Week 11 - Release

​“I willingly release that which no longer serves me.”
 
To Release: to set free, let go, liberate.
 
What is it that we may be hanging onto, which, if we were to release it, would set us free?
 
What is it that we can release? The Past? Our Story? Control? Our Breath?
 
As I sat alongside my father in 2019 while he prepared to release his body (to die to this world), it caused me to reflect on what we need to release in order to find true freedom.
 
Freedom from our past, from our pain, from our stories of hurt, from any baggage we may be travelling life’s journey with, which is serving as an anchor, keeping us held back from our potential.
 
Freedom to experience the joy and pleasures available to us.  Freedom to speak our truth out loud. Freedom to be our authentic self.
 
I am reminded of a story (tale?) once told of the method used to catch spider monkeys for zoos. A bell-shaped jar would be placed in the jungle, with its long neck, and large base holding food to attract the spider monkey.  Once the spider monkey reached his long arm down the neck of the jar and took hold of that food, his hand would make a fist.  This fist prevented him from removing his hand from the jar, as it was now too big to move up the neck of the jar.  The spider monkey could have released the food and kept his freedom, but he clearly was in survival mode, and hung on tight to the food. So the captors would simply tranquilize the spider monkey for transport to the zoo. 
 
This tale was told to illustrate the possibility that there may be times in our lives when we may need to release our grip on what we have, or know, in order to retain the freedom to grow and live.  What am I holding onto that I can release right now, to find freedom?
 
In my experience of working with people in a therapeutic setting, the greatest liberation seems to take place when they have the ‘Aha’ moment – a revelation – that they have been investing energy into hanging onto resentment, anger or pain inflicted by another or towards themselves.  Once they release that willingly, lovingly, and with gratitude for the lessons, they are free to move back out into their lives, lighter and stronger within themselves, whole and available to their future and what it may hold.
 
We can begin again, at any time, releasing the physical things around us that are no longer of service, and progress towards our less tangible aspects as we are ready, making space for our Mental, Emotional and Spiritual refreshment. 
 
As we do this, we are more present to the moment and less likely to project our pains and guilts relating to our past into these present moments, and we can make the space for peace – and we know right now how important Peace is!
 
May we together gratefully and willingly release whatever no longer serves us, and welcome our future with peace & joy!
 
With love, Gabrielle