Mr. and Mrs. Patience

Start:

Patience starts with readiness. Those who are anxious are ill-prepared.

The definition of patience is the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset. This is a mystical ability in the modern age. When no one around possesses this grail, its use is infinite.

What could this mean? Most of the time you spend doing anything is trumped by the time used waiting... You wait on dinner to be served, people to return and even thoughts to process. Waiting isn't a waste of time at all, it's all in-between. This is a virtue as aforementioned and should be taken seriously. Do not rush what cannot be accelerated or pushed forward, for when you do, you risk the outcome being what you dread the most.

Virtues are not necessarily double-edged in any way when facilitated correctly. They are, however, misused and abused very often when a person seeks to demonstrate them without humility. The one who claims to coalesce virtues as a paragon via a myriad of methods or otherwise through training is a liar. Virtue acuity is nought and will never be, due to, the holy nature of such a faculty. Demonstration of a virtue is sac religious, so acquiring patience takes a lifetime even in monastic circles.

Patience can drive some people mad, and this is why it is considered one of the highest virtues. If lived out correctly and maintained, it can spawn continuous and ever-loving rewards. The question is how does a person practice patience?

The practice of the big P is cantankerous to say the least. Some say stillness is the best way to practice this virtue, but it's a much more complex than this. The best way to describe the P is the path of action. Taking action at the right times can help develop patience due to the gap in-between. Others may say persistence is the way, but, that isn't directly related to patience. The time in-between direct action and rest (not stillness) is patience. Be careful of those who state that “drudgery” is patience.

Do what needs to be done and step back slowly, even enjoy the time in-between steps. This is about calm flow and even reflection on the next steps to be taken. The big P is presented to you when you need it, and everyone knows when it's time to be patient, even the laymen.

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Even now, I am becoming unsettled while writing this post. I am currently deciding whether to keep writing or to take a break, pack up and go home to continue my venture into this article. <P> is hard and long and strong... Such is the nature of most virtues. They are only for those with a structured will and an unconditionally loving heart. The best case that you can see <P> at work is acceptance of a situation.

Have I accepted that I may or may not convey my purest ideas in this article/post? No, but I know that once I demonstrate action and see the in-between, I will have time to rest. You see, patience is also (at its lowest frequency) a gamble. Bystanders at a casino call it "anticipation"... that incremental second in-between a gigantic win and an abysmal loss. This is an active principal or polarity of patience that we experience on a daily basis.

Let us turn to a more vulgar example of patience, and that includes bathroom usage. You sit patiently on the toilet and do your business every single day and don't complain one bit. You may even spend up to hours of your life inside the restroom at a time (this is unhealthy) however the point is demonstrated perfectly through this medium.

Furthermore, you can even express yourself through patience by allowing the facilitated actions of others to play out in your life. Take a pause when others speak and consider their point of view more deeply than before (if this is safe). You can even start to help people who are disabled or elderly (obviously taking patience). If you are still having trouble with patience, take care or facilitate the learning of a child/children. This not only takes patience but also takes will and grit. If you know a teacher than you can ask to sit or even volunteer to see what this is like.

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Writing poetry or doing anything you thoroughly enjoy takes patience if you want to get it right. Doing what you love is always a gateway to all the virtues and hidden treasures of the world ahead of you. Be careful, the flip side of this is that when an activity you enjoy no longer becomes a joy and turns to a pain, you'll need a virtue to get you back on track even to reinitiate that passion back into what you are doing.

Task Number 1.

Real World Practice

Breathe as slowly as you can and as deeply as you can for as long as you can or take up what is called Box breathing (4 seconds for each inhale, pause and exhale). This type of breathing technique is universal and is used in many mediation practices.

Task Number 2

Real World Practice

Stand in one place for as long as you can, then sit for as long as you can in one spot. Do this until failure or until someone calls you over to do something. Resist the urge to move and or work out (you will want to) and reward yourself when a new milestone has been hit, remember to keep a timer handy.

Task Number 3

Real World Practice

*Disclaimer — This can raise heart rate and anxiety

Starting and Stopping: Complete a task as fast (not as hard) as you can, then stop and sit. Continue this exercise for as long as possible.

These exercises are set to improve your patience and increase your willingness to be patient. Moreover, it's imperative that you always use your head when doing anything in life. Will you be Mr. or Mrs. P? I hope this is a step, leap, and jump into something you've always heard but never seen. Stay Mysterious >#<