Spiritual paths, both traditional and alternative, in one way or another, always revolve around the call for surrender. Surrender means giving up, letting go, ceasing to resist. The moment of surrender is the moment of initiation. It is the beginning of the journey, not the end. It is a leap of faith that propels us into mystery and adventure.
The moment of surrender often involves a profound and sometimes dramatic healing from the deeply conditioned habit of mistrust and self-protection that most of us live inside of. A doorway opens when, deep in our hearts, we find access to spiritual wisdom that we deeply trust. That doorway invites us to a new life, but it does not stay open indefinitely. If we hesitate too long we miss the opportunity and must wait for it to open again.
Spiritual practices are designed to coax the door open. Stepping through the door is the surrender that begins the spiritual life. If we long to awaken and transform it is important that we are ready to let go when the door opens. We do not need to do anything to pass through the door. We will naturally pass the threshold once it opens as long as we do not resist.
The reason that surrender holds such a central place in spiritual work is because the essence of transformation is a shift in identity from a limited sense of self to an unbounded experience of being. We begin our spiritual search rooted in a culturally inherited identity that I like to call a ‘thinking-thing.’
We experience ourselves to be an isolated and separate individual entity living in a universe that is fundamentally separate and distinct from us. We appear to have access to a capacity for conscious awareness that originates inside of us. We use powers of perception and reason to take in information about the world and make decisions in response to it.
In short, we see ourselves as independent agents of activity – beings that make choices and take actions based on internal considerations. This leads to a deep assumption of autonomous control over our lives and the world around us. If you don’t think you have such an assumption look at your internal response when you encounter something or someone that is beyond your control. We feel that we should be masters of our own destiny and we resist outside authority over our lives.
Most spiritual paths are based in the direct recognition that this view is profoundly distorted by a false assumption of separation. In mystical revelation we recognize that we are not separate from each other, the world or anything else. All is One, and I am That, has been the declaration of great spiritual realizers of all ages.
When spiritual paths call for surrender they are asking us to give up our identification with an isolated and separate small ‘s’ self so that we can expand into the fullness of who we are.
I believe that surrender, whether it comes as the result of specific spiritual practices, spontaneous revelation, or as an unanticipated accident of circumstance, occurs in two stages.
The first stage of surrender is a deep passive acceptance of what is. In that state of abandon you make yourself available for awakening. This is when you allow yourself to pass through the open doorway.
This passage into a new being is not an activity. The limited self cannot will itself into a new self. The person that I am cannot force itself into something else. Any act of will that originates from the separate sense of self will only serve to reinforce that sense of self. You cannot become a new self by acting from the old one. The only way to invite spiritual transformation is to surrender our current sense of self.
The existential uncertainty that we experience when we let go of our current identity can be terrifying or thrilling depending upon how clear we are about what we want. If we are not certain that we want to transform we will be terrified when that shift begins to happen and we will not allow it to continue.
I have experienced this in meditation at moments when I suddenly recognize that I am slipping away. Many times at that instant of awakening I have reflexively stopped the process of surrender by grabbing hold of something solid. Usually we prevent the process of awakening by focusing our attention on fear or doubt. At other times we become captivated by the experience of joy or bliss and that holds us back. Either way, the ultimate result is that we ground ourselves in our preexisting sense of self by focusing on some experience that ‘it’ is having.
Once we feel ourselves to be the-one-who-is-experiencing we know who we are and the process of self-forgetting ceases. If we resist the temptation to focus on some familiar way of being we will lose all sense of who we are. We will be swept up in the freedom of existence, without any sense of being separate from it.
When we let go in this way we become vulnerable to subtle spiritual energies of awakening. As long as we are exclusively identified with the separate self and its sense of autonomous power, we are not aware of these energies. Once we relax our current sense of self a universe of subtle energies and vital forces appear.
These energies are known as Kundalini in the spiritual traditions of the East. As I understand it, Kundalini is the energy of awakening that, once activated, flows naturally along a path of optimal spiritual growth and awakening.
The second stage of surrender in our spiritual practice is to allow these subtle forces of awakening to guide us along our unique journey of spiritual growth.
In my own meditation practice I simply sit with the intention ‘to have no problem.’ No matter what arises in consciousness I simply allow it and embrace it exactly as it is. I rest in a prior assumption of perfect contentment. Often my mind is roaring and complaining as loudly as ever. I simply don’t make a problem out of it. I might see myself acting as if there were a problem – I don’t make a problem out of that either.
My practice is to sit and be perfectly content with my mind no matter how noisy it is. I am ready to sit in the company of my busy mind forever. I am free – free from the need for anything to be other than it is. I sit in complete recognition that the experience I am having – no matter what it is – is enough… completely, gloriously, fully, enough.
By resting in this deliberate state of perfect resolution I have done all that I can. The rest is not up to me. Sometimes an hour or more will go by and nothing will change. My mind keeps racing, but I am fine. I am ready for a miracle, but I am not forcing it or insisting on it. I am simply available for it. This is what meditation is to me.
Sometimes my mind will slow down into a deeply relaxed and satisfied space and my thoughts and feelings drift away. I find myself floating in empty space and the chatter of my mind is a distant whisper.
This peaceful state might continue for a long time and I am perfectly happy with this, but no happier than I am with my busy mind. My contenment does not depend on any particular state. I am happy with the way things are no matter how they are.
Sometimes in this restful place energy begins to stir. It might be a bodily sensation, or a burst of sound or light. At other times it is an insight, vision or intuition. These stirrings have a distinctive quality. They feel like they are coming from the depths of my being and the heart of the universe. They are gentle but unyielding.
I see these as the energy of Kundalini that has been awakened from slumber. When they arise I don’t do anything with them. I don’t try to encourage or discourage them. I don’t hold on or let go. I don’t try to remember them or ignore them. I simply remain present and available.
In a wonderful way the energy starts to move me. I have sometimes felt that it was reorganizing my cellular structure, or rewiring my nervous system. I have endured times of tremendous pain, heart opening bliss, and existential fear. Through it all I simply practice having no problem.
I meditated for the first time about thirty years ago. It has been a long and varied journey of awakening ever since and the energies of awakening have guided me throughout. First they supported me to leave a lucrative career as an engineer to give myself unconditionally to spiritual pursuit. Then they encouraged me to leave my new career as an educator and spend twenty years in an experimental spiritual community until I was supported with the courage to leave that behind as well. I have been guided into practices, retreats, insights, revelations and relationships. It has appeared to me in many forms. I have followed it imperfectly, but well enough to be brought into a life beyond my wildest dreams.
I simply want you to know that the subtle energy of awakening is real. It is a living spiritual intelligence and it is available to guide you forward if you have the courage to follow.
Thx Jeff I really liked that it was insightful for me to learn that.
Thank you for letting me know Glen. Love to you, Jeff
Trank you for sharing
Deborah
Deborah, You are so welcome. It is a joy to share. Love, Jeff
Thank you Jeff, eternally.
Tara, You are always welcome. Thank you for your support and your care. Love Jeff
Thanks for being completely open to exlore your experiences without any fixed ideas of what is the one right way to move forward. Recently I have been exploring the energy of consciousness too which has led me to explore the out of body dimensions. I find it fascinating the relationship between having no problem and using our intent to consciously exlore non physical dimensions!!
Hello Ross, Yes the relationship between no problem and intention is fascinating. And I am happy to hear about your further explorations in consciousness. Love Jeff
Thanks…I have awakened in the dream state to learn about this life..I meditate in this life in hope of awakening …i have been sleeping so long….Joan
Dear Joan, We are all hear to wake up from the dream of separation and isolation into the reality of unity. We have all slept for so long and we will wake up together. Love, Jeff
thankyou for your description of surrender including the challenge of letting go
Marcia, You are very welcome. Love, Jeff
Many thanks Jeff, for sharing this.
Your words are an important step in assisting me to live my life in the recognition ……in the awareness….that there is no problem.
Trusting that life is unfolding as it is unfolding and all is well.
Deep gratitude,
Carla Mensink
Dear Carla, I am happy to know that I have been of help to you on your journey into ever deepening Trust in life. Thank you for letting me know what is unfolding for you. Love, Jeff
I enjoyed reading so much about your spiritual awakening. I can relate to all that you wrote. I had a spontaneous kundalini awakening almost 10 years ago. I was told that it happened after my 18 year old son made his transition. I healed because I surrendered. Everything became so much easier. I enjoy life and have that inner knowing. Thank you.
Dear Renee, How wonderful to hear about your own energetic awakening. I am so happy that the sweet energy of Kundalini and your surrender to it helped sooth your journey. Love to you, Jeff
Your beautiful experience and how you express it brings joy. Why? Because in 1991 my first powerful kundalini of powerful subtle energy roared up from my spine making me believe death was eminent. It was likened to a giant wave moving with an accelerating force…..since that first experience there have been many. After having the first few I didn’t understand these powerful energies were breaking me apart and I fought the out of body experiences and wanted control….finally after many years of meditation, surrender came like a gentle breeze after the storm. I let go….something so beautiful now continues to… Read more »
Dear Mary Linda, It is always inspiring to hear from you and to see how our paths mirror each others. Thank you for this beautiful description. Love to you…Jeff
Thanks Jeff for sending me a personal sharing…….your sharing always carries for me such a powerful transmission. I have chosen you as my mediation teacher. I have been meditating daily for a few years now but have never been able to go as deep as when I learned from you what a ‘ surrender ‘ actually means.
James it is an honor to be your meditation teacher and to share with you whatever I have to support your own continued awakening.
Dear Jeff, THANK YOU so much for sharing so openly such wonderful info !
It helps to see spirituality in a more simple and accesible way to everyone.
I appreciate greatly your presence in my life.
a big warm hug to you and Amy.
Big hugs back from Amy and I.
Thanks for sharing the fearless exploration of divine energy.
Moo you are always welcome.
Brilliant, Jeff! The Gift of Kundalini to me is to engage me in silence in a profound listening and feeling experience that nourishes, challenges, refreshes, holds, and impels me to perceptive deed. Looking forward to a lifetime of communions like this with you, Jeff! Thank you for your depth perception here. Love, Karen
Thank you Karen, I am sure this part of the journey has only just begun!
I feel so connected to all your experiences and so much love !
They moved me deeply !
Jeff dear, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING US TOGETHER !
I hug each Of You with all my Heart
Mariandrea
Dear Mariandrea, You are such a dear soul and our spiritual lives are so parallel and congruent. I am sure that we will grow tremendously together.
Love
jeff
Dear Jeff, I love this sharing! I have to say that several times during this interview, I began having the energetic experiences you then began to describe . My cranial bones in my face felt they were pressing against my skin and then you spoke of your bones shifting in your face. I had a terrible pain between my shoulder blades and then you spoke of this in your yoga class.. this is a great example of the energy web that links all of us and all things.. the Sticky entanglement of the ALL ONE that we are.. the mother… Read more »
Hello Maureen, I would love to see your show – what a wonderful illumination it must be. Thank you so much for the wisdom that you shared here. It is a very interesting world that we find ourselves in as we open to the subtle energies that bind all of us in one being. I am honored that you are part of this journey with me.
Love
Jeff
Hi Jeff, Thank you very much for this beautiful blog. I can relate very much to what you are writing. In my own experience there was this similar two step to surrender. Like you are telling, without my part the door just opened when I stopped resisting harsh facts of life at the time. And soon enough I found out that I was the one who had to carry this surrender myself. The second part of the surrender is actively taking care of not spiraling back into the old self. That awakening forced me to rethink everything what I had… Read more »
Hi Jeff. Whenever I hear you talk or read what you have written about your spiritual journey, I feel deeply comforted and encouraged. I really get that there is no problem and something in me relaxes and lets go. I had been meditating for 30 years before I found you and recognised you as the teacher I had been searching for, and now I feel enormously blessed. Since being on retreat with you last month, I have been aware of JOY constantly bubbling up in me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Dear Jo,
It is so wonderful that we met. Your connection means a great deal to me as well and the resonance between us is refreshing and enlivening for me as much as it is for you. I am also living in an ongoing recognition of bubbling joy – That is my dream for everyone.
Love
Jeff
Thank you Jeff, a wonderful writing that emanates great wisdom and insight into the vital energy that’s driving us all and we are all awakening to. We don’t eat to get this energy. It’s there even when we’re hungry. We just need to tap into it and the way to do that is recognize we ARE it, and are not separate from it. It’s the intelligent energy of the universe unfolding, the creative principle, God moving through us, as us. Our life force. You express this so well Jeff, I can completely relate that vital energy does feel like its… Read more »
Thank you John. Your comments are always welcome here and in this case I know that energy and life force is what you have dedicated your life to.
So Great! You’ve articulated this phenomenon so well…I have difficulty getting past the “reaching for something solid”-every time the energies begin to fill out into my legs and towards the center of the earth I retract. The “having no problem” intention really resonates in these moments-so freeing to read someone else’s experience with this edge-thanks.
Islam covers this concept of surrender as central to being a witness to the presence of Allah. Letting go and submission in faith to a greater power opens the way for a deeper sense of unity with the source of peace and abiding love. To die and be reborn shows this dynamic shift in consciousness from mind and body to our spiritual centre. Pain recedes and is replaced by euphoric immersion in another realm. The resurrection of Christ and Buddha’s concept of Nirvana also convey similar concepts as the individual becomes “nothing” and thereby merges with everything.
Thanks Jeff,
a good and accurate description.
Namaste
Mo
PS: warm greetings to you and Amy
I needed this right now. Thank you so much. Words can’t express.