Impermanence (Anitya)

Nipa Shah
2 min readSep 16, 2022

Anitya means nothing is permanent!

All living beings are perishable and all material things in the universe are transitory.

And everything is in a constant state of change.

This impermanence applies to everything:

  • our body — which changes with age and disease
  • our relationships — with our friends and families
  • our circumstances — with the rise and fall of our wealth, status, and reputation

It has been one of the most challenging of times. The uncertainty has been very stressful for many. But remember, the human race has faced many such calamities, natural disasters, wars, and uncertainties. And we’re still here.

And that’s why what has been happening in the world since 2020 is also transitory. It’s not here to stay permanently. Sure, it’s taking a damn long minute to leave, but leave it will.

To gain mental peace, we must understand and remember this state of anitya (impermanence). We also need to learn strategies to cope with fear and anxiety that arise when unexpected changes happen around us.

Meditation, listening to spiritual discourses, reading positive stuff (not the news), staying off social media platforms, and being in touch with loved ones (friends and family) are some simple and easy ways to gain control of the fear and anxiety caused by our thoughts.

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