A Buddhist Perspective on Change

Change. According to the dictionary, change denotes the transition that occurs between one state to another. In most cases, change accompanies fear and leads to suffering. Change means that we must step outside of our comfort zone, delve into the unknown, take a risk, and take on a different perspective. Change requires that we take on an internal metamorphosis, and adapt to our new surroundings.

Each and every day our lives change before our eyes. We change schools, jobs, homes, friends, thoughts, activities, habits, and ideals. Each morning when we wake, we are not the person that we were the day before. We have learned new things, forgotten others, met new people, tried something new, and had new thoughts. Our bodies have changed. We have lost old skin cells and gained new ones, our hair and nails have grown, and our body weight has changed. Each and every day, we are a new person, a different person. We are a change from the day before.

Change forces us to accept that nothing ever stays the same. Everything is impermanent. Nothing will last forever. All things, no matter how pleasurable or un-pleasurable will in fact, change and fade. This causes us to suffer.

We, as humans, become so involved with our own lives, so attached to our surroundings, that when they change, we suffer. We get angry when something breaks, and we mourn when someone dies. We place so many expectations on ourselves that we become anxious when we are placed in any situation requiring us to change our normal behavior, thoughts or routine. We get angry, we feel hurt, we get confused and frustrated. We torture ourselves with thoughts of worry, regret, fear, anxiety and hatred.

Change causes such an enormous amount of suffering that it has become the main focal point in Buddhist philosophy. Whether we accept Buddhist religion or not, it is important for us a human beings to understand the nature of change. The more that we understand change, the easier it becomes to accept things and circumstances when they do change.

We must start by understanding that everything is impermanent. As scary as this may sound, if we alter our view of change, it can actually become a source of comfort. For instance, we all at some point experience suffering, anger, fear, worry, financial crisis, loss of a loved one, relationship problems, and illness.

When experiencing such difficult times, change can feel like a blessing. Because all things are impermanent, so are our circumstances, feelings, thoughts and emotions. Therefore, our feelings of pain, suffering, anger, fear and worry will soon come to pass. Our illness, financial crisis, and problems will fade away. These problems will never last because nothing is permanent.

When we focus on change as a good thing rather than something to fight, our problems become easier to accept and deal with. Additionally, focusing on the ever constant changing of the world around us helps us also to accept that even pleasurable and happy experiences will also pass. If we hold on to such feelings, emotions and circumstances, we suffer, regardless of their nature. Choosing to not accept change can even make the most pleasant experiences painful, because it soon will pass, leaving us upset, angry and grasping for the moment to return.

Realizing these things can not only help us to work through the difficult times in life, but it can also help us to develop non-attachment to the pleasurable things in life. In this way, we do not suffer. We do not expect things to remain just as they are, whether they are pleasurable or un-pleasurable. We accept change, and often times may even welcome its arrival.

We should always remember that each and every moment of our life would soon pass. Our children's kisses, our parent's hugs, the relaxing vacation, the great day at the office, and a fun evening dinner with close friends and family. These things will all pass. Understanding this not only helps us to practice non-attachment to things, but it also forces us to appreciate the moments that we do experience that are happy and pleasurable.

Alternatively, we can take comfort in the unpleasant experiences and moments that we are forced to face in life. Our financial crisis will pass, the bad day at the office, a fight with a loved one, stress from the job, and marital problems. These things will all pass. As the moments that bring us pleasure pass, so do the ones that bring us pain.

With a true understanding of change and impermanence, we can begin to take a new outlook on life, accepting all forms of pleasure and pain as the impermanent flow of our daily lives. They will not last, so making the most of each and every moment, whether it be pleasant or unpleasant can help us to live our life the very best that we can. More importantly, we will be living our life wisely and happily. After all, being happy is not a Buddhist thing, or a religious thing; it's a human thing.