Letting Go

Letting Go Plot Summary

Introduction

Sarah sat in her car, gripping the steering wheel tightly as tears streamed down her face. Another argument with her boss had left her feeling worthless and angry. The emotions swirled within her like a storm, making it impossible to think clearly. She had tried everything to control these feelings - deep breathing, positive thinking, even therapy - but nothing seemed to work for long. The weight of her negative emotions had become unbearable, affecting her relationships, her health, and her sense of self-worth. She wondered if she would ever find peace. This struggle with overwhelming emotions is something we all experience. Whether it's anger that flares up during traffic, anxiety that keeps us awake at night, or grief that feels endless, our emotional responses often seem beyond our control. The author presents a revolutionary approach to handling these difficult feelings - not through suppression or expression, but through the simple yet profound mechanism of letting go. This technique allows us to acknowledge our emotions without judgment, to experience them fully, and then to release their hold on us. By understanding the levels of consciousness and learning to surrender negative feelings, we can move toward greater peace, love, and spiritual freedom in our everyday lives.

Chapter 1: The Mechanism of Surrender: Sarah's Car Breakdown Moment

Sarah sat in her car, gripping the steering wheel tightly, tears streaming down her face. Another argument with her boss had left her feeling worthless and angry. The emotions swirled inside her like a storm, making it hard to breathe. Then she remembered what her therapist had taught her about letting go. She closed her eyes, allowed herself to feel the anger fully without judgment, and simply observed it. She didn't try to push it away or analyze it—just acknowledged its presence. After several minutes, something shifted. The intensity began to fade, replaced by a surprising lightness. By the time she drove home, the anger that had seemed so overwhelming had largely dissipated, leaving room for clarity about the situation. This experience illustrates the core mechanism of surrender—a simple yet profound technique that allows us to release negative emotions rather than suppressing or expressing them destructively. Unlike our typical approaches to difficult feelings, letting go involves being aware of a feeling, allowing it to come up, staying with it, and letting it run its course without wanting to make it different or do anything about it. It means simply to let the feeling be there and to focus on letting out the energy behind it. The first step is to allow yourself to have the feeling without resisting it, venting it, fearing it, condemning it, or moralizing about it. It means to drop judgment and to see that it is just a feeling. The technique is to be with the feeling and surrender all efforts to modify it in any way. Let go of wanting to resist the feeling. It is resistance that keeps the feeling going. When you give up resisting or trying to modify the feeling, it will shift to the next feeling and be accompanied by a lighter sensation. A feeling that is not resisted will disappear as the energy behind it dissipates. As you begin the process, you will notice that you have fear and guilt over having feelings; there will be resistance to feelings in general. To let feelings come up, it is easier to let go of the reaction to having the feelings in the first place. When letting go, ignore all thoughts. Focus on the feeling itself, not on the thoughts. Thoughts are endless and self-reinforcing, and they only breed more thoughts. The letting go technique undoes our negative programs progressively. Through that process, the underlying motive behind the feelings becomes more and more apparent. To be surrendered means to have no strong emotion about a thing: "It's okay if it happens, and it's okay if it doesn't." When we are free, there is a letting go of attachments. We can enjoy a thing, but we don't need it for our happiness. The journey of surrender leads to a profound truth: what we are seeking is not different from our very own Self. By letting go of our emotional attachments, we discover the pathway to inner freedom and transformation.

Chapter 2: Moving Up the Emotional Scale: Michael's Journey from Apathy

Michael had been unemployed for eight months. Each morning, he would wake up feeling heavy, barely able to get out of bed. "What's the point?" he would think. "Nobody's hiring anyway." His friends suggested networking events and job search strategies, but he couldn't summon the energy to try. This was apathy—the belief "I can't" that had become his prison. One day, after reading about emotional consciousness levels, Michael realized he was stuck at the bottom of the scale. He decided to acknowledge his feelings rather than escape them. As he allowed himself to feel his hopelessness, something unexpected happened—it began to shift into fear. "What if I never find work again?" The fear was uncomfortable, but it had more energy than apathy. Working with this fear, Michael continued to let go, and soon found himself angry—angry at the economy, at employers who hadn't recognized his value, at himself for past choices. This anger, though negative, propelled him to action. He updated his resume and made some calls. When he received his first rejection, instead of collapsing back into apathy, he recognized his pride being hurt and surrendered that too. Gradually, he moved up to courage—the energy of "I can handle this" and "I'll find a way." Within weeks, his entire approach to his job search transformed, and eventually, so did his results. This progression illustrates the scale of emotions that we all move through in life. From the lowest vibration of apathy (calibrated at 50 on the Map of Consciousness) through grief (75), fear (100), desire (125), anger (150), and pride (175), we reach the critical threshold of courage (200)—the first level of true empowerment. Beyond courage lie even higher states: neutrality (250), willingness (310), acceptance (350), reason (400), love (500), joy (540), and ultimately peace (600). Each level represents not just a feeling but an entire way of viewing and interacting with the world. At the lower levels, we experience ourselves as victims of circumstances, powerless to change our situation. As we move upward, we progressively reclaim our power, recognize our choices, and experience greater freedom, effectiveness, and harmony. The energy at each level affects not only our emotions but our physical health, relationships, and ability to achieve our goals. What makes this scale so valuable is understanding that we can deliberately move up through these levels by using the letting go technique. By acknowledging and surrendering our negative feelings rather than suppressing or expressing them, we naturally rise to higher states of consciousness. This upward movement isn't just psychological—it creates measurable changes in our body's energy field, muscle strength, and overall vitality. The journey from apathy to peace represents the full spectrum of human consciousness—from the depths of despair to the heights of enlightenment. Each step upward brings greater freedom, joy, and effectiveness in all areas of life.

Chapter 3: Breaking Through Pride: The Attorney's Awakening

James had suffered from a debilitating fear of public speaking his entire life. As a medical intern, he once had to present a patient case to his colleagues, and his voice literally failed him mid-presentation out of sheer terror. For years afterward, he avoided any situation that might require speaking in front of groups, limiting his career advancement and reinforcing his belief: "I can't speak in public. I'm just not a public speaker." Years later, when an unavoidable speaking engagement loomed, James decided to face his fear using the letting go technique. He sat down and examined what he was truly afraid of. "What's the worst possible thing that could happen?" he asked himself. "Well, you could be terribly boring." This brought to mind all the boring speeches he had endured from others, and he realized that giving a boring speech, while uncomfortable, wasn't the end of the world. He let go of the pride and vanity behind his fear. When the day arrived, James read his paper in a flat monotone voice, despite his inner fear. Afterward, some friends told him, "That was technically a good paper but, boy, it sure was boring." Yet James felt jubilant—not because the speech was good, but because he had faced his fear and done it anyway. His self-esteem increased, and speaking engagements no longer had to be avoided. He even began starting his presentations with a self-deprecating joke: "I am one of the most boring speakers around and, in fact, I can be quite tedious." This brought laughs from the audience and created a connection through shared humanity. With continued practice and surrender, James eventually abandoned reading prepared speeches and began speaking extemporaneously. His skills improved, leading to more speaking opportunities and the achievement of career goals that had previously seemed impossible. What had once been a source of terror eventually became a source of enjoyment. The journey from paralyzing fear to comfortable public speaking represented a profound transformation—not just in this specific area but in his overall approach to life's challenges. The story of James illustrates a fundamental truth about fear and pride: they are both forms of attachment that block our freedom and effectiveness. Fear says "I can't" while pride says "I must appear perfect." Both states create a psychic distance between ourselves and what we want. Paradoxically, letting go of the desperate wanting to avoid embarrassment or maintain a certain image is often what allows us to achieve our goals with greater ease.

Chapter 4: The Healing Power of Love: Elena's Hospice Experience

Elena had worked as a hospice nurse for fifteen years, witnessing countless deaths and family griefs. Though she'd always been compassionate, something had shifted in her over the past year. Patients and families often commented on the unusual sense of peace they felt in her presence. One evening, she sat with Robert, a terminally ill patient who had been agitated and fearful for days. As she held his hand, she noticed she wasn't doing anything differently, yet a profound calm seemed to flow between them. Robert looked into her eyes and whispered, "I'm not afraid anymore. I can see it now - it's all love, isn't it?" He passed peacefully that night. Later, reflecting on this experience, Elena realized she had undergone a transformation in her own consciousness. Years of surrendering her judgments, fears, and attachments had gradually shifted her perception. She no longer saw herself as separate from her patients but experienced a oneness that transcended individual identity. This wasn't something she did - it was a state of being that naturally radiated from her presence. "On the level of unconditional love, we love everybody and everything," her spiritual teacher had once explained. "When love is unconditional, there's no attachment, expectation, hidden agenda, or bookkeeping of who gives what to whom." Elena had found this to be true. Her love had become a way of being rather than something she gave selectively. It flowed naturally when the blocks to it had been surrendered. Beyond even this love, Elena occasionally experienced moments of profound peace - a stillness that seemed to underlie all activity. In these states, there was no conflict, no negativity, just an all-encompassing lovingness experienced as serenity and contentment. Time seemed to stop, and her actions became effortless, spontaneous, and harmonious. These weren't permanent states yet, but they showed her what was possible. The highest states of consciousness - love and peace - represent the culmination of our inner journey. While negative emotions bind us to specific reactions and limited perceptions, these elevated states free us to experience life's fullness. Love at this level isn't just an emotion but a way of being that transforms everything it touches. It's protective, collaborative, uplifting, and gracious. Peace goes even further, offering an imperturbable stillness from which all action flows perfectly. These states aren't achieved through effort but emerge naturally as we remove the obstacles to their expression through consistent surrender of our limiting thoughts and feelings.

Chapter 5: Physical Healing Through Surrender: Dr. James's Story

Dr. James had been a respected physician for over twenty years, yet he found himself facing a personal health crisis that defied conventional treatment. Despite his medical knowledge and access to the best specialists, he suffered from chronic migraines, severe digestive issues, and debilitating back pain. The irony wasn't lost on him - a healer who couldn't heal himself. After exhausting all traditional approaches, he reluctantly attended a workshop on consciousness and healing, skeptical but desperate. The facilitator introduced a radical concept: physical symptoms often manifest from suppressed emotions and limiting beliefs held in the mind. "The body obeys the mind," she explained. "What is held in mind tends to express itself through the body." Dr. James initially resisted this idea - it contradicted his medical training. However, when asked to test the concept through muscle testing, he was shocked to discover how his body instantly weakened when he held negative thoughts and strengthened with positive ones. Through the process of surrender, Dr. James began acknowledging and releasing years of suppressed feelings - the guilt of not spending enough time with his family, the anger at difficult patients, the fear of failure that drove his perfectionism. As he let go of these emotions, something unexpected happened. His migraines became less frequent, his digestion improved, and his back pain diminished. A particularly powerful breakthrough came when he surrendered his resistance to a severe digestive attack instead of rushing to the hospital. After four hours of accepting rather than fighting the sensations, the symptoms completely resolved. What amazed Dr. James most was discovering that many of his health problems were connected to beliefs he didn't even realize he held. His body had been manifesting what his mind believed - that stress was inevitable in his profession, that certain foods were dangerous, that aging meant decline. As he surrendered these beliefs, his health continued to improve. Even his eyesight, which he had assumed was permanently compromised, began to restore itself when he removed his glasses and surrendered his conviction that poor vision was structural rather than functional. The connection between consciousness and physical health reveals a profound truth: many illnesses reflect our inner state rather than merely external causes. When we surrender the negative emotions and limiting beliefs we've accumulated, our natural state of health often reasserts itself. This doesn't mean ignoring conventional medicine, but rather complementing it by addressing the mental and emotional components of illness. The body's remarkable capacity for self-healing activates when we remove the internal obstacles through the practice of surrender.

Chapter 6: Transforming Relationships: Sarah and Michael's Marriage

Sarah and Michael had been married for twelve years, and their relationship had fallen into a pattern of chronic tension. Small irritations would quickly escalate into heated arguments, followed by days of cold silence. During one particularly bitter fight over household chores, Sarah shouted, "You never help around here!" while Michael retorted, "Nothing I do is ever good enough for you!" Both felt misunderstood and attacked, retreating to separate rooms afterward. At the suggestion of a friend, they reluctantly attended a workshop on emotional surrender. There, they learned something surprising: their negative feelings toward each other weren't actually about the present situation but were projections from their past and their own inner conflicts. The facilitator explained, "We are only subject to what we hold in mind. The other person merely mirrors back what we are projecting onto them." In a guided exercise, Sarah was asked to identify what she was feeling beneath her anger. To her surprise, she discovered fear - fear of not being valued, which stemmed from childhood experiences with her critical father. Michael, meanwhile, realized his defensiveness masked shame and inadequacy he'd felt since school days when he was labeled "lazy" despite having undiagnosed dyslexia. Neither's reactions were truly about the dishes or housework at all. As they practiced letting go of these deeper emotions, their interactions began to change dramatically. Sarah noticed that when she surrendered her fear of being undervalued, she could request help without accusation. Michael found that releasing his shame allowed him to respond to requests without feeling attacked. Most surprisingly, they discovered that their thoughts and feelings affected each other even when not expressed verbally. "Our feelings and thoughts always have an effect on other persons and affect our relationships, whether these thoughts or feelings are verbalized, expressed, or not," the facilitator had explained. Relationships serve as powerful mirrors for our inner emotional landscape, making them both challenging and transformative. When we react negatively to others, we're often responding not to their current behavior but to our own unresolved feelings and past hurts. The mechanism of surrender allows us to recognize these projections and release them rather than acting them out in our interactions. As we let go of expectations, resentments, and the need to control others, our relationships naturally become more authentic and harmonious.

Chapter 7: Finding Creative Flow: Thomas's Writing Journey

Thomas had always dreamed of becoming a successful writer, but after years of rejection letters and modest achievements, he found himself stuck in a corporate job he disliked, his creative aspirations fading. During lunch breaks, he would scribble story ideas that never developed into completed works. When friends asked about his writing, he would respond with a mixture of defensiveness and resignation: "The publishing industry is impossible to break into unless you know someone." At a career development seminar, Thomas was introduced to the concept that success in any field is determined less by external circumstances than by inner emotional states. The presenter explained that negative feelings like envy, self-doubt, and fear create thought patterns that manifest as "I can't" regardless of one's actual abilities. Thomas recognized himself in this description - he spent more time comparing himself to successful authors and feeling inadequate than actually writing. The seminar leader taught a technique for identifying and surrendering these limiting emotions. Thomas discovered that beneath his surface frustration lay a deep fear of failure and a belief that he wasn't truly talented. Even more surprising was finding that he harbored envy toward successful writers, which triggered his own sense of inadequacy. "Envy is painful because it arouses our own sense of inadequacy," the facilitator explained. "And then we often resent the person whose successes have inadvertently provoked this feeling." As Thomas practiced letting go of these feelings, his creative energy began flowing again. Instead of focusing on others' achievements, he reconnected with his love of storytelling. He established a daily writing practice without the pressure of immediate success. Within months, he completed a short story collection and found a small publisher interested in his work. What surprised him most wasn't the external success but the joy he rediscovered in the creative process itself. Our vocational achievements are intimately connected to our inner emotional state. When negative feelings like envy, fear, and self-doubt dominate our consciousness, they create thought patterns that block our natural abilities and creative flow. These emotions drain our energy and impede our success in the world. Through the practice of surrender, we can release these limiting feelings and access the positive emotional states of courage, acceptance, and love that naturally enhance our performance and satisfaction.

Summary

The journey from emotional bondage to spiritual freedom is not about suppressing or analyzing our feelings, but learning to acknowledge them fully and then let them go. Through the stories shared in this exploration, we've seen how the simple yet profound practice of surrender can transform every aspect of life - from physical health and relationships to creative expression and spiritual awareness. The mechanism works because it addresses the root cause of suffering: our attachment to negative emotions and limiting beliefs that distort our perception and drain our energy. The path to freedom begins with courage - the willingness to face our feelings honestly without judgment. As we practice surrender, we naturally progress through higher levels of consciousness, from the heaviness of apathy, grief, and fear to the lightness of acceptance, love, and peace. This journey isn't about becoming someone different but rather uncovering who we truly are beneath the accumulated layers of emotional programming. When we let go of what we're not, what remains is our authentic self - naturally peaceful, loving, and whole. The ultimate discovery is that the freedom, connection, and joy we've been seeking were within us all along, waiting to be revealed through the simple yet transformative act of letting go.

About Author

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David R. Hawkins

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