Surrender: A Practice of Letting Go

Photo by Kira Boden-Gologorsky

Amidst a sea of pregnancies, health challenges and changing relationships, many people are grappling with surrender in the face of new unknowns. For me, surrender is not a sign of defeat but a practice of letting go. When dealing with real life issues, letting go can feel scary because the stakes are high. At the same time, holding onto something that isn’t working–a dream, relationship or belief system–just solidifies stagnation. People become stuck at the doorway of transition.

This is where the process of birth can show us how to move through life. In a pinnacle moment during childbirth, it’s normal for a laboring woman to doubt herself. She may say directly, “I can’t take this anymore. I can’t do it.” For many midwives and doulas this statement is an indication of transition. A doorway is opening and the intention is to support a woman in surrendering to the power of birth.

I believe we can each access the transformative nature of birth through growing awareness. Learning how to navigate physical, mental and emotional energy includes a practice of letting go. Instead of getting stuck in transition, we can discover how to welcome, hold and follow the energy of our lives. In this way, surrender becomes an opportunity to cultivate new beginnings. So that–especially when the stakes are high–we can trust our capacity to birth ourselves.

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Tags: faith, gratitude, healing, journey, learning, life, practical spirituality, spirituality, surrender, trust, unknown

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