Patience is a Virtue

Our real blessings often appear to us in the shape of pains, losses and disappointments; but let us have patience and we soon shall see them in their proper figures.

Joseph Addison, English Essayist 1672-1719

Patience is not my strong suit, I feel like a tethered wildcat ready to bolt into the next thing if I am forced to wait. I also hate being too early for an event or meeting for this reason. I might have to wait, horrors!

In life when things hit a slow down I'm like a cat on a hot tin roof, jumping from this spot to that looking for a place to find the next resting place or activity. The hardest thing has always been for me to sit quietly, to adopt the attitude of allowing things to unfold, trusting in the future, letting go of control. Anyone out there feel the same?

The first experience I had of meditation was at a yoga class and when I reported how uncomfortable I felt the teacher said, "You are the type of person who would most benefit from this practice." Her words often come back to my monkey mind!

That said I have know the benefits of the stillness. I practiced meditation daily for ten years and I began to feel more centered, content in myself, less frantic. Then life changed and my routine got disrupted.  I started to see how what I gained from all the years of practice started to unravel. The old or was it a new restlessness surfaced. There are more days I feel off kilter, more irritable and less calm and able to deal with life's up and downs.

A bit like fitness really. If you stop working out, or running very soon you lose the benefits of more energy, better sleep, weight control, feeling healthy and thinking more positive.

But as with anything there is always the option to recommit. Every day is a new beginning and no matter what the past looked like tomorrow can be different if we are willing to let go of the belief that things cant change. 

So I recommit on a regular basis to the practice of mindfulness and though there are days that I look like I never meditated a day in my life, I still return to it because I want the benefits. Life is so much better when I trust the process, when I can be with myself in silence. And when life slows down I can wait for inspiration before making a move. Life will unfold its wisdom if I can just have patience and wait.

LOVE

"Love in your mind produces love in your life, this is the meaning of heaven.

What we are trying to control is much better off without us and what we are trying to fix cant be fixed by us anyway!" - Maryanne Williamson

The conclusion is simply to love. Love where you are - at very least be there in willingness to see the purpose and beauty in your situation. Love yourself and the others involved in your circumstances as you are, unconditionally! A tall order you may exclaim in horror and yes it is, but its not impossible! How about beginning with willingness and setting a time period to practice? Do you think you could practice unconditional love for a half hour or half a day? Its an amazing practice, to let go of our ideas of how a person or a situation should look and let it be OK. It can actually be a relief, to not be in resistance, to not have to try and impose rules or righteousness. Imagine!

Every encounter is a holy encounter, allow us to see that today and loosen the attachment of ego, to worldly and mundane ideas. Let us see as Spirit sees and let us remember how much we have to be grateful for, rather than focus on what is missing. Let us not withhold love and if we tend toward harsh judgment or criticism let us remember to ask for a shift in consciousness, for that miracle of seeing the truth of our oneness with others, and let us observe the Golden Rule. Do onto others what you would have them do onto you. Be the love you wish to experience today. Wear a symbol of your intention so you might be reminded throughout the day, a special ring, a badge or broach, a watch, a piece of string around your wrist, all good ways to remind ourselves as the day progresses and we are distracted. Allow it be a great day!