11:11 Waves Blog 37: Letting go

Every Monday, I share 1 question for you to contemplate, 1 idea from me, 1 quote from others, and 1 inspiration for us.

This week’s topic is: Letting go

Yesterday I went for a long walk and, as I was admiring the surrounding nature, I noticed some red, yellow and orange leaves on the ground. It’s the end of summer and, with autumn approaching, the trees are about to show us just how lovely it can be to let go. Leaves are always guiding us through seasonal cycles: they grow, they thrive, they change colour and then they fall. This cycle repeats itself and continuously reminds us that letting go is part of life and an opportunity to make way for something new.

One Question for you

Sometimes letting things go is an act of far greater power than defending or hanging on.

Discuss the question here.

One Idea from me

While the shifting of seasons brings many changes to our physical world, it can also spark change in our personal lives. This week I am sharing a challenge, a concept and a practice about how to identify what you are holding on to and how to make space for the new to come to your life by practicing letting go.

The challenge: This week I invite you to declutter! Is your closet jam-packed with clothes you don’t wear? Is your house overflowing with years of accumulated items and furnishings? Decluttering material things is an excellent way to practice letting go and non-attachment. Decluttering is not just a physical process – it can be an emotional journey. While deciding which items to let go of, certain belongings are bound to bring up precious memories and strong feelings. Letting go of these items may make you feel a sense of relief, but it might also inspire guilt or sadness. Three tips on how to navigate this are: a. taking a picture of these items (photos will help carry on the memory and meaning of the items, without having to keep the objects themselves), b. donating the items to a good cause and c. following Marie Kondo’s vetting process by asking the question: Does this item spark joy? Here is to a week of home detox and decluttering!

The concept: Shikata ga nai (仕方がない) is a common Japanese saying that translates to “it cannot be helped” or “nothing can be done about it”. It is a philosophy that emphasizes acceptance and letting go of things that are outside our control. This concept can be traced back to Japanese culture and history as, over centuries, Japan has faced many natural disasters. Shikata ga nai reflects the Japanese people mindset of accepting the things we cannot change and letting things that are affecting our peace go. The concept of Shikata ga nai may be perceived as pessimistic in the Western world, however, it is important to note that Shikata ga nai is not about giving up or being resigned to a negative outcome. Rather, it is about understanding that there are certain things in life that we cannot change and, by letting things go, we can focus on the things we can influence and control. In this philosophy letting go is about finding peace and freedom, being in the present and living in the moment and channeling our energy towards the things that matter. This week I invite you to reflect on how you can embrace the Japanese Art of Shikata ga nai.

The practice: In our current society, we are encouraged and taught from a young age to succeed, to hold on to, to never give up, to push through, and to let nothing get in the way. Letting go can be, therefore, counterintuitive in many ways. To help with this, this week I invite you to create some space in your schedule and reflect on the following questions: What am I holding on to? (this could be anything from a certain aspect of your mindset, to a goal that no longer serves you, from an unhealthy relationship to an unhelpful expectations), What is it that I am afraid to let go of? What is it that I need to release? What must be put aside to make space for new things to come?

One Quote from others

“People usually think that progress consists in the increase of knowledge, in the improvement of life, but that isn’t so. Progress consists only in the greater clarification of answers to the basic questions of life. The truth is always accessible… because a man’s soul is a divine spark, the truth itself. It’s only a matter of removing from this divine spark, everything that obscures it. Progress consists, not in the increase of truth, but in freeing it from its wrappings. The truth is obtained like gold, not by letting it grow bigger, but by washing off everything that isn’t gold.” Leo Tolstoy

One Inspiration for us

While I was writing this article, the catchy Disney song “Let if go” got stuck in my head. Inspired by this tune, this week I am sharing an acoustic guitar arrangement of the song by musician Sungha Jung. Beethoven called the guitar a "miniature orchestra" and here we can truly experience it. Enjoy!