Just let it go! A common phrase used in a variety of stressful situations, but we all know it’s easier said than done. I’ve been working with letting go in my own life and was recently reminded of the famous song “Let It Go”(1) from the movie Frozen.
For those who don’t know the creation story of the movie, Elsa was originally characterized as an evil snow queen with magical powers who goes up into the icy mountains and comes back with a snow army to wreak havoc on the town. The songwriters working on “Let It Go” were trying to understand the character more deeply by imagining the experiences that led her to that pivotal moment on the snow-covered mountain. The further they delved into a character who had been shut away from the world as a child and told that her unique powers were dangerous, the more the tone of the song shifted. Once they realized that this was going to be a song of acceptance, freedom and empowerment, the song was finished in less than two days. After presenting the song to the story writers, everyone realized that the entire plot needed to be re-worked to reflect this new understanding of Elsa’s character and the meaning of her inner journey. The movie was literally re-written around the song.
I believe that these heart-centered insights into this character directly contributed to the wild popularity of both the song and the movie. It wasn’t just another hero/heroine story involving a battle with a villain; it was a story of becoming and self-realization. The message touched a chord across the globe not just with children but with many adults. It carried a powerful message about letting go of our fears, accepting ourselves for who we are and allowing our inner gifts to express fully in the world, regardless of what others may think, feel or say in response. Letting go and self-acceptance, free of judgment, free of fear, is the path to true inner freedom and surrender to ourselves as Source.
I share the lyrics of the song here for use in your meditations, if you are guided. Some of the verse may speak to you with unique insights:
The snow glows white on the mountain tonight, not a footprint to be seen
A kingdom of isolation, and it looks like I’m the queen
The wind is howling like this swirling storm inside
Couldn’t keep it in, heaven knows I tried
Don’t let them in, don’t let them see
Be the good girl you always have to be
Conceal, don’t feel, don’t let them know
Well, now they know
Let it go, let it go
Can’t hold it back anymore
Let it go, let it go
Turn away and slam the door
I don’t care what they’re going to say
Let the storm rage on
The cold never bothered me anyway
It’s funny how some distance makes everything seem small
And the fears that once controlled me can’t get to me at all
It’s time to see what I can do
To test the limits and break through
No right, no wrong, no rules for me
I’m free
Let it go, let it go
I am one with the wind and sky
Let it go, let it go
You’ll never see me cry
Here I stand and here I’ll stay
Let the storm rage on
My power flurries through the air into the ground
My soul is spiraling in frozen fractals all around
And one thought crystallizes like an icy blast
I’m never goin’ back, the past is in the past
Let it go, let it go
And I’ll rise like the break of dawn
Let it go, let it go
That perfect girl is gone
Here I stand in the light of day
Let the storm rage on
The cold never bothered me anyway
(1)Idina Menzel, lyrics by Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, “Let It Go”, Frozen, release date November 27, 2013.
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay