What does letting go actually feel like?

[DMM710]

So just as an example: I have an itch. I notice the itch, I do something similar to refocusing attention to the breath. Just kind of clear the mind and try not to think about it. Is this correct? I can’t “visualize someone else giving it up” or whatever. I can’t grasp the feeling. 

[Salvijus]

1 hour ago, DMM710 said:

try not to think about it

Maybe try vipassana. It's all about letting go but in very systematic and proper way of doing. 

All you do here is diverting your attention, or trying to ignore or supress it. It's of no value. You have to learn to accept the reality as it is without reacting to it. I would reccomend vipassana for those who really wants to turn letting go into a life changing process. 

1 hour ago, DMM710 said:

I can’t grasp the feeling.

The feeling is equanimity, non-reaction, detachment, stillness, samadhi. 

Edited August 29, 2019 by Salvijus

[DMM710]

So observing and being non reactive is what I’m going for? When I hear someone say “let it go” I usually think of actually letting it go, like... Removing  it from my attention so it no longer occupies my mind. He said things like “returning to how you felt before it arose” or imagining the thing not effecting you. That’s sort of how things play out when they don’t effect me, right? If some dude sneezes - I notice it, and it immediately leaves my mind. I don’t consciously accept it and all that. My mind just naturally lets it go without my input. It arises, and clears from my thoughts, which is sort of what I’m doing I thought. 

Edited August 29, 2019 by DMM710

[Forestluv]

57 minutes ago, DMM710 said:

So observing and being non reactive is what I’m going for? When I hear someone say “let it go” I usually think of actually letting it go, like... Removing  it from my attention so it no longer occupies my mind. He said things like “returning to how you felt before it arose” or imagining the thing not effecting you. That’s sort of how things play out when they don’t effect me, right? If some dude sneezes - I notice it, and it immediately leaves my mind. I don’t consciously accept it and all that. My mind just naturally lets it go without my input. It arises, and clears from my thoughts, which is sort of what I’m doing I thought. 

Generally, humans desire to let go of unpleasant thoughts and feelings. We want to avoid pain and we like pleasure. I've never heard of someone trying to "let go" of bliss during amazing sex. Or someone trying to let go of their curiosity, fascination and joy. The desire is to let go of things we find unpleasant.  Bad habits, OCD, resentments, bad memories, anger, insecurity, fear etc. It's easy to let go of someone sneezing because it is inconsequential. Yet if a stranger walked up to you on a bus and sneezed in your face, that would be a lot harder to let go of.

I'd say the most relevant aspect of letting go for humans involves attachment and identification. If there is a thought or feeling without any attachment/identification, it's no big deal. There is no desire to let go of it. A thought might arise "I'm so annoyed she hasn't texted me back yet. After all I do for her, this is how she treats me. . .". There is a ton of attachment/identification there. It's not so much getting rid of the thought - it's getting rid of the attachment/identification. If the thought occurred without attachment/identification it's no problem. There is nothing to let go of, because there is nothing being held onto. The thoughts become like bird chirps. We don't wonder how to let go of bird chirps, because we are not attached/identified with bird chirps. Bird chirps can be happening and all is well, no need to let go of anything.

[Commodent]

Like forgetting something.

[TheAvatarState]

@DMM710 like you acknowledge its existence, and you drop the anxiety of having to deal with it. It's like closing a huge webpage in your browser, full of pictures and videos, that's slowing down your computer.