Ep 113 Cultivating Patience

Today we’re going to talk about…

…Patience.

Did you feel the tension in the pause, as your legs got jittery, your toes began to tap, and you wanted me to fill in the word and get on with today’s meditation?

Patience is the heart of what mindfulness is all about.  It is the embodiment of living in the now. 

We see examples of patience in nature all the time:

• Seeds planted in the soil take time to grow and stick their head above the soil, and bloom and grow and bear fruit and flowers and vegetables. (Clock time vs. Horticultural time).

• Caterpillars in cocoons take time to become beautiful, brilliant butterflies.

• Bees patiently gather pollen for nectar, one flower at a time.

• A tiny acorn becomes an] giant oak tree…

• Gestation period for newborns.  Humans – 9 months, Elephants – 2 years (That would certainly give you plenty of time to get little Dumbo’s room ready for sure!)

• And perhaps the best example of patience seen in Nature is found in water.  Canadian poet Margaret Atwood says,

“Water does not resist. Water flows. When you plunge your hand into it, all you feel is a caress. Water is not a solid wall, it will not stop you. But water always goes where it wants to go, and nothing in the end can stand against it. Water is patient. Dripping water wears away a stone. Remember that, my child. Remember you are half water. If you can’t go through an obstacle, go around it. Water does.”

All of these examples in Nature are about growth and transformation of some kind.  When we can be in the moment, let go, and trust and allow – we begin to recognize that in its timeless, ancient wisdom, the Universe is unfolding right on schedule, and everything is happening exactly as it was meant to.  This brings an incredible peace that passes understanding.

Patience is the kind and wise sister of persistence.  Together they make a killer combo in personal growth in getting what you want.  Especially when it comes to relationships.

Patience is not only a virtue, but a very wise character trait to build.  Its opposite, Impatience, can cause road rage, start wars, bring financial disaster, ruin diets and even destroy relationships.

The beautiful thing about patience is that there are opportunities every day and everywhere for us to practice it.

Here are a few things you can do the next time you find yourself waiting in line or get stuck in traffic:

• First of all, take a deep breath in and remind yourself to be determined to remain in the moment and enjoy it to the best of your ability.  It’s a great exercise in building focus and mental fitness.
• Now imagine yourself 30,000 feet above the noise and stress and worries of the world.  Try to see the big picture.  The stars and planets aren’t worried or in a hurry, neither should you be.
• Picture yourself in your favorite Nature setting – Maybe a quiet forest, beside a babbling brook or river, or in a tranquil lake cabin or on a salt spray ocean beach.
• Do breathing exercises and enjoy a mini meditation.
• Think of everything you have to be grateful for…
• Pray.

With a list like that, there’s no reason to ever be impatient or stressed out again.

Remember, obstacles make you stronger, and the more there are, the stronger you become.

MEDITATION

So when you’re ready, make yourself comfortable, seated with your feet firmly planted and your spine upright, and close your eyes.

Breathe in deeply… and exhale completely.  Do this a few times and settle in…

Picture yourself in a beautiful garden.  The most beautiful garden you have ever seen.

Not an ordinary flower garden or vegetable plot or nursery. Bigger. Not merely a well-tended city park filled with plants and flowers and shrubs, or tall trees and interesting landscape features. Better. Imagine a glorious, living, breathing, continuously-growing, ornamental garden that holds your gaze and entire being transfixed. Luminescent. Fascinating. A garden that breathes life into your very soul, as you breathe in the aromatic fragrance of gardenias, lilacs, roses, honeysuckle and freesia.

Framing this garden are waterfalls, brooks and ponds, surrounded by a canopy of the most beautiful and interesting trees alive on the planet. (Describe trees, shapes, etc.)

Birds and bees and butterflies on fairy-like wings grace this garden with magic and motion. The waters, teeming with fish, frogs, tadpoles, and turtles bring a sense of abundance and unspeakable joy. A fawn next to its mother pauses its grazing to lift its head and stare at you with wonder and interest. Deer, raccoons, rabbits and other wildlife stir and fills the canopies and corners of the garden with sounds of playfulness and delight with the very joy of their being.

Massive mounds, rocks and hills and other unique and interesting landscape formations lend a sense of strength and character to this sanctuary. Winding whimsical pathways lead past fountains and water features, tree-houses and a stunning array of serendipitous surprises and gifts in every nook and corner along the way. A bliss-filled wonderland…

Now imagine this is your personal Paradise.  This Garden of Bliss represents your inner world.  Your Garden of Well-Being.

Imagine what it would have looked like before it was ever a garden.  A barren land filled with potential.  How long did each plant take to grow into the mature fullness of its true nature.  That which it was meant to become. What kind of incredible vision, persistence and patience was required to bring it to its fullness in this moment?

Now sit and enjoy the fruits of Patience…

“The two most powerful warriors are patience and time.” – Leo Tolstoy

Let them work for you in the setting of Nature for becoming the best version of yourself.