What do you mean when you say to give it to Spirit?
People have a variety of reactions when I suggest they give something to Spirit. Some are upset at the thought and express that it feels like I want them to give their power away. Does that mean they don’t trust themselves? Others are willing but don’t know how to go about giving something to Spirit. Still others make the attempt but wonder how they can tell what Spirit’s response is. In reality, you have but two choices. You can give something to Spirit or you can give it to the ego. That’s it. You may think it is you alone making the decision, but if you haven’t given it to Spirit, “your decision” is really made by the ego.
You are not expected to be sure what it means to give it to Spirit or how what Spirit decides is different than what the ego might choose. It can be very confusing. The ego has been running your life, and your lives, for what feels like an eternity to you. The place to truly begin in meeting God and finding your divinity is to accept that you don’t know anything. Whatever you think you know is probably wrong. Even if you are right, you are still just guessing. And you probably won’t guess right the next time, nor have any certainty of knowing when you have made a lucky stab at truth. You won’t be able to take advantage of being right, because you will follow it up with so many wrong choices. If you knew how to realize your divinity you would have done it long ago. But here you are, in confusion, in pain. Even if you have managed to minimize some of that discomfort, you are still here, not experiencing your divinity. The question is, “How do you get there?” Your answer is (let’s see who has been paying attention), “Sanhia, I don’t know”. When you know that you don’t know, you know a lot. You know more than most people. If you also know that when you don’t know, you give it to Spirit — you know more than almost everyone.
When you give it to Spirit, you let go of it, whatever “it” is, whatever the confusion is, whatever the choice is, whatever the weakness is, whatever the pain is. You let go of it and give it to Spirit. You don’t think about it anymore. You stop worrying. If you notice yourself doing either of those two things, give it to Spirit. Again! It is no longer your responsibility. Keep giving it to Spirit until you have let go of it. Don’t tell Spirit when it has to give you an answer or how it should look. Have no expectation of the form or the means. You don’t know what it will look like. You don’t know what Spirit is going to do. Remember, you don’t know anything. All you do is trust. Whatever comes into your life next is Spirit’s response. What do you do if what comes into your life doesn’t look right, if you have a hard time receiving it? You give it to Spirit. That’s all you do. In between giving it to Spirit and feeling clear about the response, you remain a “happy idiot”. You don’t know anything, but you don’t care. Whether or not the guidance you receive makes happy sense to you, follow it. Do your best to trust. If that is hard to do — I’m waiting for the drum roll — give it to Spirit. How much simpler can it be?
That’s what we mean by saying “Give it to Spirit”. It is an acknowledgement that the ego is never going to get you there. Never! Its suggestions will be endless. Do this. Do that. Meditate every day. Change your diet. Give up everything you enjoy. It has all kinds of ideas for how to realize your ascension, all of them guaranteed not to work because the ego does not believe that such a goal is attainable. If they worked, the ego would be out of a job, in fact out of existence. This is a great challenge for you because you believe so strongly that it is your effort, your will power, your determination, your spiritual wisdom, your good deeds…something from you that will lift you out of this hell. But it isn’t and it won’t. None of it! All that you can do is give it up to Spirit. That is all you can do. Your mind is absolutely helpless in getting you out of the grasp of the ego. The greatest pronouncements of the ego appear to come from the “outside”. The whole world agrees that death is certain and unavoidable. Who are you to fly in the face of that? It doesn’t matter how close to unanimity those around you are. If the choice is not what your heart most desires, give it to Spirit. That is the job for your mind, to learn to give everything to Spirit. Let go of everything else.
When you give it Spirit there is always a response. When It gives you an answer it is always for the now. Spirit may suggest something different tomorrow. Ego tends to give rigid orders. It tells you that there is only one way to do something and you should always do it that way. This becomes an idea of what to do. That is why spiritual practices don’t work. Spiritual practices are not from Spirit. They are always ideas from the ego. Rituals don’t work either. The ego embeds “should-ism” and guilt for non-performance. Even those of you who are working with A Course in Miracles might consider this. Jesus has no expectation that you be loyal to the Course every day. If you are having difficulty doing the Course one day, give it to Spirit. The proof of this discipline is not in its regular repetition, but in how you take it to heart in every moment. If you are doing that, you will find yourself constantly giving everything to Spirit. Enjoy the Course or give it to Spirit.
The goal is for you not to carry anything around with you. You are empty, light, and free. If this is not your experience, give whatever is weighing you down to Spirit. Say, “Spirit please handle this for me. Thank you.” It’s like having your own personal assistant. You all have special needs, so give them to your personal “spiritual” assistant. And let go. Be free.
God Blesses You,
Sanhia