They say that a lot of life is a letting-go process. But WTF does that mean? I used to watch my mother scrounge through the self-help section of the bookstores in the mid-eighties, trying to come to grips with being in recovery, yet denying that any of it was happening at all. And that's the rub. Just as it was for her, the answer is usually within reach, it's just that the perspective we are accustomed to, doesn't include the tools within its scope. To let go, you have to accept the things that have and are occurring. Letting go means coming to terms with all the expectations, desires and darker thoughts you have about a person, yourself, or a circumstance.
Later in life, I had the unfortunate circumstance of marrying a very abusive person. I didn't think that could happen to men, but there it was. Like everyone who endures domestic abuse or tragic events, I asked myself the same question, how could this happen to me? If its something you really can't get past, then you have to really dive into the detail with someone. You can do that with a super patient friend, or a therapist (if you are working with one), or a spiritual advisor. It is part of what is called "shadow work". You can do shadow work on your own, but it takes an incredible amount of self honesty to do it alone.
Let's break down acceptance. If you've ever had a reading from me, then you've heard this bit. Acceptance is the recognition that a person/place/thing is real, is valid, and is true. And this includes the darker things. A good example is, many people are attracted to the bad boys and girls of the world. Perfectly fine as long as you can recognize that such an attraction could come back to bite you in the ass. Afterall, there is a reason they are called "the bad boy/girl". This is just a simple example - life is far more complex than this. But it is there to illustrate to us that our own desires can get us into trouble.
This is where shadow work comes in. It is the recognition of the things about ourselves that we don't want to admit, and it is integral to the process of awareness and spiritual awakenings.
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