When we meditate on impermanence and death,
It's not to make us feel miserable and depressed about the realities of life.
Far from it.
It's to make us aware of how things are always changing,
So that we can release our grip,
Our grasping onto people and things in our lives that we want to last.
Because it will undoubtedly bring us pain.
This is what we call attachment.
So understanding impermanence helps us let go.
And we bring death into this because death is inevitable and yet in our society we tend to pretend it doesn't really happen to us,
But to others.
We pretend that it's not going to happen for such a long time we don't have to think about it.
But actually,
Not thinking about it makes an unhealthy mind that again grasps on to an idea of ourselves and doesn't allow ourselves to develop freely.
Both body as it ages and decays or gets sick and dies.
And especially our consciousness,
Our mind,
Which will move on out of this body and into a new life.
So make your preparation and your motivation based on these ideas.
Bring the word impermanence into your mind and consider what that means to you.
Perhaps you can reflect on people and events that have come and gone already for you.
Can you think of anything in the universe that is permanent?
Anything in your life that you can absolutely say this will never change?
Is there anything that is unchanging from moment to moment?
Is there anything about you,
Your body,
Your emotional state,
Your state of mind,
Is that unchanging?
Perhaps you have children or no children,
Families with children,
How quickly the babies grow.
One minute they're a baby,
Then they're a toddler,
And then they're talking and walking.
How quickly the time goes,
How much they change.
Is there anything about them that is totally unchanging?
Of course they will have their own character,
Their own personality,
But is that really unchanging?
Do you think that you live your life with the awareness of impermanence?
That your friends will always be your friends?
That your partner will always be the same partner?
Do your attachments to your body,
Your figure,
Your health,
Your physical wellbeing,
Your possessions,
Your home,
Your partner,
Your children,
Your attachments to them,
Understand what that means?
You're dependent on them for your happiness.
Considering the nature of impermanence,
Is that reliable?
How do you feel when you lose or circumstances change so that you are separated from who and what you love?
Do you have any control over change?
If you start to feel discomfort in your body as you consider your lack of control,
Just observe it.
Take some mindful breaths until the feelings pass.
Can you look at an event in your life when you were shocked to experience separation from who and what you loved?
How did that feel?
Make that feeling now.
Which is impermanent and then let it pass.
Now consider that one day you will die,
You do not know when or how,
All you know that death is definite.
Sit with that feeling.
Is there fear?
What are you afraid of losing?
Do you think that by regularly reminding yourself that everything is impermanent and death will come,
Could you change the feeling of dread and fear into something more positive?
Understanding the continuity of consciousness,
Understanding that we have no control over change.
Sit again with the feeling that death is a part of life and there will be new beginnings,
New attachments to people and things and places and they too will be there for a while and then gone making room for more beginnings.
Think about this cycle.
Beginnings lasting endings.
Consider that all we can be certain of is what we have now in this moment and that we can make so much use of it.
We can transform our minds,
We can transform our attitudes and by throwing that stone into the pool of our being the ripples will go out and change everything.
Yesterday is gone and there is nothing to be gained by dwelling on it with melancholy and nostalgia.
Tomorrow is uncertain and cannot be relied upon to actually happen in the way we expect.
Today is here,
Today is ours and therefore special.
Make a personal determination like a dedication of your meditation to you making the most of every day of your life and trying to live as fully in the moment as you can,
Releasing your grip on attachments to everything and everyone allowing your life to flow like a river.
