"Letting go is not suppressing emotions, avoiding difficult thoughts, condoning behavior that hurts us, or forgetting the past. Letting go is releasing the grip that memories have on us, rather than releasing the memories themselves. In Buddhism, this is known as non-attachment. In clinical practice, we call it experiential acceptance."
"Suffering comes not from painful experiences themselves, but from our struggle against them. This is best illustrated by Daniel Wegner's famous 'white bear study,' in which participants who were asked to 'think aloud' (but not to think about a white bear) mentioned a white bear about once per minute anyway. Countless studies have replicated the basic idea: What we resist, persists."
Letting go is a fundamental practice for emotional freedom that involves accepting difficult experiences rather than struggling against them. This is not about suppressing emotions, avoiding thoughts, or forgetting the past, but rather releasing the grip that memories hold over us. Modern psychology, particularly through Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, confirms ancient wisdom from Buddhist and contemplative traditions. Research demonstrates that resistance to painful experiences intensifies suffering, while acceptance creates a less stressed mental state more open to positive emotions. Clinging and rumination activate threat responses in the brain, limiting our choices and wellbeing. Understanding this distinction is crucial for the practice to feel validating rather than dismissive of genuine pain.
#emotional-freedom #acceptance-and-letting-go #psychology-and-neuroscience #mindfulness-and-non-attachment
Read at Psychology Today
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