Will you grab a lifejacket or a surfboard in 2021?

Many of us are shell shocked from the tsunami of tumultuous events of 2020 and the beginning of 2021. As I wrote in the last blog post, 2020 made a mockery of carefully designed plans, forcing most of us to alter our expectations and re-evaluate how we adapt to radically changing circumstances.

Do you find yourself reluctant to even entertain possibilities for this year? I do, though the quote offered by Tamara Levitt at the end of a recent Daily Calm mediation gave a clue as to how to proceed – “Instead of suiting up in a lifejacket to save us from the tides of change, try reaching for a surfboard.”

Then I opened up the Daily Om inspiration to read this: Cherish the Unexpected. Going with, instead of against, life’s plan for us enables us to encounter new challenges that compel us to grow in exhilarating ways. The more open we are to the unexpected, the more of life’s treasures we will find. I do think the Universe is sending me clear messages!

What if we released the safety of the lifejacket and adopted a surfer’s strategy, knowing that the biggest waves present the greatest challenge but also the most thrilling ride?

Spiritual Teacher Michael Singer demonstrated through his own life that when we relinquish our need to make things happen the way we want them to and trust the Universe, magic can ensue. In his best-selling book The Surrender Experiment Singer describes his journey of surrendering to Life and achieving amazing results.

And Tosha Silver, the queen of living life from a place of surrender, shows that inspired actions and solutions arise on their own at the right time when you learn how to truly let the Inner Divine lead. Her ‘Change Me Prayers’ have helped me loosen the reins a bit though I can still get attached to the outcomes I desire. However, I have had many life experiences that remind me that trusting the Universe can be more fun and a lot less work!

 

Dancing the Rapids
card by Jane Norton

“You can’t stop the waves but you can learn to ride them.”

Jon Kabat Zinn

REFLECTION
  • How do you respond / react when the unexpected happens and disrupts your plans?
  • Have you had experiences where you trusted and went with the flow?
  • The next time life sends an unexpected wave your way, stop and ask how you can ride it.
PRACTICE

use Tosha Silver’s Prayer for Flow from Change Me Prayers: The Hidden Power of Spiritual Surrender

Divine Beloved, change me into one who can roll calmly and peacefully with the unfolding flow, holding my center amidst volatile shifts. Let me trust where the Flow is guiding me, knowing all unfolds in the right time and way.

RESOURCE

Michael Singer books– The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Self, and The Surrender Experiment: My Journey into Life’s Perfection

Tosha Silver other books- Outrageous Openness: Letting the Divine Take the Lead, and It’s Not Your Money: How to live Fully from Divine Abundance.