Learning the Art of Acceptance
I sat on my balcony with a hot cup of coffee, lost in the moment, observing dandelion fluff floating through the breeze. As I became mindful of this small wonder of nature, I decided to allow my thoughts to follow it as it drifted gently down to earth.
Its life was over. Its final act? A beautiful gift to me - a reward for a moment of mindfulness. As my thoughts dwelt on the existence of the dandelion, and it impermanent nature, I began to awaken to the idea that the temporary nature of its existence is one of the biggest reasons it was so wondrous.
It likely began it's life in an open field near the bay... blossomed into a beautiful yellow flower... and then aged gracefully until the wind carried it away. If the dandelion last forever, it wouldn’t have the same poignant beauty, and we’d take it for granted.
It likely began it's life in an open field near the bay... blossomed into a beautiful yellow flower... and then aged gracefully until the wind carried it away. If the dandelion last forever, it wouldn’t have the same poignant beauty, and we’d take it for granted.
The wildflower’s impermanence, its fleetingness, its transience — this is what makes its very existence special.
The Awakening
These thoughts on impermanence came at a very opportune time. I was going through a very challenging time in my life. I was in the healing process after losing the girl of my dreams and it was going slower than I would have liked. I had been lost in darkness of pain, reliving it over and over... and I wasn't coming out of the darkness anytime soon. Even though I knew I was spiraling toward depression, I couldn't bring myself out of it. I couldn't stop the free-fall. It's an understatement to say that I was exploring my suffering to the fullest extent... and had been for a long time.
In the moment of mindfulness - observing a dandelion seed wafting in the air - I realized the cause of my suffering.
I realized in this moment that there was no blame to be had for my heartache. There was no fault or wrongdoing. It wasn't her or her actions. It wasn't me or my actions... I realized in that moment that the cause of my suffering was an attachment to an idea of permanence.
I had struggled to accept that my idea of what I thought we had was only in my head. In fact, I had struggled to accept change.
If I wanted to end my cycle of suffering, I had to practice the Art of Acceptance.
If I wanted to end my cycle of suffering, I had to practice the Art of Acceptance.
The Lesson
The beauty of this entire experience came as I watched the dandelion seed land in the grass below.
Just as the fluff of a dying dandelion demonstrated the impermanence of life in this earthly world, it also demonstrates that new beginnings arise from old endings. The dandelion goes through its cycle of life - taking root, sprouting, growing, flowering, and finally sending it's seed as a final gift to the world... to begin anew.
The dandelion doesn't allow suffering to come from its inevitable change. It doesn't attach it's livelihood to an idea of permanence. The dandelion simply accepts the cycle of change, and flows with it. It's the same with almost everything in nature. Of all creations on this earth, only humans cling to an idea of permanence.
As humans, we tend to cling to an idea of permanence, and we mistakenly believe that once a desire is attained, there will be lasting fulfillment. This idea brings suffering when challenged or proven to be false. We don’t want things to change, we want things to be the way we want them. And when they aren’t, we are stressed out, frustrated, disappointed, grieving, mourning, or wishing things were different.
But what if we could accept this impermanence, accept the reality of this moment, and embrace it as if it were the dandelion? What if we could realize that the ending of a cycle, the impermanence of life, was simply a new beginning?
What if we could be mindful of Ego and remain unattached to ideas of permanence? Would this end some of our suffering?
Impermanence and change are undeniable truths of our human existence. What is real is the existing moment, the Now. The Now is ever-unfolding. It is destined to change.
It is by becoming aware of it, by observing it and by understanding it, one can find a suitable remedy for the suffering and achieve liberation from this process of "attachment to permanence". That remedy is the Art of Acceptance... learning to let go of ego and accept things the way they are, without judgment, and without attachment.
When we practice the Art of Acceptance, we can see the beauty in the transient, fleeting nature of things; knowing that - like the dandelion - this impermanence is what makes every experience special.
- The Boatman
The dandelion doesn't allow suffering to come from its inevitable change. It doesn't attach it's livelihood to an idea of permanence. The dandelion simply accepts the cycle of change, and flows with it. It's the same with almost everything in nature. Of all creations on this earth, only humans cling to an idea of permanence.
As humans, we tend to cling to an idea of permanence, and we mistakenly believe that once a desire is attained, there will be lasting fulfillment. This idea brings suffering when challenged or proven to be false. We don’t want things to change, we want things to be the way we want them. And when they aren’t, we are stressed out, frustrated, disappointed, grieving, mourning, or wishing things were different.
But what if we could accept this impermanence, accept the reality of this moment, and embrace it as if it were the dandelion? What if we could realize that the ending of a cycle, the impermanence of life, was simply a new beginning?
What if we could be mindful of Ego and remain unattached to ideas of permanence? Would this end some of our suffering?
The End of Suffering
Impermanence and change are undeniable truths of our human existence. What is real is the existing moment, the Now. The Now is ever-unfolding. It is destined to change.
It is by becoming aware of it, by observing it and by understanding it, one can find a suitable remedy for the suffering and achieve liberation from this process of "attachment to permanence". That remedy is the Art of Acceptance... learning to let go of ego and accept things the way they are, without judgment, and without attachment.
When we practice the Art of Acceptance, we can see the beauty in the transient, fleeting nature of things; knowing that - like the dandelion - this impermanence is what makes every experience special.
- The Boatman
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