During many years of clinical psychiatric practice, the primary aim was to seek the most effective ways to relieve human suffering in all of its many forms. To this end, numerous disciplines of medicine, psychology, psychiatry, psychoanalysis, behavioral techniques, bio-feedback, acupuncture, nutrition, and brain chemistry were explored. Beyond these clinical modalities were philosophical systems, metaphysics, a multitude of holistic health techniques, self-improvement courses, spiritual pathways, meditative techniques, and other ways to expand one’s awareness.
In all of these explorations, the mechanism of surrender was found to be of great practical benefit. Its importance necessitated the writing of this book to share with others what was clinically observed and personally experienced.
The previous ten books focused on advanced states of awareness and Enlightenment. Over the years, thousands of students at our lectures and Satsangs have asked questions that reveal the everyday obstacles to Enlightenment. It is pragmatic and helpful to share a technique that will facilitate their success in overcoming such obstacles: How to handle the vicissitudes of ordinary life, with its losses, disappointments, stresses, and crises? How to be free of negative emotions and their impact on health, relationships, and work? How to handle all of the unwanted feelings? The present work describes a simple and effective means by which to let go of negative feelings and become free.
The letting go technique is a pragmatic system of eliminating obstacles and attachments. It can also be called a mechanism of surrender. There is scientific proof of its efficacy, an explanation of which is included in one of the chapters. Research has shown the technique to be more effective than many other approaches currently available in relieving the physiologic responses to stress.
After researching most of the various stress-reduction and consciousness methods, this approach stands out for its sheer simplicity, efficiency, clinical efficacy, absence of questionable concepts, and rapidity of observable results. Its simplicity is deceptive and almost disguises the real benefit of the technique. Simply stated, it sets us free from emotional attachments. It verifies the observation made by every sage, that attachments are the primary cause of suffering.
The mind, with its thoughts, is driven by feelings. Each feeling is the cumulative derivative of many thousands of thoughts. Because most people throughout their lives repress, suppress, and try to escape from their feelings, the suppressed energy accumulates and seeks expression through psychosomatic distress, bodily disorders, emotional illnesses, and disordered behavior in interpersonal relationships. The accumulated feelings block spiritual growth and awareness, as well as success in many areas of life.
The benefits of this technique can, therefore, be described on various levels:
Physical:
The elimination of suppressed emotions has a positive health benefit. It decreases the overflow of energy into the body’s autonomic nervous system, and it unblocks the acupuncture energy system (demonstrable by a simple muscle test). Therefore, as a person constantly surrenders, physical and psychosomatic disorders improve and frequently disappear altogether. There is a general reversal of pathologic processes in the body and a return to optimal functioning.
Behavioral:
Because there is a progressive decrease of anxiety and negative emotions, there is less and less need for escapism via drugs, alcohol, entertainment, and excessive sleep. Consequently, there is an increase in vitality, energy, presence, and well-being, with more efficient and effortless functioning in all areas.
Interpersonal Relationships:
As negative feelings are surrendered, there is a progressive increase of positive feelings that results in quickly observable improvement in all relationships. There is an increase in the capacity to love. Conflicts with others decrease progressively, so that job performance improves. The elimination of negative blocks allows vocational goals to be more easily accomplished, and self-sabotaging behavior based on guilt progressively diminishes. There is less and less dependence on intellectualism and a greater use of intuitive knowingness. With the resumption of personality growth and development, there is often the uncovering of previously unsuspected creative and psychic abilities, which are thwarted in all people by suppressed negative emotions. Of great importance is the progressive diminution of dependency, the bane of all human relationships. Dependency underlies so much pain and suffering; it includes even violence and suicide as its ultimate expression. As dependency diminishes, there is also a diminution of aggressiveness and hostile behavior. These negative feelings are replaced by feelings of acceptance and lovingness toward others.
Consciousness/ Awareness/ Spirituality:
This is an area that opens up by continuous use of the mechanism of surrender. The letting go of negative emotions means that the person experiences ever-increasing happiness, contentment, peace, and joy. There is an expansion of awareness, progressive realization, and experiencing of the real inner Self. The teachings of the Great Masters unfold from within as one’s own personal experience. The progressive letting go of limitations allows the realization at last of one’s true identity. Letting go is one of the most efficacious tools by which to reach spiritual goals.
Anyone can accomplish all of these ends, with gentleness and subtlety, as one silently surrenders throughout daily life. The progressive disappearance of negativity and its replacement by positive feelings and experiences is pleasurable both to watch and to experience. It is the purpose of this information to assist the reader in having those rewarding experiences.
David R. Hawkins, M.D., Ph.D.
Founding President,
Institute for Spiritual Research
Sedona, Arizona
June 2012