Surrender
When we’re totally surrendered to that beauty,
We’ll become a mighty kindness.
– Rumi
To surrender fully is very difficult. It takes tremendous courage and strength to be so vulnerable and humble. That final plunge into complete egoless consciousness is a difficult psychological obstacle to overcome.
With knowledge, practice, or grace we can bring ourselves up to that point, but then maybe a thought about what someone else thinks of us, or some other fear may creep into our mind, and we get caught up in it and brought back down to a lower state.
That is the ego’s last resort.
It won’t go down without a fight.
Letting go of the ego provokes a strong existential fear reaction. We desperately cling to that mode of being. But it is possible to push through and it does get easier with practice.
We must conquer that fear.
We must not let fear control us.
We must assure ourselves that we have nothing to fear.
In truth, we have everything to gain. For when we empty our hearts of fear love fills the void fear leaves behind. Peace and bliss await. We need only surrender and fall into their loving arms.
Knowledge and practice can only bring us up to the edge of the deep and generous well of egoless wisdom. At that point, all knowledge, practice, attachment, and judgement must be cast aside, and the blind plunge of complete surrender be taken. Like a child afraid to jump off a diving platform, we often turn back in fear from the edge.
When we realize we have done so, we should not despair or judge ourselves. All we need do is walk up to the edge again. We must remember what awaits.
“So long as egoistic worry of the sick soul guards the door, the expansive confidence of the soul of faith gains no presence. But let the former faint away, even for a moment, and the latter can profit by the opportunity, and, having once acquired possession, may retain it.”
-William James
“The expansive confidence of the soul of faith” is waiting within us. If we surrender and let our egoistic worries go it will fill us with peace and energy, love and creativity. Then “we’ll become a mighty kindness.”