The Mind's Ice

The Mind's Ice

The Buddha stressed the dynamic nature of existence. This resonates with the ideas of some early Greek philosophers, such as Heraclitus, who maintained that "All is flux" and "You can't step into the same river twice."

Now, all this sounds like common sense. Yet there is something about our minds and emotions that kicks against the idea of change. We are forever trying to break the dynamic world-dance, which is a unity, into separate "things," which we then freeze in the ice of thought. But the world-dance doggedly refuses to remain fragmented and frozen. It swirls on, changing from moment to moment, laughing at all our pitiful attempts to organize and control it.

In order to live skillfully, in harmony with the dynamic Universe, it is essential to accept the reality of change and impermanence. The wise person therefore travels lightly, with a minimum of clutter, maintaining the proverbial "open mind" in all situations, for he or she knows that tomorrow's reality will not be the same as today's. He or she will also have learned the divine art of letting go--which means not being attached to people and possessions and situations, but rather, when the time for parting comes, allowing that to happen graciously.


-John Snelling, Elements of Buddhism



I find this all so simple - but, darn it, it's not easy!

Lora

(This ties in with Shiudi's post on Living with the Tao, I just read that one, thanks, Shuidi)