Happiness is Hidden in the Words of my Tattoo

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“Sabbe saṅkhārā aniccā’ti
yadā paññāya passati,
atha nibbindati dukkhe;
esa maggo visuddhiyā.

All things are impermanent
when one observes this with insight,
then one becomes detached from suffering;
this is the path of purification.”

― Words of Dhamma Dhammapada 227

Not, yoga people are not always happy. In fact we’re here because we’re all nuts. As a yoga practitioner I learned to control my mind. That means for me: to be less reactive to the sensations of my body; to the changes of my mood or to the external circumstances; to accept that nothing last forever and that living the present moment is the only reality. Practicing had help me to calm my emotional nature and to not suffer from the products of my imagination. Again, there is to much to say on this theme. But my point is that in a big scale this personal evolution brings me a lot of peace. Which is my definition of happiness.

However there are days when vulnerability takes over, the fears come back and the pain can be a sensation with no any reason. (I understand the body sensations as a blueprint/recorder information spread through my body, information of my past, of another lives or even some collective energy.) What I do then? I cry, I touch the ground for short, I might want to die for seconds. Then I close my eyes, I let it be, I give space to my vulnerability to show me the next step on my way. Later I connect to my breath and there mostly I find the answers. I trust that I will be liberated again, I know that “this will change too”. 🙏

Man suffers because of his craving to possess and keep forever things which are essentially impermanent.

Alan Watts

Photo credits Maite Guerrero at Instagram

“When nothing belongs to us, it is the happiest moment in our life.”

Phra Phutthathat Phikhu Cr.  

The story about my tattoo. Six years ago when I was visiting my hometown Sofia, I wanted to get “from Russia with love” on my skin. It was a time when I felt the need to connect to my roots, and my half – Russian blood spoke to me. So, me and my precious friend Gabriela head on to the ink shop. Speaking about life, she told me this story about the Two Brothers and the Two Rings. Where the small brother had learn a life lesson through a cheap silver ring with engraved  words “This too shall pass”. As time pass the brother observed how in life all changes. He lived a happy life because he knew that nothing is eternal, that everything comes just to pass away. But I recommend you to read this wise story yourself. (link story) I listened to my friend and after the story was over I said with great enthusiasm – “Yes, this is me! I am like this myself – an acceptance of constant change! This is my freedom! You know, I gonna tattoo this right now!” And so it was, 5 minutes later we were in the tattoo shop. From that time on I start living conscious about what I already knew, using it and adopting it as a lifestyle.

Anicca, Anicca, Anicca…

What is Anicca? Anicca is the Pali word for impermanence. Anicca is one of the The three marks of existence – the three fundamental and essential doctrines (anicca (impermanence), dukkha (suffering), and anatta (insubstantiality) ) -in Buddhism. By accepting the impermanence of existence – with the help of mindful meditation – the Buddhist ends suffering.

Everything is in a constant state of change.  Anicca is also seen in our body, in our inner life, in our emotions and thoughts – if we observe our mind and moods we see that they are in a constant state of movement and change, and that we can often hardly remember the emotions or thoughts we experienced so vividly at a prior time. Both pleasure and pain, and everything in between, are transient. Mindfulness and meditation practice help us to see this directly for ourselves.  As meditators, we come face to face with the impermanence of ourselves. This enables us to realize that we have no control over this phenomenon, and that any attempt to manipulate it creates suffering. When we observe our own mind, we realize how every thought arises, captures our attention, and then dies away. If we observe the physical world, we can discover Anicca marks all phenomena there as well.

Everything that has a beginning has an ending. Make your peace with that, and all will be well.

Gautama Buddha

When you get into an argument with someone you love, please close your eyes and visualize yourself three hundred years from now. When you open your eyes, you will only want to take each other in your arms and acknowledge how precious each of you is. The teaching of impermanence helps us appreciate fully what is there, without attachment or forgetfulness.

— Thích Nhất Hạnh