A river adapts to whatever surroundings it comes up against and continues to flow - it will find a way to go where it wants to go.

Since life, like a river, is constantly moving and changing without our direction, there's less for us 'to do' than we may think.

There's life moving and flowing - and we're just part of the flow.

Real time

Since we only ever experience the present moment of reality, we can let go and flow with the current ('presence') of life, without resistance.

Past regrets or experiences can be carried through time to be re-experienced mentally, or we can let them go. Future expectations or fears are imagined by the mind, but we can let those go too, recognising that these are mental constructs of an unknown (and unlimited) potential experience.

There's little correlation between our mental imagination or memories and how life actually unfolds, but the brain looks for patterns, consistency and completeness to 'help' keep us safe. Our survival is not at threat to the extent it was in the long-distant past however, so this protective processing and vigilance is outdated and causes unnecessary mental suffering.

'Boredom, anger, sadness or fear are not 'yours', not personal. They are conditions of the human mind. They come and go. Nothing that comes and goes is you.'

Eckhart Tolle

Awareness & Pausing

Feelings guide us in the moment. If we feel discomfort or suffering, we can pause to reset, balanced in the now moment, reconnecting to the undisturbed presence that is behind these feelings. This is our deeper, true nature and secure, stable home base.

After the pause, we can take the next step, knowing this is the only time we can act, think or feel. Life is moment to moment and living in that understanding is so much easier and free flowing. It's a more efficient and peaceful use of our energy.

Quiet strength

Water feels soft and adaptable (it moves and flows around or over obstacles) - but it is also quietly strong (dripping water can wear away stone and a meandering river can erode and move the banks and river path over time.)

We can embrace a similar quiet strength by being soft and adaptable in the present moment of life. This simply means being open and receptive to 'what is'. Being receptive means we feel our feelings now, rather than resisting or fighting them.

Feeling and acknowledging our feelings and emotions let's them flow through naturally - resisting or trying to intellectualise them does the opposite, creating pressure and tension. It's like trying to hold back a flowing river, the water always finds a way through but holding it back builds energy in the meantime.

The Middle Way

In Buddhism, navigating life's challenges with a balanced mindset is encouraged, accepting life's realities including inevitable change, with grace and compassion.

Our in-the-moment awareness (mindfulness) of our thoughts, emotions and experiences allows us to transcend any limited and painful imagined constraints of 'what if'.

We can experience harmony and balance when we flow without resistance to what is, now.

We might not like the current reality, but allowing it all to be experienced now frees us to enjoy the next inevitable moment, which is full of new potential. This allows our innate resilience to shine through and support us.

'Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don't resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.'

Lao Tzu