Surrender

Sunlight shining through a tree canopy

As it tends to be with ancient teachings Ishhvara Pranidhana is subject to interpretation. It can mean “surrender to the divine,” or “celebration of spirit” to name a few. One thing that is agreed upon with all translations is that we all need to tend to our spirit in some way in order to be content with life, and to make life more meaningful.

Sometimes we struggle greatly because we believe we need to control any (or all) aspects of our lives. Ishvara Pranidhana asks us to recognize how much easier life can be when we surrender to each situation and each moment in order to see clearly. Being fully present and having faith in ourselves and the Divine Grace that can guide us, we surrender in order to navigate life more skillfully. Similar to when we hit ice patches on a wintry road, we move into the skid in order to come out of it safely. The notion of moving towards something that is causing us grief or inner struggle can seem counter-intuitive, but when we lean in, we stop the fight. We surrender and live in harmony with all of life’s ups and downs. We recognize there is actually very little we can control anyway.

Like the popular quote, “Let go, and let God,” B.K.S. Iyengar translates Ishvara Pranidhana as dedication to the Lord of one’s actions and will. So we not only surrender to the moment, but we surrender to His Will. The more we can become fluid around change, the easier it is to surrender.

Surrendering to each moment also allows us to be in service to those around us. In this way, we can become Divine Instruments helping others along the path of peace.

Unfortunately, the idea of surrender can be seen as passive. We sit back and allow our lives to be whatever God intended. This is an incorrect understanding of this Niyama. Instead, surrender becomes an unwavering faith in the guiding power of the Divine. Understanding that however we choose to tackle a daunting task we have chosen wisely and the Divine will give us the strength to complete it.

Donna Farhi translates Ishvara Pranidhana as “celebration of the spiritual.” When look at it in this way we begin to notice the spiritual encounters that are all around us. We dive into spiritual practice, like asana and meditation, and become more mindful. We appreciate the warm sunshine on our skin, or the flavor of our favorite chocolates. Like Iyengar’s description, Farhi also encourages us to let go of the idea of being in complete control of everything in our lives, and to recognize an omnipresent force that silently guides us to our life’s purpose. This is the way to a meaningful life.