Key Messages
How to Let Love Rule: Three Ways to Find Meaning and Rejoice in a Higher Power
If you want to experience true happiness and liberation, Marianne Williamson‘ thinks it’s time to let God take the wheel.
In A Return to Love, Williamson explains that a deep understanding of the collective unconscious – from philosophers such as Carl Jung – can help us come to terms with a non-denominational higher power.
When we surrender ourselves to this pure and all-powerful love, also known as God, we’re able to access joy and a greater sense of meaning in our lives.
On top of that, Williamson helps readers discover how the concept of “the sea of love” isn’t just another classic 1950’s tune; how to find your divine mission in life; plus, why gift giving is an essential part of forgiving oneself for past mistakes and allowing yourself to move forward.
In other words: If you’re looking for clarity on how you can finally let God take the wheel, then A Return To Love might just be your answer.
How Fear Is Society’s Way of Programing Us to Think Negatively
It is easy to see how fear permeates our lives.
From an early age, we learn to fear failure in school, then as adults that fear simply transfers onto the job market where it becomes a competition for limited resources.
We are surrounded by news and information from all sides that can fill us with fear in terms of job security, home security and providing for ourselves and family.
What we don’t understand is that all of our unhappiness can be rooted in fear.
In Western cultures, we are taught to focus on individualism over kindness, believing that if you’re nice to others you will be taken advantage of.
This leads us to erect emotional barriers that prevent us from being capable of true love and pushes us further into a cycle of negativity and habitual thoughts.
The truth is, when we break this cycle and challenge ourselves to let go of our fears—big or small—we come one step closer to finding inner peace again.
We Are All Part of the Same Sea of Love: How to Embrace and Benefit from the Collective Mind
We are all connected to each other through an invisible force of love and compassion, often called “God” or “Universal Mind.” This powerful connection has been recognized by countless cultures throughout history and across the world, with it often being seen as the source of many people’s spiritual beliefs.
The famous Psychologist Carl Jung discussed this mysterious force in his work on the collective unconscious – the idea that humans share one greater consciousness.
He proposed that our physical bodies sever us from each other, creating a misconception that we are separate individuals; however without these physical bodies, we could come to understand our collective connection as parts of one large interconnected whole.
Just like a drop in an ocean or grain of sand on a beach – all connected by a single force.
This bond has often been referred to as “God” but instead, you can just call it Love.
It is no wonder why so many people have stated that “God is Love” because those two words actually convey the same message – they both refer to this strong sense of connection between everyone and everything in life.
Surrendering to God in Challenging Times: Reaching Beyond Human Limits for a Miracle
When we’re at our most desperate moments, it can be easy to feel overcome by whatever situations we’re facing.
We look to unyielding solutions that don’t offer hope and assurance – a common focus for recovering alcoholics or drug addicts.
It often requires freeing ourselves of fear and allowing a higher power to take over — an act which is not an act of weakness, but in fact can offer you comfort and guidance.
Surrendering yourself to the greater power of God means letting go of the limits he placed on us and trusting in something much bigger; understanding that its capabilities are infinite and outside of what any one person is capable of doing.
When presented with overwhelming problems, this surrender can provide solace; instead of relying on just our own strength, we can rely on the collective unconscious—a force made up of everyone—that has the supreme capabilities necessary for real change in our lives.
We must open our minds and accept what comes from the universe through prayer and acceptance.
Doing so cleanses us from distractions, allowing us to have faith that better things are ahead while giving ourselves peace from the burden of figuring out how those things will come about.
It takes courage to give in to a higher power when times get rough, but in reality it’s an incredibly powerful act.
When we surrender ourselves, whether through prayer or meditating techniques such as Zen Buddhism practice, we’re giving ourselves over into safe hands – allowing God and His plans to take control.
God Offers Fulfilling Careers if We Let Go of Our Egos and Allow Him to Guide Us
The path to a fulfilling career is not always an easy one, but God can guide you in the right direction and help make the world a better place.
When we are driven by our egos, our choices tend to be misguided, as they often focus on gaining status and power.
This is why it’s important to understand that all careers have a potential to be holy – every job or occupation provides an opportunity for us to make the world a better place.
The author of ‘A Return to Love’ experienced this firsthand when she was working as a low-paid cocktail waitress; despite it feeling like a dead-end, she was still providing joy and making people’s days brighter.
When your main focus is guided by God, rather than your ego’s desperate attempts at self-preservation, doors will open more easily – people are looking for candidates who come with an attitude of kindness and love.
With God’s guidance, there is no fear of failure; success is guaranteed as long as you are willing to let go of society’s false expectations and instead trust God to lead you towards what will truly bring you happiness.
Let Go of Hardships, Take Control Through God: How to Have a Positive Attitude Despite Adversity
Our relationships with others can have a tremendous impact on our mental and emotional well-being.
But it can be difficult to keep our cool and maintain a positive attitude, especially when times are tough.
This is where the let God lead the way philosophy comes into play.
In her book A Return to Love, author Marianne Williamson explains how she was able to overcome the strain of her troubled relationship with her mother while they were traveling together in Europe by instead of seeing her mother through her own prejudgmental eyes, asking: “What would God do?” Instantly Williamson was able to see her mother differently because God always recognize the best in people, no matter what.
Letting go of anger and accepting challenging situations without hatred is a great way to start healing emotionally.
It may sound crazy now, but what if we could hold onto genuine love for someone even after they’ve wronged us or walked out of our lives? Asking God for strength to view them how He would; as a human being who deserves the same chance and happiness as all of us do, will guide us through even the most painful events life can throw our way.
By doing so, we can find peace once again and move on from any negative relationship in order for both parties involved to prosper.
The Path to Forgiveness: Live in the Present and Practical Kindness Can Help Heal
The ability to forgive those who may have hurt us in any way is an essential step to releasing ourselves from the damaging effects of the past.
The author of A Return to Love encountered a man who had never been able to feel at peace with himself due to resentment and a lack of understanding between him and his father.
The author suggested that he set aside the grudge and send his dad presents, as an example of finding forgiveness and allowing space for positive healing.
This could help this particular individual break through the cycle of being consumed by the negative events of the past.
We can also look for another way out by living in the present moment.
The past is just an illusion, so use each new day as an opportunity to create a fresh start – like a child’s carefree outlook on life!
In doing this, we can rid our mind and body of clinging onto pain from before, using meditation as one great tool for freeing ourselves from all-consuming emotions associated with memories from the past.
Create a Culture of Empathy to Help Break the Cycle of Suffering
When it comes to living a happier life, it’s not so simple as just making the decision and acting on it.
Especially for those who have faced trauma in their childhood, like abuse or neglect, this can have a hug impact on their lives.
Unfortunately, understanding why someone with a troubled past may behave differently can be difficult.
When our feelings are hurt by someone’s actions, we often resort to pushing back instead of trying to understand the reasons why they might act that way – leading to an endless cycle of suffering and pain.
This is what happens in our prison system: even when research shows that punishing criminals doesn’t work and only leads to higher rates of recidivism, we continue to punish them while not doing anything to help them heal from their trauma and improve as individuals.
But we all have the power to change this – through empathy and understanding.
By developing an empathetic attitude towards people with traumatic pasts, we can truly help them get back onto the right track.
If everyone was more understanding and compassionate others’ experiences would be greatly improved.
The author encountered a difficult situation like this when she went to her hairdresser one day; another customer entered with a cold attitude that put her off initially but when she asked God for guidance she soon realised why: the woman had been through immense trauma at the hands of her father.
Once you look at people through loving eyes and try & empathise with them you will see how powerful this feeling is – both for yourself and those around you!
Wrap Up
The ultimate point of A Return to Love is that we can return to love, a higher power, and surrender fully to it.
This will bring us back to the most powerful force in the universe – love – which will provide us with true happiness.
We don’t need to subscribe to any organized religion for this; we just have to recognize and embrace love as our greater guide.
To cement this intent in our lives, it is recommended that we wake up each morning with an open heart and ask God’s help in guiding our day.
This will lead us on a path filled with opportunities to benefit humanity and take care of the earth.
With the realization that we are all connected—and guided by love—we can make sure that a better future is shared by all.
