This ones scares me. The only place this works is for small children because they have someone watching over them. As we age we are supposed to use our higher sensing skills to navigate life. I can tell when someone engages with me if they are trustworthy when their emotions and the words match. Little kids have this ability too. We all have it but we are taught in the system to not to trust ourselves and to trust those the system tells us to trust.
But the idea I trust life is unclear for me. I know too many people who have lost everything trusting unconditionally. We live in a era filled with scallywags in high positions that are selling us a future that does not exist. The last thing I think we should be doing is trusting that life brought them to us and that is enough to trust them unconditionally.
There is a half way point here. We figure out how to trust ourselves unconditionally and let that help us determine if this can be extended to others on a case by case basis. Unless you are your life then this has a different context. I am unclear exactly what it is you are proposing we trust unconditionally. Life itself is vague because if you don't have life there is no need for trusting, you are dead.
Nice article Scott. The practice of trusting life and accepting is closely related to the Stoic concept of the Dichotomy of Control. Learning to understand, to accept, that which one cannot control is truly the core of inner peace.
Thank you brother. This is exactly what I needed as a reminder today. You probably didn't intend to write it for me, but I feel like life unfolded just the way it needed to for me to read this right now. 😂
Thank you for sharing this article. I enjoyed reading it. I see the point of Lillian's concern about unconditional trust in a world full of scammers, con artists, and other assorted bad actors. I like her recommendation of a "halfway point", but the problem could be defining its location. Trust is largely subjective and intuitive. To trust, one has to surrender thinking. The word "surrender" has negative connotations and is often interpreted as an act of accepting defeat. A better definition would be the practice of giving up the small, ego-centred self as the pivot of action and moving on to the larger, universal consciousness that sages have advocated. You are trading up a small tool for an immensely powerful one. Herein lies the value of meditation. It's the route to sensing this larger faculty: the "gateless gate," as Zen teachers would call it.
💡"You view the events around you as unfolding for a benevolent purpose, in perfect timing."
💡re: "...consciousness as a giant reference library."
"To change the composition of the library, you need to acknowledge and purify what’s there vs. just throw layers on top of it." 🤯
💡"If all we do is shrug our shoulders and “let go” when life brings you inconveniences or disturbances, I’m not sure the emergent level of trust is quite the same."
💡"The purpose of life is not to get your (conditioned) preferences met"💥
Learning To Trust Life Unconditionally
This ones scares me. The only place this works is for small children because they have someone watching over them. As we age we are supposed to use our higher sensing skills to navigate life. I can tell when someone engages with me if they are trustworthy when their emotions and the words match. Little kids have this ability too. We all have it but we are taught in the system to not to trust ourselves and to trust those the system tells us to trust.
But the idea I trust life is unclear for me. I know too many people who have lost everything trusting unconditionally. We live in a era filled with scallywags in high positions that are selling us a future that does not exist. The last thing I think we should be doing is trusting that life brought them to us and that is enough to trust them unconditionally.
There is a half way point here. We figure out how to trust ourselves unconditionally and let that help us determine if this can be extended to others on a case by case basis. Unless you are your life then this has a different context. I am unclear exactly what it is you are proposing we trust unconditionally. Life itself is vague because if you don't have life there is no need for trusting, you are dead.
Nice article Scott. The practice of trusting life and accepting is closely related to the Stoic concept of the Dichotomy of Control. Learning to understand, to accept, that which one cannot control is truly the core of inner peace.
Not that I have experience or anything :)
Self inquiry is a big one. I try and sit with my thoughts and feelings. Then release. It’s a practice.
Thank you brother. This is exactly what I needed as a reminder today. You probably didn't intend to write it for me, but I feel like life unfolded just the way it needed to for me to read this right now. 😂
This article and your concepts on surrendering have been extremely helpful in clarifying what it actually means.
I find it’s used often but also incredibly non specific.
Your process really makes sense to my overly analytical mind haha
Thank you !!
Thank you, this is very helpfull
Thank you for sharing this article. I enjoyed reading it. I see the point of Lillian's concern about unconditional trust in a world full of scammers, con artists, and other assorted bad actors. I like her recommendation of a "halfway point", but the problem could be defining its location. Trust is largely subjective and intuitive. To trust, one has to surrender thinking. The word "surrender" has negative connotations and is often interpreted as an act of accepting defeat. A better definition would be the practice of giving up the small, ego-centred self as the pivot of action and moving on to the larger, universal consciousness that sages have advocated. You are trading up a small tool for an immensely powerful one. Herein lies the value of meditation. It's the route to sensing this larger faculty: the "gateless gate," as Zen teachers would call it.
Thank you for this, Scott.
Really appreciate your work.
So many great bits of advice here 💥
💡"You view the events around you as unfolding for a benevolent purpose, in perfect timing."
💡re: "...consciousness as a giant reference library."
"To change the composition of the library, you need to acknowledge and purify what’s there vs. just throw layers on top of it." 🤯
💡"If all we do is shrug our shoulders and “let go” when life brings you inconveniences or disturbances, I’m not sure the emergent level of trust is quite the same."
💡"The purpose of life is not to get your (conditioned) preferences met"💥
Scott, who is your spiritual teacher?