Leo's take on Surrender

[Beginner Mind]

I was just watching Leo's video, "What is God? Part 1" where he briefly mentions surrender.  This is a concept that has confused me for a long time now.  What does it really mean to surrender?  How does one surrender?  Surely it doesn't mean giving up all personal desires while sitting on your couch, waiting for God to arrange everything in your life for you...?  I'd love to hear Leo's take on this topic, and of course anyone else is welcome to respond.

[Consilience]

Surrendering for me has always been synonymous with letting go. So basically letting go of all your internal resistance to actuality, to suffering, and instead being with whatever is arising in experience. 

For a practical place to start, rewatching Leo’s video on letting go would be helpful. Unless Leo creates a distinction between surrender and letting go. 

Edited February 7, 2020 by Consilience

[Sempiternity]

Surrendering is deeper than that. It is surrender You, all of you. Your Identity, your life. There can be no Awakening/realization of God while there is a You. And you surrendering you is the last thing you would ever want. Which is why no one does it. Surrendering is being at peace with dying. 

[Forestluv]

[Beginner Mind]

28 minutes ago, Serotoninluv said:

I'm not too familiar with this meme, but are you suggesting that my life belongs to God?

[Beginner Mind]

36 minutes ago, Jed Vassallo said:

Surrendering is deeper than that. It is surrender You, all of you. Your Identity, your life. There can be no Awakening/realization of God while there is a You. And you surrendering you is the last thing you would ever want. Which is why no one does it. Surrendering is being at peace with dying. 

How does one surrender their sense of being a separate self (without the aid of psychedelics)?  Seems an impossible task.

[Beginner Mind]

1 hour ago, Consilience said:

Surrendering for me has always been synonymous with letting go. So basically letting go of all your internal resistance to actuality, to suffering, and instead being with whatever is arising in experience. 

For a practical place to start, rewatching Leo’s video on letting go would be helpful. Unless Leo creates a distinction between surrender and letting go. 

In other words, allowing everything to be as it is?  I'm familiar with that explanation of surrender but actually putting it into practice is a different matter.  How does one actually go about allowing everything to be as it is?

[Forestluv]

19 minutes ago, Beginner Mind said:

I'm not too familiar with this meme, but are you suggesting that my life belongs to God?

It's says belongs to "Us", not "god". The term "god" can be so loaded, yet humans love to go there. 

[Sempiternity]

2 hours ago, Beginner Mind said:

How does one surrender their sense of being a separate self (without the aid of psychedelics)?  Seems an impossible task.

Self Inquiry, heavy deep Meditation, Kriya Yoga. It's a very long road, with many potential paths. As Leo says 10,000 hours minimum. You can possibly spend your whole life trying and not get there. Or psychedelics can take you there in minutes. It's all a matter of how dedicated you are. If you are fully dedicated, you will find a way, no matter what. 

Edited February 8, 2020 by Jed Vassallo

[Beginner Mind]

9 minutes ago, Serotoninluv said:

It's says belongs to "Us", not "god". The term "god" can be so loaded, yet humans love to go there. 

So my life belongs to "Us"?  Who is "Us"?  I'm confused.  Lol. 

[Beginner Mind]

2 minutes ago, Jed Vassallo said:

Self Inquiry, heave deep Meditation, Kriya Yoga. It's a very long road, with many potential paths. As Leo says 10,000 hours minimum. You can possibly spend your whole life trying and not get there. Or psychedelics can take you there in minutes. It's all a matter of how dedicated you are. If you are fully dedicated, you will find a way, no matter what. 

I'd love to experiment with psychedelics but unfortunately I don't have access to them.

[Sempiternity]

1 minute ago, Beginner Mind said:

I'd love to experiment with psychedelics but unfortunately I don't have access to them.

They're all over the world. If you can travel, you can find them. Again, if you are dedicated, you will find a way. 

[Forestluv]

43 minutes ago, Beginner Mind said:

Who is "Us"?  

Great question. Part of the exploration. 

[Nahm]

 

@Beginner Mind

If you wanted to, you could let go of / surrender - every belief about reality, the world, and who or what you think you are entirely. You can inspect all your beliefs to the degree that you notice and let go of belief in this language you’re reading, of all words and meanings, and of all communication. For example, this sentence doesn’t make any sense, it appears to because you believe it does. There is a chain of beliefs which make this seem so.

[Beginner Mind]

9 minutes ago, Nahm said:

 

@Beginner Mind

If you wanted to, you could let go of / surrender - every belief about reality, the world, and who or what you think you are entirely. You can inspect all your beliefs to the degree that you notice and let go of belief in this language you’re reading, of all words and meanings, and of all communication. For example, this sentence doesn’t make any sense, it appears to because you believe it does. There is a chain of beliefs which make this seem so.

This reminds me of a minor epiphany I had yesterday.  I was just sitting in my room, observing my environment and I suddenly realized that I was not experiencing the room nor the present moment as it actually is.  I'm experiencing my interpretation of this moment.  My experience of this moment is colored by my beliefs, opinions, concepts, etc.  So the question arose, "What is the nature of this moment when I'm not interpreting it?"  And for a brief moment, two seconds maybe, there was a sense of peace.  I wish I could remain in that state permanently but it doesn't seem possible for me.

[Beginner Mind]

34 minutes ago, Serotoninluv said:

Great question. Part of the exploration. 

Man, I really need to get on the psychedelic bandwagon.

[Nahm]

@Beginner Mind Become aware of the I. Bring awareness to the bottoms of your feet, then the palms of your hands, then the I. 

[Consilience]

On 2/7/2020 at 3:00 PM, Beginner Mind said:

In other words, allowing everything to be as it is?  I'm familiar with that explanation of surrender but actually putting it into practice is a different matter.  How does one actually go about allowing everything to be as it is?

Yes exactly. How does one let go? - By being. Just be. Just let whatever's happening, happen without a thought about it. Just be with reality however it is. 

[Leo Gura]

If you want to understand surrender imagine yourself being locked into a cage and tortured every day for the rest of your life with no possibility of escape.

Your only option then is surrender.

[still_no_satori]

47 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

If you want to understand surrender imagine yourself being locked into a cage and tortured every day for the rest of your life with no possibility of escape.

Your only option then is surrender.

There is a fantastic French horror film called 'Martyrs' that explores this theme. It is shocking and brutal, I was thinking about it for days afterward but an interesting watch for those on this forum imo.