How to let go past?

Let go applies to a lot of things that we have held on to, in our minds. They are so old, maybe we don't even remember them well. Maybe we cannot even immediately recollect them. But in a very subtle way. The soul has held on to that matter or incident. The more matters we hold on to, the soul will be heavy. If we want to remain light, happy, and powerful always. Then we need to clean everything from the mind. There comes one moment when the soul leaves the body. We don't even know when that moment would come. It could come 10 minutes from now or 10 hours from now. We don't know. Or it could come after 10 years. We just don't know. But if we don't let go of the things we have held on to, here on our minds. Then the soul will carry everything along with it. On its journey forward. Suppose we come to know that we have 4 more hours to live. What will we do in those 4 hours? So that I, the soul, will be completely light before leaving my body? 

What do we do? We forgive other people. We seek forgiveness from others. About unpleasant past memories, we say. “Let go. What is the point in holding on? It’s time to leave.” So as part of our preparedness to leave the body. We let go of so many memories. But for all these years of our life. If we have never let go of anything. Then we cannot do it now, just before leaving the body. Because we don't even know when we will leave. Secondly, even if we know, we cannot let go at that moment. Letting go has to be a way of living. So power to let go means keeping our life compact, and not scattered. “Why did he say that?”, “Why did she do this the other day?”, “This person was not right to me.”,”People do not obey me.”We have held on to several expectations and past memories. The more we accumulate in mind the more our soul power depletes. 

There was a time when we would forgive even huge blunders that people committed. But today even for insignificant incidents we say. “I will never forget this.” Nowadays we feel sad just because someone did not like our post on social media. We say, “Tomorrow I will not click like on their messages.” When we keep holding on to things this way. This depletes soul power. So the power that we have to practice is Power to let go. We need to keep things compact. They should not be scattered. 

The first aspect to let go of the past. Memories from childhood, about which we say, 

“Yes, I have held on because those events did happen to me.” Let us revise it. Why did someone do what they did on that day? Try to look at it from their perspective. A 5-year-old child tells his parents. “When my friends had come home that day, you scolded me in front of everyone. I still have not been able to forget it” That 5-year-old child has held on to those memories. If he does not let go now, he will hold on to it for another 100 years. Subsequently, that soul will carry it on its journey forward. The soul will carry the impression of having been rejected by another soul. Such souls will start feeling rejected even over insignificant matters. So keep checking for past memories. It's the most important factor to let go of. Remembering that whatever happened was as per my karmic account. What they did to me was a part of the karmic give and take which I had with them. Or it was their mood that day, or it was their belief system. Counsel yourself and explain the way you do it with others. 

We explain to other people so lovingly. “Let go. Forget it. The matter is so old, put a full stop now.” Just as we convince others. We need to do with ourselves. Meditation helps us to let go easily. As the soul keeps filling itself with God’s powers. A situation which earlier seemed huge. It will now appear insignificant. An incident about which we felt, “I can never forget it.” Now it becomes very easy to finish that matter. Once we start letting go. Our behavior will become independent of how others behave with us. You will have so much inner power. That even if somebody has been extremely unfair or wrong with you. Wrong means even if they have committed a huge blunder. You will have so much power that in one moment. You will leave it in the past. And if that person is willing to make a new beginning in the relationship. You will not take the time to do agree. Since you have already put a full stop to that matter. Because we are powerful souls. We need to let go of the past. 

Sometimes we make a mistake. And we create guilt, repeatedly thinking. “ How could I make this mistake?” or “How could I fail at this?” or “why did I cause them to suffer?” This guild also depletes soul power. We need to understand that our intentions were right. Yet a mistake happened. But it is past, I will not do it a second time. Release. Let go. Do not hold on to guilt. 

Third aspect to let go is expectations. We hold several expectations, especially from family and friends. About how they should behave with us. The images we create about people. My spouse should be this way, my children should be this way. My colleague should be this way, my teacher should be this way. My senior should behave this way with me. The mental images that we create over here, of how we want people to be. When we create such images. Then we cannot accept people for who they are. Because they do not match the image we have created of them. No matter how good they are, but they are not matching the image which we have created. So we say, “But you are not the way I wanted you to be.” or “You are not the way I thought you will be.” This creates complications in our relationships. 

So let go of our past, our guilt, and our expectations. Often, we get attached to our ideas. Of our self-image. We create an image of who we are and then this is the way people should behave with me. Because this is who I am. This image of mine entails such and such behaviors from other people. No matter how people behave, and even if they are nice to us. If it doesn't match what image I have created, I will not be happy. 

the last aspect to let go. Which is extremely subtle. Let go of attachment to be right always. That my advice, my opinion, my ideas are right. Even if it is right and good But if it has attachment. Then other people’s opinions and advice. We will not have the energy to even understand it, let alone accepting it. Because my mind has already decided that only my opinion is right. This implies other people’s opinions are automatically wrong. A very, very subtle attachment to being right always. Let go of the attachment that my idea or advice should be accepted because that is right. The more the soul will let go of such things, the lighter it remains. It accepts, adapts, and becomes flexible. And the power to let go keeps increasing. 

This is called the art of dying. One who learns the art of dying. Has automatically learned the art of living. Any moment can be the final moment. Let us live with the understanding that on our final day we cannot forgive and forget. So at every moment forgive, let go, forget. Gradually it becomes so natural that there will be no need to make an effort to forgive. Forgiveness becomes a natural way of living.