"Letting Go" Using The Sedona Method
A Sample Releasing Process by Hale Dwoskin
The following explanation and process will give you a small taste of what The Sedona Method can do for you.
A simple exercise:
Let me explain by asking you to participate in a simple exercise. Pick up a pen, a pencil, or some small object that you would be willing to drop without giving it a second thought. Now, hold it in front of you and really grip it tightly. Pretend this is one of your limiting feelings and that your hand represents your gut or your consciousness. If you held the object long enough, this would start to feel uncomfortable yet familiar.
Now, open your hand and roll the object around in it. Notice that you are the one holding on to it; it is not attached to your hand. The same is true with your feelings, too. Your feelings are as attached to you as this object is attached to your hand.
We hold on to our feelings and forget that we are holding on to them. It's even in our language. When we feel angry or sad, we don't usually say, "I feel angry," or, "I feel sad." We say, "I am angry," or, "I am sad." Without realizing it, we are misidentifying that we are the feeling.
Often, we believe a feeling is holding on to us. This is not true... we are always in control and just don't know it.
Now, let go of the object you have been holding.
What happened? You let go of the object, and it dropped to the floor. Was that hard? Of course not. That's what we mean when we say "let go."
You can do the same thing with any emotion: choose to let it go.
You will get the most out of the process of releasing the more you allow yourself to see, hear, and feel it working, rather than by thinking about how and why it works. Lead, as best you can, with your heart, not your head. If you find yourself getting a little stuck in trying to figure it out, you can use the identical process to let go of "wanting to figure it out."
So here we go.
Make yourself comfortable and focus inwardly. Your eyes may be open or closed.
Step 1: Focus on an issue that you would like to feel better about, and then allow yourself to feel whatever you are feeling in this moment. This doesn't have to be a strong feeling. In fact, you can even check in on how you feel about this exercise and what you want to get from it. Just welcome the feeling and allow it to be as fully or as best you can.
This instruction may seem simplistic, but it needs to be. Most of us live in our thoughts, pictures, and stories about the past and the future, rather than being aware of how we actually feel in this moment. Simply do the best you can.
Step 2: Ask yourself one of the following three questions:
· Could I let this feeling go?
· Could I allow this feeling to be here?
· Could I welcome this feeling?
These questions are merely asking you if it is possible to take this action. "Yes" or "no" are both acceptable answers. You will often let go even if you say "no." As best you can, answer the question that you choose with a minimum of thought, staying away from second-guessing yourself or getting into an internal debate about the merits of that action or its consequences.
All the questions used in this process are deliberately simple. They are not important in and of themselves but are designed to point you to the experience of letting go. Go on to Step 3 no matter how you answered the first question.
Step 3: No matter which question you started with, ask yourself this simple question: "Would I?"
In other words: Am I willing to let go?
Again, stay away from debate as best you can. It doesn't matter whether the feeling is justified, long-standing, or right.
If the answer is "no," or if you are not sure, ask yourself: "Would I rather have this feeling, or would I rather be free?"
Even if the answer is still "no," go on to Step 4.
Step 4: Ask yourself this simpler question: "When?"
This is an invitation to just let it go NOW. You may find yourself easily letting go. Remember that letting go is a decision you can make any time you choose.
Step 5: Repeat the preceding four steps as often as needed until you feel as free of that particular feeling as you want.
You will probably find yourself letting go a little more on each step of the process. The results at first may be quite subtle. Very quickly, if you are persistent, the results will get more and more noticeable. You may find that you have layers of feelings about a particular topic. However, what you let go of is gone for good.
For more information and a free DVD ($6.95 S&H), visit the official website:
www.Sedona.com.