Welcome to this meditation for cultivating patience.
Waiting is an unavoidable fact of life.
Often when we have to wait,
We grow impatient,
Frustrated,
And restless.
Whether we're eager to finish a project or make a change in ourselves or our circumstances,
We're focused on the future.
We're at point A,
But our attention is on getting to point B,
And in essence,
We feel that things will be better at point B.
And living in a culture that values quantity and speed feeds our impatience.
For many of us,
It takes a strong intention and plenty of practice to counteract that.
Meditation is certainly a great antidote to our speedy culture,
And you can add the intention to come back to the present moment throughout the day.
In the moments when you must wait,
You have a wonderful opportunity to practice mindfulness.
So let's begin.
Come into a comfortable position,
And if you're comfortable doing so,
Allow your eyes to gently close.
Take three slow,
Deep breaths at your own pace,
Helping your body and mind to arrive in the present moment.
Begin to bring to mind what you're waiting for and recognize the nature of the experience.
See if you notice any impatience or frustration that may be present.
Pay attention to the energy in your body and how it feels to experience impatience.
You may notice the urge to fidget,
And if and when you notice this urge,
See if you can soften into it and simply allow it to be present.
Next,
Begin to feel your feet on the floor.
Gently scan your body from your feet up,
Bringing awareness to each part of your body.
For the next minute or so,
Continue to scan your body,
Noticing any difficulties that may arise,
And seeing if you can soften into that and simply allow it to be present.
Next,
Begin to feel your feet on the floor.
If your mind wanders at any point,
That's okay,
Simply notice this and come back to scanning your body.
The next time you feel impatient,
Check in with your body.
What do you feel?
Chances are you may feel some agitation or restlessness.
Let yourself be present to that.
You may find that some other feelings emerge as well,
Such as sadness,
Anger,
Frustration,
Or even fear.
Again,
Allow yourself to be present to that.
Allow the emotions to be felt and see what happens.
See what else you experience by being present to yourself in the moment.
Hopefully you'll notice the aliveness that's there and find fulfillment in simply being present to what is.
The richness of the present moment experience is nothing short of a miracle.
Take a moment to let that sink in,
To recognize that real fulfillment in life doesn't have anything to do with finishing a project or changing yourself or your circumstances.
It has to do with the simple experience of being alive and the abundance that's available to you.
Begin to bring your awareness back to the space that you're in.
Notice the points of contact between your body and the surface beneath you.
Now noticing sounds near and far.
And begin to bring some gentle movement to your body by wiggling the fingers and toes,
Or maybe rolling the shoulders.
And when you're ready,
You can gently open your eyes.
As you move about your day,
Remember to come back to the present moment when you're feeling impatient or restless.
Thank you for joining me in this practice for cultivating patience.
Have a wonderful rest of your day.
