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by Jayaram V
Surrender means many things to many people. To an egoistic
self-important
person, surrender means to give up or admit
defeat. In the materialistic world, it is something very
unthinkable and ignoable. If you have any doubt, pay attention to what goes
on in the corporate world or in the political arena. The world
in general does not appreciate those who quit or give up, or
those who do not fight for themselves or for others even
if they have strong reasons to do so. Society never forgives
those who run away from the battle field, even if sometimes it
is the most sensible thing to do. A quitter does not command
respect, even if his or her decision was based on certain values
and personal interests. You become a hero if you go down fighting, but if
by any chance you withdraw, your position will be worse than
that of a deserted
soldier. The world may tell you to surrender to your whims, but
it will not respect you if you surrender to others or to despair
and hopelessness.
Despite all the reservations and mental blocks we have
against it, surrender is not really a big bad word. Sometimes it
can be a gift which you can give to yourself. In yoga and spiritual
life, it is a virtue that leads you to the doors of freedom from
self-induced limitations and the delusion of self-sense. It is a proven method
to protect yourself from exertion and overwork. In a world that
is ridden with egoistic conflicts and stressful living, true
surrender can give you the peace and contentment you badly need
not only for your survival and success but also for your inner
growth. It can provide you with an opportunity to pause and recharge yourself for a better tomorrow
and balanced life. In moments
of self-doubt and hesitation, it can help you review your life
and actions to find yourself and be yourself in ways that
are difficult to obtain otherwise. It is a blessing which you
can embrace, without yielding to your instinctual urge to claim
your territory or subjugate your enemies, real or imagined. In a
competitive world like ours, people are always eager to take control of situations or
manage their circumstances effectively to the best of their
advantage. To
safeguard and promote our interests, we lead stressful lives and
over exert ourselves often at the cost of our
own happiness and wellbeing. We do not want to let go things
because we are afraid of losing control and losing our edge. But is it the best way to live?
In the spiritual realm, the expectations are different. Here, you have to live by an entirely
different set of rules. Spiritual people are not expected to
strive and struggle, but let go of things and live life as it
happens. They are expected to live spontaneously, neither
reacting nor taking control, neither trying to promote
themselves or defeat others. They are not expected to swim
against the currents of life, but flow with the flow of life.
They have to find balance, harmony, equanimity, sameness and
stability through tolerance, acceptance, surrender, awareness,
understanding and appreciation. They have to live without the
burden of their fears and anxieties and the weight of their past
or the lure of their future. In other words, they have to give
up the urge to be something other than what they are and should
not attempt to achieve anything that may interfere with their
goal to be free from all attachments and obligations. A true
yogi has no obligation whatsoever, not even the need to perform
obligatory duties. A monk on the path of liberation is expected
to own very few possession. He is not supposed to cook food for
himself, even if he is hungry and eat whatever that he may
obtain through the generosity of others, without being
insistent. He is not expected to have any relationships,
possession, desires, attachments, needs or dependencies. He has
to set aside all clinging and hankering and live freely and in
harmony with everyone and everything.
We can bring the power of true surrender into our lives and
create balance, order and harmony in our thinking, actions and
responses.
For ordinary people, the art of relaxing consists of knowing
when to push themselves to achieve their goals and when to let
go of everything and take a backseat. They should know when to
take control of situations and when to become a mere witness,
letting things happen. The should have the intelligence to
choose wisely between periods of activity and withdrawal.
Cultivating discriminating knowledge and applying common sense
rules, they can create balance and stability in their minds and
in their lives. This norm
applies to every aspect of your life, not just to yoga or
spiritualism. You can follow it in everything you do, in your
relationships, your profession, in pursuing your goals, in
resolving your problems, in rest and relaxation and in your
spiritual practice. The wisdom of the Middle Path suggested by
the Buddha is based on a similar principle. The Buddha wanted the
monks to exert themselves to cultivate discipline and practice
virtue for their transformation. At the same time he
wanted them to let go of their worldly desires, their clinging and
hankering for material things.
You can create balance in your life by knowing when to be in
the driver's seat and when to take a back seat. in the
bustle of life you should give yourself an an opportunity to
enjoy life and find relief from the oppression of deadlines and
incessant demand for perfection and achievement. Some times you
may have to jump into the fray to fight the battles of your
life; but it may be a foolish idea to spend your whole life
doing it. At times, you may have to withdraw from the arena
and become a mere spectator of life, doing nothing, just
watching and being yourself. In truth, our essential nature is
to be the Witness Self. In our preoccupation with the
world, we forget this simple truth and become
lost in the illusion of things and the diversion of appearances. Activity and
withdrawal are inherent in our very existence. Day and night are
created for the very purpose. We cannot exert ourselves
continuously beyond a point, however important it may be. After
an intense period of exertion, we have to rest and relax
so that our minds and bodies may recuperate and prepare for the
morrow. The same principle
applies to every aspect of our lives. In whatever we do, we have to know our
limitations and our boundaries. We need to know when to act and
when to withdraw and when to be in control and when not to be.
For example, you may take control of the situations where
the task is crucial for your survival; but you should
let go when you are relaxing and enjoying the pleasures of life. Also if you are on a spiritual path,
you should spend more time trying to withdraw actively rather
than asserting yourself and establishing your zone of influence.
Such discriminating wisdom arises in a mind that is filled with
the rare brilliance of sattva or purity. When you are in a state
of surrender, you stop fighting, asserting, defending,
controlling, reacting, opposing, criticizing, resisting and
insisting. You act as if you are invisible and immaterial.
Suggested Further Reading
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