You Aren’t Who You Think You Are
This is the third installment in our five-part series on insights from Buddhist psychology.
As we continue our dedicated practice of mindfulness of ourselves and the surrounding world, a pivotal idea comes into play: Nothing is permanent.
Our thoughts are always passing by;
Our emotions always come and go;
In fact, everything in the universe is transient — even our bodies, the planet, and the universe itself will one day pass away and transform into something new.
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In the world of Buddhism, this profound principle is called anattā, or “no-self.” It reveals that there is no permanent, unchanging self. Instead, what we consider to be the self is but a collection of ceaselessly shifting phenomena.
In other words, who we are is different from moment to moment;
Our identities are not fixed.
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"No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man."
—Heraclitus
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By knowing the fact that we are constantly changing, we can disentangle from the mind’s stream of thoughts and emotions to navigate life with greater clarity. In the world of psychotherapy, we call it memory reconsolidation:
We become more mindful of our actions and reactions, allowing us to become watchful observers and intentionally transform ourselves from moment to moment;
We can free ourselves from the chains of past habits;
We can truly aim in the direction of growth from a place of peace, playfulness, connection, compassion, and curiosity.
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"The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance."
—Alan Watts
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May you have the courage to renew yourself in passing each moment.
Max Kristopher Komes
www.MaxKomes.com
Max Komes is a Masters-level Registered Mental Health Counselor Intern offering supervised in-person counseling services in Pensacola, Florida, as well as statewide.
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