The Cycle of Change

By Varya Kapran

Guest Writer for Wake Up World

In many ways, life is change. We change. Our partners change. Our bodies change. Our goals change. Our circumstances change. Our environment changes. To be precise, all those things are constantly in flux. Sometimes, we go looking for these changes ourselves, but more often than not, they find us.

Dealing with this reality, and reacting to it, is perhaps one the greatest challenges we face. It’s also the key to our happiness, inner peace, and fulfillment. Learning to accept and welcome change is a life long journey. Each experience is an opportunity to explore this further and face our fears and illusions. It is a delicate balance of maintaining our sense of self/self worth and inner strength, letting go of our need for control, surrendering to the wisdom of our hearts, and being present, while also seeing and feeling our paths unfold before and behind us.

No biggie, right?

As I said, it’s is an ongoing process. We cannot expect ourselves to be flawless and never to feel fear or anxiety or loss or other powerful emotions. In fact, you should experience them. They promote growth. But if we are aware, and through it all, remain at peace.. then all will be well. This peace I am referring to is the true peace - inner peace. It is not flawlessness, lack of emotion, lack of change, or a static state. No. Peace is simply the ability to maintain your sense of self, your core while walking through swirling chaos. It is the ability to maintain your sense of self through change.

To do this, it is helpful to begin to understand change as a cycle. To begin to sense the expanse of the swirling, twisting path that stretches out around us, that constitutes our past, present, and future. Many traditional cultures and beliefs have used a swirl or combination of interconnected swirls to represent life, the spirit world/the material world/etc. We are going to apply that concept here today, and use it to represent our individual journeys.

Since all existence is a reflection of itself, the cycles that we ourselves experience are also represented in nature, or perhaps, one could say it is the other way around. Think of a magnolia. This beautiful tree flowers in the spring. I love seeing it bloom since in my mind it represents new beginnings, and abundance. The magnolia begins its existence as a seed, and then grows. It changes, each season is different. Years go by and it changes again and grows. It blooms in spring, its leaves flourish in the summer, in autumn they fall, and then comes winter. Those seasons make up years. Years make up decades, and entire lifetimes. These lifetimes reflect greater cycles within the ecosystem, and then within the earth itself. It is like a beautiful, layered, swirling pattern, each loop dependent upon the other, each loop continuing on from the other.

CONTINUE READING

Previous articles by Varya:

• Your Body is Not a Tool
• I Am. You Are. Perfectly Imperfect.
• (re)Discover Your Inner Sexy!
• Loving Your Skin – 10 Essential Natural Topical Treatments
• Healing From Loss
• Home-Made Salted Caramel Recipe (+ Chocolate Option!)
• It’s Time To Come Home
• Is Your Diet Healthy for You? A Guide to Optimal Health
• 15-Minute Flourless Double-Chocolate Cookies Recipe (YUMMM!)
• Manifest[-ing] Love

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