Sakshi Shree says there is a right time to hold on and let go
After a certain point in time, things that have been useful and helpful start becoming a hindrance. For instance, if you want to reach the terrace of a building, you need to climb the stairs. But if you choose to stay on the stairs then can you will never be able to reach to your destination.
This implies that in order to reach the terrace, you have to leave the stairs. Similarly, you need a boat for crossing a river, but if you simply stay put on the boat, can you cross the river? No, you cannot. It means that it is just as important to let go of the boat as it is to get on it so that you can cross the river. If you have the ability to not only use the boat but to let it go as well, only then you can cross the river.
This is what life is all about – holding on and letting go at the right moments.
These principles can be applied to our thoughts. To come to any decision in life, we need to think. However, if we get caught in the vicious cycle of thinking and procrastination, we would stagnate and never be able to arrive at a decision that will take us forward in life. So you also need to practice the art of letting go, surrender your thoughts at the right time and making a decision with the knowledge that you have.
Our relationships, moments of joys, family, success, and our friends — we want them to be permanent in our lives, but we forget that the very nature of this life is temporary. All our thoughts and emotions are temporary and we must not associate ourselves with our thoughts. Associating ourselves with materialism is what makes us unhappy. Rather, we must try and practice the art of just watching our thoughts without judging them or being attached to them, irrespective of whether they are pleasant or not. This philosophy is known as stoicism and can work wonders for you if you are struggling with stress and anxiety.
You simply have to remove the pebbles and stones which are standing as a blockade just like a gardener has to weed out the field for getting the plants to bloom. Similarly, you have to throw out all the repressed emotions and feelings that have been blocking the great reservoir of inner joy within you. You cannot live a joyful life if you cannot throw away all the baggage youve been carrying on in the form of repressed emotions and feelings, unfulfilled desires, hurt, guilt, and shame that youve collected over the years.
Journaling is a powerful tool for letting go of the past. Practice journaling every morning to throw away all the negative thoughts that have been silently eating you from within. Let all the negative thoughts come into your mind and start writing them on paper as they appear. Also, note down the feelings associated with that thought; like a strong desire to cry, run away, or maybe hit somebody. Note down everything without judging yourself or your thoughts. Practice this for a week and youll find that these thoughts have stopped bothering you slowly.
(The author is the founder of Science Divine, which aims to simplify spirituality.)