A Practice for Connecting with and Embodying Openness to Change

Change is good and hard, beautiful and messy, challenging and natural, and necessary.

There is no such thing as a meaningful and fulfilling life without change and though there are some changes we can avoid and choose out of there are many that we can’t avoid no matter how much we may try.

One of the reasons that change is so hard is because our minds and the rest of our nervous systems love patterns. Patterns = assumptions = less active work for our minds and bodies. The more that we feel that we can predict what will happen during the day and operate based on patterns the less effort our minds have to put into each and every little choice and we can reserve that energy for bigger and more meaningful decisions.

Here are a couple of practices you can try out to support you in connecting with and embodying a sense of openness to change. You can do these practices while sitting, laying down, standing in a comfortable position, even walking.

Practice One: Connecting with Comfortable Change

Think of a moment or experience of change that experience so regularly that you find it comfortable or even relaxing. This can be the moment of falling asleep or waking up, the sun rising and setting, the shift of seasons, the changing ebb and flow of waves, changing from your day time clothes to your lounge clothes. All that matters is that it is a change that feels comforting or relaxing to you.

Allow yourself to reflect on this change and run a scene in your mind of this change taking place. Notice what you find comforting or relaxing about this change. Run the scene of this change taking place in your mind again. Notice what sensations come up in the body as you think about this change. See if you can detect any sensations of wellbeing, pleasant sensations, sensations of relaxation or, if not, any neutral sensation. Run the scene again and let your attention rest on those pleasant sensations or neutral sensations.

Practice Two: Embodying Steadiness and Openness to Change

Think of a change that may be causing you a sense of discomfort right now. Let yourself think about this for a moment.

Now allow yourself to think of a few things in life that you can rely on and that are staying steady even in the midst of change. These can be things like the love of friends or family members, the strength of your relationship with something greater than you, the existence of sunrises and sunsets, the feeling of sitting on your favorite chair, the taste of the coffee at a coffee shop you enjoy, the sound of a song you enjoy. Allow yourself to reflect on these things, what you enjoy about these things, and their steadiness.

Allow yourself to focus on one of these things (whatever resonates with you most in these moments.) Allow yourself to be present with a moment of interacting with whatever that things. For example the moment of being with a friend or family member who cares about you, moment of connection with something greater than you, moment of seeing a beautiful sunrise, the moment of sitting in that chair you enjoy…

Notice what sensations come up in the body as you think about this thing that is steady right now in the midst of change. See if you can detect any sensations of wellbeing, pleasant sensations, sensations of relaxation or, if not, any neutral sensation. Let your attention rest on those pleasant sensations or neutral sensations.

See if there are any shifts in your attitude towards or feeling about the change or transition you are currently going through.