Thread: How to let go?

There are many ways to describe the same thing. But the best way to describe the feeling of totally letting go for me is the word: ACCEPTANCE

Which counterpart is RESISTANCE

Resistance means that you are wishing for the NOW to be something other than it is, acceptance means that you accept the now for what it is, see it for what it is and let it be what it is.

For example if you feel frustrated by not being able to fall asleep, perhaps because of the tension in your body and mind from the weightlifting? Then you are just going to enter a negative spiral of:

"Sigh... I can't fall asleep -> It's uncomfortable that I can't fall asleep -> It's uncomfortable to be uncomfortable... -> Sigh.. I can't fall asleep ->"

Instead of resisting the fact that you can't fall asleep, fully accept it by looking at what's positive. For example when I can't fall asleep I think "Great then I can meditate without falling asleep" or "Great then I can listen to some guided meditation without falling asleep" because my problem is usually in reverse (that I fall asleep too quickly.) But by making a negative into a positve I make a problem into a solution.

But you can also just accept not falling asleep completely and just observe it and think "Oh I can't fall asleep, I don't mind." Just like you treat your overactive thoughts in a meditation session.

So in short: Practise the art of making a positive into a negative, a problem into a solution or simply practise the art of observing instead of judging, the core of meditation.

Good luck!

Try samatha meditation. "Calm abiding" It's the original, Buddha's meditation. (focus on breathing).

You just focus on an object (breathe) and you give it all attention. You mind will find excuses, things to think but you just come back to breathe. The mind will find all sort of things to make you frustrated because it is wild... But you just come back again. You accept everything but you don't stay attached, you just recognise and come back. You don't resist or say "no"... you just shift focus to breathe again. You do that again and again no matter what thought or emotion comes... With time you focus will grow and thoughts will become less and less. After months of practice there will be incredible focus and incredible BLISS because of that focus. It may become your favorite activity.

It gives you intuitional knowlege and understanding of nature of things. It gives you an understanding that liberates you. It's the greatest thing for me. It makes you master of your mind, it makes you free from all "suffering".

My understanding and practice showed me that Insomnia results from attachement to thoughts. Because I understand that I fall asleep in 5-10 minutes. So try to understand that. Understand deeply that thinking about things in bed will resolve nothing, it will only deprive you from sleep and peace. Once it clicks in your mind you will refuse to think about things in that time or in any time you decide! Say to yourself "Now I decide to sleep, I will think about (this or that) tomorrow."

Thats what I do before my meditation. I say "now I decide to MEDITATE. There is no place for anything else." And of course it works very well because I say it with determination. Thoughts may come, but they're so weak so they just pass like clouds. If I focus on them I make them just stronger, so of course I don't do that. Of course it may take practice. With time (few weeks) you understand the nature of your mind so let go becomes natural.

It may be easy to focus on breathe while you are in bed, count it if you want. So you will be distracted from thoughts or your problems. Many people do reverse blinking to fall asleep quickly. Its very effective.

May peace be with you