Surrender

Surrender is something that has been showing up in my reading, learning and life lately. It thought would be a good time to touch on it. I say touch on it as there are volumes of topics and insights we could delve into about surrender.

One of the prayers or affirmations that I've been using for a couple of years now is...

I surrender. I surrender the will of my ego to the calling of my soul.

That is a simple statement, yet packed with power. Power to feel into the depths of your being. Power to allow vs control. Power to receive on a level you may not be used to.

When faced with an issue in life such as a dramatic change in health, relationship or finances it often feels as if it is a mountain that cannot be moved. At one level, the human level, that may be correct. We humans often tend to get in our own way when we attempt to control and figure it out. Often when faced with a mountain we go into worry, fear and battle.

When immersed in the energy of worry, fear, battle, control, and anger we block the receiving of what we truly want. Instead we attract more to fear and battle. As humans we've been conditioned to deal with it, get it handled, figure it out. We feel pressure which leads to stress and overwhelm.

Let me ask you a question, when reading the last two paragraphs did you feel open, expansive and receptive? Or did you feel more tense, restricted and closed off?

In October of 2008 we were faced with a global financial crisis. Investment portfolios crashed overnight, the housing bubble burst causing property values to plunge, there were staggering foreclosures in housing, there were massive layoffs and unemployment skyrocketed. This was the worst financial crisis since the great depression.

My husband and I, like so many, were caught in this. We owned several investment properties. I say owned. What I mean is we had lots of mortgages. When we attempted to refinance we were turned down by every lender we contacted. Lenders were afraid of investment properties because they felt it would be easier for an investor to give up on and walk away from a property they weren't living in.

I was running my own real estate company in a second home market. A huge percentage of second home owners wanted to sell, but there were almost zero buyers. Foreclosures and short sales were the new norm.

We made it through. There were many many challenges that we overcame. Several times we felt some breathing room and hope only to encounter surprise setbacks. I share this to say that during this period I spent a good deal of time in stress, overwhelm, fear, anger, control, worry and battle. It is not an experience I ever want to repeat.

I know there was great learning in this for me, however I'm human and I can't help but wonder if I had spent more time in surrender how different would the path have been. I am grateful that I spend more time in surrender now. Yes, sometimes I catch myself going into control and worry. It happens. Just notice and do your best from there. Try this affirmation from the 12 archangels via Belinda Womack.

I surrender. I surrender the frustration of ego to the comfort of soul.

This is a dramatic example, but we go through little experiences almost daily where we can exercise surrender. Where we can notice the issue or stress or mind talk and just observe and breathe. Let ourselves go in to wonder about how this will get resolved. There is a lot of magic in that space and the more we can play there the more magic we let in.