Patience.

The Dhamma journey is a long one and that is why it is so important to cultivate a loving yet disciplined relationship to ourselves. We have to do what we have to do. If not we simply end up playing some sort of spiritual game, deluding ourselves and others.

There are many necessary qualities to develop in our Dhamma life, but patience and determination are important to reflect upon. The Tao te Ching tells us that; the path is straight but people love to be side-tracked. This side-tracking comes only from the mind when it seeks distraction from the often boring work of being with it as it arises and passes away, seeing our old story time and time again. However, this is the work we have to do, and as our insight or wisdom grows (Pañña) we can more and more easily identify our own personal obstacles. Impatience is definitely a big one.

A disciple wanted to leave his Master and return to the world because he felt he had not made enough progress.

“How long have you been here?” asked the Master.

“Twenty years,” replied the monk.

“Oh that’s not so long, “ continued the Master, “stay a little bit longer.”

So relax, just be aware and move on. When it’s time to get up, get up, when it’s time to eat your meal, eat your meal and so on.......

 

Letting go is often a misnomer because it implies that we have to put something down, but actually it is better not to pick something up!

Just recognize that a thought is just a thought, a mood is just a mood, a feeling is just a feeling and an emotion is just an emotion. Do allow the mind to trick you into thinking there is anything more than this.

Clouds passing through an empty sky, ‘not me, not mine, not what I am’.

We must practice with humility and put down any ideas of getting somewhere or becoming something, just sit quietly and live lovingly and don’t be distracted by what the mind presents in different moments.

 

May all beings be happy.