We are watching the flow- sitting on a side of the constantly moving river of change. Everything within and outside our body-mind is changing all the time, whether noticeable obviously, or imperceptibly.
Our thoughts, sensations, feelings, all our perceptions are always in a dynamic flux. There is never any perceivable gap, lasting for more than a few moments- in this realm of perennial change.
But the fact that we can realize the constant flow of change, means that we are, somewhere within ourselves- unchanging. The only way to notice the flow of the movement of change, is from the changeless!
What is this reference point, relative to which everything is changing?
Whether sitting on a bench in a busy park, or standing on a sidewalk looking at the traffic- the movement and noise of the surroundings, emphasize the relative stillness and silence within us. When we are at home, there is less external movement and noise from the surroundings, but the same mechanism operates within our body-mind.
Whenever we are noticing- just being aware of any change happening in our body-mind, or the surroundings- in that moment, we have stepped out of the changing, into the unchanging aspect of our reality. While we are still swimming in it, we cannot see the whole flow of the river. But we can observe it, from the solid ground.
When we are alert and available, being present and aware to all that is moving in our experience- whether physically or mentally- we are naturally and effortlessly tuned in, to the vantage point of stillness.
This unchanging vantage point of stillness is our awareness. It is looking passively- at the rising and falling, coming and going of every subtle wave. This center within us, observing and knowing all the changing states- is our unchanging self, the self, that we have always been, and will always be.
Sitting quietly, noticing- we become aware of the sensations of our body and thoughts passing through the mind. If we continue to watch, from a passive alert awareness- suddenly we become aware of our own watching, listening, and knowing, while it is happening.
This is an effortless shift, from the realm of the changing to the unchangeable. This watching, listening, knowing is our awareness- our stable self, the supporting ground of our being and knowing itself.
The more we live as this being-knowing awareness, the more we find ourselves free, from the effects of the various changing situations of our lives. We can now, effortlessly meet the chaos of our lives- from the calm, peaceful, deep inner silence and stillness. This solid support is not disturbed, from all the passing changes on the surface.
Life becomes a restful, relaxed, simple, watching of the flow.
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10 responses to “Watching the flow”
Can we stop the flow entirely with “meta-awareness,” say, what old yogis long practiced in the field of meditative awareness might achieve? Can they slow down their experience
of being aware of their experience to the point of stopping the now, of losing themselves in the moment, and needing the bell of awareness to bring them back to what we might think of as normal, apparent, reality? An why would they come back at all?
There are certainly enough descriptions around indicating that it is possible for some people in deep meditation (known as ‘samadhi’ in Hinduism). But I consider myself a beginner so would not make any assumptions for myself- I think we go step by step and then find out what comes next…
I am guessing that slowing down/stopping ‘now’ for longer periods would not be much different ‘felt experience’ than slowing it down for a few moments (which is certainly doable), except externally/outwardly…This is the experience of the ‘timelessness’ which I have often ventured to explore myself (and felt close to occasionally), sometimes spontaneously, sometimes during meditation sessions. I should also add that when we are actually ‘in the moment’ (aware, fully present here-now, not following a train of thinking), it feels quite ordinary and is not unusual, to experience this ‘timelessness’.
It is amazing that we are but a perspective shift away from nirvana! Enlightenment isn’t so much grasping something we never realized/knew, but seeing things differently from the way we have always seen them. Seeing what we look at changes things.
Yes, this shift in perspective, leads to a change in attitude, it changes how we interact with everything…fundamentally changing our experience. It is absolutely mind boggling and yet so simple, at the same time!
Simple and true. I wholly agree.
Agreed, I have come to much the same conclusion myself.
Thank you for sharing!
Is it ‘unchanging self’ or self that has realized it is one with the flow? The eternal flow itself becomes a form of detached stillness when self learns to be in complete harmony with the flow without getting submerged.
Thanks Shajan, I see what you say here!
This is how I understand it: Ultimately, there is just the one flow- this one flow includes everything, all that is- the whole reality with its ‘unchanging’ essence and the ‘changing, impermanent, temporary’ expressions. Within this oneness of reality, is the apparent duality of the ‘changing’ and the ‘unchanging’. Our real self is the ‘unchanging’ essence, manifested in various transient forms. This ‘unchanging’ self, shares its essence with everything that is ‘changing’.
The changing aspect of the reality, is the ‘observed movement’ of the flow!
In other words, the apparent duality (of changing and unchanging aspects of reality) merge into the stillness of the awareness- the harmony in merging of the ‘self’ with the flow!
Here is a quote from Chuang Tzu (translation by Martin Palmer) :
“People don’t look at a flowing river for a mirror, they look at still waters, because only what is still, stills things and holds them still”
Meaning, Stillness reflects stillness…
Similarly, the ‘stillness’ of our own awareness observing the movement of change, “stills” the movement of the changing flow- merging the ‘apparent’ duality (of unchanging self and the changing flow), into the stillness and harmony of their one true essence 🙂