The Path To Enlightenment Part 7 of 9. Detachment, Equanimity And Surrender.
There are many paths to enlightenment, some are long and windy, some are steep uphill slopes, and some are breezy downhill runs. Surrender is the like a downhill run, and if you cho(o)se this path you are sure to transcend the issues and challenges that you have today. Surrender is a deep state of being that is a natural quality once discovered. It can be discovered by the process of detachment and equanimity, which are traits that can be nurtured and amplified in many different ways.
Detachment is a spiritual state of being that allows us to exist without worry about our actions or inactions. When we are spiritually detached, we act without concern or worry because we are not attached to the results of our actions. There are many forms of attachment that we live by, and each must be identified and weeded out slowly but surely until we attain the lush green pastures of joy and bliss.
Attachment to Results
We are so attached to the results of our actions that we put great pressure on them. This pressure manifests as expectations, and is a great and unnecessary burden that we place on ourselves. When we attach too much importance to the results of our actions, we limit ourselves and also effect the nature and quality of our actions. We all know how much harder it is to do something under pressure, and often times we fail where we would otherwise have not thought twice about it, just because there is some kind of pressure on us to succeed. Attachment and the expectation of your desired results causes stress and is very dis-empowering, especially if you are unable to do anything about a situation.
When we release our expectations and attachments to the results of our actions, we can discover a deep state of inner peace and acceptance. We no longer need to understand the reasons why things happen, and we no longer need to try to control or direct life. Instead we are part of the flow of life, and know what is the right thing to do and when. We can accept even the worst situations and experiences from a deep seat of trust and faith. When I look back on some of my greatest life disasters, i can see how most of them have very clearly led to GREAT things! It is usually our limited perspective and expectations that cause us the most misery and pain.
Equanimity
"Equanimity is the radical acceptance with the natural flow of life's experience."
Equanimity comes when you have mastered detachment. Equanimity is a state of being when we are not moved by our situation or experiences. We are able to stay centered and grounded without any fear or concern, or hope and desires because when we are here in the moment we have all that we really need. Having expectations, desires, hopes and dreams can keep us distracted and oblivious to the real jewels of life that are ready for picking right here and right now. We just have to learn to let go of our attachments and trust that all is perfectly perfect just as it is. Equanimity is your greatest ally when times are tough and will allow you to act and react appropriately when faced with challenges or conflict.
In Buddhism, equanimity is one of the four sublime attitudes and is considered neither a thought nor an emotion. It is rather the steady conscious realization of reality's transience. It is the ground for wisdom and freedom and the protector of compassion and love.
Boundless compassion, which is distinct from being overwhelmed by emotion, is the wish that everyone everywhere be free of pain and its causes. It banishes desire.
Equanimity describes a complete openness to experience, without being lost in reactions of love and hate. Without equanimity we might demand that happiness occur in the ways that we think it should, rather than stay connected and loving with things as they are. Equanimity endows compassion with courage, so that we have the courage to face the pain in life and to face the cruelty in the world.
"Just as a solid rock is not shaken by the storm, even so the wise are not affected by praise or blame"
Mindfulness practice naturally develops equanimity because when we're mindful, we're experiencing things without judgment or distortion. Concentration practice also develops equanimity because when our minds are concentrated, we develop a calm presence with things as they change. In a concentrated mind, thoughts, feelings, and experiences may arise, but they just roll off. We don't become engaged in a movement of desire or aversion, for and against, favoring and opposing.
What is Equanimity? ~ Shinzen Young
Surrender
To be truly surrendered is a rare and holy state of being and is probably the fastest and easiest route to enlightenment. It means that we dedicate all our actions to God, and make ourselves an instrument for Divine Will to play-out through us. We are no longer responsible or attached to the details of our lives, and no longer judge the things that happen because we have dedicated our actions to God.
Someone Who Is Truly Surrendered Has Transcended Karma, And Has Found The Exit Door To The Game Of Life.
Karma is not what happens to you! This is a great misconception. How can you say that someone who was in prison for 10 years has bad Karma, if during that time they learned to meditate and found enlightenment?! The point is that Karma is not what happens to you, but how you choose to react to what happens to you. If you are surrendered and dedicate all actions to God, you are no longer a part of the game of right and wrong. This doesn't mean that people who are surrendered never get excited or joyful, but that the things they find joy in are quite different and not concerned with self. Surrender is a blissful state where one is merged with the unity of all that is. There is no you and me when you are surrendered, there is just the real Self that shines and lives in each blissful moment.
In the teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda, spiritual surrender means self-offering of one's will to God. It is not passive. It is an active surrender to the will of God. ...
We must actively give up our ego self in order to surrender. To do this we need to know who we really are. If you have been following this Path To Enlightenment, you may already know who you really are, and are just one step away from reaching great heights (I hope!). If you are not quite sure of who you are then please do read the 4th Initiaion: Initiation 4: The Path To Enlightenment, Who am I?
I leave you with your 8th Initiation and hope you try it out and as always let me know in the comments how it went for you!
Initiation 8
Please watch this 4 minute video and then perform the exercise described below:
Finding Your Inner Voice : This is your real reality.
Sit with your eyes closed and concentrate all of your attention on your heart. Please repeat to yourself as you have in other exercises "I am not my body, I am not my ego - I am my soul"
This is the real nature of you. Your inner voice. Your conscience that has spoken to you since the beginning - this is the real you. For a moment, reflect upon the possibility that the thinking, physically feeling being that we think of as ourselves is not the real us, but that tiny, silent little voice within is the real us. That tiny little voice that tries to prompt us, tries to guide us and we ignore, is actually our highest reality.
Is that possible?
That tiny voice that we ignore day in and day out is what we are trying to grow into. That is our highest self? Is that possible?
Listen very quietly and hear what your inner voice has to say - hear the answer it has for you.
Is that the voice of your soul? Focus all of your attention on it and let everything else go. Let everything else go.
Sit still and silent and focus your entire life past, present and future on your soul and listen. Listen with all your heart.. It is your own eternal and infinite voice.
Everything Is Perfectly Perfect Just As It Is
SOURCES
https://tricycle.org/magazine/four-immeasurables/
https://www.yogajournal.com/yoga-101/practice-detachment
https://www.expandinglight.org/blog/superconscious-living/what-is-spiritual-surrender/
http://meditation.org.au/class16.asp
https://essenceofbuddhism.wordpress.com/2014/02/16/do-not-get-caught-up-in-the-words-of-others-whether-its-praise-or-blame/
Will You Join Us For The Meditation Challenge?
Anyone who already meditates on a regular basis can testify to the powerful and wide range of effects and benefits that they get from it. These days meditation is starting to gain traction in mainstream media, and we are seeing meditation being taught in schools, even in Europe and USA. Many of us make important decisions every day whilst leading stressful lives. It is often when we are feeling fearful or under stress that we make bad decisions, and are unproductive and inefficient.
What better challenge could we have here on Steemit than a #meditation-challenge!? This challenge is for everyone, whether you have never meditated before, or you used to meditate but haven't in a while, or even if you do meditate regularly. I hope you will join us in this opportunity to make your day and the world even better!
Are you ready for the details! !?
Click the link below for more information and how to join us
https://steemit.com/meditation-challenge/@eco-alex/7-day-meditation-challenge-everyone-wants-to-meditate-but-no-one-actually-does-it-join-us-today
PLEASE SEE THE PREVIOUS 7 INITIATIONS LINKED BELOW
Initiation 1: What Is The Greatest Conspiracy Theory?
Initiation 2: The meaning of life and why are we really here! A Story of Enlightenment Trading Ethereum
Initiation 3: The Path To Enlightenment, Knowing Synchronicity
Initiation 4: The Path To Enlightenment, Who am I?
Initiation 5: The Path To Enlightenment, Put Apart The I
Initiation 6: The Path To Enlightenment, Why we need personal boundaries and how to create healthy ones
Initiation 7: 13 Ways To Live A Balanced Life - must read!
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This is quite the post Mr @eco-alex. I have checked with the time-ship relativity and it seems you are a significant node of change and influence in your time. I salute all people who pursue the path of righteousness and compassion, paired with integrity and morals.
I have also noticed your ecoTrain on our algorithms, and whilst I cannot revel any details due to the temporal prime directive, I can assure you that this is an en-devour that will have ripples across space-time for many many years to come. Very good work you are doing, as are SO many here on this Steemit.
i mean, its not every day Captain Picard posts on my timeline, and such a cool comment! Thank you , wherever you came from! I think you are going to have a good time on Steemit, welcome to the party!
Thank you for your kinds words and support! And as you say, Steem on Brother!
Great continuation to the series Alex. I went through the video at the end, the cues along with the music were very helpful. DO you have any more recommendations on music or sounds to get into the best state for meditation?
I've never heard of the term equanimity, outside of your recent series, But it sounds very similar to the headwind/tailwind idea. The idea comes from a running or bicycle race where when you are running into the wind you are much more critical and look for excuses as to why you don't/can't succeed but when you are running with a tailwind, you are grateful , but only for a very limited time. I might be slightly off on the connection, but it just reminds me of the mindfulness approach needed in both situations. Have a good end to the week my friend
hey Jason! thanks for the feedback, im glad you tried it out!
I do totally have a recommendation for getting into the right state before meditation!
I will be posting very soon about it, an will be next weeks challenge! Basically its a Get Your Chant On Challenge... this is the way to take things to the next level ;-)
What you say about the headwind idea does sound similar to equanimity, yes.. with the main idea in this example being that basically you don't care if you win or lose as you are unattached to the outcome. The inner voice has directed us to do it, but we dont really know or care of the results.. Hope that makes sense!
Have a Great weekend yourself Jason.. hope to see a post from you on the #meditation-challenge tag ;-)
This is such a powerful post @eco-alex, you continue to inspire me. What you have described above is very much what a woman can achieve during birth if she is left to do it naturally. Surrender is so important. I had an unassisted birth with my last daughter and it definitely brought me in contact with my true inner self.
I know that this is so important in our overall lives and something that is getting harder and harder to do, thank you for guiding us in the right direction x
oooh im SO glad you get it! A lot of this can just go over your head unless you are ready to hear it! Surrender can surely relieve all pain if we really give it up. Our resistance is often half the problem in many situations.. i think we can do just about Everything much better when we are relaxed!
"Equanimity is the radical acceptance with the natural flow of life's experience."
couldnt agree more sir. excellent post and insights. learning. thanks for sharing
thank you ken! you wont find those words anywhere but on Steemit ;-)
Sure which is why yesterday I wrote a love post for steemit 😎 take a look!
Today was fascinating. I am very serious about what I am about to say. The experience was like an afterglow after being intimate with the universe. Well, Alex should be able to identify.
oh i so happy you tried this Initiation, and yes I think i do understand what you mean! That glow is like light that shines, and everyone can see it and feel it, and when you do glow like that you notice that people want to be close to you and touch this glow.. I think You know what I mean aed! ;-) much love!
Nice post! Couldn’t read all of it now but I love that spirituality is on steemit :) I have several songs inspired by some of these concepts. One is called Surrender, the other I Am Not That. Will share at some point. Also do you know the work of Byron Katie? Very similar to buddhism without calling itself anything :)
id love to hear your songs one day.. hopefullly i wont miss them, but im following you now.
I dont know of Byron Katie, but that sounds interesting. I like it when we lose the tags and boxes and just keep things simple and to the point..
<3
Thanks @eco-alex! I managed to upload "I Am Not That" on d.tube. Here's the link, enjoy!
ooh i found them in the comments nice one!
YEAH, you got it! really nice!! Lovely voice, now i have to try catch the lyrics....
<3
I am not my emotions, I am the experiencer of my emotions
good life
So much love to share,.. and Yes,... with the one who appriciate it everytime
Thanks for sharing this post. This is indeed an opportunity to make my day better.
In Science of Mind, which I used to be really involved in, there was a really beautiful teaching on how we evolve our way to surrender. When we begin, everything happens to me. As we begin to figure out how magical the universe is and start to understand our power and ability to create and manifest, we start to see things as happening by me. Then we start to understand that allowing the divine flow means relinquishing control and allowing things to happen through me. As the final step, we realize we are ultimately one with God and all things and that all along everything has been happening as me. I think oneness with the universe is the ultimate surrender. Thanks for sharing. I love these topics.