Impermanence

9 posts

existentialism

Existentialism Within the Flow of Life

Existentialism is a word that expresses something we can commonly call, how we live here and now. Furthermore, we live best when we fully live within the moment. Thus, we are responsible for how we live through the act of conscious or unconscious beingness.

existentialism

Philosophers throughout our history share a mutual understanding that we co-create the manifestation of life. Furthermore, our participation in life is either active or passive (conscious or unconscious). This basically suggests that being aware of, and actively participating within, this moment results in life becoming authentic. Wikipedia shares the following information about two of these philosophers. I paraphrase the excepts. 

Søren Kierkegaard (1813 – 1855) was a Danish philosopher. He is regarded as the first existentialist philosopher, though he did not use the term existentialism. He proposed that each individual—not society or religion—is solely responsible for giving meaning to life and living it passionately and sincerely, or ‘authentically’.

Jean-Paul Charles Aymard Sartre (1905 – 1980) was a French philosopher. He wrote. At first man is nothing. Only afterward will he be something, and he himself will have made what he will be.
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presence

The Presence of Life and You

What smacks you in the face every moment of every day? You can’t avoid it. And yet, you often do anything and everything possible to escape it. My reference is to presence. You can go from here to there, eat, sleep or play. Nevertheless, it is always now. Still, most people usually don’t actively participate in the space of here and now. Often, people want to avoid the presence within this moment.

presence

Nevertheless, sometimes details within a given moment do make us joyful. But, the mind generates this joy. And, it is temporary. The moment is now, although even to label this moment in any way is not wise. Of course, this is also true of any detail within now. To consider this blink of an eye as good or bad, joyful or sad is to overlook its essence. Presence is the simple, undefined act of being. Nothing more and nothing less. Continue reading

allow

Allow Life to Flow and Just Let Go

Count the number of situations for one day that you don’t like. The total number might surprise you. Your boss gives you a task that you do not like. There is a traffic jam on the highway that angers you. You must wait in a line to pay for your groceries. It seems impossible to simply allow and accept. So, the list of things you don’t like goes on and on. Still, from time to time, there is a moment when everything is just right. Then, at least for this brief interval, you are happy. Or, at least this is what the mind tells you.

But, true happiness and satisfaction never really come. Thus, dissatisfaction comes again one minute later. Why? Mainly because you attach yourself to any, and everything. And, you expect and demand. Instead of accept and appreciate. The majority of people do this daily at some level. On the other hand, how would any experience change when you just allow and receive whatever the situation holds?

allow

Allow and acknowledge the isness of this moment. Trust me when I share with you that this is the simplest act of living life. All discomforts, barriers and suffering fade away. Hence, you discover a calm spaciousness during any thought, feeling or situation. Likewise, spaciousness and stillness are possible in any situation, regardless of the details. This is the feeling of coming home. This dimension is where the true self resides. Let’s reflect on this insight during the remainder of the article. Continue reading

mortality

Mortality and the Mind Quest for Eternity

This one eternal moment appears to structure a framework of hours, days, months and years. This is, however, an illusion. We can only experience anything now. And, this moment is not to give or take.  Being is. Thus, presence is being the isness of now. And, how you experience presence is your choice. You decide. Nevertheless, mind-created concepts such as mortality invokes fear. Why? Because the mind bases everything on concepts of time, matter, and space. And, the mind attempts to entrap us within these thoughts, definitions, and labels.

mortality

The mind conjures up many scenarios about our existence. Whereas, the mind depicts impermanence as bad. But, what if it were possible to go beyond mind-generated thoughts of mortality? Instead, let’s envision the eternity within this moment. Our conscious awareness of presence is the gateway to this vibrating realm of energy. 

Yes, of course, there are ailments of the body. And, any life-form is also susceptible to injury or death. Nevertheless, this is the unfolding of a nature occurrence. This is what it means to be an object of life. However, being is the simple act of being. Nothing more and nothing less. Being is not being happy, healthy, sad, or sick. But, the mind insists that to be means you have to be something. So, our practice is to focus on conscious presence. Instead of mind intervention. To be is enough. Everything else will fall into its nature order. Continue reading

impermanence

Impermanence Is Being Whatever Will Be

Doris Day shares useful insight in her song Que Sera, Sera Whatever Will Be Will Be. Do the lyrics offer us a gateway to presence? Yes. Did the song writer intend for the song to be a signpost to conscious living? Who knows for sure? However, the songs philosophical ramifications are clearly evident. Likewise, whatever will be in our state of being indicates awareness to the space of impermanence. 

impermanence

Impermanence (anicca) is the first of three Buddhism characteristics of existence and being. Dissatisfaction or suffering (dukkha) is the second. The third Basis Marks of Existence according to Buddhism is non-self (anattā). These three are focus points of the Buddhist Four Noble Truths and Noble Eightfold Path.

Here are the Buddhists Three Basic Marks of Existence.

  1. Saṅkhāras (conditioned things) are impermanent.
  2. Saṅkhāras are unsatisfactory.
  3. dharmas (conditioned or unconditioned things) are not self.

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overdramatize

Overdramatize How You Live, but Why?

Do you like drama? Consider this question reflectively before you answer. People love to overdramatize. We literally thrive on making a mountain out of a mole hill. Most experiences are taking out of proportion. And, we usually exaggerating the details of a situation. For example, remain still and observe your reactions to the above sentences. Are you (mind) adversely interpreting what I have written? This is to say, you might take what I have written as something personal. This is because we take most things very personal. Even when something has nothing to do with us.

overdramatize

But, this is not how the mind sees a situation. Thoughts will tell you fabricated stories about an experience. Naturally, the mind bases everything on memories, anticipations, and fear. Thus, conditioned behavior causes you to overemphasize your role in whatever is unfolding. Hence, you overdramatize.  Pause here and again observe the mind. Do you recall any situation that caused anxiety, stress or fear? I personally can confirm that this has happened to me at least once today.  Continue reading

Is Happiness the Key to Life? Are You Chasing It?

I recently received an email from someone. The topic and questions within this email related to happiness and lack of it in daily experiences. Please deeply reflect on your understanding of happiness before you continue reading. What does this word mean to you? Are you looking for contentment but think it is hard to find? Do you expect to find happiness through a materialistic object or a relationship with someone or something? The very act of searching and expecting will result in unhappiness.

happiness

This type of mindset is toxic. Such behavior restricts object consciousness and ultimately, universal consciousness. This person wrote in the email that it is impossible to change someone. And, the email continue with this statement. However, it is possible to change yourself to make other people happy. Please reread these sentences and consider your own experiences. Are you unknowingly trying to make others happy? Continue reading

Raining Cats and Other Illusions

You may be familiar with the adage It’s raining cats and dogs. This describes an intense rain storm. Likewise, we can use this to illustrate the heavy shower of our thoughts. This mind-made downpour can saturate and literally drown object consciousness.

raining

How do we deal with this turbulent storm of raining thoughts? We usually sit in a rescue boat constructed of similar thoughts. However, the mind tells us that you will escape the rain by clinging to a particular thought. Nevertheless, these toss us back and forth like waves on the water. So, what do we do? The raining storm continues. A shower of thoughts is soaking us. We sought shelter in a boat made of them. Oh no! It looks like we are going down with the ship. Continue reading

temporary

Temporary Static: Here Today Gone Tomorrow

You are a temporary object manifesting energy in this moment. Therefore, you are alive. This, in itself, is wonderful. However, is it significant? We can consider this relatively and absolutely. The former is no and the latter is yes. Nevertheless, acknowledging and accepting this temporal state can provide a stepping stone to infinity.

temporary

Yet, we can only truly realize immortality by going beyond object generated static. Nonetheless, our daily situations often seem very ominous; even devastating. This is because of the personal and collective mind conditioning accumulated over hundreds of thousands of years (clock time). Now is forever. The current situation is temporary. How do we realize the temporary insignificance of any given situation? Firstly, deeply understand that the form is always different. This is true, regardless how the mind interprets something. Static is Static. It interferes with our awareness of the unity shared by all things. Continue reading