instead of let things go, try letting things be: making space for ourselves (and others)
we are learning to soften and make space for everything to rise and fall.
we are practicing allowing ourselves to expand.
what does being spacious mean to you?
In our meditation and yoga communities, we often talk about making space through the common phrase “let it go.”
Let things go. We say it all the time.
I used to believe I needed to let things go. That perspective led to the idea that there must be bad parts of me that I had to get rid of.
It felt like there was a little war going on within me, determining what was good and what was bad. And that if I let go of the bad stuff, I would be good. I would be okay; I would be whole.
I’m no longer fond of the language of letting things go because it implies that we need to eliminate something from ourselves in order to be ideal. And that can create a lot more tension.
The truth is that we’re a walking summary of our experiences—good, bad, and everything in between.
That’s why, in our practices, when it comes to our thoughts, feelings, and sensations, I no longer encourage anyone to “let it go.”
I invite us to “let it be.”
This is an attitude from which we can begin to make space.
“You are the sky. Everything else — it’s just the weather,” Pema Chödrön once said.
We can use our practices to lead us toward our expansive, boundless awareness, so we can create more room for compassion and hold this space for ourselves, which not only calms us neurologically, but allows us to create a more loving, compassionate space for others.
listen: my podcast interview on letting go vs. letting be
If you’d like to go deeper into the practice of letting go vs. letting be, you can listen to my rich conversation on the podcast The One You Feed. Listen here.
2 meditations to create space
I’d love to offer you two Deep Listening practices from my book, Deep Listening, to help you experience and embody this theme of making space.
In these practices — a 10-minute audio practice and a 25-minute dharma talk and practice — we’ll cultivate an awareness that allows us to hold a more expansive space.
10-minute audio meditation to create space
25-minute deep listening dharma talk & meditation to create space
the deep listening summer series: read, practice, journal
If you would like to create space and cultivate more connection this summer, you are invited to join my Deep Listening Summer Series based on my best-selling book and signature program. In this 10-week series, each week will align with a chapter from Deep Listening, and you’ll receive a practice and personal prompt for you to explore in a downloadable Deep Listening journal, which you’ll receive upon registration.