“Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.”
This profound and far-reaching observation was made by one of the most respected of the great ancient Roman Stoic philosophers and statesmen, Seneca (Lucius Annaeus Seneca), in the 1st century AD. In making the statement, he was drawing attention to the fact that in life, as in nature, there are no beginnings nor are there any endings, but that every new beginning must of necessity follow the end of another beginning, in an unbroken sequence. He reminded his followers of the circular nature of all of the universe which demands that every start must begin from an end. He recorded this repeatedly in his opinions and writings, making such statements as:
“Omni fine initium novum”
(“Every end is the beginning of a new”)
He also viewed all of human life, like everything else in nature, as locked in a never-ending circle, where new things begin only when others end. In nature for example, spring will only come after winter is finished, sprouts will only grow from the end of seeding, and wheat harvesting only takes place at the end of planting. In the same manner, all the universe’s environmental changes observe a similar circular pattern where, night can only begin at day’s end, and the moon will appear when the sun ends. The point of all of this is that all of life on this universe is in a continuous state of changing, in such a way that the end of one event becomes the start of another. Whatever the prevailing circumstances, everything that begins will eventually end, but not disappear, for although it may seem to have done so, in fact, each ending serves to usher in a new beginning. So that, in all of nature, living or otherwise, there is a continuous cycle of ebbing and flowing that never ends. The rate may be different, some so fast as to make them imperceptible and others, so slow that it is impossible to identify or measure. But they all obey the same rules.
Irrespective of the event, there is a definitive code of transition that occurs leading on to a new beginning. Each beginning must of necessity start with the end of the current status, the recognition of the need to get rid of the current conditions, and the acceptance of change. The second stage involves a variable period of neutrality, within which activities cease or are held in abeyance, in anticipation of the impending changes. This leads in to final stage, the new beginning, marked by the release of energy in a new direction and the expression of a fresh identity. Much of this occurs spontaneously, and follows an established pattern that is controlled by the prevailing circumstances. These changes never occur as impromptu or impulsive changes, but confusing as this might appear, they follow the natural laws strictly. This indeed is what I believe the well-regarded American author, spiritual leader and social activist, Marianne Williamson was trying to explain when she observed:
“Nature is infinitely creative. It is always producing the possibility of new beginnings.”
The concept of new beginnings is as old as man himself, and each generation of philosophers have attempted to provide suitable explanations to fit their beliefs. The ancient Chinese viewed the whole universe as being controlled by a single, all powerful principle, Tao (Great Ultimate), and that everything is influenced by the opposing principles of yin and yang. These are responsible for all nature’s phenomena, changes and events that take place. The ancient Greco-Roman philosophers actually chose to designate a God of New Beginnings, Janus, to be responsible for all the different forms of portals and transitions, including entrances, exits, interims, beginnings and endings. The ancient Indians philosophers, while admitting that no one can know the origin of the universe, yet they believed that this universe, and all that is in it, came into being following the end of a previous one, and will no doubt be followed by another. This is expressed in their principle of reincarnation, where the soul of the deceased being continues life in a different form after the original form dies, giving truth to the statement:
“What to one is the end of the world, to another, is a beginning.”
New beginnings, irrespective of the settings, are in fact, like new adventures. Initially, they may appear to be difficult and challenging, and at times daunting and frightening, but they also bring excitement and a sense of fulfillment. But human beings, unlike the rest of the inhabitants of the universe however, have never been able to cope with change, choosing rather the security of the status quo. Human nature generally prefers the security and comfort of the prevailing circumstances, and try to hold on to it. The fear of the unknown is so indelibly imprinted in their psyches that it forces them to accept the present, however uncomfortable, rather than venturing forward into a new direction. This is the result of a deeply embedded lack of trust, born of all the preceding experiences, that overrides good sense and induces suspicion and uncertainty. This fact led the great ancient Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu to declare:
“New beginnings are often disguised as painful endings.”
But new beginnings, despite any or all misgivings, are as inevitable as life itself. The engine of the universe runs on the principle of constant changes, and without this, it will not survive. We all need the constant fresh air of change to move away the smoke and debris accumulating in our past, and to help in encouraging growth and improvement. Unfortunately, however, because so many of these changes can appear to be completely unpredictable, they serve to engender feelings of uncertainty and intimidation. These are the ones that give rise to feelings of fear and inadequacy, and encourage the reluctance and timidity so often associated. But the fact is, no amount of resisting or avoiding will prevent the new beginning from taking hold; it will always occur. And yet, at the same time, once the change is initiated, it becomes very easy and helpful to accept and to adapt. This indeed is what Steve Jobs, founder of the highly successful Apple and Pixar companies, tried to convey when he noted:
“The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.”
For the individual, every new beginning provides the opportunity to review the past, to examine personal achievements as well as failures, and to come to terms with oneself and one’s needs. But a new beginning does not necessarily have the same effect with everyone, but rather, can present a different meaning, a different purpose, a different goal, and equally, a different belief and philosophy to each. But, irrespective of what the final goal might be, a new beginning offers the opportunity to get rid of toxic elements in life, to eliminate bad or non-functioning habits and, above all, to change direction. But we need to recognize that in our lives, like in all of nature, there can be no meaningful improvement without the changes caused by a new beginning. But to do so, requires that we rise above our instinctual tendencies of staying in our comfort zones, and trying to hold on to the things we know.
Unless we deliberately take the first steps forward, we are doomed to stay locked in, and weighed down, by the baggage of past disappointments and bitterness, even as the rest of the world moves on. Without any doubt, all the good things that occur during a person’s lifetime do so as a result of changes, planned or unplanned. And without meaningful change, all our successes will quickly lose their luster, because of the tendency to take them for granted. Human beings, like all of nature, are naturally conditioned to cope with changes, but the fears and resistances we exhibit is the result of poor past experiences. This indeed was the reason that led Jim Rohn, the powerful American motivational speaker and successful author to declare:
“It’s a new day, a new beginning for your new life. With discipline you will be amazed at how much progress you can make. What have you got to lose except the guilt and the fears of the past?”
-This is the most important message from a new beginning. It demands only that you accept the change, go forward with the resources you have available to you, and do the best you possibly can.
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