As we evolve through the human transformation from one state of being to another, change is ever-present. Through many pivots of life as we know it, as penned in history, as in a constant flow towards the future, what we believe to be a permanent fixture, is impermanence.
Where we go from here to there has infinite paths from which we can choose to follow. Blindly stumbling along with beliefs and perceptions etched into the surface of the face of the mirror image, invaluable nuggets, and the beckoning call for eyes to be wide open are kept hidden behind the Shakespearean masks.
To dive deep, as a discovery journey, and face an ever-churning tide that polishes even the smallest of knowledge and wisdom, an awareness not known before, will be born.
Impermanence, in the Buddhist view, comprises the totality of conditioned existence, ranging in scale from the cosmic to the microscopic and then back inward. The reflection within the mirrors of time and space can leave scars, pain, and suffering, but also show us what is needed to find new paths that will not repeat the same patterns of mankind. Instead, remove the chains that bind us, giving way to a freedom yet to be experienced.
A freedom of the mind, body, and soul.
A freedom of the spirit, to feel unencumbered by the grip of what was and the teasing of what could be.
A freedom to express, without judgment, what is calling us to rise above and climb the highest mountain reclaiming joy, peace, and happiness.
Chaos reveals a multi-universe of eternal dimensions expanding, contracting, evolving, and disintegrating in repetitive cycles throughout an everlasting circle of endings and new beginnings.
We cannot escape immortality, the daily reminder that the space between birth and death gets smaller each day. Sometimes the breath of life is inhaled entangled with input from the external world, coupled with no breath suppressing what is not meant to be ingested, then exhaled with a push of exhaustion.
Impermanence reminds us to reflect on moment to moment, recognizing change is a natural part of growth, rebounding from each setback. In the now, the present fades away as quickly as it appears.
Trying to hold tight marks the start of what will become the next battle to fight and surrender to that which magnetically pulls you into the future. All things combined, the material form, feeling, perception, mental mind, and consciousness, lay the foundation of what the cause and effect will produce.
Seeing beyond sight, listening beyond words, and feeling without touch eliminates the noise and interference. You will gain a new perspective of impermanence minimizing the impact of letting go and allowing something different into your life.
In the face of change, the old will dissolve and a new frontier will be explored. True change will not walk us backwards in time or take us in circles rehashing the past.
Imagine letting go of the reins, so tightly wrapped around your wrists, and sense the potential of what is waiting just on the other side of progress…..
Thanks to impermanence, everything is possible.
~Thich Nhat Hanh
Very eloquently expressed, Eileen!
Thank you Maria!