Impermanence
Impermanence
Impermanence underlies the ever-changing foundation of all of life’s creation. When you see a green leaf ripe on the tree, impermanence is to recognize that leaf will one day turn brown and fall to the ground. Impermanence is to see the moving nature within all things and understand it is susceptible to change, whether this is life, objects or things felt within you, anything and everything in life will change at one point or another.
Impermanence is to recognize the constant fluctuating nature of each and every object and scenario within your life. To understand impermanence at its roots we must first pay attention to the evermoving nature of all things. A wall before you, although perceived to be a still inanimate object is actually taking effect to constant fluctuation. Atoms which represent a wall before us are constantly changing and rearranging before us, though this minute change is not within our human perception. This is a foundation of impermanence, things are always changing, and everything will change as this is their innate nature. When it is understood that a wall is constantly moving, to the point one day it will fall to become dust and rubble, this is what it means to understand the fluctuating nature of all of life, and instead of resist it, we can flow with it instead. We too are a representation of impermanence, our body’s everchanging to the point one day they perish, nothing more than a decomposing corpse in the ground. If our body too is susceptible to change this means we are evermoving. Atoms in the wall too represent atoms in ourselves, if these atoms in the wall represent the same evermoving atoms within oneself, fluctuating constantly through the process of impermanence then all in life is moving together, flowing together and always changing. To notice this and flow with this moment of continuous change is to come into realization of the constantly fluctuating aspect of life.
Impermanence in Life
Everything is subject to change. When we hold onto something, we are more in fear of losing it, instead of appreciating it as it is before us in the moment. Impermanence tells us that all is susceptible to change. Each and every aspect of your life is and always will be changing and there is no preventing this. When we embrace and encourage each of our experiences, good and bad, yet with the realization that life and people in it are always changing then we learn to love things while with them in the moment, but without the need for them to be a constant within our lives. If everything is changing constantly with each second of every day then to resist this constant flux is to resist the reality of existence. When we demand control over the nature of change, we welcome demise and suffering to our doorstep as life is uncontrollable, the more stability we command, the harder our grip eludes us away from the everchanging nature of all life. We expect things to stay the same, when they will not, when we turn to this fact we can begin to allow ourselves to flow with and accept the aspect of continual change without clinging too heavily to things, people or events, as we know it is subject to change. We flow with an acknowledgment of impermanence in all things, we understand that when change occurs it is a natural process that is replicated in all things of the universe. When change occurs this is just another part in the experience of the life we live.
Impermanence in Being
Nothing is permanent, the thoughts, feelings, emotions you display in this moment will change, and is, in fact changing at each moment of every day. It is not about clinging to one emotion and dismissing another, it is about flowing with the changing nature of all emotions. Nor clinging to one thought or another but allowing thought to flow like an endless stream in a river, in and out, the same water never taking to idleness in the same location. Tomorrow you will feel different from today, a year from now you too will have changed, this is also a representation of impermanence. The feelings of being sick one day will dissipate in another, the thoughts in that moment will no longer be the thoughts which obtain the next. If mind and feeling are in constant flux then the command to stabilize them becomes overwhelming. It is not about stabilizing and controlling but rather flowing with this nature of reality which will provide the comfort and solitude you seek. A rock in the cold, is the same as a rock before a heater, it does not waver to its surroundings yet is in acceptance with the environment in which it is placed. Navigate with the environments you are in, obtain acceptance in the thoughts and emotions which you feel in any given moment and know that this environment and these thoughts are impermanent, being adaptable to change in any given moment. This gives us permission to no longer reject aspects of life which do not currently suit you, but rather understand it will change and the best we can do is be in acceptance of all these feelings in the moment we are currently in. To see and feel what is before you is a part of life, the only real part of life that is with you in the current moment, cherish it and at the very least attempt to accept it.
Summary
Impermanence represents all things in life. All is impermanent and is subject to change, as we too are impermanent and will change. The best way to navigate life knowing that all is in constant flux is to flow with the continual impermanence of life through the current moment, as this moment we are in is the only part of our lives we are ever truly experiencing and can be certain of. Be with acceptance of the moment, flow with the impermanence of life.
