Freedom Through Surrender: Embracing Ishvara Pranidhana in Daily Life
Life is full of surprises. It has more twists and turns and ups and downs than a soap opera. We find ourselves in a whirlpool of thoughts and are often fighting a constant battle within ourselves just to make our lives better. After all, everything that matters to us is laced with desires and expectations.
But do we need to control our lives? Is it necessary to immerse ourselves in this constant hustle and bustle? Ishvara Pranidhana teaches otherwise. It tells us that we can surrender to the flow of life.
What is Ishvara Pranidhana?
It is the fifth Niyama in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, a profound wisdom in the ancient teachings of yoga that suggests surrendering to the flow of life can help cultivate strength and wisdom.
Ishvara Pranidhana is Sanskrit and translates to “surrendering to the divine”, with Ishwara meaning god and Pranidhana being surrender or dedicate. You may feel that surrendering makes us weak. But few people know how giving up what they should or need not control made them strong. Let us tell you how.
Imagine a breakup. When one person (A) wants to walk out of a relationship but the other (B) does not want them to leave, both are hurt, especially B, who won't let go. But realizing it is beyond control and giving up makes B stronger eventually.
When we surrender control over our lives, we discard attachments to the imagined outcomes and attain greater wisdom and intelligence of the universe.
Surrendering does not make us give up but tells us that there are forces we cannot control and that we are threads in a larger fabric.
Relieving the Suffering, Not Reliving It
Our thirst for control creates suffering we need not in our lives. We try to go against the flow, holding on to expectations and fighting the current, which leads to stress, anxiety, and frustration. But surrendering ourselves frees us from the self-imposed struggle. You see, life will unfold as it will. What we need to do is trust this process.
There is so much to observe in life about ourselves when we surrender. We learn to align our actions with our lives, cultivating a notion of non-attachment and acceptance. When there are no strings on you, you become open to possibilities and get access to opportunities.
Letting go of our ego is not as hard as we think; it's just that we subconsciously don't want to. We must realize that there is a higher power in play. It can be of many forms, depending on what we believe. Some call it nature, some god, while some even call it consciousness. Irrespective of the form, Ishvara Pranidhana helps us recognize that we do not live our lives alone.
Tap into an ocean of peace and satisfaction. Let go of the urge to constantly strive and achieve; there is solace in living in the moment. When We develop trust in ourselves, our path becomes clearer.
We can practice Ishvara Pranidhana in different ways, such as surrendering ourselves to a greater purpose or letting go of our expectations. Some indulge in meditation to deliberately release attachments and desires. In our daily lives, we can work on our actions in making choices aligning with the greater good instead of personal gain.
To surrender ourselves and our desires, we must practice it. Surrendering needs us to be aware and mindful of our drive to resist the flow and control it instead. It teaches us to slow down and reflect on what we do. We won’t tell you it is easy to do but that it is doable and the rewards are immeasurable.
At Higher Frequencies, we invite you to explore spiritual power. Accept Ishvara Pranidhana and see it transform you, your relationships, and everything around you. It is about the flow of life and flowing in its currents to discover more than the self-centered daily life has to offer.
