How to let go and trust life’s flow

Quite possibly one of the most difficult things to practice in life is to let go and trust life’s flow.

I should make that a t-shirt, lol:

“Let go, and trust life’s flow!”

Are there ways to do this?

I implore you to approach letting go and deep trust, or call it faith if you like, with a large, personal dose of compassion towards yourself. There is good reason for this; because life is a vast journey of many challenges.

Can you trust that each and every part of your journey is meant for your Highest Good? 

Even when it feels too painful to bear? 

In today’s blog I’ll share:

• Where this started 
• Quotes 
• Maxwell’s story
• One big benefit to letting go, and trusting life
• Matsyendra’s story 
• Matsyendrasana, posture of Lord of Fish
• A Belief
• A Practice for You, Dear Reader
• Vajrapradama mudra for unshakeable trust

Where it Started

As I was considering what maize journey to the peak, peak pose would be, I began to think immediately of one seated twist that started with the letter. M’, matsy and Jessica. Luckily, Patrick Heffernan, my dear collaborator and co-creator of Journey to the Peak, agreed that Matsyendrasana should be the peak pose of May, 2023!

You can reference the pictures to see the posture of Lord of the Fish, as is the name of the pose, Matsyendrasana. I will share where this pasture gets its name a little later, and the yogi who it is named after, and One of his stories.

Quotes:

“Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them; That only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward and whatever way they like.”-Lao Tzu

Birth

she was telling him about giving 

birth~

“one of the most amazing things 

about it is 

you have to totally trust thru the 

worst pain.

all you can do is release control and 

trust.”

she stopped and stared at him.

the tears came.

“i guess that’s not just during birth,

is it?” she asked, reaching for his hand.

—terri st. cloud, bone sigh arts

Can you feel the correlations between these two pieces?

I invite you to take a moment to pause and reflect, even read these two quotes again. Taking the energy and the meanings through your own intuition.  

And if you’d like, taking the step further, how could you apply these to any area of your life? What happens when you say these passages to yourself? Good morning, when considering something challenging that you are experiencing right now?

My Son’s Story:

I’d like to offer a personal story that happened recently between my son and I. This story exemplifies an aspect of the inquiry, where can I let go and trust life a little more, without resistance?

The other day, I had an early client at my office and needed to pick up Max earlier than normal from his after-school program. Now mind you, he really loved his after school program!

So, as he came through the door to greet Quinn and I, he gave his usual hug but then immediately asked why I was early. You see, normally I give him a heads up that I’m going to pick him up early the day before, and I had forgotten to this time.

He began to share his unhappiness about being picked up early because today was homework help day. And he knows that when he gets his homework done, he can play the new Zelda game that just came out!

His frustration, and what I call anger, persisted on. I chose to use this as a teachable moment, for better or worse.  And, this is where I practice the unshakable trust in life; that what I’m doing is to the best of my abilities and that the universe is supporting each of us.

As I continue to push Quinn in the stroller, already somewhat tired from my own day, and yet, thinking of this weeks blog, I told him in a couple of different ways, that he had a choice right here. He could choose to stay angry and upset, or he could choose to let it go and realize that this is what’s happening right now today, and that he would could still play Zelda as long as he got his homework done.

I shared with him that staying upset would most likely cause him to not focus, and not get his homework done. Which would therefore, most likely cause him to not be able to play his game.

And I told him that he was right, it’s a different day and this doesn’t normally happen where I pick him up so early. But I explained to him the situation and walked silently on for a while.

He chose to walk behind me because he was upset, and I really don’t like it when he does this.  Yet again, trust. I kept my patience to see what his response would be, the choice was up to him.

Quinn began to ask why I had started to walk a little fast, and I said that I was a little upset and I was walking it off! 😉 I love when somatics kicks into positive gear and I can apply it to myself.  And she was so sweet then, and offered me a hug. Another beautiful somatic experience that helped chew support me in sustaining my own groundedness as I was trying to support Max.

Not more than 50 ft later. I suddenly felt Max come up from behind and he took my arm as we walked along. He gave me three squeezes of his hand which for us means,” I love you”, one squeeze for each word.

Inwardly I took a deep sigh. I don’t know if the message really sunk in the way. I hope it did, or if he just really wants to play Zelda. Either way I’m fine with it. I let go and surrender and trust.

And then I felt the universe was really validating us all in our efforts, our trust, and choosing to let go, because just as we turned the corner onto Broadway, the shaved ice guy was right there!  I probably would not have bought from him if Max was still upset, and I was still in my practice of trying to stay grounded…

But because of the release of frustration, and letting go of the resistance of how our evening needed to go, we all started to feel lighter. So of course I bought the shaved ice!  Quinn had mango, Max had rainbow, and I had coconut. Everyone was happy!  

And that, dear reader, is one of the biggest benefits of letting go and trusting life; life feels lighter to navigate, and can even become joyful. 

Matsyendra’s Story:

It probably would have been very funny If I had shared with Max, Matsyendra’s story.  Max probably would have found it a little strange and weird why I was telling him this story. Maybe next year! 😉

Completely different from Maxwell’s after school predicament, and yet similar in message, is Matsyendra’s story as an infant.  Though there are many different iterations of his story, the one that I am most familiar with is the one that starts with him being born under an inauspicious star.

It is said that his parents tossed him into the ocean where he was eaten by a large fish. He was not chewed up and digested, but he actually went on to live for 12 years inside the fish! And it was at this time that the fish was swimming up a river and began to hear Shiva imparting yogic wisdom unto his wife, Parvati.

The fish became so entranced by what Shiva was teaching that he asked Shiva to continue. All the while, Matsyendra was listening and taking in all the wisdom, for he, too, was enthralled. 

Matsyandra went on to live 12 more years within the fish, practicing yoga.  It was at this time that Matsyendra left the fish as an enlightened being. He continued on teaching yoga to others as he now walked to the earth.

This is also one of the tails in which we learn how he received his name. Lord of the fish, Matsyendra; Lord, because he became enlightened, and of the fish, because this is where he grew up.  Other tails say it was he, Matseyndra himself, who was hiding in the reeds along the riverbanks listening to Shiva, and that Shiva knew he was there and called him forth, calling him a “fish in the water”. 

In this story, I personally feel it is an incredible recognition and symbolism of this yogis deep and unshakable trust that his life’s path had meaning. To be disregarded by his own parents, to grow up in trial and tribulation, never giving up.

I believe…

 that there is a deep and tiny seed within each of us that is the voice of the Universe/Source: In fact, it IS the Universe/Life. It’s that sometimes almost inaudible voice, or knowing, that causes us to feel even the sometimes unfelt sense that we can continue on. That there’s something we are meant to experience. Even when it’s beyond our comprehension.  

What I have been discovering in my years of being alive on this planet Earth, and in hearing other stories, as well as living out my own stories, is that this is true. The hundreds of thousands of stories of those that have been in the depths of despair, uncertainty, fear, and who have, sometimes decades later, discovered beautiful aspects about themselves. Have discovered their courage. Have discovered that there is a part of themself that believes in themself. And that have discovered self-compassion, self-kindness, and then begin to offer the same to others. It’s incredible.

A Practice:

What is one of your stories of making it through a difficult experience and coming out the other side with triumph and dignity?  What’s your story of being ‘tossed into the ocean and eaten by a fish’?  What’s your story of ‘leaving the fish a more enlightened being’?  Take a moment to reflect. Really get into that moment(s) you knew you had made it through…

Notice how you look. How you felt.  Notice what you were doing, where you were at.  Use your senses.  What was your internal dialogue?  Was there anyone around you supporting you? Were your Guides there? What else, if anything, stands out?

Now, notice how you feel now, currently in your own body, mind, heart.  Notice how it feels to be acknowledging your ability to navigate life with grace!  How does that feel in your body? What shape would your body make to exemplify this feeling?  Do it now, take that posture! 

Is there a phrase, a mantra, that comes with it? Say it now! And if you don’t have one, use this one:

“I, (put your name here), navigate life with grace and an unshakeable trust!” 

REPEAT AS OFTEN AS NEEDED!

Now breathe. 

Haaaaa. That’s it. 

Breathe again. 

Now don’t worry if you have been feeling resistance to this blog.  Simply notice the resistance.  Where do you feel it in your body, and what does the resistance feel like?  Perhaps disbelief, anxiety that this might never happen for you, anger because life is giving you all “lemons” lately; what do you notice when you observe these emotions, feelings, thoughts?  Don’t judge anything here, just offer your attention to things as they are. 

Where might you be resisting life instead of trusting? Where might you be trying to force life a certain way, instead of going with the flow?  

What if you practiced trusting for the next week (and then the week after that, and after that, and after that, and so on)?

Stay observant. 

Vajrapradama Mudra:

Interlace your four fingers and open your palms with palms facing your heart. Gently rest your palms, thumbs resting and pointing upwards, upon your heart.