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The Difference Between Acceptance and Surrender

Unveiled Artist

Veteran Member
Poet, best-selling author and cancer survivor Mark Nepo believes no experiences are wasted. So when we are faced with the unexpected, what is the difference between accepting the situation and surrendering to it? Watch Mark's explanation and find out how to find out which path to follow.

I thought this was a pretty good way to understand god as a concept of surrender and flow.
 

exchemist

Veteran Member
Poet, best-selling author and cancer survivor Mark Nepo believes no experiences are wasted. So when we are faced with the unexpected, what is the difference between accepting the situation and surrendering to it? Watch Mark's explanation and find out how to find out which path to follow.

I thought this was a pretty good way to understand god as a concept of surrender and flow.
Fair enough. But some experiences are wasted. I once spent 3 hours in Amman airport, in Jordan, with nothing to read, nothing to eat or drink and no one to talk to, waiting for a plane in the middle of the night, dog-tired.
 

Unveiled Artist

Veteran Member
Fair enough. But some experiences are wasted. I once spent 3 hours in Amman airport, in Jordan, with nothing to read, nothing to eat or drink and no one to talk to, waiting for a plane in the middle of the night, dog-tired.

I can't figure the connection between the OP and your comment?
 

Nakosis

Non-Binary Physicalist
Premium Member
Fair enough. But some experiences are wasted. I once spent 3 hours in Amman airport, in Jordan, with nothing to read, nothing to eat or drink and no one to talk to, waiting for a plane in the middle of the night, dog-tired.

A bit of driftwood on the river of life you have to allow yourself to accept. I guess it provided you a chance to practice that.
 

Nakosis

Non-Binary Physicalist
Premium Member
Poet, best-selling author and cancer survivor Mark Nepo believes no experiences are wasted. So when we are faced with the unexpected, what is the difference between accepting the situation and surrendering to it? Watch Mark's explanation and find out how to find out which path to follow.

I thought this was a pretty good way to understand god as a concept of surrender and flow.

Lots of garbage in the river it seems.

So you have to surrender to the current of life while accepting the debris that comes your way.
 

nPeace

Veteran Member
Poet, best-selling author and cancer survivor Mark Nepo believes no experiences are wasted. So when we are faced with the unexpected, what is the difference between accepting the situation and surrendering to it? Watch Mark's explanation and find out how to find out which path to follow.

I thought this was a pretty good way to understand god as a concept of surrender and flow.
I think Ms. Winfrey made a good point. How does one flowing along a path, and getting entangled, know when to accept, or when to fight to get out?
From the answer, some people accept a purposeless undirected path.
Some are happy with that. Is that you?

How does that help you to "understand god as a concept"?
I find Opera seems to have a different idea, but she is not there to fight anyone. However, twice she mentioned "getting out from where you are".
Hence, the flow should be considered. The surrender should not be embraced without consideration. It's therefore not as simple as finding out if the path is the right one to follow, or not, but rather, for the author... it seems to me, following a path, no matter where it leads, and accepting that path.

Did you notice that, or is it just me?
 

exchemist

Veteran Member
A bit of driftwood on the river of life you have to allow yourself to accept. I guess it provided you a chance to practice that.
I felt I was going mad. The only thing I got out of it was a determination never to get into such a situation again. So I suppose you can chalk that up as something +ve.
 

Kenny

Face to face with my Father
Premium Member
Poet, best-selling author and cancer survivor Mark Nepo believes no experiences are wasted. So when we are faced with the unexpected, what is the difference between accepting the situation and surrendering to it? Watch Mark's explanation and find out how to find out which path to follow.

I thought this was a pretty good way to understand god as a concept of surrender and flow.

I find that, more often than not, that it isn't so much a fish that needs to find the flow and floooow.... but rather the salmon that needs to fight the flow to deposit life.

I would agree that no experience should be a wasted experience. Even caught at an airport with nothing to read or do is an experience to learn "Next time, I'm bringing a book" :)
 

Unveiled Artist

Veteran Member
Fair enough. But some experiences are wasted. I once spent 3 hours in Amman airport, in Jordan, with nothing to read, nothing to eat or drink and no one to talk to, waiting for a plane in the middle of the night, dog-tired.

Are there ones you can learn from? (Which is kind of a cliche-question to say the least)
 

Unveiled Artist

Veteran Member
There's a quote by Jimmy Dean I like and kept on my Facebook. It reads: "I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination."

Hence, the flow should be considered. The surrender should not be embraced without consideration. It's therefore not as simple as finding out if the path is the right one to follow, or not, but rather, for the author... it seems to me, following a path, no matter where it leads, and accepting that path.

I find the path that is right is the path that you're willing to struggle with even if it doesn't align with your former views of reality. In other words, not taking your old map to try to find your way on a new path.

Recently, I started listing different concepts of god I ran into on RF, Ted Talks, and my own personal interpretation. Surrender (the act of or the experience of) is one of them. Vitality is another. Likewise intuition, and love, among others. I'm writing an essay about all of them, actually. Each one shows an angle of defining one's reality and place in it. Though each person has different purposes that are not shared as a whole.
 

Unveiled Artist

Veteran Member
For me Surrender has to do with "God" and Acceptance can be without "God"

This is what Sai Baba says about surrender (not the easiest to accomplish):D

That's actually how I put one concept of surrender together. There's a pattern that people feel they have to surrender to the unknown (god) or to the questions in order to accept life and find ways to live with the questions rather than fight against them for the answers. Humility may be another way to put it.
 

Unveiled Artist

Veteran Member
I find that, more often than not, that it isn't so much a fish that needs to find the flow and floooow.... but rather the salmon that needs to fight the flow to deposit life.

I would agree that no experience should be a wasted experience. Even caught at an airport with nothing to read or do is an experience to learn "Next time, I'm bringing a book" :)

What do you feel is the difference between the two?

Ha. Bring a book. Couldn't figure whether to like or laugh given the context.
 
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