I have always been a very willful person, and because I can be committed, focused, and stubborn, Ive usually been able to will my way to what I want. But the more I deepen on my spiritual path, the more I realize that the very will Ive counted on my whole life in order to achieve my goals is sabotaging me. As Adyashanti writes, True realization, true enlightenment, comes through a complete relinquishing of personal will- a complete letting go. Of course, this often generates fear in our illusory sense of self, which can only interpret the letting go of personal will as traumatic. We fear letting go will open us up to danger. We think that if we let go of personal will, well never get what we want, the world will never be the way we want it to be, and nothing will ever happen the way we want it to happen. Its like were terrified that the Divine doesnt know whats best for us as much as we do. We cant let go because we dont trust that things will go well if were not in the drivers seat, trying to micromanage every little detail in our lives. But as Adyashanti goes on, The loss of personal will isnt really a loss at all. Its not as if we become the doormat of humanity, that we stop knowing what to do or how to do it. Quite the opposite happens. By surrendering the illusion of personal will, a whole different state of consciousness is born in us; a rebirth happens. Imagine that. Rebirth. Resurrection. Surrender... Anthony de Mello said, Enlightenment is absolute cooperation with the inevitable. Wouldnt that be a relief, to finally let go of the handle, stop trying to force your personal will on an uncontrollable universe, and just TRUST?
Posted on: Fri, 14 Feb 2014 16:01:05 +0000