~Surrender As A Path of Growth~

One of the important turning points on our spiritual journey is encountering, engaging rather recognizing our “noble adversary”. It is archetypal shift perspective, where we defy the logical attitude of the mind and ego structure, and begin to step into the deep waters of inner work and test our soul stamina.

A noble adversary is someone who has been placed on your path to peace by your soul as a way to ensure you heal, understand and overcome you had planned to as a soul. In short, our toughest lessons come from our noble adversaries, at least learning opportunities as often we convert them into our greatest enemies as they appear on the face of it. For Gandhi, the British were the noble adversary, for Krishna the Kauravas, do your dharma or soul’s duty without falling into the trap of resentment, bitterness, victimhood, or vishad or despondency.

A noble adversary knows all our buttons, bring out your weaknesses or fears and shortcoming instantly; you cannot ‘wit’ your way around it or ignorance. Someone who pushes us relentlessly, to muster all our strength and courage. Someone who challenges us to stay in our light, when falling into darkness, of thoughts or intentions is easy.

When feeling like a victim would be so natural and easy, thus missing out on the warrior journey. The warrior of light is one who not just fights external darkness, but internal as well. Seeing not as an enemy, rather sickness and temporary absence of light. The moment you turn the noble adversary as an enemy, you lose the plot, even though might have a righteous victory.

Many people, who encounter their noble adversary whether necessitated by karma imperatives or by soul’s decision to take on tough lessons, to empower itself, by seeing its own shadow, vengeful or unforgiving side for example, we free ourselves from the very darkness we deem to fight external. Path of exit or the light warrior stance is to stay in the knowing that there is no darkness, only light that has been missing temporarily.

A noble adversary will help us transcend all that we want to, weaknesses or darkness, as He or she has mastered all your buttons, pressed them vociferously, triggering us, suddenly we lose our calm, composure and light.

He makes us aware of the buttons we need to heal, through inner work and healing old wounds, so that rewounding can be avoided. In the end frees us from both strength and weakness, light and dark. Thus free from judgment and repetitive cycle of crime and retribution. Many people, who have been trying to overcome their past of years, in truth find it hard to forgive. Actually want their perpetrators to suffer or take revenge, thus remain trapped in the cycle of karma. Such souls have revenge lifetimes, where they go the same to the perpetrators, thus the cycle continues across lifetimes.
If you are finding it hard to overcome your shadows or dark side, which the noble adversary is triggering, or simply judgments.

Inner work involves slowly developing enough humility till you can reach a state of gratitude for a particular aspect or trait. Then once you reach there see if you can go further reach where you can pray for him.

In Geeta, Krishna talks of surrender in one of its key verses:

“sarva-dharman parityajya
mam ekam saranam vraja
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo
moksayisyami ma sucah” – 18:66

Abandon all varieties of dharma and just surrender unto Me.
I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear.

Surrender makes growth organic. Relax into what is, the moment, without rushing to avoid or fix. We find ease and release entitlements as well. We realise, the pace of our healing and growth is best left to God. Once you learn stay in gratitude for the noble adversary, ease will come in, instead of reactivity.

When you are able see the noble adversary as a teacher, you would be free, achieve true equanimity.

“You do not need to know precisely what is happening, or exactly where it is all going. What you need is to recognize the possibilities and challenges offered by the present moment, and to embrace them with courage, faith, and hope.”
– Thomas Merton