1. I am of the nature to grow old; I am not exempt from old age.

• Is this true?

• How do I react to this truth?

• What do I do to cover it up?

• How do I feel about parts of my body not working as well as they used to?

• Are there things that I can do to help my body in the process of getting old, such as attitude, exercise, eating the right things?

• Will I get uglier?

• Do I look as good right now as I am ever going to look?

• How do I treat people whom I consider old?

• Do I discount them?

• How will I want to be treated when I am old?

2. I am of the nature to become sick; I am not exempt from sickness.

• Is this true?

• How do I react to this truth?

• I assume I am going to be healthy, but has this been true in the past?

• Am I grateful when I am healthy?

• When I’m sick, do I use that time as an opportunity to meditate as practice for my dying process?

• How do I treat other people who are sick or have been diagnosed with an illness?

• Do I discount them?

• How do I want to be treated when I am sick?

• How would I want to be treated if I were diagnosed with an illness?

3. I am of the nature to die; I am not exempt from death.

• Is this true?

• How do I react to this truth?

• Will this body really become a corpse?

• Can I imagine this body as a corpse?

• Is my life span really decreasing continuously?

• Is it true that I can’t bargain with death?

• What are the implications of this truth?

• Does the truth of death inspire spiritual urgency, samvega?

4. Everything dear and delightful to me will change and vanish.

• Is this true?

• How do I react to this truth?

• Suppose I have something precious to me, and it gets lost.

• What is my reaction?

• Suppose it is stolen or breaks beyond repair.

• What is my reaction?

• It is OK to enjoy my possessions. But, if I am attached, that may bring suffering.

• Does this reflection apply to people I love too?

• How do I react to this truth?

5. My intentional thoughts, speech, and actions have consequences.

• Is this true?

• How do I react to this truth?

• We are born of our karma. In every moment we are re-born. What we become in the next moment is conditioned by our current intentional actions. My thoughts, words, and deeds in this moment color the next one.

• We are related to our karma. It is more important to pay attention to my current actions than to my relatives to determine whom I will become in this life.

• We are supported by our karma. Be proactive instead of passive about the people with whom I choose to associate; about the tings I choose to read, watch on TV or U-tube, or see at the movies. These choices will be my support system.

• We will inherit our karma. Everything we become is a result of our actions or the actions of others – good or evil. We are the unfolding of a process of the actions of ourselves, our family, our friends and acquaintances, and our community. This is our inherited conditioning.

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Leigh Brasington / / Revised 27 Jan 22