When we embrace the reality of impermanence, understanding that everything is impermanent, we open to a refuge of deep inner peace.
Breathe into the freedom of accepting that everything is impermanent.
10,000 joys, 10,000 sorrows –Chuang Tzu
The tendency of the mind is to cling to the idea that a moment of joy or a moment of suffering will last forever, and this causes us disappointment when the moment of joy fades and anxiety when we believe that the suffering will never end.
Meditation on Impermanence
Consider reflecting on the impermanence of all things. When you experience a moment of joy, try being fully present in the joy without clinging to it. When you experience a moment of suffering, try turning toward it and being fully present in the suffering without turning away or trying to escape. Can you feel the freedom of this realization?
When we aware of our own impermanence and mortality, we free ourselves to focus on what matters most. This supports our wellbeing.
Remind yourself that the quality of the suffering will change with time, and try releasing any fixed ideas or fears that you may have about it being unchanging or unending. Try cultivating the capacity to be present with whatever arises in this moment and the next, embracing the 10,000 joys and 10,000 sorrows that this life brings.
Mindfulness practice supports us in meeting life’s difficult moments more skillfully and more fully embracing the moments of joy. Cultivating positive emotional states, such as joy, gratitude, love, compassion, and awe, encourages positive mental and emotional states, which nurtures our overall wellbeing.
Try meeting life’s difficult moments with an open heart, remembering that this too, shall pass. And try savoring life’s moments of sweetness while they are here in the moment, without clinging to them and craving more, because they, too, will come and go.
Mindful Journaling practice: Try writing in your journal about what matters most. Journaling prompt: Given that life is impermanent, what matters most to you? What do you want to be known for? How will you make meaning from your life in ways that benefit you, others, and the Earth?
Contact Jen to schedule a free 15-minute mindfulness coaching consultation.