THE PATH OF NO RESISTANCE

Nyasanishta

A Path of Spiritual Surrender

Nyasanishta is a path of spiritual surrender emphasized in Vedanta and Kavyashastra—one that centers on surrendering oneself to the way of things as they are, especially when the experience of the moment is one of great fear or suffering.

This does not mean we revel in fear or pain. We do what we can to ease and mitigate the experience. The old Arabic saying, “Trust in God, but tie up your camel,” expresses this balance perfectly. In surrender and transcendence, we also tend to what is necessary—to mitigate the fear, to endure the travail.

Surrender is not giving up, but rather letting go of the need to control. It is an active choice—one that requires presence, humility, and often, deep practice. It asks for a willingness to be vulnerable, to open to the present moment as it is. Through this openness, a deeper connection is revealed—both with the Divine and with the quiet truth within oneself.

A Testament of Surrender 

For the longest time—over the span of several decades—there were nights marked by a singular, recurring terror. It did not come every night, but when it did, it arrived with such force and finality that it seemed to erase everything else. I would awaken into it, caught in a state of pure horror, believing my life was at risk—or worse, that my very soul faced annihilation. Such was its intensity.

We eventually came to call those episodes adrenergic storms—a life-threatening condition caused by a massive overstimulation of the sympathetic nervous system, flooding the body with adrenaline and noradrenaline. The experience was so absolute, so consuming, that surrender seemed unthinkable.

Blood pressure: 240 over 120.

Heart rate: God knows where.

And yet, many years into this pattern, in a moment so brief it was almost imperceptible… I chose, finally, not to resist—even in the face of that level of terror.

I simply watched. For the briefest instant, I allowed the terror to be. And in that small act of surrender, its power began to lessen. There was a palpable shift—just enough for me to remember Ram Dass’s words about fear:

“Just let it go through you like Chinese food.”

That single act—conscious, fragile, real—amid what felt like total breakdown, was extraordinary. My path of non-resistance had been tested to its absolute limit… and it held.

Each time I return to that edge—rarely now, and never with the same intensity—I find the same truth waiting:

There is always a way through.And on the other side of that threshold, the heart waits—with the love it carries, always intact. Beneath all fear, Love lies waiting: untouched, eternal, patient.

I have lived—and still live—in quiet tribute to that moment. Each time fear arises, I meet it again with the practice of non-resistance. And each time, I come closer to the truth within my heart:

That even when all seems lost,

Love remains.

Always present.

Always waiting.

Always ready to bring me home.

If You’ve Been Touched by This Work

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Prazosin: The Physiology of Relief

(Part of that way through, for me, was the discovery of a medication called Prazosin. It is widely known in mental health for its off-label use in treating nightmares and sleep disturbances in patients with PTSD—particularly among combat veterans. A lifesaver, in my case. See below for details.)

Receptor Antagonism

Prazosin crosses the blood–brain barrier and binds to alpha-1 adrenergic receptors in the central nervous system—particularly in regions like the amygdala and locus ceruleus, which regulate fear and arousal responses.

Dampening the “Fight-or-Flight” Response

During stress, noradrenaline and adrenaline activate these receptors, heightening alertness, heart rate, and anxiety. By blocking them, prazosin softens these physiological and psychological surges, reducing nightmares and hyperarousal in PTSD patients.

No Production Blockade

Prazosin does not stop adrenaline or noradrenaline from being produced—it simply prevents them from activating the alpha-1 receptors.

HPA Axis Modulation

Activation of these receptors triggers the release of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), which heightens the stress-response axis and cortisol release. By blocking alpha-1 activity, prazosin dampens this chain reaction, sometimes lowering basal cortisol levels and reducing the intensity of stress responses.

Summary

Prazosin acts as a competitive antagonist at alpha-1 adrenoceptors, primarily in the brain, reducing the exaggerated adrenergic stress response and the related cortisol surges during fear or trauma.

If You Are Struggling

If you are experiencing severe fear states or trauma-related anxiety, please reach out. I may be able to share what helped me—offer guidance, and connect you with a support system close to your home. Contact nigel@teaandzen.org ...+1 (206) 769-6725