Theory W

In his wise and yet playful book called, The Laws of Spirit – A Tale of Transformation, Dan Millman[1] describes what he calls The Law of Surrender in the following words:

Surrender means accepting this moment, this body, and this life with open arms.  Surrender involves getting out of our own way and living in accord with a higher will, expressed as the wisdom of the heart.  Far more than passive acceptance, surrender uses every challenge as a means of spiritual growth and extended awareness.[2]

In the book, Millman describes encounter he as the writer has with an (imaginary) mountain Sage in which the Sage teaches him several significant if not vital spiritual lessons or laws, one of which is The Law of Surrender.  At one point, the Sage says to him:

Although The Law of Surrender means accepting whatever happens in your life, it does not mean passive toleration for what you don’t like, or ignoring in justice, or allowing yourself to be victimised or controlled. True surrender is active, positive, assertive — a creative commitment to make use of your situation, in a spirit of appreciation.[3]

What the Sage is teaching is that surrendering helps us to understand the power that is unleashed by the act of acceptance.  Surrendering allows us as human beings to come to terms with accepting.  And in life there is much that requires acceptance.  And certainly nothing can be transformed before it has been accepted.  Surrendering, says the Sage, means accepting not only life’s ups and downs, but also accepting yourself — your body, your thoughts, and your feelings.

In another episode the Sage reminds Millman of the power of water.  While appearing soft and malleable water of course is the most penetrating, the most purposeful of substances.  While yielding, it is forceful and flexible, it surrenders to gravity without resistance, adapting to the shape of any container and so it reveals the most intelligent and powerful response any of us can make in any circumstance which is, to practice surrendering. Surrendering, she says is like having power like that of water in one’s life.  Surrendering enables one patiently to reach our goal when even the odds are against us.  Again, to practice this form of surrender is not an act of weakness.  Rather, the Sage reminds us, this form of surrender is what sets the masters of the martial arts apart as true masters.  How? The highest martial arts, like water, are flowing and flexible, responsive rather than rigid or reactive.  Such arts teach as to pull when pushed and to push when pulled – to blend with life’s forces rather than wasting energy struggling against them.[4] Again using the analogy of the martial arts Millman has the Sage tell us that the true warrior needs to surrender any attachments he or she may have two victory if they are going to achieve their goal. 

Only the warrior who lets go of the smaller self with its desires, fears, and attachments would remain relaxed and focused.  In a dual, surrendering to death means survival: clinging to life means losing it!