Riding the Waves of Impermanence

While this truth can feel confronting, it is also profoundly freeing. The more we acknowledge impermanence, the more we can let go of clinging, soften our fear of the unknown, and meet life with a steadier, more open heart.

Experiencing Impermanence on the Mat

Yoga gives us a direct way to feel into this truth. Each time you step onto your mat, you’re offered a chance to notice change in real time—not just as a concept, but as a lived experience.

Breathe and Observe
Begin by simply noticing. The breath is a perfect teacher of change: it rises, falls, and disappears. No breath is ever the same as the one before. During your practice, tune into this rhythm. Feel the passing sensations in the body, the shifting mood of your mind. Everything is in motion.

Let the Postures Teach You
In challenging poses—like Warrior III, Chair, or Plank—impermanence becomes vivid. Sensations intensify. Thoughts fluctuate. You may want to escape. But staying present teaches you that discomfort, like everything else, will pass. With practice, you learn to ride the wave without resisting it.

Release with Intention
Restorative poses and savasana are ideal spaces to explore letting go. As you soften into stillness, invite yourself to release expectations, stories, and tension—one breath at a time. Let each exhale become a gesture of surrender. In this space, you may feel a deeper peace—the kind that comes not from control, but from trust.

Living with Impermanence Off the Mat

The real power of this practice unfolds in daily life. Reflect on these gentle questions:

• What change am I currently resisting? How would it feel to welcome it, just as it is?
• Is there something I’m holding onto tightly—a role, habit, or relationship—that might be ready to shift?
• When was the last time something unexpected disrupted my plans? What did I learn from it?

By observing how impermanence shows up in your life, you begin to soften the grip of attachment. And in that softening, there's space—for wisdom, compassion, and presence.

Two Views, One Truth

In the yogic tradition, impermanence is a doorway to remembering our eternal self (Ātman)—the unchanging witness within. In Buddhism, impermanence points instead to the absence of a fixed self (Anattā), reminding us not to cling to any identity at all. These views may seem opposite, but both lead to freedom. They invite us to meet life not with fear, but with flow.

I explore this meeting point in my book, Buddhism for Yogis—an invitation to walk between traditions with open eyes and an open heart. Because when we truly embrace impermanence, we stop grasping for stability outside ourselves. And we begin to discover something steadier within.