I read about a stoic philosopher in ancient Greece who,
when he was told that his son had died in an accident,
replied, "Iknewhewasnot immortal."Is that surrender?If
it is, I don't want it. There are some situations in which
surrenderseemsunnaturalandinhuman.
Being cut off from your feelings is not surrender. But we
don't know what his inner state was when he said those
words. In certain extreme situations, it may still be
impossibleforyoutoaccept theNow.Butyoualwaysget a
secondchanceatsurrender.
Your first chance is to surrender each moment to the
reality of that moment. Knowing that what is cannot be
undone—becauseitalreadyis—yousayyestowhat isor
accept what isn't. Then you do what you have to do,
whatever the situation requires. If you abidein this stateof
acceptance,youcreatenomorenegativity,nomoresuffering,
no more unhappiness. You then live in a state of
nonresistance,astateofgraceandlightness,freeofstruggle.
Wheneveryouareunabletodothat,wheneveryoumiss
thatchance—eitherbecauseyouarenotgeneratingenough
conscious presence to prevent some habitual and
unconscious resistance pattern from arising, or because the
conditionis so extreme as to be absolutely unacceptable to
you—thenyouarecreating someform ofpain,some form
of suffering. It may look as if the situation is creating the
suffering,butultimatelythisisnotso—yourresistanceis.
Now here is your second chance at surrender: If you
cannot accept what is outside,thenaccept what is inside. If
youcannot accept theexternal condition,accepttheinternal
condition.Thismeans:Donotresist thepain.Allowittobe
there. Surrender to the grief, despair, fear, loneliness, or
whatever form the suffering takes. Witness it without
labelingitmentally.Embraceit.Thenseehowthemiracleof
surrender transmutes deep sufferinginto deeppeace. Thisis
your crucifixion. Let it become your resurrection and
ascension.