In contemplative practice, the problem with telling people to let go is that they can't even tell they're holding on to anything.
I get it now, more or less, because I can remember the exact feeling of letting go.
You're mapping nerves onto new territory: don't be an asshole.
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If there are sensations in any way connected with this, they may be more salient for some than others. For me, it feels like unfolding something roughly where my head is. Think of unfolding a map.
That doesn't make much sense unless you've experienced it like that.
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Speaking with arrogant certitude about absolutes that may well be completely idiosyncratic and individual to you is irresponsible.
But that doesn't mean there are a lot of good ways to talk about it. People need individual care, and it's not easy to provide.
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Going with the same metaphor, if I unfold this map in my head a few interesting things happen:
- Self-talk (as in, verbal or visual thoughts) is massively reduced or eliminated.
- Most of my body relaxes.
- Conscious awareness starts letting more sensations in.
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All of this stuff (except sometimes the last one, which can be nauseating) feels pretty good. It can even take suffering and self-pity completely out of a tough situation.
But it isn't just "letting go". It's a technique or a craft. It's learned, and it took me a fair while.
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I made some angry post about this a while back. I don't stand by the anger, but the exasperation is still there.
If you can't express yourself clearly, you aren't expressing anything. Don't cite results from a monastic setting. Are your students fucking monks? No? Well, then.
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Okay, maybe still a little bit angry.
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🙌🏻 From a recent tweet storm that might resonate (bit.ly/2ktzCiN)
Living in the present is an idea, not a plan. It's also loaded. By itself, it's vague advice that usually feels like nagging to me...
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It's also a terrible metaphor. There are many better ways to describe ruminating, clinging et al.; certainly ways that are more instrumental.
But yes, exactly what it is is a way to signal one's own "superiority" without helping at all.
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