Letting Go: This is How You End Suffering

This post is part of The Awakened Heart Project

Week 41: Letting Go: This is How You End Suffering

“Some people believe holding on and hanging in there are signs of great strength. However, there are times when it takes much more strength to know when to let go and then do it.” –

Ann Landers

Let Go, Be Free

This is not the first time the idea of “letting go” has been discussed throughout this project. And frankly, it probably wont be the last. Letting go, is something that is so important to inner peace. Holding onto emotions, thoughts, believes, perceptions, memories play a role in our lives. Sometimes we hold onto a memory for pleasure, because it brought us joy. Or we hold only a belief because letting it go bring us fear. We can’t image it any other way. However, there is a lot of suffering that remains when we continue to hold onto negative events, beliefs, and/or perceptions of people or events, etc. When we do this, we create another reality. There is no way to ascertain that what we think, remember, believe, saw, etc., was exactly as it was in our head. You know the saying, there are always three truths: yours, mine, and the truth.

There is nothing to lose by letting go. I know it seems like letting go means losing sometimes, and letting go because there is something, close to you, maybe apart of you that will be lost forever. But letting go is the answer.

These words by Sogyal Rinpoche illustrate how letting go really leads to gaining something far deeper than what we gain by holding on.

“…We must never forget that it is through our actions, words, and thoughts that we have a choice. And if we choose to do so, we can put an end to suffering and the causes of suffering, and help our true potential to awaken in us… …Although we have been made to believe that if we let go we will end up with nothing, life itself reveals again and again the opposite: that letting go is the path to real freedom. Just as when the waves lash at the shore, the rocks suffer no damage but are sculpted and eroded into beautiful shapes, so our characters can be molded and our rough edges worn smooth by changes. Through weathering changes, we can learn how to develop a gentle but unshakable composure. Our confidence in ourselves grows, and becomes so much greater that goodness and compassion begin naturally to radiate out from us and bring joy to others…”

– Sogyal Rinpoche

Reflection: 

• Are there things your holding onto?
• Make a list of the things you feel you’re holding onto that serve no positive purpose.
• Take that list and meditate on letting them go.
• Find reasons why letting them go is better than holding onto them.
• If you feel inclined, take that list, and shrewd it, burry it, toss in a fire and then make some s’mores : )
• Practice letting go anyway you feel is best for you.

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