Patience means remaining composed when faced with delays, time constraints or other challenges that hinder expectations. I cultivate it by planning in advance and controlling the tendency to become frustrated or upset. The opposite is frustration.§
Comparing the actions of one who is patient to one who is anxious and frustrated§ |
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|---|---|---|
Situation§ |
Patience§ |
Frustration§ |
The plane flight is delayed by two hours, so you…§ |
remain calm, find a quiet corner where you can plug in your computer and fill the time productively.§ |
spend the time alternately complaining to the staff and grumbling to everyone nearby.§ |
In working with the elderly in a senior retirement home, you…§ |
accept that tasks will take them longer than a younger person.§ |
mentally complain that they take so long to do things.§ |
In listening to a fellow employee’s long-winded explanation, you…§ |
have sufficient self-control to not interrupt.§ |
can’t help but interrupt so you can get on with life.§ |
Gurudeva explained: “Impatience is a sign of desirousness to fulfill unfulfilled desires, having no time for any interruptions or delays from anything that seems irrelevant to what one really wants to accomplish.… Patience is having the power of acceptance, accepting people, accepting events as they are happening.”§
“Kshama, ‘patience,’ restrain intolerance with people and impatience with circumstances.”§
ASSIGNMENT: These next two weeks, if you find yourself facing an unexpected delay, don’t complain or become anxious. Rather, remain centered and find a creative way to use your time productively.§
Date you began this assignment ____________________§
MY THOUGHTS ON THE BENEFITS OF PATIENCE: 
§
