Teaching #6 Life is Constantly Changing
In addition to the dukkha you experience as a result of painful, traumatic, and uncomfortable events, there is a second type of dukkha that you confront on a regular basis. That is the suffering caused by the fact that life is constantly changing. Doesn’t it often seem as though the moment you have found happiness in life, it disappears almost at once? Something really good happens at work, or you and your partner spend an intimate morning in bed, or you share a precious laugh with your child, and then bang! It’s over. Now you’re worried about a deadline, or fighting with your significant other, or coping with your child’s needs, and all those pleasant feelings are replaced by worry, fatigue, and the weight of responsibility. In truth, no moment is reliable because the next moment is always coming along fast on its heels. It is like a constant bombardment of change undermining every state of happiness. It is paradoxical, isn’t it, that the one constant in your life is change.
Chapter 4, Pg 34-35
For your reflection: This week, set aside 20-minute periods for noticing how rapidly change occurs in your mind. You can even try counting how many times the mind switches to some new topic.