Being in the mountains is an excellent example of impermanence. One moment it looks like a blue sky, with no worries in sight; then, all of a sudden, dark clouds are upon you, and you have to ensure you are safe.
Another example is glaciers on this earth. They existed for hundreds of thousands of years, and we are slowly getting to a point where they are melting below our feet. It's due to how we live with all the carbon dioxide, greenhouse gas emissions, and other reasons for changing the climate in the long run.
Then there is our body. As we grow up, we feel immortal. Nothing could stop us, we can eat what we want, how much we want, and exercise as irregular as we want, and almost nothing seems to affect it (possibly still unhappy with how we look and feel though that's for another topic 😉).
And like with the glaciers, we won't know how good we had it until later in life.
Today's post reminds us of how our bodies are changing over the years and moving with the changes instead of resisting them. We can't keep our bodies in one particular way, no matter how our habits impact us positively, including constant adjustments. Especially when illness and injuries cross our path, we are quickly reminded of how vulnerable and impermanent we are. How can we cherish what we have now and not regret what we wish we had before something changes?
The answer to this lies in the act and practice of presence awareness. When we can let go of the past, our wishful thinking of the present and future, and embrace where we are, we are more likely to shift with the changes and make the necessary adaptations. Obviously, certain habits could prolong our bodily satisfaction, yet, our habits are not the only determination of where we will be in the future. The frame of mind that I can always count on is seeing how things are and accepting the impermanence of it.
As our bodies change, our minds have a more challenging time adjusting. We have more influence on how these thoughts of us can drive us. When we practice awareness of our thoughts without judgment, we can support ourselves more when the distance between body and mind increases. When I witness how challenging it is when our mental state is still connected to our past self and our bodies have moved on, we discover the significance of the internal communication between them. Staying à jour with our thoughts and actions, we will be able to be more graceful and kind to ourselves and others whom we might depend on. It is a tough situation to move from independence to listening and accepting.
This post is the beginning of our journey to surrender our lives fully. The sooner we can access this offering, the sooner we can live with more joy and peace. This path leads us to forgiveness for all the wrong-doings and the harm we lived through. Forgiveness is here to let go of what holds us back and help us move forward. Once we can see the heart and love we all carry, the easier it becomes to live life fully without a sense of missing out and discovering the beauty there is in this present moment.
Join me on a bi-weekly basis when we practice to let our thoughts be present.