Knowing how to let go seems to be the key to living a happy, serene life. Life doesn’t always go according to plan. So we resist, we stamp our feet, we grumble, without changing our situation. What if the 4 laws of spirituality -little words – could help us let go and accept life and its lessons?

1 – “Whoever comes to you is the right person” for letting go

This first law explains that no one comes into our lives by chance. In other words, when someone presents themselves to us, they have something for us.

It could be a lesson about ourselves, a better understanding of our emotions and thoughts, or it could be a lesson about life, inviting us to be lighter or deeper.

The people around us are invaluable teachers.

Let’s take the example of a delivery truck blocking our path. There’s no way around it. We can choose whether to honk or not, whether to get angry or not, but that’s up to us, not the deliveryman.

If we take a step back from this person and his truck on our road, what can we say if he’s not there by chance? Perhaps he’s there to teach us patience? Perhaps he’s inviting us to pause in our race against the clock, to realize that we’re going too fast and missing out on all that’s good and beautiful in our lives.

In fact, this delivery man, who is stopping us from continuing on our way, may be offering us an opportunity to breathe for a few minutes, to look around us at the sun, the street, the passers-by…

He offers us a few moments to look inside ourselves, to take stock of our needs: how do I feel? What do I need to feel better?

We can also take advantage of this moment to list all the things for which we are grateful.

Because knowing how to let go means understanding that there is no such thing as chance, that there are only lessons to be learned from the people on our path.

2 – “What happens is the only thing that could happen”.

Our mind likes to sow doubt within us: what if we had done this rather than this, what if we had said that? The result: we resist what happens to us.

We don’t agree with past events and we dwell on them, creating a whole host of suffering.

Yes, we regret, we’re ashamed or we feel guilty. These doubts about what should have happened prevent us from being happy.

The second law invites us to accept what we are experiencing now, as well as what we experienced before. Nothing could have been different. Nothing could have been different.

That’s why this law helps us to make peace with our past, our present and with ourselves.

What happens to us happens to us, not because we’re not good enough, not because we’ve made bad choices, but because it’s the way it’s meant to be.

Sometimes, life hits us hard on the head and we find it impossible to believe that it was meant to be this way. We rack our brains trying to figure out where we went wrong, what we should have done differently.

But that’s just the way life is, an alternation of highs and lows, joy and suffering. We’re not responsible for it.

What’s more, we can change the way we look at what’s happening to us, because life is a wonderful teacher.

Indeed, everything in it has a lesson to teach us, whether in the good or the not-so-good events.

3 – “Every moment is the right moment”.

Sometimes we’re in a hurry for something to happen to us, and sometimes something happens to us and we panic because it’s happening too fast.

In fact, we’re out of step with the present moment all the time: either it’s too early, or it’s too late. This creates a lot of mental turmoil.

This law invites us to welcome what happens, or what doesn’t happen. Sometimes we’re working on a project and the results are slow in coming.

And, rather than lamenting, resisting what is, we can look for a lesson: more patience, more perseverance.

We can also ask ourselves: am I sufficiently aligned? Do I respect my values? Are my actions and values aligned?

Understanding and accepting that everything happens at the right time helps us to make peace with the present.

In fact, when things don’t go as planned, we tend to think it’s unfair and resist with all our might, but will resisting and complaining help us get results faster? No. On the contrary, it prevents us from being happy in the moment.

Yes, sometimes life doesn’t give us what we want. Yet it’s up to us not to waste the present moment in lamentations.

Instead, let’s keep hope alive, be patient and persevere, and keep moving forward, looking at all the good and beautiful things we already have in our lives.

4 – “What’s over is over”.

Life is a cycle. Things begin and things end. That’s just the way it is.

Unfortunately, our minds don’t like change. That’s why it clings to things and people from the past. It’s reassuring.

And yet, when something ends, it’s time. It means we’re ready to welcome something else into our lives, or that we have a lesson to learn to move forward.

Of course, it’s not easy to let things end, because our mind tells us that we can resist, that if we do this we’ll be able to change the course of things. But why? Can we take a few moments and ask ourselves: why is this thing coming to an end?

What does its end mean to me? What could it teach me to move forward in my life? What could be the positive aspects of this ending? And if I’m holding on to this thing, why don’t I want it to end?

What haven’t I had time to learn, to understand? In the end, what am I holding on to? My thoughts? To my beliefs? Am I simply afraid?

It’s normal to be afraid of change. And yet, it’s in change that we find life’s new breath and all its new lessons to learn.

Knowing how to let go means letting go of everything that holds us to the past. It means letting go of suffering and resistance to change, because what’s over is over. Let’s move on.

So, to know how to let go :

I wholeheartedly invite you to write down the 4 laws on a sheet of paper and post it in a strategic place:

“Whoever shows up for you is the right person.”
“What happens is the only thing that could happen.
“Every moment is the right moment.
“What’s over is over.

Which law seems most relevant to you? I really like the 2nd one. It reminds me that I can’t control everything and that I just have to accept what happens.

Find out more:

I invite you to read these 2 complementary articles:

Discover Spiritual development: 8 helpgul tips for getting started
Discover 100 quotes to let go of your worries

I recommend this inspiring book:

The Art of Letting Go by Richard Rohr

In The Art of Letting Go, Richard Rohr explores the transformative power of surrender and the freedom that comes from letting go of attachments. The book addresses the spiritual practice of letting go of ego desires and embracing a deeper connection with the divine. Rohr offers ideas for finding peace and purpose by relinquishing control and trusting in a higher power. He serves as a guide to navigating the path of self-discovery and cultivating a sense of liberation through the artistic practice of letting go.

Nothing less than life-changing listening. If you’re lucky enough to be hungry for Spirit, you’ll want to listen to Richard tell this story.
CDs should be listened to with time to think and reflect on their content.

Thank you very much for reading this article.

If you liked it, let me know in the comments.

Take care of yourself