Monday, March 14, 2011

Be calm and patient




Do not be desirous of having
things done quickly. Do not
look at small advantages.
Desire to have things done
quickly prevents their being
done thoroughly. Looking
at small advantages prevents
great affairs from being
accomplished.

- Confucius (551 b.c.–479 b.c.)

The ancient Eastern masters cultivated a calm temperament through meditation, breathing exercises and awareness. As a result, the Eastern masters were able to develop a very strong and nearly imperturbable presence. Because they were not getting in their own way, in the face of danger they were pure action, maximally effective. This cultivation fed into a hyper-aware state of mind that prevents emotion-based responses.

In the long run, developing patience requires a change in your attitude about life, but you can immediately make progress by learning to relax whenever you feel impatient. Take a few deep breaths and just try to clear your mind. Concentrate on breathing and you'll be able to get your bearings.

The most effective way of gaining patience is by changing your point of view about life. Our lifestyles have a crucial role to play in our tolerance level. For that matter, stop living a very fast lifestyle, slow down and enjoy every moment of life. Make sure you spend an hour of every day meditating. Meditation is a great way to relax and increase your tolerance level.

Also, you need to be well aware of the events that trigger impatience in you. Knowing your weak points can help you control the problem. After knowing the events you can analyze why they cause impatience. There is always a reason for your behavior. Get to the depth of it. Be mature with things. Accept the fact that you will not always see results instantly, things take time to happen. Acceptance of this little fact will help you deal with situations without getting jittery and impatient.

Patience is a key ingredient in the process of the natural world and in our personal world. For instance, if you break a bone the healing process proceeds precisely at its own pace independent of any opinion you may have about it. That is the natural world at work. Your desire to have it fixed quickly is of absolutely no consequence. If you are impatient you will prevent it from healing thoroughly. Shakespeare wrote this truth beautifully, “How poor are they that have not patience! What wound did ever heal but by degree?”

Abandon your conditioned means of evaluating yourself as successful or not on the basis of immediate indicators. If you have a knowing within that you are on a much higher mission than what might show up today, you will free yourself from the folly of those current results. To be ahead in the beginning of the game can be a big disadvantage if it obscures your vision for the entire game.

Be as patient with yourself, through all of your successes and disappointments. Know that God has always been with you. When you can turn a problem over to a higher authority to which you are connected, you immediately shift to that knowing state of infinite patience, and you stop looking for little indicators of success for today only. As the Oriental proverb says, “With time and patience the mulberry leaf becomes a silk gown.”

- N.GANESHAN

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