Cultivating patience is a practice that we can access in our mindfulness and meditation practices.
We live in a world of instant gratification. We have microwaves for quick cooking, instant oatmeal, 5-minute rice, and technology that allows us to receive communication through text within seconds. As a result, we grow to expect instant gratification in other areas of our lives—we want to feel well without the putting forth any effort to care for ourselves; we want to be thin without eating healthily and exercising; and we want the rewards and wisdom that come from spiritual study and practice without the efforts of study and practice.
We can practice cultivating patience by practicing waiting, trusting that life unfolds in its own timing. Life is not about arriving at a destination. The richest and most rewarding moments come in the gradually unfolding journey of waiting and doing the work of commitment to study and practice.
Try bringing awareness to the moments when you are feeling impatient. Pause. Breathe. Ask yourself how you might apply a practice of patience in this situation by reminding yourself that life is unfolding in its own timing.
Basically, patience is simple; it means waiting. No matter how good our conduct or practice, expecting or grabbing at some reward or result is a hindrance.
—Taigen Daniel Leighton
Jen Johnson is a mindfulness coach and therapist teaching meditation for healing, creativity, and resilience. She teaches her clients how to meditate, create a regular mindfulness practice, and integrate mindfulness into everyday life. Learn more about mindfulness coaching services.