The Seed of Duhkha (Suffering)

“That nothing is static or fixed, that all is fleeting and impermanent, is the first mark of existence,” explains Pema Chodron,  an American Buddhist nun. She further shares, “We know that all is impermanent; we know that everything wears out.  Although we can buy this truth intellectually, emotionally we have a deep-rooted aversion  to it.  We want permanence, we expect permanence.  Our natural tendency is to seek security; we believe we can find it.  We experience impermanence at the everyday level as frustration.  We use our daily activity as a shield against the fundamental ambiguity of our situation, expending tremendous energy trying to ward off impermanence and death.”
At the heart of yoga is the message that, despite the law of impermanence, every human being is pure, whole, and balanced.  It is our inherent nature.  Through the process of everyday living, we lose this vital connection internally.  Thus begins the process of dis-connection, dis-ease, and suffering.  As we come to understand the law of impermanence and the roots of suffering, we learn we have a choice. We can choose to move through life, ignorant to the cause of our suffering, on auto pilot,  or we can awaken to savor each moment, each experience as an opportunity to transcend the ordinary.
The nature of impermanence invites us to experience each moment with a sense of newness and awe. The gift of impermanence allows us to view and experience yoga as both an art and a science.  The art of yoga lies in the ability to see the beauty of everyday living.  We seek truth, wisdom and understanding through the science of yoga. Yoga is a science of Self-realization.  It is a method for increasing awareness of our inner self. We learn to observe impermanence from a non-judgmental perspective.
Yoga is a homecoming. As we journey inward, we are exposed to all the possibilities that exist within each of us.  At the same time, we begin to let go of what no longer serves us on our journey.