The saint knows that the spiritual path is a sublime chess game with God
And that the Beloved has just made such a Fantastic Move
That the saint is now continually
Tripping over Joy
And bursting out in Laughter
And saying, “I Surrender!”
Whereas, my dear,
I am afraid you still think
You have a thousand serious moves.”
― Hāfez
As Hafez suggests perhaps we still believe that we have a thousand serious moves to make. As our facilitator Shelly shared with the group, we have to be open to receiving. What does our willingness say about our receptivity? Do you have particular rules about receiving? Do you need to control the outcome?
Maybe it looks something like this..."I'm up for a change, but only if it happens after the full moon and during my summer vacation. I shutter when someone offers me a compliment because I'm really not good enough, skinny enough, pretty enough, tall enough, etc (these are all external realities.) I'll agree to this, but only if I have totally control." Do any of these phrases sound familiar? We bargain our way right out of receptivity and surrender by blocking our co-creative relationship with the Divine. When we think we have 'control' over our lives we suffer. When we surrender we are in the infinite flow and we find ourselves tripping over joy!
"If you want to surrender to God you need to be able to receive." Shelly's prescription for living seemed simple enough, but my pen could hardly keep up with her insights. "See clearly on the inside so you see the disillusionment on the outside. You can't keep chasing happiness thinking you will avoid aversion. Breath people."
A simple way to measure your receptivity is to notice your breath. On the inhale, you are inviting God/Spirit/insert your (Higher power here) into your life. You are saying come into my temple, welcome into my house, thank you for being omnipresent with me. An inhale is your opportunity to receive, to expand and to say YES to the sacredness of your life. What is your relationship to your breath? Up until this weekend I can say I never made the connection between my breath and my ability to surrender and receive. The old saying holds true, "When the student is ready the teacher will appear." My teacher is my breath as it helps me to gauge my awareness of receiving.
Throughout your day I invite you to become aware of the breath. How do you restrict it when you are at work?...in your intimate relationships?...when life gets tough?....when you hit a pocket of fear?...when you are bubbling over with love? Can you breath into your receptivity and feel its companion, surrender? Be with your discomforts. Be with your grief. Be open to receiving. Stop making rules about how you will receive! Breath beauties...Inhale and open your divine channels of receiving. Exhale and snuggle into the peace of your Higher Power.
May You Sweetly Seek:)
In Gratitude,
Sarah