When we talk about letting go on the spiritual path, we’re talking about loosening the grip of old patterns, fears, and the lingering sense of “not being good enough.” By releasing these attachments—especially self-doubt—we create a new space for transformation to happen within our hearts.

Sri Kaleshwar’s teachings (1) remind us that letting go involves a series of transmutations: from emotional pain to inner peace, from resistance to acceptance, from confusion to knowing, and from suffering to bliss.

Surrendering ego-attachments, pride and self-doubt which all block our capacity to forgive is a spiritual magic. The practice of forgiveness uncovers a new deeper kind of love for self and the world which we all hold hidden inside. Embodying this love naturally uplifts our lives and the lives of everyone around us.

Shivaratri carries the energy of cosmic dissolution, a time when Shiva’s presence helps destroy illusions and ego boundaries. These illusions are the internal walls of belief, story, inner dialogue and habits that keep us blindly repeating the same karmic cycles.

The act of surrender—especially on an auspicious night like Shivaratri—is a doorway to becoming free of these illusions, leading us toward an expansive state where the individual ego dissolves into a broader cosmic awareness of presence and power.

This is not just referring to just physical mortality; Shiva energy is integral to the little “deaths” we face—our hesitations, the fear of change, and the anxiety of losing control. When we devote our energies to chanting, meditating, or performing rituals aligned with Shiva’s cosmic vibrations and message of forgiveness and surrender, we can truly release self-doubt.

Through consistent inner work, these practices dissolve our hardwired mind patterns and subtle ego attachments and allow the dawning of a profound sense of spiritual connection.