Flexibility & Change
Three thoughts:
A stagnant sense of identity can make life harder. Seeing your sense of self as something that never changes goes against the natural river of change that moves through existence. Allowing yourself the space for transformation – to build new habits, to have new ideas or perspectives, to let go of old ways of being – will support you as you move through the ups and downs of life. An identity that is flexible will encourage your flourishing and support you in discovering new parts of yourself. Attempting to stay the same is a form of attachment that brings little security and causes much mental tension. If everything in existence is powered by change, our only option is to embrace it and let its movement inspire our evolution.
Every attachment is a form of rebellion against impermanence. Wanting things or people to exist in a very specific way is difficult to achieve when all we can truly control is ourselves. Attachment often manifests in the mind first and then permeates into the external world as control. Because everything is always changing, there is little chance for us to fulfill every craving that we have. If we are always being driven by our cravings, then we are spending too much time in our imagination and far too little time in the present moment. Presence is possible when we are actively observing what is real within us and around us. A deep presence not only requires self-awareness, but it also requires a degree of selflessness so that you can take in what is happening without projecting onto it.
You don’t need to hit rock bottom to initiate your own great transformation. Some people definitely hit rock bottom and then find the energy within themselves to transform, but many also come to a point where they just deeply realize that they can be happier, that they can have less anxiety or sadness, and that they can benefit from having more mental clarity so they can make better decisions. Transformations are activated in different ways; it does not serve you to try to match someone else’s journey. You are always better off finding what meets your emotional history where it is at and beginning from there. Move at your own speed and let your unique story unfold.
Clarity & Connection:
Clarity & Connection picks up right where Inward finishes, it continues offering reflective material for the individual and expands into the world of relationships. One of the ways to measure the maturity of our personal transformation is by seeing if the depth of our friendships and intimate connections has expanded. Our ability to connect naturally becomes deeper the more we know and love ourselves.
Journal Prompt:
What was the point when you realized that you could benefit from healing and needed to transform? Are you able to honor your past and simultaneously allow yourself to be flexible so that your story can continue to evolve in organic ways? What attachments are currently slowing down your evolution?
Book Recommendation:
An incredibly eye-opening book that inspired me to take meditation more seriously is The Art of Dying. It tells the story of different meditators who came to the end of their lives and how they handled their final moments. I found it incredibly inspiring and refreshing since death is a part of life that often feels hidden and not often talked about.