Hello and welcome.
I'd like you to do a simple experiment with me.
Take a few moments to become aware of your breath.
Notice that each breath is different from the previous one.
The inhale comes and goes.
The exhale comes and goes.
This experiment reveals something insightful.
Everything changes.
In Buddhism,
This truth is called impermanence.
Nothing we experience,
Be that sensations,
Emotions,
Thoughts or circumstances,
Stays the same.
Life unfolds continuously.
I got myself in a head spin the other day,
Thinking about a difficult situation at work that made me feel angry.
At the time it was overwhelming and I thought it would last forever.
When the dust finally settled,
The feeling shifted and passed.
At first I resisted the idea and wanted the anger to disappear immediately.
But when I looked closely,
I could see that change is not the enemy.
In fact,
It makes growth and transformation possible.
When I remember that everything changes,
I don't cling so tightly to any moments.
The good and the difficult ones.
I appreciate the joyful moments in the present and the painful moments I can meet with patience,
Knowing it won't last.
There is freedom in impermanence.
We can flow with it,
Instead of asking life to stay still.
Instead of gripping tightly,
We can embrace our experiences with open gentleness.
Paradoxically,
When we stop trying to freeze life in place,
We often feel more alive.
The experience of children's laughter,
A friend's hug or a brisk walk on a chilly day can become precious because they are temporary.
And because everything changes,
The stress or worry that you carry today does not have to define tomorrow.
Change is not just the nature of life,
But the doorway to possibility.
Thank you for listening.
