Everything in life is temporary, even this life itself. This is essentially impermanence. When you look up the definition of the word impermanence, the Web provides that it is “the state or fact of lasting for only a limited period of time.” Impermanence is also included in various spiritual beliefs, which hold that all existence is inconstant. I find this concept to be very intriguing.
I recently purchased a shirt that reads “Impermanence is the only reality.” If we take a deeper dive into impermanence, we discover that it is very freeing. How can we be freed by the fact that nothing is permanent? Easily! When we think about situations that we are currently facing which are challenging, depressing, or negative in any way, we can rest assured that these situations will eventually change. They are simply temporary experiences. It is in these moments that we should be fully present to observe and learn as much as we can from the situations. Our responsibility is to LEARN from everything that we experience. Think of this life as a school in which we’ve been placed to learn and expand the energies and capabilities of our thoughts.
We need to be exposed to as many experiences as possible in order to gain the necessary wisdom. For us to be exposed to lots of different experiences, nothing can remain the same for very long. Change is inevitable. Some people do not like change. They prefer to settle into a life where things are fairly consistent and routine, but life does not operate under these dynamics for very long. Before we know it something unexpected shows up in our lives and takes us in a new direction that we hadn’t anticipated before. When I was 27, I was having the time of my life as an independent woman. I was dating, working, shopping, and spending time with friends. I was like a butterfly, beautiful and free to flutter about wherever I wished. Then one day I discovered that I was pregnant. I was going to be a mom, and it was at that point where my life was going to change in a very pivotal way. My time as a young single independent lady was inconstant. I would be transformed into a responsible mother of a newborn.
Even our bodies are inconstant. We continuously change physically. When we are born, our bodies are completely dependent on others to tend to. Our caregivers must feed, bathe, and move us. As we grow, our bodies begin to strengthen, and we find ourselves able to now crawl and pull at things. Soon we are able to walk, then run. In adolescence, our bodies make other incredible changes. A boy’s voice deepens, and he grows more hair all over. A girl begins to look and behave more like a woman with the start of menstruation. In our young adult lives, our physique is strong and attractive. It is normally during this time that we attempt to find a mate. In our main adult years, we often become parents and work hard…both of these leave their impact on our physical self. As we age, our hair starts to lose its color. Our bodies are not as resilient as they were in our youth. Once our elder years set in, we no longer have the strength nor endurance that we once did. We become more prone to disease. Each disease that we battle in life is temporary, leading us to either recover from the ailment or to die. Our physical evolution continues all the way until the day of our death (and even beyond this until we are dust/ash). This holds true for all living beings: humans, animals, plants, etc. Our body is our best companion all throughout our life, and it changes all along the way. Each physical phase is temporary.
The people in our lives are also impermanent. We may start out with our parents, but they only have a limited amount of time in our lives. Generally, we outlive our parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc. They play a role in our lives, and we learn from them. As we grow, they age. As they age, their temporary time in our lives becomes more apparent. Once they die, we discover how truly fleeting life is. It is this reality that the people in our lives are temporary, which should drive us to appreciate each and every one that we encounter along our life path. Yes, there are certain people that we love dearly and wish they could live forever. However, there are other people who we are not as fond of. For example, if you have had a toxic partner or a belittling boss, these people normally come and go from our lives. Once they are out of our life path, we may feel a sense of relief. Good riddance! This illustrates how freeing the factor of impermanence can be. We must remind ourselves that those who come into our lives and cause us upset in any way, won’t necessarily be there forever. Their role in our lives is temporary.
Being a student is a short-lived portion of our lives. Striving in our career is also an impermanent part of our lives. Realizing that these aspects of our lives don’t go on forever, though it may feel that they do while we are in the throes of them, may free us from lots of stress, anxiety, and expectation. We study to learn, and we work to earn. Even retirement is experienced for a short period in our lifetime. Enjoy these experiences while you are able to and be sure to absorb as much knowledge as you can from each of them.
There is a downside to impermanence. Although it liberates us from having to face difficult situations forever, it also prevents us from enjoying wonderful situations for very long. There are moments in our lives that we wish could go on forever because we feel happy, calm, peaceful, safe, and loved. We all have experiences that we relive in our minds because they made us feel incredible. This can be something as simple as holding your brand-new baby for the very first time. The first kiss with someone you adore. The funny incident that you will never forget with a loved one or cherished friend. There are multiple moments in our lives that we recall, and often wish that we could relive. Likewise, there are many experiences in our lives that we recollect and are grateful that we do not need to relive. The death of a loved one, for example, may be an experience that you do not wish to remember regularly. Feeling shocked and hurt by the discovery that your partner was cheating on you may very well be a time that you are happy to put behind you. Or maybe that sudden accident, that caused all sorts of problems. These are but a few examples of occurrences in our lives in which impermanence becomes our friend.
Unfortunately, the rule of impermanence also applies to our overall life. We are alive in this life form only temporarily. Some people die at a young age, while others live into their elder years. Regardless, our lives do come to an end. Our existence as we have it now, comes to a close. I do believe that our life energy (some may call it a soul) carries on into the next realm, but its time in this particular body, in this exact place and time is no more. Our life energy may continue in a different physical form someplace else at another point in time. Everyone forms their own version of what comes after this life ends. This is the true mystery.
With the notion that impermanence is a factor throughout our life, and everything is temporary, we should feel a sense of freedom to be adventurous and undertake many of the opportunities that life presents to us. There is no reason to be doubtful or hesitant to try new ventures. Some of these may prove to be successful and wonderful experiences, while others prove to be amazing learning opportunities. What a welcoming thought, that we can try anything, at least for a temporary amount of time, and if it doesn’t work out that’s ok because it was just a passing part of our lives anyway. Something that we chose to take on, to learn from, and become wiser. Wisdom is priceless and cannot be taken from you; it’s yours to keep or share.
When we think of all the good and bad that we’ve experienced, we begin to see the clear sign of impermanence that casually flows through our lives. People, pets, illnesses, jobs, relationships, places of residence, are all impermanent components in our overall life. Our bodies are temporary, and sometimes even our minds are impermanent…as any Alzheimer’s patient’s family member would tell you. With all this in mind, it is incredibly important to embrace the present moment. The here and now. Presence and mindfulness have become popular topics. Living fully in the moment…mind, body, and heart. Using all of our senses to fully take in what we are experiencing and feeling. The next time you find yourself complaining about a certain person or situation, stop and realize that “this too shall pass.” Embrace the valuable moments with loved ones and enjoy every aspect within this lifetime each step of the way.
Impermanence frees us from mental and emotional shackles. We can break away from the somber feelings of something unpleasant, like an unfulfilling job, lasting a long time in our lives, and reminds us that this experience will be short-lived in the scheme of our entire lifetime. We should be fearless and bold to take on whatever we feel like doing in our lives. Whether you want to live abroad, write a book, launch a business, try working in a different industry, go for it!!!! You can always go backwards, or you can be adventurous and try new things without feeling permanently stuck. The liberation that comes with knowing we can try anything, and if we don’t end up liking it, we have the ability to stop and switch gears and try something else. In the work example, someone may venture to launch a business that they’ve envisioned, and later they can reevaluate whether this venture is still something that they care to continue or to sell off or to close out altogether. We are in the driver’s seat. We can benefit from the fact that everything is temporary and go along with the flow of our desires/interests. Making changes that benefit us all along the path. It’s exciting to think that we are not bound to anything if we choose not to be. Relationships, health, jobs, places of residence, all can be changed and will change thanks to impermanence.