At the start of this new year, I asked myself what I wanted to focus on and immediately I heard the word “patience”.
I found this both somewhat surprising and amusing as I am not the most patient of people. I know this! As do most of the people who know me well. So, now in my 63rd year in this body, I am looking at growing my patience. And this is after 36 years of meditation and spiritual healing practice. Which shows that it’s never too late to learn more or take it to the next level.
Patience is an interesting concept because it is directly linked to the 3-dimensional world of time and space within which we as spirit are learning how to function and grow. For spirit, there is no time and space.
In terms of the physical world we know now, we are taught and encouraged to maximize our time and not waste a moment; charge ahead, keep going, keep up, don’t look back, go faster, do more, multi-task. Which means that anytime the pace or rush is interrupted, we are vulnerable to frustration, irritation and loss of patience.
This is not to say that there aren’t many philosophies and practices available to us that aim to counteract or counterbalance this prevailing trend – meditation, yoga, Pilates, tai chi to name a few. But we have to work to connect with those and make them a part of our daily life, warding off the ever-increasing speed of our culture and society rather than have them taught to us or encouraged from birth.
In the past, sitting and watching time go by on your porch, deck or veranda was a natural and normal part of life – a way of passing the time. Now it is considered by many as a waste of time, as non-productive or even negative. Having to be patient is often equated with not being in control or being at the mercy of other people, situations or circumstances.
Our relationship with time has, in many ways, become unhealthy or perhaps even unsustainable. We used to routinely walk, bicycle, travel by wagon, train or bus and it would take a long time to get somewhere. Time spent with yourself along the way allowed space for thought, contemplation, even boredom which led to creativity.
Now, in our fast-paced society, we are given ways to be creative and accomplish rather than having to find them ourselves and this diminishes our individuality or uniqueness, which then leads to frustration and impatience when we find no personal fulfillment or satisfaction.
When you are constantly guided and shown the way to go, you miss the opportunity to lose your way and have to use all of your knowledge, skills and awareness to get back on track.
And so, patience is about continuously coming back to oneself. It’s about disengaging from the prevailing trend and re-connecting with your own natural rhythm. And that is the key to self-healing, fulfillment, growth and learning. All the things that make living as spirit in this physical world valuable and exciting.
How can you get off the runaway train, find re-connection with your individual pace and create space for patience?
One simple way is to take a deep breath, relax and smile! And repeat as necessary.
Another way is through Intuitive Touch healing which is designed to recognize, validate and help you integrate and align your spiritual energy with your body’s own unique vibration, rhythm and pace.
Contact me for more information and, in the meantime, enjoy the ride.