All things change.
We're taught this from the time we're young.
But do we ever explore the truth of it?
There's only one thing that is guaranteed in life and that's that all things change.
This used to really light me up.
The idea that nothing is known,
Everything changes led me to explore the world and hold it all lightly throughout my 20s.
Gradually,
As I settled down in life,
I had an awakening to the real truth.
All things die.
And this led me to explore how I live.
If I am to die,
Then I want a life of purpose,
One filled with love and deep meaning.
I was on a different path,
A path filled with facing the impermanent nature of life itself.
While this was a deep and poignant truth,
It also opened up my relationship with myself and others.
I wanted to be fully aware of the small moments.
I wanted to live a life that's useful and let go of all the second darts I'd been throwing.
Exploring the impermanent nature of all things and accepting this truth has supported me on this path.
Just this exploration of impermanence is enough.
I hope it helps you on your path.
Begin by taking a few deep breaths and land in the body,
Slowly transitioning your attention to here now,
From then and there,
Allowing the body to soften into a comfortable meditation posture.
And through each exhale,
Pouring ease and relaxation from the top of your head,
Down your front and back body,
Through your arms,
Hands,
And fingers,
Through your arms,
Hands,
And fingers,
Then moving through the pelvis,
Hips,
Down your legs,
All the way into your feet and each toe,
Being this body in this posture,
Awake and relaxed.
Just this soft body being here and moving your awareness to your natural breath,
Becoming aware of the sensations of the breath,
Moving into your body,
Through your body,
And then leaving your body.
Aware of the small pause between the top of your breath,
Aware of the small pause between the top of your breath,
And again at the bottom of your breath,
This cycle of moving sensation of breath,
No breath,
Breath,
No breath,
This natural experience of breathing.
And notice the felt sensations within the body as you become still.
So turning inward to sensations arising and passing,
Healing into each sensation without evaluating or analyzing whether it's pleasant or unpleasant,
Just this sensation.
Muscles,
Tissues,
Twitch,
Tingle,
Throb,
Skin experiencing shifts in temperature and maybe responding.
Each sensation is as unique as snowflakes,
Just this sensation flowing into this sensation,
Just this as it is.
Mental formations may also enter awareness,
Thoughts,
Moods.
Notice the movement of the mind,
Never still,
Just formations meandering through awareness,
Nothing to cling to,
No need to push away,
Observing the weather of the mind.
Maybe it's a calm,
Clear day,
Or maybe thunderheads are moving through a darkening afternoon,
Nothing to do but observe,
Because you cannot control weather.
Take a lesson from nature and make the choice to not control the patterns of the mind,
Just this internal weather of the mind.
Now opening awareness to include whatever is arising.
So receiving all things arising and passing,
Serving whatever is most prominent moment to moment,
Knowing that all things are impermanent by nature,
So letting go of the inclination to want anything to be other than just this,
For soon it will be other than this.
Awareness of all things and the nature of impermanence itself,
Awareness of just this is enough.
As you sit in awareness of all things,
Become the silent witness of the impermanent nature of it all.
All that is within the body and mind,
All that is external,
The very nature of life is that it is impermanent.
The very nature of life is that it is impermanent.
So while there may be pain in the body,
Heart,
Or mind,
Know that it is impermanent,
It will change.
In this knowing,
You lessen your suffering.
And just this is enough.
