Greetings Friends,
Welcome to part II of our course, Wisdom is the Way: The Timeless Art of Leading a Life. In today’s meditation, we look at the first of three timeless perspectives: impermanence, interconnectedness, and the beginner’s mind (or not knowing). As a reminder, for those who are available, our first virtual meetup will be on Wednesday (24 January) at noon EST (Register here).
If you’re looking for a deeper dive into each topic, I’ll include links to related podcasts and meditations at the end. If you fall behind (or get started late), there is a new tab on the Perennial Meditations page titled Courses (with all of the course content as it is released). Be wise and be well!
How Does the World Work?
The notion of impermanence (or nothing lasts) is stressed across wisdom traditions. It is generally viewed as a foundational perspective or universal truth. Although it seems we tend to overestimate our understanding (or easily forget).
A philosophy of life has three components: metaphysics (how the world works), ethics (or virtues), and a set of exercises or practices. In my experience, most of us spend more time and effort on ethics and practices than on shaping our perceptions (or views and beliefs) about the world. However, it is essential to recognize our perspectives' role in shaping our ethics and practices.
Constantly Changing
Figures like the pre-Socratic philosopher Heraclitus (and the Buddha) stressed that understanding “nothing endures but change” is central to living a good life. Heraclitus called “change” the only constant thing, emphasizing that everything flows, and nothing abides; everything gives way, and nothing stays fixed.
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