By nature I am impatient and it has caused trouble for myself and those in my life. I am far more patient now however than I used to be, so much so that people are commenting that they see me as a patient person, which is a big surprise to me.
Zen meditation and practice helps us find patience. Sitting meditation itself is an expression of patience and balance in the face of whatever experience we have, and this attitude can translate into our daily life. Patience is allowing things to organically unfold without being attached to an outcome. It is an acceptance of what is happening now without feeling you have to meddle with it, change, or control it. It is finding great tolerance for things just the way they are. It also means staying centered in the present moment and staying close to your own breathing as things develop.
Living patiently is living with a calm, accepting, and benevolent attitude. I have found that when I am calm in the face of demanding kids, upsetting news, or traumatic events, I have a more focused, objective, mature, and appropriate response to events than if I have a frightened, anxious, or overwhelmed response. Learning not to be thrown by things and pushed around by life is an ongoing lesson in the importance and joy of equilibrium.
Patient Living
