What is patience?
Is it not a quiet and steady faithfulness to God and other duties in the midst of trials?
What are the attributes of patience?
* Detachment seems to be key!
e.g., patience in tribulation must involve detaching from the suffering of the present because of faith for trust that all situations can lead to spiritual growth. This makes me think of the Valley of Knowledge in Baha'u'llah's The Seven Valleys, which describes this foresight so beautifully.
Let us "...rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance." (Romans 5:3). "Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer." (Romans 12:12).
* A healthy dose of selflessness. Rigidly demanding that things work one's own way in one's own time frame is not likely to induce great patience.
* A willingness to compromise seems very much related to the previous point.
* Compassion. Without compassion, it can be harder to relate to another person and hear them out in many situations.
* Any others? Please share out any thoughts you may have. I'm particularly interested in hearing folks' thoughts on practical things we can do to develop more patience.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Patience Continues
How appropriate that a marriage proposal should come during the month of patience, when this relationship has been such a lesson in patience (I suppose that's true of most relationships). Looking forward to a future year of wedding planning and waiting to be married will be another lesson in patience!
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Goodnight Moon
This evening I had a marvelous yoga class. I am so grateful to finally to returning to my regular practice after several weeks hiatus during weeks of visitors. Yet, this evening I became quite teary-eyed because t'was the last class of my fabulous instructor Moondance, who had a baby girl just a few months ago.
Tis amazing that my heart can form such a strong connection to someone in a setting where I typically silently enter, turn inward, and quietly leave. Only on a few occasions have I paused after class to converse with her, and yet her teaching has been such a beautiful gift in my life. Her teaching has given me a clear sense of preference of yoga styles (vinyasa, thank you).
As I write this, I am given cause to think that moving connections with others must not necessarily involve conversation (which makes me think of what AA was saying the other evening about discovering silence with another person), nor knowing general trivia about another person's likes and personal life. There is something about yoga that can produce a connection of spirit between a student and her teacher. Ours was a relationship so entirely based on generosity, on her giving, and our (the students') receiving. I have at times wondered what it must feel like to be a yoga teacher, to give of yourself so fully while others come and go, enter class to find solace in themselves and the guidance of your words, the sequences you have thoughtfully put together, the music you have carefully selected. Such teachers are models of detachment. Surely they must recognition the gift of service, the light-filling energy their teaching brings to the world.
"May all beings benefit from our practice. Namaste."
Thank you Moondance.
**for those who are not familiar with the title of this post, it is in reference to a very famous children's book by Margaret Wise Brown, which seemed appropriate for honoring Moondance, who is giving up teaching yoga for now to spend more time with her infant daughter.
Tis amazing that my heart can form such a strong connection to someone in a setting where I typically silently enter, turn inward, and quietly leave. Only on a few occasions have I paused after class to converse with her, and yet her teaching has been such a beautiful gift in my life. Her teaching has given me a clear sense of preference of yoga styles (vinyasa, thank you).
As I write this, I am given cause to think that moving connections with others must not necessarily involve conversation (which makes me think of what AA was saying the other evening about discovering silence with another person), nor knowing general trivia about another person's likes and personal life. There is something about yoga that can produce a connection of spirit between a student and her teacher. Ours was a relationship so entirely based on generosity, on her giving, and our (the students') receiving. I have at times wondered what it must feel like to be a yoga teacher, to give of yourself so fully while others come and go, enter class to find solace in themselves and the guidance of your words, the sequences you have thoughtfully put together, the music you have carefully selected. Such teachers are models of detachment. Surely they must recognition the gift of service, the light-filling energy their teaching brings to the world.
"May all beings benefit from our practice. Namaste."
Thank you Moondance.
**for those who are not familiar with the title of this post, it is in reference to a very famous children's book by Margaret Wise Brown, which seemed appropriate for honoring Moondance, who is giving up teaching yoga for now to spend more time with her infant daughter.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
San Diego Spring Winds
With tangled hair,
billowing clothes,
steps, harried and pushed
as the mighty sea wind flows.
Like a leaf adeptly pulled
by the swift, sliding hand
of a panda bear, this wind
leaves little force to stand.
As I make my way,
down these broad avenues
I remember these words
to pay my daily dues:
"I testify at this moment
to my powerless and to Thy might"
and at this moment I am humbled
by this clear gift of sight.
Thank you Wind.
billowing clothes,
steps, harried and pushed
as the mighty sea wind flows.
Like a leaf adeptly pulled
by the swift, sliding hand
of a panda bear, this wind
leaves little force to stand.
As I make my way,
down these broad avenues
I remember these words
to pay my daily dues:
"I testify at this moment
to my powerless and to Thy might"
and at this moment I am humbled
by this clear gift of sight.
Thank you Wind.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Maintaining Peace
This feels very relevant to me today:
"Peace is the willingness to love no matter what is thrown or withheld." -John Morton
"Peace is the willingness to love no matter what is thrown or withheld." -John Morton
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