Well this is really helpful for those grappling with the instruction to ‘let go’! Really, what does that mean in practice anyway and how do you ‘do’ that? In this post by Rev. Alicia she explains. Thank you Reverend and I’d like to think I had some part in your taking up this expression and writing about it.
So letting go doesn’t mean we have to get rid of all our stuff, live on our own and never have an opinion about anything. Letting go means seeing where we have invested our sense of self in an object, a person or a thought (views, opinions, ideologies, likes, dislikes etc. are all thoughts) and being willing to look at that attachment as honestly as we can until we see through it and it can drop away.
Rev. Alicia – Sitting Buddha Hermitage
One thing to keep in mind is to not use the expression, or instruction, as an accusation. That’s either to oneself or others. Passionately saying, with raised voice or not, to let go is not going to bring about a desired outcome!
Yes indeedy, it was your suggestion that prompted me to examine this expression. And I absolutely concur with what you say about not using it as something to beat oneself or another up with. Not kind, and, as you say, it doesn’t work anyway.