In the May-July issue of What is Enlightenment? magazine, two global thinkers were interviewed about how their views have changed over time.  I thought it was a fascinating question to ask, and realized that in many ways, we are called to be open to changing as spiritual beings.  Let me tell you how our embracing change can be addictive, how rejecting change can rigidify us, or finally how it can help us grow.

 

            You might be a person who thrives on change.  You love to experiment, playing with newness often.  You can fill your life with pleasure and creativity by trying out new recipes, taking different routes on daily trips, traveling new places, reading in new areas, and just being outright curious.  If you find, however, that the changes you pursue are not driven by curiosity, but instead by a desire to find something that will satisfy an unquenchable thirst in your life, you might want to look more carefully at what is driving you.  People whose lives are driven by change can feel they must continue to seek new thrills or “find perfect answers” over a lifetime, and are rarely happy.  They seldom have deep relationships because they are often moving on, looking for the ideal person or for people to fill them up.

 

            Then there are people who thrive on keeping everything the same.  If you are this kind of person, you probably live an insulated life, with few friends or new experiences.  Satisfaction in life comes from the illusion of predictability, stability and familiarity with whatever surrounds your daily life.  Trying new things or going new places makes you uncomfortable; seeking opportunities to make new friends or deepen relationships feels threatening.  Although your daily routines may at times no longer fit your life, you continue to follow them because they are familiar and comforting.  Life has a sameness and seeming safety when you live it this way.

 

            You might have noticed that although both descriptions above describe extremes, they have some things in common, particularly in the realm of limiting relationships.  They also reflect a kind of stuckness, whether you’re stuck on always pursuing new things, or whether you are determined to keep things as they are.  As spiritual beings, if you are caught in either extreme, you may find it difficult to experience the fullness of your life, because you always think you’re missing something and keep seeking it, or you’re afraid to open yourself up to discovery and possibility.

 

            The way to get yourself unstuck is to observe how you work with change.  Are you constantly seeking change because life is unsatisfactory?  Do you become anxious when changes occur, resisting, criticizing or avoid it?  Change, after all, is going on every moment of your life; you often don’t realize this truth because much of that change is happening in ways you are unable to observe.  Molecules are moving constantly, and the universe continues to expand whether you’re aware of it or not. Sometimes you may not notice change simply because you are too pre-occupied with other things.  Nonetheless, change is endless.  How we perceive change and how we work with it, regardless of our preferences, at least in part determine whether we allow ourselves to be changed by the universe or struggle to stay as we are.

 

            When you open yourself to change, you give yourself the gift of beginning to see the world as it truly is.  Without your even seeking it, life constantly gives you opportunities to observe it, experience and learn through life’s unfolding mystery.  When I notice a new bird on the lake, or the fish suddenly jumping to meet them, or the freshness of a thunderstorm; or when I notice my irritation at someone’s remark, or my resistance to a new idea, or my delight at a friend’s phone call—all these changes, surprises and encounters remind me of the unpredictability and freshness of life.

 

            Much of what you can learn is right before you.  When you are “awake” and open in these encounters, too, spirit has the opportunity to open your soul and re-shape your mind even more profoundly.  How have you changed lately?