It’s an easy thing say. Especially when you consider what you might be letting go of. For example, you could let go of fear, loss, hurt, control, resentment just to name a few.
What does it really mean “to let go” and why can it be so hard to do?
For one thing, if you’re not aware that you’re holding onto something, that’s one thing. Karen was in last week and she told me that she’s starting to notice now when her body is holding tension and she’s then able to let it go. She followed up with saying that she can’t believe that she never used to notice herself holding tension before.
When “subtle” signals of the body start to get louder, that’s a sign that the nervous system is healing and learning.
What about if you’re aware of what you need to let go of but you find it hard to do? It seems to me that we find it difficult to let go because we identify with what we’re needing to let go of.
For example, let’s say you decide that you want to let go of worry. But “a worrier” is what you have learned to see yourself as. Letting go of worry then becomes like considering amputation. How would you relate to yourself if you didn’t worry?
Letting go can create uncertainty. And if we’re not ready or willing to cope with uncertainty, then letting go becomes a less desirable option.
When we identify with certain habits or characteristics that are not in our true nature, we can develop spinal tension in the pelvis. This spinal tension can torque the spine and create an unstable foundation. This distortion can even lead to problems like low back pain, sciatica and arthritis or disc herniation.
As you become more aware of this spinal tension and learn to let it go like Karen has, you not only have the capacity to heal physically: You also have the opportunity to consciously choose who you are being in any given moment.
And that is a gift for all of us.