Mitchell Wheeler is a Head to Heart holistic coach, a Reiki healer and a Yoga, Pilates and Qigong instructor. He is the founder of AO Holistics and strives to empower and facilitate people in their journeys.
Power, forgiveness and surrender represent three fundamental aspects of the human experience. When we understand and personalise them, they each carry implications for how we see our world and our interactions with it and others. They are three words that have completely different meanings and teachings to individuals, but together can introduce a fulfilling and empowering way to journey through life.
Our society teaches us that having power equals having authority over someone, forgiveness is to excuse an individual’s behaviour and to surrender is to be weak-minded in your actions. Our lives are structured to fear out of the box thinking, for our lives to be set in stone with no wiggle room for anything out of the ordinary. Those who are seeking healing, empowerment and the opportunity to move forward, the power of forgiveness and surrender has the ability to enable a more freeing experience in life.
As a person generally, I have always struggled with these concepts; the word power and its implications when misued, and surrender and forgiveness which can often be seen as losing in some way and letting people off lightly. The dictionary definition of these words do not always correlate with how they are viewed in everyday life. Power: the ability or capacity to do or act in a particular way. Surrender: to give up or hand over. Forgiveness: to stop feeling angry or resentful towards someone for an offense, flaw or mistake. These definitions can be lacking in many ways as it is your experience of these words that make them what they are, and how you identify with them. What is an alternative way of viewing these words?
Power to me, when applied through my experiences, would read as follows: recognising one's own agency and authority. A deeper awareness of the self supports an understanding of what power means and feels like experiencially. I would liken it to a quiet confidence where there is space in oneself to allow a more authentic response in that moment.
Forgiveness can be seen as elevating a perspective or experience through empathy and kindness to the self and others. When we experience emotional pain, we have a tendency to hold onto it longer than is healthy. Each time we revisit a pain, we bring it back to life in our present moment. Approaching the resurfacing of that pain through a different lens helps rewrite that experience for you. When combined with power, your agency and authority is being used for empathy and kindness.
Surrender can be defined as the experience of peace and contentment after letting go of that serving beyond its purpose. Awareness of power and its use through forgiveness, we reach a stable place to begin healing. Surrender is the experience of the letting go process, but who or what are we surrendering to? Whether it's to the moment itself, life, the universe, God; allow it.
By developing a relationship between these three words and nurturing that relationship with power, forgiveness, and surrender, we will be able to guide our way through the balance between agency and acceptance, action and contemplation. By being grounded and harnessing our inner strength, we are able to release our true power; when seeing things in a different light, forgiveness can be transformative and act as a self-healing method for our inner child; and surrender can be viewed as courageous, and a way to embrace life’s uncertainties.
The journey of building a relationship and embodying power, forgiveness, and surrender feels like riding waves in the ocean; sometimes, the waves are slow and steady, and other times, they are harsh and bashful. Taking the surrender approach first, I choose to see the waves created around me as serving my journey, lending me to be curious in my approach. What if life is happening for me, not to me? When doubt arises, remember these three words and the framework it can provide. Situations that are stressful and challenging are perfect opportunities to utilise these principles. When the head voice comes to aid us through stress, self-doubt, or hurt, surrender to the part of you connected to this new approach. Through practice, the head voice is less resistant to a new way of being.
Power of forgiveness and surrendering
Life is an invitation.
Everything is here to help you.
If it could have been another way, it would have been.
Those who are reading that have a meditation or prayer practice, I would recommend trying the Ho’oponopono prayer. It is an effective mantra that can be used towards any situation in your life, past or present; and to any person, importantly, yourself.
I’m sorry, Please forgive me, Thank you, I love you.
During my 6 years teaching holistic practices, I have been focused on framework spiritual and philosophical teachings to assist people in their experience towards alignment in Mind, Body & Spirit. I am dedicated to aiding people in their journey of self-discovery and whole-heartedness.
Mitchell Wheeler, Holistic Coach, Reiki Healer
Mitchell Wheeler is a Head to Heart holistic coach, a Reiki healer and a Yoga, Pilates and Qigong teacher. Suffering from debilitating anxiety which was causing physical pain, Mitchell found these practices and discovered the true balance of mind, body and spirit which cleared emotional and physical blockages. He has since dedicated his time and work into empowering and facilitating people in their own journey of self discovery, self-healing and deepening of their self worth. He is the founder of AO Holistics, a philosophy on bringing yourself into the centre of your own life, discovering yourself and what your heart needs.
