Anicca
Waiting for the rains to stop and for the land to dry out so the excavation for the basement and the road build can begin. Rained all day yesterday—flooding still. Killing time thinking about orchards, logo designs and studying the teachings of the Buddha
Anicca, impermanence, is one of the three essential characteristics of things in the Teaching of the Buddha, but I don't like it one bit! Why would anyone have any drive to do anything if it's not lasting? I get the suffering piece. I even get the egolessness piece, but I have struggled to understand the impermanence piece—maybe, if the truth be told, I don't want to get it. Because if I "get it" it means a whole lot of my life has been wasted and without purpose.
Last night in my meditation practices class, the teacher offered this: Anicca is like that phrase "This too shall pass." When we are happy it will not last because it is impermanent. The implication is to be fully present to the happiness. Conversely, when we are sad, it also won't last and will be replaced. Which is why one of the central teachings of the Buddha (and Jesus too for that matter) is mindfulness— to stay focused or mindful on what is present.
So here is the present reality: I have a beautiful pristine piece of land that I can enjoy right now! I don't even have any bills yet associated with it and I don't have any "stuff on it" to bother with. Wow. Maybe I "get" anicca more than I realize. This feels better than agitating over the bad weather ;-) Have an anicca-filled day you all!
Three logo designs by my friend Melody. Let me know which one you like best.
Melody K. Smith www.my-trap-door.com
The Anicca thing will give me something to think about today, lol. I'm sure it isn't meant to relate to all things in our lives, so don't ever think parts of your life have been wasted. Every part of our life is what has made us...US! Not all good, that's a definite given, but still made us who and what we are today. I think the "one day at a time" mantra that got me through the roughest time in my life (except it was more like one minute at a time), may be an example of Anicca?
ReplyDeleteOK....I like the 2 and 3 on the logos, it's pretty much a toss up, but I think I like 3 better because the letters looks like branches. They're all 3 really good!