Letting go — two simple words that can feel impossibly hard to live by. Whether it’s the pain of past wounds, the craving for future outcomes, or the grasping at control in the present moment, we often cling with all our might. We hold on to people, plans, expectations, identities. We replay memories. We rehearse conversations. We resist change.

And yet, the Buddha’s teachings invite us again and again: Let go.

This phrase appears across Buddhist texts like a quiet bell, calling us to surrender—not in weakness, but in wisdom. Letting go doesn’t mean apathy or avoidance. It’s not detachment in the cold sense, nor is it about suppressing what we feel. Rather, it is a conscious practice of releasing our tight grip on impermanence, on self, on suffering.

In this article, we’ll explore what the Buddha meant by “letting go,” why it is central to the path of awakening, and how we can begin to live this teaching—moment by moment—with clarity, compassion, and courage.

What Does “Letting Go” Mean in Buddhism?

Letting go is a fundamental practice of non-attachment (anupādāna). It means not clinging to things as “mine” or “me,” not binding our happiness to what is fleeting or uncontrollable.

At its core, letting go involves:

The Pāli term often connected with this is vossagga, which means release, renunciation, or giving up. It appears repeatedly in the teachings as a quality to be cultivated for liberation.

As the Buddha said:

“Just as a tree, when cut at the root, withers away, so too does suffering fade when craving is abandoned.”
— Saṁyutta Nikāya 12.64

Letting go isn’t about throwing life away—it’s about not being ensnared by it.

Why Letting Go Is Central to the Buddha’s Teaching

At the heart of Buddhism lies the truth of dukkha—suffering or unsatisfactoriness. The Buddha taught that this suffering arises not from what happens to us, but from how we relate to it: through clinging (upādāna).

We suffer when we cling to:

Letting go is the antidote to clinging. It is not a passive resignation but an active wisdom—the insight that freedom lies not in getting what we want, but in loosening the grip.

As the Buddha put it:

“Whatever is not yours, let go of it. Your letting go of it will be for your long-term happiness and benefit.”
— Majjhima Nikāya 22

The Scriptural Roots of Letting Go

Letting go is woven throughout the Buddha’s discourses. Consider these powerful teachings:

1. The Simile of the Raft (Allegory of Skillful Means)

In Majjhima Nikāya 22, the Buddha describes the Dhamma as a raft used to cross a river. Once the other shore (awakening) is reached, the raft should be left behind:

“Even the Dhamma is to be let go of, how much more so things not of the Dhamma?”

This shows that clinging to teachings can be a hindrance if we don’t eventually let go—even of good things. Letting go is not just about worldly attachments but about freedom from all grasping, even spiritual pride.

2. The Five Aggregates Are Not Self

In the discourse on non-self, Anatta-lakkhana Sutta (Samyutta Nikāya 22.59), the Buddha explains that form, feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness are not-self, and thus:

“Seeing this, the instructed noble disciple becomes disenchanted… becomes dispassionate… is liberated.”

Letting go, then, is deeply tied to wisdom—the ability to see clearly that nothing can be held onto as “I” or “mine.” This seeing leads to release.

3. Letting Go in Meditation

In the practice of mindfulness, the Buddha repeatedly instructed:

“Let go of the past, let go of the future, let go of the present.”
— Dhammapada 348

This points to a deep meditative insight: freedom lies in non-grasping awareness. When we are fully present and not entangled in time, we taste the stillness beyond thought.

The Wisdom Behind Letting Go

So why is letting go so powerful?

Because everything changes.

Everything we cling to—bodies, relationships, careers, possessions, emotions, even thoughts—arises and passes away. Clinging is like trying to hold onto smoke. It creates stress. It traps us in a cycle of craving and disappointment.

Letting go allows us to:

It creates space for joy, peace, and equanimity. Not because everything becomes perfect, but because we are no longer enslaved by conditions.

As Ajahn Chah said:

“If you let go a little, you’ll have a little peace. If you let go a lot, you’ll have a lot of peace. If you let go completely, you’ll have complete peace.”

Letting Go in Everyday Life

Letting go is not something reserved for the meditation cushion. It’s a daily art—a spiritual discipline in the midst of ordinary life.

1. Letting Go of Expectations

Whether it’s how your day “should” go, how others “should” treat you, or how you “should” be by now—expectations fuel stress. Letting go means meeting life as it is, not as we demand it to be.

Try this:

Next time plans change unexpectedly, breathe and say: “Ah, this too is the path.”

2. Letting Go of Grudges

Holding onto resentment is like carrying a burning coal. Forgiveness is a powerful form of letting go—not condoning harm, but choosing freedom over bitterness.

Try this:

Reflect on someone you’re still angry with. Whisper: “May I be free. May they be free.”

3. Letting Go of Control

We cling to control because uncertainty scares us. But life is fluid. The more we try to fix it, the more we suffer.

Letting go means trusting the unfolding. It doesn’t mean we stop acting—it means we act without attachment to outcomes.

Try this:

When facing a difficult decision, ask: “What can I do with clarity and care—and then release?”

4. Letting Go of Identity

We often cling to stories about who we are: “I’m not good enough.” “I must succeed.” These become prisons. Letting go invites us to meet ourselves afresh in every moment, beyond fixed roles or judgments.

Try this:

Sit quietly and ask, “Who would I be without this story?”

Letting Go in Meditation

Meditation offers a laboratory for learning to let go.

When thoughts arise, we can notice them and return to the breath. When emotions surface, we can feel them without grasping or pushing away. When the body is restless, we soften around the tension instead of fighting it.

Instructions from the Buddha often include phrases like:

“Calm the body… let go of clinging to the world… release the hindrances…”

Over time, we learn not to fight experience, but to open to it, and then let it pass. This builds spaciousness and insight.

Meditation becomes not about gaining something, but unburdening—a practice of emptying rather than adding.

Letting Go Is Not Giving Up

A common misconception is that letting go means giving up or being indifferent. But that’s not the case.

As Thich Nhat Hanh wrote:

“Letting go gives us freedom, and freedom is the only condition for happiness.”

We can love fully without owning. We can grieve deeply without being destroyed. We can live purposefully without grasping at results.

This is the middle way.

Walking the Path: Daily Practice of Letting Go

Letting go is not a one-time event. It’s a gradual practice, like slowly loosening a tight fist. It asks patience, awareness, and heart.

Here are some gentle ways to cultivate it:

🌿 Journal Prompts:

🌿 Daily Reminders:

🌿 Mindful Action:

Each evening, reflect on one moment you clung to something—and how you might release it tomorrow.

Reflect and Practice

Letting go is one of the deepest forms of love—love for truth, peace, and freedom. It doesn’t ask us to abandon life, but to live it with open hands and an open heart.

By letting go of grasping, we return to the present. By releasing identity, we rediscover being. By loosening our attachments, we uncover the space where liberation quietly dwells.

“Whatever has the nature to arise, has the nature to cease.”
— The Buddha

So today, ask yourself:

“What is one thing I can let go of, just for now?”

Let that be your step toward peace. 🌿