The Nature of Impermanence

Change and impermanence are everywhere present, both in nature and throughout our material world of structure and technology. But nowhere is the ebb and flow of change more intimately felt than in our relationships with friends, family and co-workers, where we find even the most enduring connections can transform in sudden and unexpected ways. Our closest bonds are our most important anchors in life and often provide the lens through which we see not only ourselves, but, to a large extent, the world around us. The mirror held before us through these relationships is most often the truest and clearest and, if we dare look deeply enough, provides an instrument of amazing growth and transformation. When close ties are broken, whether through the transition of death or a simple parting of paths, this same reflection illuminates the way to understanding and acceptance, even while coping with the sting of impermanence.

After the loss of the presence of a dear friend several months ago, I have gazed into this reflected pool on a daily basis and have been given profound insights into the many facets of myself, both light and dark. While challenging, the process unerringly cleared my vision, allowing me to see the underlying elements of our friendship and the roles we played with, and for, each other. While the change is not one I would have consciously chosen, I now embrace a fuller, richer view and have come to a peaceful resolution within myself.

I’ve come to see that nothing of substance is ever lost, it merely changes form. The bonds between people create their own unique energy, a living essence borne of their connection. The love, growth and expansion experienced within a deep and loving relationship remain forever whole, and alive, integrated fully within the heart. If untouched by anger and judgement, this energy holds forever every laugh, every smile, and every shared profound moment, and is able to flow freely through your heart and into your life.

Many lessons have revealed themselves throughout this process… lessons I will be integrating for some time, no doubt. But, as a whole, I’ve learned to open my heart more readily to the unfolding mysteries of change; to grasp, a little more deeply, the divine wisdom that speaks through the faces and events of my daily life; and to honor more fully the sacredness of the present moment against the ever-changing backdrop of life itself. Perhaps the greatest gift of impermanence is one of providing a catalyst for an essential shift in perception, allowing us to adopt a higher perspective and revealing the beauty of transformation inherent within its very nature.

Namaste