I’m sure you remember the famous words of the wicked witch of the West emblazoned across the sky in smoke from her broomstick…” Surrender Dorothy”. Defined the act of surrender is according to Google “to cease resistance to an enemy or opponent and to submit to their authority”.
Within the practice of Yoga there is much talk of surrender. I often lay on my mat and see written in the sky with smoke “surrender Greta” … but what am I resisting? Who is my opponent and enemy? The answer is myself, the ego self who runs roughshod over my day to day tranquility. The inner critic and judge, the controller, the wicked witch of my shadow self.
And what authority am I surrendering too? The Higher order of the Universe a Divine Consciousness much greater than my tiny ego, not to mention on a very human level; the free will of others.
Sometimes it seems easier to let the witch win. This practice of surrender is just that, a practice. Over and over again we are up against a new opponent, the enemy comes from all directions and in many guises. A new game is played every day within ourselves and our world. Every moment and within each interaction and situation there are things to surrender. Sometimes the enemy is brand new and sometimes it’s a long-time opponent.
The gift is to soften into the practice, when we can understand this is an ongoing process an infinite circle of resistance and release it becomes a little easier. Just a little, it can become exhausting if we think about it too much. The cycle of resistance and release can and should become a pattern, or a well-worn groove in the mind. When we feel the anxiety, or the fear, or the anger or however it is showing up in our bodies at the moment we pause. We recognize it for what it is, and gently with honor and compassion ask ourselves to surrender to the moment, whatever it is, just release the grip and soften.
For me the image of “Surrender Greta” emblazoned across the sky in witchy smoke can help me find release…some of the time. Surrendering to failure from time to time, that is too is part of the practice.