let it go.

And so let it be.

Reviews

Absolutely beautiful. Peaceful, assuring truth on a super complex perception. I was able to experience surrender. Will return to this talk/meditation frequently when the emotions to fix, change, control overtake me.

Being the river of Llight and Flow; a wise and rewarding lesson indeed. Thank you. Namaste 🤓🙏🏻