Surrendering Power vs Surrendering Control

Surrender.

We talk about this a lot in transformational spaces and conversations. It’s even the third part of Yoga in Action. And until I had a great conversation with Shannon Jamail, founder and creator of the Mind & Body Complete, who literally wrote the book Surrender, I didn’t question this concept very much. I’m all for it, as I know there’s only so much I have power over in my life. But then in Jess On The Mountain Episode 28 , she lay this little gem on me:

“I don’t surrender my power…I surrender control.” 

Surrender your power.

Surrender your control.

Both sound pretty powerless at first. But when we surrender control, but not our power, it means using our power to open our clenched fist and let go. (Which, Shannon points out, is then open and able to receive.) 

Your power is yours, and it’s for you to maintain and use for good. Control, and the desire to control, often stem from fear, which is inherently powerless.

I hope this gives you some food for thought this week 🙂 Listen to the full episode where Shannon shares with us some of her own processes around creating intention and transformation (spoiler alert - she uses the chakra system!), how she combined her love of horses with her love of yoga, and how she tapped into the power of her third chakra to create the ranch retreat of her dreams.

Yes–she’s the owner and creator of The Retreat Ranch, where I’m hosting a sold-out retreat this month! After you listen to this interview, you’ll want to join the waitlist for the April 11-13 retreat. 

Also, something exciting is in the works. Think of that person you admire that says all the things that make you go, “Yes! What they said!” Well, that person for me is coming on my podcast.  Many of you will know him, many of you will not. So before the big day arrives, I thought I’d give you a chance to do some background reading or listening if you feel so inclined. 

This person recently wrote a novel, though he’s mostly known for his writings on spirituality, the Bible, and how Love Wins. He was named one of Time magazine’s most influential people in 2011, and there’s a documentary about him called The Heretic. He has a long-running podcast that I have heard every episode of (I think), and he’s the reason I leave you with a blessing on my blog and podcast. 

It’s Rob Bell. (Hold for applause.) Here’s his interview with (ahem) Oprah so you can get a beat on who this guy is. He’s my favorite heretic, and a true prophet, in my opinion.  His latest book, Where’d You Park Your Spaceship, is out now, and we’ll be discussing that, as well as the creative, manifestation process as he sees it, working with creatives and giving permission to everyone who wants it to go do that thing they know they’re meant to do. 

How’d this happen? He invited his podcast listeners to invite them on our shows to talk about his new book. So I did. On a LARK. I sent a quick and cheeky pitch, then surrendered the outcome. His response? “Yeah, Jess. Let’s do this.” (Cue the FREAKING OUT.)

So wish me luck! I will interview him this week and the episode will come out November 6. Plenty of time to study up, read the book, and join me in this, what I know will be, fantastic experience for us all. 

And so! May you, too, surrender control while maintaining your power, and may you live into your dreams, no matter how big or how small. 

Much love

P.S. Join me in the Galapagos Islands! March 2-9, 2024. We'll explore the theme EVOLVE, so it's sure to be exciting, transformational, and the experience of a lifetime.