This too shall pass....

I have had several occasions this year to contemplate one of the central themes of yoga and of Buddhism – the idea of impermanence. That all things and all states of being, be they positive or negative, are temporary.

While the adage ‘This too shall pass’ seems to have originated in the works of Persian Sufi poets, it encapsulates the concept of impermanence beautifully, and makes a wonderful meditation.

The story goes that there was an ancient king, who despite his great wealth and power was constantly torn between happiness and misery. He sent for a wise man who was reputed to have achieved enlightenment and asked him how he might achieve similar serenity – at any price. The wise man returned some time later with a simple gold ring, inscribed with the words “This too shall pass”. He said to the king “Wear this ring always. Whatever happens, before you call it good or bad, touch this ring and read the inscription. That way, you will always be at peace”.

The practice is to observe rather than identify with a situation or thing, knowing that nothing is permanent. Possessions, people, situations, even your own body …. all the conditions of life evolve, and sometimes dissolve with time.

On the surface of it this may seem a depressing thought. But accepting the idea of transience gives you a certain ‘space’, allowing you to overcome the fear of loss and the fear of the future, enabling you to fully enjoy and appreciate the present moment.

In the context of your asana practice (the physical practice of yoga postures), the idea of impermanence can be applied in several different ways. First of all you will experience the gradual changes over time as your body begins to adapt, strengthen and lengthen into different postures. You can also contemplate ‘impermanence’ as you hold a specific asana (the idea that it won’t last forever can be somewhat comforting in certain postures!) At a deeper level, you can use this meditation to observe, rather than identify with what is happening in your body during your yoga practice. This is really the body-mind-self connection at it’s purest.

Such a simple statement, with so many dimensions to contemplate!

For more articles on yoga and mediation visit Yoga Indra's website.