The Role of Letting Go in Liberation

"The Role of Letting Go in Liberation" by Ray Baskerville

Is letting go the means of Liberation?

If Liberation is a process, how does it work and what do fear, anger and pain have to do with it?

What do we do when we are experiencing fear, anger or pain? The first thing is to actually notice and acknowledge what we are feeling. Next look where in our bodies it is vibrating. If we can do this we have immediately stopped being the emotion and it is now something happening, in a particular place, that we can be present to.

Where we find the emotion vibrating in the body we will find tension. This tension is the physicalizing of resistance we have to the feelings. The feelings are 'past' held by resistance in unconsciousness. Our resistance and denial then are directly reflected in the tension and holding in our bodies. By choosing to stop holding and allowing the body to open, we begin both the release of our resistance, and can also become conscious of the denial.

As the holding is largely subconscious, we first need to become aware that we are actually doing it. In the Living Liberation meditation practice, the aim is to develop an ongoing process of deepening, softening and opening, while remaining alert and attentive. 'Holding' will be reflected in different levels, physically, emotionally, mentally and other energetically subtler.

When we become conscious of a pattern of 'holding' on any level and begin to release and let go, there will be a corresponding softening on the other levels of our being. At different times engaging in the release process will begin at different levels, none is better than another. Each of us may also find a particular level an easier point of connection, some people it's the physical, another emotional or mental.

Ideally whatever the initial point of connecting, we will develop the ability to follow its thread all the way through our 'system' releasing on every level. As we are largely so mentally dominant we must be aware of the tendency to stay only on a mental level with our awareness. As we become more sensitive to the feeling level of our experience and can connect and release from here, the more thoroughly and effectively the release will be.

Softening and opening is not something that we do, it is what happens when we release the tension of holding and begin to let it go. We begin the movement from 'doing' to 'being'. Where there is tension in the body we are doing something already, we are tensing, contracting, 'holding'. Relaxing - softening and opening, is then stopping doing what we are doing already to maintain this holding.

Since we aren't usually aware that we are 'holding', and it is the result of deeply entrenched habits and a physical response to the feelings held in the body, it is important to practice 'letting go' regularly and diligently.

The holding patterns that we notice when we pay attention to the feelings of tightness, tension and resistance in the body are there all the time, our bodies are 'holding' in this way all the time, and probably have been doing so for a long time. The process of the body letting go of these deep patterns of holding isn't likely to be a speedy process; it will take time and continued attention and commitment. It is though in my experience and opinion the process of Liberation, available in every moment.