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We have a persistent sense of self — an unchanging "I" that has been with us since our earliest memories. Yet so much has changed; our beliefs, the goals we pursue, and the foods we like are different now. What is this sense of self that feels so permanent?
If we look closely, we realize that our thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations are not things we "have," but rather events that arise and pass away. We can't pinpoint their origin; we only see them appear and disappear, one after the other. They are all expressions of the same constantly unfolding moment — the eternal now.
This constant flux of experience brings to mind the metaphor of a river. It's easy to see ourselves as a leaf floating down the stream, carried along by the current. But this is a trap. It implies a permanent "I" separate from the flow. A deeper insight suggests a truer metaphor: we are the flow itself. We are not just traveling through time; we are the constant motion, the ever-changing current of existence.
When we embody this insight, the grip of a separate self begins to loosen. We stop resisting the natural flow of life, and in doing so, we can respond more gracefully to the constant change both around and within us.
Bob Kutter, Dharma Teacher
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