Devotion to life

I'm currently reading the book “The Surrender Experiment” and it's really getting me thinking. It reminds me that there is something much bigger than our minds and that life has its own plan. As humans, we often think we know what is right for us and what should come next. But what if all of this wasn't true at all? What if a different path was meant for us?

I have traveled a lot in recent years. Often it was just short trips to places within Germany or Europe. But it always had the same effect. A feeling of liberation sets in, a new openness to life, a strong feeling for the next step and gratitude for the wonderful surprises that have always awaited me. My last trip to Norway was another absolute game changer. I usually didn't book anything in advance and let myself be surprised by where I would sleep and be next. And I always found something, more than that. I gave in completely to my feelings and did what my intuition told me. I had the most amazing experiences and the warmest encounters. I enjoyed my night in the hammock by the fjord, my adventure alone out in the wilderness in the car and also my time in the huts alone and with inspiring conversations with locals. You can't plan all these things. This is pure life. It simply comes when we free ourselves from the way things are supposed to be and are open to new things.

Back in my old life, nothing is the same as before. Anyone who has ever lived in harmony with life and nature in this way will find it difficult to become more “unconscious” again and simply carry on with life as before. I notice even more than ever before how much “force” we have in our lives. We impose many structures, such as working hours, work locations, tasks, etc. and try to force many things through rules, hierarchies, etc. Of course, these are also important to enable orderly social interaction. But I still believe that we can't develop our full potential this way and that many of life's surprises don't happen. We force our everyday lives and even plan our future. There is no room for flow, or at least very little room.

I believe that the trick is to become aware of this and to examine what is right for you and what kind of life you want. Most people simply accept these guidelines and don't question them, because then they would also question themselves. Not everyone wants to go deep and longs for change. And not everyone is able to go through what awaits them on their journey to themselves. Usually a mirror is held up in front of you, showing you all your shortcomings and unconscious pain. But if you know what I mean and have even the slightest longing for it, then the best thing to do is to let the feeling grow and let the proportion of how you want to live grow. The more space you give to the flow of life and the less you resist, the more life can unfold.

One of the greatest teachers I have had in recent months has been nature. There is no resistance in nature. If the pressure becomes too great, the branch breaks, the snow avalanche is triggered, the river simply rushes over the obstacle and shapes the rocks over time. I think we humans are the only ones who know resistance. We want to control, understand in order to control, foresee and determine the course of events. We steer and channel rivers, fortify mountainsides, create artificial snow. It might also be an interesting experiment to see what life would look like without resistance and what would develop. I've recently received a few gifts out of nowhere that I could never have planned or even imagined beforehand. That is the flow of life.

When are you in the flow? How does it feel? Would you like to have more of it? How can you create more space for it? What can become smaller or needs to be let go? At what point do you try to force life? Does this cause you stress? What do you want to do to make it feel freer? Do you trust life and are you ready to receive?