The word “let” is connected with issues of power and control. The easiest way to recognize this is to remember when as a child you explained to others that your parents let you do this and wouldn’t let you do that. They had the authority, the power, the control over you at the time and, in reality, they had the responsibility of taking care of you and making sure you took care of yourself. (How well they did it, if they did it, and what the ramifications are is another topic…stay with me here…)
Interestingly enough we seem to forget that let is an indicator of power structure and control as we become adults. Yet we use the word all the time. My husband let me….My wife let me…my sweetheart let me… Like most things, power, control, authority are not bad in and of themselves, they are neutral. It’s in how they are exercised that makes a difference. In a healthy relationship the “let” word is usually an indication of the strength of the bond between the two parties. In unhealthy ones it points to the inequality of the partners and where it lies.
It’s always good to listen to the words we use and how we use them because they often have more meaning than we give them credit for. Let is particular interesting when we look at how we use it concerning ourselves. “Just let it happen”, “I let my intuition guide me”, “I let go that part of my nature go and open myself up to…” The use of let in these situations points to power, control, an unequalness inside us. Something has control and lets other parts of us come to the fore in specific instances and specific ways. Usually this means that our inner self, our true nature, our soul/body/heart connection is being ruled by other aspects of ourselves whether that be our fears, our logical mind, or some other aspect. Instead of truly being ourselves we allow our true nature to go out for a walk once a twice a day and then put it back again. Letting something happen isn’t giving into it or becoming it or allowing it, its controlling it. It’s keeping something organic and wild and authentic in captivity.
Paying attention to when you let things happen can give you a key to where you’re holding yourself back and how. What that key unlocks is an authentic and amazing being. Open the gate…
