[2024 August DCTB Mindfulness Tip]
The pain of change is undeniable. But where does this pain come from? We know everything is transitory. Every day the sun sets and night reveals the stars, only to have the sun rise once again. Clouds form and disperse; the sky above our heads is always different. The seasons shift as the earth turns and moves through the galaxy. New technologies alter our world on a regular basis. Even our bodies are in a continuous state of transformation from moment to moment.
Yet even with all these changes, there is a sense of continuity. Our minds trick us into thinking things are the same day after day. We filter out the small alterations of our environment and our bodies. The decay of buildings and of our bodies remains invisible until they begin to fall apart. We cling to the predictable cycles of night and day. We believe we are the same as we were yesterday.
This illusion allows us to plan and build amazing lives. Without the assumption that the sun will rise and that the objects we interact with will be how they were yesterday, we could not go on as a species or as an individual. So this mind game serves an important purpose. It provides a ground upon which to stand.
As we walk the path of Trikaya Buddhism, we reaffirm that which we already know: the ground is not solid – and neither are we. We watch the mind and we recognize the games being played.
And yet, even as practitioners, when we are confronted by a big change, we resist. There is pain.
If we examine what is happening, we discover the suffering that comes with the pain is caused by our own resistance. We might be ready for something new, yet this resistance still rises. Why?
Resistance to pain itself is healthy and normal. It keeps us safe. After all, in the current mind state, in the current mode of operations, we have survived – so in the logic of the mind, we should do everything in our power to continue the current course exactly as it is.
But our practice requires us to take an honest look at ALL that is happening.
Change is painful because it means we have to learn a new way of being. The neural pathways must shift. Sometimes our physical muscle memory needs to be overwritten. The way in which we interact with the relative world must be redefined. That is a ton of work!
So yes, there is pain. And there is always resistance to any type of pain.
Sometimes changes happen that are not within our control. In this case, we are best served by acknowledging our resistance, reassuring our mind, and getting to work on learning the new system. Then the mind can recreate the game of continuity with the new parameters.
Other times there is a change we want to make because it will help us build a brighter and happier life. For this type of change to occur, we must convince our mind that the pain of change is less than the pain of staying the same.
–> the pain of change must be less than the pain of staying the same <–
Again, we must acknowledge the resistance. We must acknowledge the pain. Then – and only then – can we make the choice to gracefully shift into a new way of being.
By taking the time to have this internal conversation, we are able to make the decision to change. With this firm decision, we align ourselves with the full power of our own being and of the cosmos. Once we have decided, there is no looking back. There is only doing what must be done to bring ourselves into the new reality based on the decision we made. This is what allows us to make extraordinary jumps along the Path.
Are you ready to make a conscious shift into greater awareness? Join us at Dharma Center of Trikaya Buddhism to practice this magical path together!
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