We rain down from the stars and travel past the tallest snow-covered peaks, where a river awaits to carry our burning light into our mother’s bellies. We continue on our journey, only now our light is encapsulated by flesh.
Here, we meet our empty minds, which quickly transform into meaning-making machines. They fill their crevices with stories about our experiences, many of which were never of our choosing.
It isn’t long before our light learns to cover itself in protective layers of armor amid all of the noise from our minds inner workings and the constant stimulation from the outside world.
It isn’t long before we learn that this world in which we’ve landed is unsafe. How could it not be when it’s ruled by a species riddled with generations of unmanaged shame and hurt?
We learn to open our eyes after a restful night’s sleep and dread the new day ahead. The sense of rejuvenation that sleep gifted to us is quickly forgotten as we step into our mind’s poorly acquired voice, which reminds us of the many valleys and rivers we must conquer.
Our mind’s tell us that if we just push harder, we will one day arrive in a distant future where our efforts are recognized, our bank accounts full, and our endless to-do’s are complete.
The pressing voice inside of our heads trick us into believing that this fictitious land exists. And only when we arrive there can we relax.
Onward we go. Full speed ahead. There’s much to be done, and yet we catch ourselves coming to a halt as we longingly gaze up at the stars in hopes of finding our home there, not realizing that we are the ones limiting ourselves.
Instead of uncovering this truth, we continue on our endless quest to become someone. Not realizing we are already enough.
We learn by observing those around us to move about our days cautiously. Our actions become restricted by all we wish to control. We convince ourselves that if we keep these things close enough, we can prevent them from happening. That we’ll be able to control the world enough to make us feel okay. When, in fact, by doing so, our worries become our reality.
If we continue down this path, our protective armor will become too much for us to carry. Eventually, the weight of the world will cause us to sink back down into the rushing river that once brought us to life.
But fear not.
It is here in the darkness that we can learn a new way of being. This path only asks us to let go. That we relinquish control and soften rather than shout our directives. This new way of being asks us to trust that life itself knows best how to unfold. All we must do is surrender.
Surrender does not mean we become apathetic about our lives. It does not mean we allow our dreams to die. Surrender means we release the grip that our efforts have over our bodies.
The more we unclench our jaws and hands from our efforts, the more fluid and spacious life becomes. Like a breath of much needed fresh air.
And in this newly created space, we can allow joy to buoy our hearts above the turbulent waters and protect them from sinking deep into the darkness below.
Rather than fight against unknown forces, we can choose to open ourselves to possibility. Instead of resisting, we can become delighted that something new is being born with every second that our hearts beat.
If we choose to surrender, we can step down from the role of managing life and find faith instead. Faith will show us how our life’s circumstances are necessary should we allow our dreams to take form through them.
All of the disorder and chaos may be the universe realigning itself to help bring forth the truest version of what we were called here to do and become, even if we cannot see it yet.
If we choose the path of surrender, we must breathe deeply into the tension that our bodies try to carry and release our unnecessary burdens with each breath out.
These places of tension are simply messages that we cling to a fear that we are not enough, or heaven forbid, that we are too much. That we somehow know better than life.
The heaviness in our bodies is a signal that we’ve been telling ourselves lies that cause us to suffer. That we are not supported. That the world has forgotten us. That we don’t matter.
All, are lies.
We must speak truth into our tension to help it soften and release from our precious bodies. After all, this isn’t ours to carry.
With each breath out, begin to sink closer to the earth. Remember that it loves you. And remember your love for it.
Feel how good it feels to be held by your body. Tune into the aliveness that pulses through every cell within you.
Acknowledge that you’ve been unknowingly weighing yourself down and have compassion for yourself for doing so. You didn’t know any better.
Commit to cutting ties with any tension that arises with each new day. Refuse to let this weight tether you against the current of life. Instead, let it go, and let life carry you. For as the wise person knows, we are not in control.
Trust that bringing ease into effort will take you to the very place you’ve always wanted to be, but you were too busy looking outside of yourself to find it already waiting within you, shining brightly with the stars above.
Let go and surrender. There’s nothing else to be done. There’s nowhere to be. You are safe. You are loved. You are not broken.
You are already home.
