This is one of the most ‘happy topics’ for me, because I get to listen to and read some of the most magical experiences of my friends and loved ones when they just ‘surrendered, with faith’.

Shraddha” (Faith) and “Saburi” (Patience)

are the two keywords preached by Shirdi Sai Baba. I wondered – Baba, being such a great divine being (God, who walked on Earth) and yet HE said that such simple and general words that could do wonders for EVERYONE? Is it not that each one of us needed different things? Were these two sufficient for one to realize-the-self ultimately (worldly and spiritually)? 

Although the ‘concept’ sounded simple, when tried to follow, I found that these are one of the most challenging ones!

A few questions that arose in mind a few years back related to the topic, when I was still new to it :  

  1. How do I surrender with faith when the current situation seems so challenging and total opposite of what I want it to be?
  2. Does surrendering mean that I do nothing?
  3. Who should I blame if I (think) have surrendered, but did not get what I wanted?
  4. Is what I WANT same as what I NEED? 

The best way to start is probably with conscious practice and as we continue to experience it’s magical wonders, we gain more and more faith, which ultimately takes us to a point where it becomes our nature.

As I consciously practiced Surrendering (with Faith), I observed the below points : 

  1. I do not have to strain myself to focus on HOW to solve the issue at hand – it does not mean that I am not taking responsibility for the situation. Rather, I am doing what is needed without overthinking of related things to it.
  2. I might not even know the best way to solve the issue.
  3. I always think about the solutions from my past experience – I do not know what more magical possibilities exists in this cosmic universe.
  4. It becomes so easy to ‘be in the present’, than overthink about future and fear of outcomes which I visualize and create for myself and my surroundings (by law of attraction)
  5. Even while drafting this article, there is a sudden rush of realization that while life is happening automatically, we are strongly guided if any specific intervention of ours is required (the doer is higher consciousness) I am just a medium for the task that had to be done (From Bhagawad Gita – “take action; do not expect results”). When I surrender with faith, probably because I am not feeling fear/frustration, I am not emitting negative vibrations from my thoughts, which then creates a neutral/positive platform for higher power to takeover and do the best for what is required for me and my surroundings.

An analogy : Our body has self healing capacity. The Prana Shakti from which the bio electric energy from the Universe is passing to our body is continuously working for us. It has the intelligence to self-heal. So when I surrender to Prana Shakti, it’s innate nature is to heal the body/mind. Similarly the higher power (universal consciousness, is so much filled with unconditional love for everyone that when I create a neutral or positive vibrations in and around me, the innate nature of this universal intelligence is to heal the situation for me and for others in the best possible way.

So will everything be always as I want, when I surrender? 

May or may not be : When I surrender, I am accepting things the way they are and will be and I am doing it happily – it might not be what I WANT, but will definitely be what I NEED (probably some lesson to learn there or from a bigger perspective, I might get something better than what I expected)

When surrendering happens with faith, in all the above points, the “I” (ego) I think I am, simply disappears.

There is a feeling like “I” am merging to the ocean of super power, gives me the freedom of letting go of things with trust , for the higher power to take over. There is some kind of peace when higher power is working out things for us, because it always wants the best for us (not only me, but it has unconditional love towards all of us – irrespective of species : human, flora or fauna. 

How I practiced surrendering consciously

My approach was to start simple. I surrendered for little things to begin with. 

Example : Finding a parking spot for my vehicle. I visualized that I have already found the spot and was thankful for higher power to reserve that spot for me that was easier for me to reach back to and was safe for my vehicle. (We have to remember that we have just started consciously practice surrendering, so it might not happen in the very first attempt, but with practice, we create a neuropath to believe in it strongly; And by consciously practicing it, I am creating a habit – which creates a neuropath) Hence in case I got the spot, I felt happy and was thankful again. In case I did not get it, I still thanked the higher power for guiding me not to park where I wanted to, (it might not have been safe for my vehicle or me to return back to) 

Hence the first step is to bring the feeling of GRATITUDE (this is essential by LAW OF ATTRACTION that when I bring the feeling of gratitude, I feel that what I want has already happened in the present moment and hence I attract what is required)

Another example that I always recall whenever I want to remind myself to surrender to higher power:

During my spiritual trip to Shivyog Karjat Ashram, each one of the sadhak had to volunteer for various tasks : kitchen work – cleaning the edibles, chopping, cooking, serving; cleaning surroundings, cleaning rooms, corridors , toilets , maintaining Shivalaya (which has 12 Shiva lingas placed around a sacred tree) and so on…

On day#1, each sadhak was assigned the task randomly and then were called out by their names and informed of their task. When the ashram volunteers began this task, I thanked and prayed to our Guru for giving me such an opportunity to visit such a sacred space, where I was ready to do ANY task assigned with atmost devotion and love. And when they read the task assigned for me was Shivalaya maintenance, I felt even more grateful. Later I observed what had happened : Even before our trip to ashram was planned, I was constantly in mode of feeling gratitude. While the task was being assigned, my mind was not choosy or demanding or praying for any specific task; I was ready to do ANY task – I had surrendered completely – “Baba will give me the task which I NEED (may not be what I WANT)“.

During my stay there, each day, I woke up feeling so grateful to bathe all the Shivalingas (which I did with so much love, my eyes filled with tears of bliss – I felt I am in heaven), broom and sweep the temple floor, light Diyas and ensure that they are always burning. How grateful I was to be in the high energy field of the Shivlingas that allowed me to do the seva and be in the field of divinity. (Here I must mention that every sadhak was given equal opportunity to do the seva in the Shivalaya, once they were finished with their assigned chore and we did it happily collectively)

I am forever utterly grateful to my Guru for letting me experience this, so that I can always remind myself strongly about the power of surrendering. 

After reaching home from this trip, I felt each work at my home was a divine work – whether washing cloths, utensils, buying groceries, cleaning – just anything – there was detachment and not an emotion to complain or feel how strenuous it was to do all the work. 

I then started practicing to apply this at my office as well and many situations worked out automatically on their own. It is almost as if my life is in auto-mode – probably it feels that way since I am now only focused on the work with all my devotion without fearing or overthinking about the result. Now that I am aware that the higher power will be always with me when my intention for the self and others is right, I do not have to worry anymore.

Further, after experiencing the magic of surrender in worldly activities as above, I am now able to allow myself to open up to the automatic flow of divinity during my sadhana practices. To simply to “be”. 

We are all taking action according to our memories of experience and have created neuropathway on how we function / react to a situation unknowingly. With the grace of the higher power, our Guru, with awareness and conscious practice, ‘surrendering with faith’ is achievable. It might not be easy for all, and hence a Sadhana (spiritual practice to transform the self) is essential. Connecting to a Guru, makes our journey much easier since the Guru Tatva provides guidance to start off and when we feel stuck in any situation.

“Only a child can enter the kingdom of God” said Jesus Christ

Practice not to think logically of a situation (I know it is tough! but not impossible)  Take that leap of faith with utmost confidence that whatever is happening to you is for your ultimate good and the Divine Mother and Father of the cosmos (Yin and Yan forces) will always protect you, since the nature is unconditional love.

I am still practicing and I surrendered to the divine to give me a flow to write this article and to convey my experience with all of you. 

How grateful I am for Om Swami Gurudeva,  to provide all of us such a new, one-of-a-kind / creative platform on HIS own website, for everyone to share their divine experience and message with the like-minded. I must convey the whole experience of creating, formatting, drafting, saving, publishing this article is so user friendly and so much attention to detail has been given to the whole project.

*** ATMOST GRATITUDE ***

I am grateful to the divine souls who took time to read what I wrote.

|| Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavanthu ||

~~ Love and Light to all ~~