JumpStart Rhubarb Pie & Handwriting Day (1/23/23)

Big Idea:  We need to be mindful of the two definitions of 'surrender'.

I’ll be you’ve seen t-shirts that exhort you to ‘never surrender!’ And then there are quotes like the one above implying that your best life will be when you surrender.

What gives?

Surrender can mean not giving up or giving in despite what others want you to do. This is admirable.
It’s also admirable when you can let go of control, of the need for answers, of the need to understand and just… be. This is also surrender.

I was teaching aspiring yoga teachers this last weekend about breathwork and we talked about how the inhale enables more space and the exhale intensifies the feeling of surrender.

This week, try this:  When you are feeling closed in or pressured, try sitting up straight and taking in a long, slow breath. Focus on the space that is created within you. When you are feeling overwhelmed and scattered, try taking in a big breath and then slowly let it out, focusing on letting go - of surrender to what is right now.

Quote:  "Surrender is the inner transition from resistance to acceptance, from no to yes."  ~Eckhart Tolle

Educator Resource:  Communities of Practice - FREE! - Are you looking to transform your school or district? Joining a conversation that is starting soon around Illinois can help jumpstart the process of transformation. There are several to choose from, including whole-school trauma programming, classroom strategies, staff self-care, whole school prevention planning, community context, and whole-school safety planning. Applications due January 30. Brochure

Dad Joke:  A wizard asked me to proof one of his scrolls last week.  Actually, it was more of a spell check.

It takes a certain amount of vulnerability to surrender. I hope that you can find space to practice it just a little bit this week. Have a great one!  ~Matt