According With Impermanence

Over the years I’ve come to value Justin Stone’s teachings more and more as I’ve found they are immensely practical and applicable to everyday life. Justin said that we are here to learn who and what we are… and to accord with impermanence.

Everything in this physical universe is in a constant state of flux. Autumn leaves fall, our bodies change, loved ones die. Pain comes from holding on to what was, not from letting go.

Justin gave us several useful practices to help us accord with impermanence. T’ai Chi Chih practice has so many benefits that we may not generally think of it as helping us to accord with impermanence. Yet it does, at a very visceral level.

The simple act of shifting the weight back and forth, yinning and yanging, conditions the body-mind to become more accepting of change. TCC has certainly helped me to flow with the changes in my life, especially the past couple years with Ted’s illness and passing.

Awareness is the root of TCC. When we are stressed, just taking a moment to become aware of the breath can make an internal shift to serenity. I use this often myself and find that taking a slow deep breath is effectively calming to body, mind and spirit.

Seijaku, the advanced form of TCC, is especially beneficial for dealing with impermanence. We begin each movement with softness then encounter resistance. Once we have passed through that denser energy, we return to softness. Repetition of this practice makes it easier to move through challenging life situations and return to inner equanimity. It cultivates serenity in the midst of busy daily activity, improves our TCC practice and develops inner strength for meeting life’s unexpected moments.

Justin also taught the practice of gratitude. He often quoted his good friend Paul Reps saying, “How grateful I am, with no thing to be grateful for.” An attitude of gratitude goes a long way toward being happy in the moment. When I have felt sad, I’ve heard Justin’s voice in my head saying, “turn your thoughts to joy.”

Justin said that TCC will take us as far as we want to go on the path of self unfoldment. He gave us the tools for a long, healthy, happy life. It’s up to us to use them. Enjoy your practice.