A Rant on Transience & Spiritual Leverage

Gratitude 2.2.2024 // a rant on transience & spiritual leverage

I’m grateful for, and in awe of, this concept of impermanence.

So many things in life, we think of as these permanent, solid fixtures of existence. Our infrastructure, governments, companies - all things that rise and fall like crashing waves on the beach. The Himalayas - from the human time perspective, these god like mountains inspire awe and represent form that transcends time. Contrast this with say a tomato - these things don’t stick around for very long. They grow, they decay and are absorbed back into the earth so the cycle can continue.

But is the tomato so different than the mountain?

Mountains rise, fall.. and flow beneath our feet, on a massive body of shifting plates and molten liquid - much like the life cycle of the tomato - but on an infinitely larger time horizon.

I draw this comparison because, much of the energy we have, during our brief flash of existence, is spent, trying to cling on to so many things. We cling to objects, property, cars.. relationships.

By clinging, we are resisting the very nature of things. All things exist on a wave-like cycle - and by impeding on this cycle, we create a lot of unnecessary suffering in the process. We cling to relationships and people, only to push them away. We cling to our self image, or physiques, only to suffer as we age. We cling to our net worth, often at great personal cost. We cling to our property, only to have it gradually erode as it passes through successive generations.

In life, nothing is permanent. Of the 200 Native American languages in the Americas, there is not a single word for ownership. Perhaps this is because, ownership is actually an illusion, and the concept so foreign to their beliefs and connection to an ever-shifting natural world.

We cling because it gives us a sense of control - not knowing that surrendering this control, can lead to a life of abundance and peace.

This transience is a beautiful thing, and it doesn’t have to be feared - it should be celebrated. We appreciate music, for this very reason. It plays for a short time, it’s beautiful, and then in flash, it fades out of existence - much like the beauty of nature, and life itself.

Try identifying what you’re clinging on to and see how it feels to let go - it might give you exactly what you didn’t know you were looking for.

Transience naturally implies that the importance of all matters is not 'absolute' - it is absolutely 'relative'

Having this detachment in your back pocket in life is a powerful weapon. Use it at work, in negotiations - in conflict resolution - as spiritual leverage.

Thanks for the space to rant and reflect.

Have a great weekend all.