Change is the Only Constant

It's said that there was once a king, who asked his servant to bring him a mystical ring that he'd only heard of in legends. The king told his servant that looking upon this ring would turn a joyous man sad, and would cause a sad man to be filled with joy. While the servant was skeptical, he went off to find such an amazing item.

The servant searched for months, and one day came upon an old, weathered jeweler. He asked the jeweler if he'd ever heard of this mystical ring, and described to him that powers that it supposedly had. The jeweler paused, and picking up a plain, simple golden ring, engraved something on the inside. He handed the ring to the servant, who read the engraving and smiled.

The servant soon returned to the king and presented him with his prize. Thrilled to finally have the ring in his possession, the king read what was inscribed, and the smile fell from his noble face:

"This, too, shall pass."

* * *

While this is a simple fable, I think that the meaning of life may lie in those words. At its core, this phrase represents the essence of impermanence. Everything is constantly changing. I believe that if we are able to truly understand impermanence, and to know deeply that suffering never lasts, and to know deeply that external happiness can be taken away at any moment, we will lead lives of gratitude.

If we could acknowledge at a deep, soulful level that those we love could be lost in an instant, we would cherish every delicate moment together with them. Tough decisions would be easier. Feelings we try to suppress would flow freely. "I love you" would be said more often. There would be no time for dishonesty.

If we could accept that all superficial sources of happiness are fleeting, we would resist the urge to cling to them. Habits, addictions, attachments would fade away because we would no longer feel the anxious need to find ourselves in them.

The fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. (Coelho). This is because fear is dependent on the idea that something is constant, that something is inevitable and unchanging. Fear relies on our illusion that something bad will come, and will stay. Fear is afraid of change, and it is afraid of the unknown. This is why love is the purest form of freedom: Love is the ultimate unknown.

Imagine the freedom of not being afraid of suffering. It's possible. Know that no suffering lasts, and the fear will melt away.

Imagine the freedom of loving openly and honestly, and showing your loved one who you really are. Realize deeply that this loved one may be gone tomorrow, and you'll find it much easier to love them today the way that they deserve. Everything else will wash away, like footprints in the sand.

How Bold is Your Intention?

You've probably heard the phrase "Set an intention for your practice" in your yoga or meditation class. You may have heard "What's your intention?" in a relationship, or maybe even at the office. We've all heard "What do you intend to do now?" after we've made a risky or unpopular decision. I've recently been thinking a good deal about setting intentions and manifesting them, and have come to a few conclusions.

To be frank, I've had enough of it. At least enough of intention-setting at the level most of us participate in it.

During meditation:
"My intention is to find more peace."
"My intention is to be less stressed."
"My intention is to find a few moments of stillness."

During yoga:
"My intention is to step beyond my comfort zone."
"My intention is to hold crow pose for 4 seconds."
"My intention is to get lost in my practice."

In relationships:
"My intention is to get my partner to understand my perspective."
"My intention is to find someone I can settle down with, and start a family with."

At work:
"My intention is to complete this report on time."
"My intention is to make myself more valuable to my company."
"My intention is to make it to lunchtime without updating my Facebook status once. Okay, twice."

Last night in my meditation class, I spoke about setting a "bold intention." No more small intentions. No more meek requests for a bit of peace here, a little love there. I think that it's time that we began asking for big things. I think it's time we start expecting more from our lives, and realizing just how much we deserve. Ask and you shall receive, right?

We know that setting an intention for ourselves is the first step in achievement. With no intentions, we create no goals. With no goals, we have no true achievement. (After all, is haphazard, accidental success really success?) The intention is therefore the root of all we manifest in our lives. Our intentions set the foundation for everything we actualize. If this is the case, why not begin with a broader, more solid foundation? Don't build your castles on the sand. Of course, there is a disclaimer - there is nothing wrong with setting small, honest, pure intentions. These are still honorable and valuable and should be respected. However, perhaps ask yourself the reason you are setting a small intention. Do you not deserve more? Do you not deserve the world?

So you want to find more peace. How about creating a truly peaceful life for yourself and your loved ones, and generating that peace in others? So you want to feel a little less stressed. Why not set the intention to pursue a career that you are passionate about; one that allows you to be excited to wake up and go to work every day? Your intention is to settle down with someone and start a family. Why not find the love of your life, your soulmate, your perfect match, and live a life of generosity and love that transcends any "settling"?

See what I'm getting at?

What would you ask for if you knew you could manifest it in your life? What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail? Think big.



No, bigger.



Okay, good. Now go get it.