“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:34 (CSB)

Ishvara Pranidhana, the 5th Niyama – instructs me to “surrender to God.” This can be as easy and trusting your intuition as the Holy Spirit’s leaning, or it can be difficult to release any expectations about an outcome I have been praying for.

Surrender isn’t easy. It isn’t supposed to be. Our history and culture sees this as a defeat or a diminishing. But as a Christian Yogi, I see the strength it takes to know what I can and cannot control, and the strength is takes to remain true to the present moment instead of chasing something in the future, or clinging to something that has passed.

Ishvara Pranidhana in the Bible

The greatest surrender was when Jesus accepted his covenant and prophecy as God’s Son and went to the cross. He was born and raised as a human, so there can be realistic moments when he would have rather had a different path. But like Abraham before him, being asking to sacrifice Isaac but was spared in the last moment, Jesus walked faithfully to the cross for sacrifice.

“Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” Luke 22:42 (ESV)

We can also surrender our burdens, knowing that the tender Father will give us the tools we need to face the challenges in life. We are not alone, and even when we feel like we are, all we need to do is return to the image of the Father walking next to us. 

“Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 (CSB)

Ishvara Pranidhana in Life

So much in life is not in our control, but we have a delusion that tells us that we can be the architect of our own lives, out of our sheer will. While this is true in many ways, you need to apply for the job you want, you need to be disciplined in the steps to achieve a goal, you must create a mindset where possibility is louder than doubt, it is also true that all good things come from God, and when we surrender, we get out of His way to let the road become clearer.

• I surrender the life I hope my children will have, and accept the life that they want from themselves, and how God will use them in every aspect of their future. 
• I surrender my marriage, and the expectations of my husband or the potential shifts I hope he will make. I trust that God will work in him and through him to be the leader of our family and servant to the world.
• I trust that what is for me will fill me with peace, and anything less than that is either not of the Lord, or muddled with my own involvement.
• I surrender my sorrow over the changes I see in life, and the world, as they are in His hands. This is the hardest one for me right now, as our country’s political fabric is tearing at the seams and we, as a military family living overseas, are deeply affected.
• I surrender the relationships that are pulling away, or are gone already, and I trust that God, my Higher Power, is making space for new ones to form, or is making my circle smaller and quieter for my best and highest good.

Ishvara Pranidhana in Yoga

When practicing yoga, I use this last part of the Niyama to evaluate where I am focusing my energy. 

• Am I on my mat today because I am seeking? 
• Am I on my mat today because I am settling in acceptance? 
• Am I on my mat today to learn something new about the body? 
• Am I on my mat today to heal – my mind, my spirit, my inner child?

When I sit in meditation, as a way to quiet my mind and hear God’s voice, I am surrendering my own thoughts to make room for His message. I leave all expectations for my practice outside, knowing that I will end my practice a different person than who I was when I got on my mat. New creation is always happening – every choice, every moment.

I rely on God, my Higher Power, the Divine for guidance, accepting that my own fallible, human mind is often clouded by expectations, previous experiences, and emotions. I cannot always see what I need, and when I surrender, I am also practicing Aparigraha, the fifth element of the Yama. 

In both of these aspects of yoga, I can let the present be the only thing that matters. Let God take care of the rest, and trust it.

“Don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought at a price. So glorify God with your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (CSB)

Think About It

Here are some prompts about Ishvara Pranidhana for your next journal, meditation or even to contemplate while taking a walk.

• What comes to mind when you hear the word “surrender?” Are there positive or negative connotations and why?
• Write in your journal about three things you are proud to have surrendered. 
• What keeps your from surrendering in areas of your life?
•  In what areas of your life do your control feel safer than surrender?

I would love to hear how Ishvara Pranidhana is being practiced in your own life? Your yoga practice and your Christian faith.

Leave a comment below to inspire others!