How Letting Go Brings Liberation
How Letting Go Brings Liberation
Attachment is a funny thing. We are attached to everything — our opinions, our identities, our beliefs about how things are, our beliefs about how things should be, our beliefs about who we are. We define ourselves by these attachments, and yet… what if you simply decided to let go?
What if you let go of your anger at the injustice in the world, and of your frustration that the next-door neighbors seem to work less and have more than you? What if you simply let go of your running tally of who has been good to you, who was never good enough, and who still owes you?
You could expand this idea, and start letting go of your thoughts about politicians, about celebrities, or about your co-workers. About your boss, and how you could do a much better job of running the company. About all the things you're proud of having done, and all the things you regret. All your perceived accomplishments; all your perceived failures. Just let it all go.
What would it be like if you suddenly stopped hanging on to all your notions about how you come across to others? That you're the kind of person who seems intelligent, who doesn't eat meat, who is generous, who is shy, who enjoys live theatre, who can't hold down a steady job, who influences others, who is easy to get along with. That you're the predator, the prey, the wallflower, the social butterfly. That you try your hardest but just can't get a break. That you make it all look effortless. All those things you make sure people see in you - just let them all go.
While you're at it, why not let go of your hopes, dreams, and fears, as well? That you'll be a huge success someday. That you'll never be more than mediocre. That you'll die alone. That true love will fix everything. That you'll be happy when you lose the weight. That revealing your true feelings will turn people off. That you can do or be anything if you just apply yourself diligently enough. That the people with the money control everything. That you'll meet the right person if you just rewrite your online dating profile to make yourself sound more interesting. Let it all go.
And your semantics, let go of those, too. That home is a certain place, or a certain set of people. That you have a favorite book, a favorite song, a favorite color. That you don't like seafood, that you prefer cold weather. That you enjoy road trips, but hate flying. That there's a certain type of person you're attracted to, and a certain type you'd never date. That anything ever changes. That anything ever stays the same. Let all those ideas go.
That people are generally good, that people are inherently dishonest, that people from with certain nationalities or religious beliefs can't be trusted. Let all those thoughts and opinions go. That global warming will kill us all soon anyway, that the hole in the ozone layer is closing, that life is not fair, that these are the best times and we'd better take advantage of them before they're gone. Let it all go. Let everything go until you feel there are no other attachments to let go of… and then let go of that thought, as well.
Allow yourself, just for a while, to sift through everything and let it all go. What would be left, what would be the remaining core of you? Now… let it go, even that… just let it go! You might be surprised at how good liberation feels.
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