Facing Change

Growth is painful.  Change is painful. But nothing is as painful as staying stuck somewhere you don’t belong.  – Mandy Hale

You might have noticed that everything changes.  Things change, people change, the weather changes and our beliefs change.  The pre-Socratic philosopher Heraclitus said “The only constant is change.”  He said that a long time ago but now we live in an age of accelerated change.  Sometimes for the better sometimes not – at least according to our temporary judgements.  Our view and opinions also change as we receive more information.

We are always going through a process of growth and evolution.  When we are younger growth takes place on the outside, within our bodies as they develop.  As we get older we evolve in terms of consciousness.  If we are blessed, we develop wisdom.  If not we might get to try again next lifetime. 

The Buddha referred to this process of constant change as “impermanence.”  Like Buddha, Patanjali addresses impermanence in the Yoga Sutras.  “One who is truly wise,” he states, “realizes that all experience is fraught with suffering due to change.”  He goes on to identify the different aspects of change. 

Change occurs in the objects of our experience.  For example your favorite cup might get broken, or your favorite show get cancelled.  Your lover might have a change of heart and leave or your beloved pet might die.  When we get attached to a certain object we become vulnerable to disappointment and grief.  This is a natural part of our humanness.  Wisdom teaches us that “all things must pass.” 

Another source of suffering is our expectations.  We think something should be as we want it to be and it’s not.  For example: we are in a hurry to get somewhere and run into a traffic jam.  Or maybe we expect people to be more kind and considerate when they’re not.  Expectations are within our minds not within the objects we encounter.  Of course, it is always nice when things turn out the way we want them to be.

Suffering also results from our conditioning, from our past experiences.  We have all suffered some past trauma that can insinuate its way into our present experience.  This can be a big problem in relationships.  It can impair one’s ability to trust or impair one’s judgement as to whom to trust.  Past conditioning keeps us from being open to life as it is.  Life is an adventure; it’s fraught with uncertainty.  It’s neither good nor bad, it just is. 

Our mind(s) create the outward representation that we call reality.  Mind is an instrument of consciousness.  Nothing that we experience is ultimately real.  Instead it is the ever-changing expression of energy which is inherently unstable.  If the energy were stable nothing would ever happen.  Within each of us however there is a center of inner peace and bliss.  Beyond our anxious thoughts and painful memories there is an inner place of silent sanctuary. 

When we are able to establish our mind in that inner source of peace and joy we become impervious to the changing conditions of this world.  At the same time we can witness and enjoy the ongoing transformations of energy that comprise our experience.  Ultimately we come to understand that change, like death, is an illusion and that consciousness alone is real.