Freeflow. . .
Aging, like practice itself, unfolds in stages. In youth, the truth of impermanence is mostly conceptual. We understand it intellectually, nodding when the teachings say that “all conditioned things are subject to decay.” But the body is strong, the senses sharp, the future seemingly infinite.
Then, over years, the Dharma moves from theory into bone. Hair grays. Muscles tighten. The mirror shows lines where once there was smoothness. The changes are subtle at first, then undeniable. And with each one comes the bell of impermanence – not an abstract sound, but a clear, present tone in our daily life.
The Mahasatipatthana Sutta tells us to contemplate the body as it is, “from the soles of the feet up, from the crown of the head down,” as simply a collection of elements, subject to birth, aging, illness, and death. This is not meant to induce despair, but to release the grasping that binds us to suffering.
For the seasoned practitioner, aging becomes not a defeat but an invitation to release deeper identifications. The youthful attachment to beauty, to speed, to limitless energy falls away. What remains is something quieter, steadier: the ability to be fully present with life as it is.
The changes in the body can guide changes in practice. Sitting may shift from the floor to achair. Walking meditation may slow. Retreats may shorten but deepen. Each adaptation is not a concession, but a reminder: the form changes, the essence remains. There is also a ripening of perspective.
With age, we can more easily discern what truly matters. The urgency to prove ourselves fades. Petty grievances seem smaller. We become less concerned with winning arguments and more concerned with keeping the heart open. Aging as a practice means meeting each new limitation with curiosity rather than resistance.The slower pace becomes a teacher of patience. The body’s aches become a teacher of compassion – not just for ourselves, but for all beings who suffer in body or mind.
Perhaps most beautifully, aging brings us face-to-face with the reality that nothing – not even this body we call “mine” – was ever ours to keep. This truth, once frightening, becomes freeing. We stop holding on so tightly. We let life flow as it will.
Peace and Love, Jim
#flow #thedailybuddha #tdb
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