Surrender vs. Path of Least Resistance

There is great confusion regarding the concept of surrender. Many people think it is the same as the path of least resistance.

Surrender is sometimes likened to going with the flow. And the path of least resistance is an observation of water's behavior. What it comes down to is that water can be used as an analogy both ways. Water flowing around big objects shows how water flows forward over obstacles. But water also flows in the path of least resistance which is an analogy that can be learned from in a different way.

Surrender does not mean acquiescence or defeat. Rather surrender is a way of relating to God, of more precisely of emptying yourself so that you are filled with the feeling and power of oneness. The real surrender is a victory. Surrender means acceptance of the present moment. The opposite of surrender is resistance. Resistance is when you are not happy unless something changes. The surrender is the relinquishing of the illusion of control to its rightful owner- God. Only God is in control. And we are all just a bunch of pretenders who think that it is not the Grace of God that keeps us on the planet for the brief time given. Surrender is always accompanied by Gratitude.


Acceptance of the present moment does not mean that you accept the continuation of the situation. It does not mean that you do nothing to make changes that are useful. If something has to change, do it. Be at peace before you change it, be at peace while your changing it, and be at peace after it has been changed. We can make the world a much better place one action at a time. My favorite saying is 'Be the change you want to see in the world.'


Falling in the path of least resistance is different than surrender which is a spiritual float. Water travels in the path of least resistance, always. Many of our lifestyle habits like eating crap and thinking negative thoughts are simply our continuation of our life being lived in the path of least resistance. The easy way. The way we know. The path of least resistance is different than surrendering to the Flow. The path of least resistance needs to always be examined so that 30 years don't fly by and you wonder what the hell happened. Do something different for fun. Eat differently. Exercise more. Give money to a homeless guy. But give a twenty and not a one and listen to him express his gratitude directly to God. Just change your patterns to make sure you like them.