Loving suggestions for letting go:

1.  Cease to judge.

Judgment is the constant assessment of things as right or wrong, good or bad, left or right, up or down, this or that, etc, etc.  And for those on the Light Path, I highly advise against it.

When we judge or label or classify or categorize or evaluate, we separate, plain and simple.  And separation is the root of all discord on the planet.

Judgment also separates us from our internal world – our Source – and dams our flow.  As Radiohead sings:  “…it ripples our reflection.”  Sure, it may give us some temporary muscle, but that’s merely a facade.  Judgment is insecurity, and insecurity is fear.

Regarding detachment, nixing our need to judge can quiet the mind.  When the mind is quiet, it’s substantially easier to let go…

…of that long work day.
…of that crazy family thing.
…of that internet headline.
…of that past relationship.

Ceasing to judge relies on one thing and one thing only:  Presence – something we’ve already discussed.  Your discipline will be tested, but your conviction will grow.  The question begs:  can I simply observe life – its ebbs and its flows, its diversity and its divinity –  without some grand association to it? 

For many, this will be the hardest thing you ever do.  Suddenly, you’ll have blocks of time on your hands.  You’ll think:  Wow!  I was spending all that energy in separation?  Yes you were.  Judgment is ubiquitous and real.

Put your red marker away.

2.  Gratitude.

The warmth of a cup of coffee.  The smell of rain.  The texture of a crunchy sandwich.  The buzz of a nearby hummingbird.  Hot showers.  The safe drive to work.  The safe drive home.  The money you DO have.

Do you appreciate these things?  Or do you focus on the bigger, the better, the faster, and the “don’t haves?”

The first words I utter every single morning I wake up are “thank you.”  That’s it.  Just two words.  It’s my humble acknowledgment of how friggin’ stoked I am to be alive.  You mean to tell me that my body is rested, my heart kept thumping, my lungs swallowed and distributed air all night, and all I had to do was close my eyes?   Miracle, uh, I think so.

When we have genuine appreciation for what we have right this second, it alters our lens.  And really puts that Starbucks-ran-out-of-skim-milk-this-morning life crisis into perspective.  OMG, it was like such a tragedy!

I’ll always remember a quote we had on our fridge when I was a kid:

“If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.”   – Meister Eckhart

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Want a sturdy spiritual practice, a minutiae release, and feel damn good all at the same time?

Take some Vitamin G.

3.  Go for a walk.

Since we’re letting go, here are your walking rules:

1. Electronics:  forbidden. This isn’t time to diversify your Instagram portfolio, okay?
2. Go at your own pace.  The slower the better.
3. Running and other forms of exercise:  forbidden.  This isn’t workout time.  It’s also not time to “count your steps.”  Criminy folks, just walk.
4. Must be outside.  Nature is medicine.  I know, it’s 49 degrees – talk about Arctic conditions…
5. Walk for at least 30 minutes.  If you’re entering with an overstimulated mind, and a lot of us are, trust me, it will take at least 30 minutes to clear the cobwebs.
6. Go by yourself (dogs are allowed).
7. Just BE.

Some of the world’s greatest thinkers went on daily walks.

Einstein took long walks around the Princeton campus as to “listen to what is going on inside my head.”  And Henry David Thoreau considered the day wasted if he didn’t take a 3-4 hour walk in nature.

No matter where you are, start there.  Put one step in front of the other and walk it out.

4.  Even more mindfulness.

Just when you thought I was done with all this mindfulness talk, right?

One of the leading themes in Buddhism is the idea that there are many things you can let go of that you’re certain you must control.  Money, health, relationships, etc.

We spend an incalculable amount of time and effort planning, thinking, pleasure-seeking, manipulating, searching, and “going,” when surrendering will take us exactly where we need to go.  The show-up must still happen, but wouldn’t it be nicer with a softer, harmonious, more detached mentality?

Mindfulness might be an abrupt idea to comprehend, but the more you practice it, the more you’ll experience its bliss.

5.  Be willing.  (See Spiritual Key #1)

6.  Get a massage.

My proposed health-care reform in one word.

Benefits:  slows us down, improves circulation, frees up energy, heightens awareness, deepens sleep, mitigates stress, boosts the immune system, enhances creativity… it feels good.

Touch is a cure-all, and a great assistant to letting go.  Cut yourself some slack, let your hair down, and step away from everything through the gift of a massage.  You won’t regret it.

Alternate option (not the same, but free of charge):  Take a bath.

7.  Befriend uncertainty.

The unknown is scary, yes.  But it’s a fun scary, no?  A land of freedom and opportunity, mystery and possibility.

When we refuse to let go and stick to the norm, the comfortable, the same-ole, the “right” thing (whatever the hell that is), all we do is become stiff, bitter, and stagnant.

It’s kind of like divorce, you know?

Half of marriages end in it, and there’s likely another half of that half that “tough it out.”  Cause it’s the “right” thing, the “brave” thing.  I mean, what would it look like?  (Umm, like a breakup with a different name).  Yeah, but what will people say?  (Umm, who gives a shit?).  I don’t know, maybe I should stop  watching The Crown.

Stale thoughts can be debilitating.
Feeling good requires a clean scope.
Some bridge-crossing.
And a whole lotta letting go.

What’s your bridge?

(Note:  I am not a marriage counselor, nor do I play one on the internet).

8.  Accept thy LIGHT fully.

Remember, we came from the stars.

That result you’re seeking?
Let it rest.
Your victory came at birth.

Assembly not required.
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