The Art of Letting Go

Photo by Jose Morales on Unsplash

You may have heard of spiritual teachings like surrender, letting go, or radical acceptance as paths to healing.

These suggest that by releasing stored energy behind negative feelings and thoughts, you find freedom. You might also know that to let go, you focus on bodily sensations tied to emotions, ignoring thoughts without controlling them.

But you may wonder, “I’ve tried, and it’s not working.”

Imagine holding a ball, palm down. When asked to let go, you relax your grip, and the ball falls instantly. That’s letting go in a simple sense. Spiritual letting go, however, is different—it’s a process, not an instant act.

Picture your palm coated with strong glue. When you loosen your grip, the ball falls so slowly it’s barely noticeable. Frustrated, you might grip again, returning the ball to its starting point.

For most, letting go isn’t immediate; it requires persistent effort. This effort, often called “letting it be,” means consistently allowing sensations to exist without interference. Each time you notice yourself gripping—through negative thoughts—you gently redirect your focus, letting the ball inch downward.

In meditation, you focus on your breath. When thoughts arise, you choose not to engage, returning to the breath repeatedly. Similarly, in letting go, you focus on physical sensations, like tension in your stomach or a headache. When negative thoughts emerge, you redirect attention to those sensations, again and again.

Over time, sensations shift or weaken, signaling energy release—like the glued ball moving slightly. The key is persistence. Understand it’s a process. During daily tasks, acknowledge negative feelings but don’t dwell on them; let energy release in the background.

It’s challenging, like running a marathon with no set distance. But it’s finite. Keep going, embrace the process, and you’ll reach a state where all negative energy dissolves, and intrinsic joy arises.