Permanent Impermanence... or Yin-Yoga the practice of surrender

Permanent Impermanence... or Yin-Yoga the practice of Surrender.

S.Pucelle -

Is there something more evident than the constant change of life phenomenas?

You don't have to look very far to grasp the concept of impermanence, like the constant cycle of the seasons or even the natural ageing of our own bodies... It is obvious that nothing lasts... Neither the sunny days nor the comfort of youth, like the progression of the sun as it rises, shines and fades in the sky, from the moment we are born the finitude of our physical life is ingrained and the seed of impermanence sprouts ad libitum.

Looking at impermanence is to look at our mortality.

This finitude, which we share with all living beings, is not self-evident, as we live most of the time in oblivion of our own mortality, we behave as if we possess the future instead of celebrating the present...

It is understandably intimidating to face and come to terms with this ultimate truth. We are reluctant to remember our mortality and persist in maintaining our right to life.

If only we could evoke an attitude of acceptance and cultivate a little more renunciation in our daily lives, that we might nurture the maturity necessary to flourish in light of the facticity of our material existence.

Buddhist thought and teachings tell us of Anitya "impermanence", which is part of a philosophical concept called Trilakshana or the three marks of existence, Anatman Absence of Self, Anitya the transient nature of the phenomenal world, Duhkha the suffering of the phenomenal world.

We can differentiate between two types of impermanence.

1. Gross - change of matter happening over long periods of time.

2. Subtle - Inner changes of mind and invisible changes of matter that occur in the smallest unit of time, from one moment to the next.

Impermanence is universal and manifests itself in all conditioned states, from the gross to the subtlest.

Our mind cannot perceive the subtle changes of matter occurring at the particle level; it can only see the gross changes from day to day, hour to hour. From the perceptible to the most subtle, nothing escapes the law of impermanence.

If we can accept the axiom of impermanence and the ephemeral nature of our life, we will have the understanding to retain the essential qualities to our happiness, as well as to prevent the emergence of negative states of mind such as greed, ignorance, hatred, pride, jealousy, and so forth. .... Causes of discomfort, suffering and confusion. 



Dealing with the transience of human life has the potential to bring us back to the only existential reality: the present moment, with sufficient discernment, appreciation and insight towards it, to alleviate, as it were, these disruptive states of mind. As the poet Horace once famously said, "Gather the day without worrying about tomorrow","and be less credulous about the next day" - Carpe Diem.

It is valuable and important to become familiar with our impermanence, in doing so we will have gained freedom, we will reach a deep sense of timelessness, by embracing our mortality we touch the very core of our existence. Some people are so afraid of death that they are afraid to live, yet there is a beautiful truth in accepting this process of constant change. Reminding ourselves of our finitude on a personal level will be very helpful in the final departure, as this contemplation turns death into an ally and offers a substantial tool to cultivate a letting go of the triviality of our daily affairs and eventually a certain serenity as we pass to the other side.

"Life is the substitute for death, death is the fountainhead of life. Who understands how they work? Man's life is a long breath, when it is dispersed, there is death. And if life and death are each other's concubines, then why should we worry? "(Taoist Philosophy).

Meditation, of course, is one of the most responsible practices to embrace, to cultivate a healthy bond with impermanence; however, the practice of Yin-Yoga is also of subtantial help.

The Yin energy is ultimately the energy of surrender, acceptance and letting go...

It is with this state of mind and heart qualities that the Yin-Yogi approaches the mat, with the attitude of accepting everything and holding nothing. In the Yin Yoga approach we hold the position longer; three to five minutes and often we encounter uncomfortable sensations, the practice prepares us to stay with unwanted sensations that arise, learning to cultivate an equanimous response towards the present moment. Whenever we begin to feel stress or tension building up in our system, we refocus our attention on a subtle physical support such as conscious abdominal breathing, for example. Cultivating relaxation and surrender, combining asana and contemplation.

The main obstacle to our freedom is our relationship to letting go, not so much losing what we have, but not knowing what to expect if we give it up.

In other words, our ignorance is the main obstacle to our freedom. This inevitably translates into an attachment to what we have created, i.e. our identity.

These are the afflictions described in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, called the Kleshas, there are 5 and the first 2: Ignorance (Avidya) and Ego (Asmita). The other 3 are desire (Raga), aversion (Dvesa) and desire for continuity (Abhinivesha).

For the great sage Maharishi Patanjali, Ishvara Pranidhana (devotion to a higher power) is a sovereign method of diminishing the grip of the ego, and the chaplet of attachments that accompany it.

It is also a level of practice where attention is heightened. Opening the way to becoming with what is, rather than using our energy to evade the inevitable. By letting go of our deliberate need to react to discomfort, we learn to calm the moment, allowing transformation to take place or at least the possibility of a different approach or attitude.

As Zen teacher Aitken Roshi says:"Renunciation is not about getting rid of the things of this world, but about accepting that they disappear. "(Aitken Roshi).