Trust

In light of the Dragon (April) month, I want to write about the spirit of the Earth Element—trust.

Trusting the universe is a popular idea these days. But what does it really mean? To me, it is the striking balance (or dichotomy) between control (Yang) and surrender (Yin). We exert control to create a safety net that ensures our protection and survival, including nurturing our deepest dreams and desires to make our world a better place. On the other hand, there is a clear reality that, no matter how hard we try, there are an abundant of things that we cannot control.

Truth is, we need not choose between the two or view either of them as independent of one another. These two dynamics co-exist, are interrelated, and in a constant flow of collaboration with the universe.

As humans, we do all that we can and take responsibility for the things in life that we can control, but there comes a point in time when we have done all that we can—and we must let go and allow the universe to take over. This requires trust. It’s the kind of trust that runs deeper than just expecting things to turn out the way we want them to. As a Catholic, I often pray for the things I wish for, even if the answer is no.

Whichever way you choose to cultivate trust, in the end, we develop equanimity and grace as we learn to trust that life will unfold exactly the way it should.