The first step is having the courage to let go.
In today’s media coverage of any sort, many ideologies are introduced and discussed. Trillions of words, both spoken and written, are devoted to them, every day, every minute of the day and night. A plethora of ideas and thoughts, directions and suggestions. A bombardment, both helpful but also of hindrance. We can choose to indulge in any one or more of them, losing ourselves for days and nights on end. But there seems to be no end since each word, each new idea can be used and re-used, phrased and re-phrased until there is nothing more to be said. A good place to stop you may think, to let go. But no, generally we don’t as there is yet another idea to take its place, and away we go again. Eventually, hopefully sooner than later, we become disillusioned with the process of grasping something new, something of interest, exploring all its capabilities, tiring of it and replacing it with something yet again new. Maybe. An ongoing process which can take much time.
Detaching usually occurs when we discover the futility of something, whether an idea, an attitude, a physical object, an interest such as a hobby – or a person. We have reached saturation point, our desires are satisfied and we can leave whatever or whoever behind peacefully and move on – unless there is something or someone forcefully motivating us to do so and then there is conflict, inner conflict. Part of us still wanting to continue, another part being forcefully encouraged to stop, to let go. Most of the time we undergo this process in our outer world, the world in which we live, which surrounds us. And most of the time we do not see it happening, or understand it or its implications. Unconsciously we continue on. Many of the situations we encounter in this way can be quite traumatic, causing sorrow, grief, even illness. Bringing inner change which likewise goes unheeded. But happen it does, whether we perceive it or not.
This reaching a saturation point and the consequent letting go has its own process, quite independently of the outer events and can offer us an opportunity, viewed objectively, to inwardly see a new perspective. We may become jaded, disillusioned, dissatisfied with life in general. We are ready to let go, to detach, to find a new way. And when we are disillusioned sufficiently, can bear it no longer, that point of detachment allows an open-ness, a space within, for that new way to present itself. Not as another new idea, or activity, or person ( although it does not negate the possibility that any of those might be involved) but as a new direction, a new inner direction. A turning away from the old way of going about things, of approaching life, and turning towards a new directive, understood from within and unique to each of us. It implies the step of taking courage, the courage to let go. It may take much courage to make the switch from the old to the new, perhaps sorrow, perhaps even fear but do it we must for our own sake, for that of humanity, for the future of our planet. The possibility of detaching from the old and entering the new is always there. If we can recognise the process, and dare to take the first step, that is all that is required of us. The rest will follow on from that first step guided by an innate sense of inner knowing. Seek the courage within yourself, take the first step.
