It would seem practicing Yoga and having patience would go hand in hand. For me this sadly is not the case. I never really worried about being patient or had any clue how to work on being more patient. As I began to practice Yoga more regularly and with more commitment I noticed how impatient I can be and also learned that I can overcome my impatience.
1) Breaking In A New Mat
When I committed to get more serious about Yoga I decided to upgrade my mat. After purchasing the new mat I found myself slipping and sliding in almost every pose. My frustration got to the point where I felt like throwing the mat off to the side and returning to the old deteriorating mat. I made the decision to keep working with the new mat focusing on the positives (great support and improved stability). Eventually as the mat became broken in the slippage became more manageable (also a yoga towel went a long way). Lesson for being more patient: Focus on the positives and eventually the negatives will work themselves out.
2) Learning A New Pose
When attending a new class people are often going to be challenged with new exciting poses. These new poses can be frustrating and can require some patience as the body familiarizes itself with the new pose. Crow Pose was an asana that was challenging my patience. The first several classes when the teacher called for Crow I just grimaced and gave it a go. I began to practice the pose at home after a few weeks. Now I am able to get up for a few seconds. The brief, and for me it is brief, sensation experienced when finally getting both feet of the ground is a deserved reward. Lesson for being more patient: Persevere through the struggles and you will find success.
3) Achieving A Pose
When I see a new pose I want to jump right in and, for lack of better words, do the pose as it looks. Poses have many modifications and the option of using props to help an individual reach the pose. My impatience has me attempting to reach the full pose, in this case Half-Moon, without utilizing props or trying modifications. I often find myself twisting and spinning trying to get the proper asana when it would be much easier to use a block and keep my hand on my hip. Also after successfully using a prop and or the modification one time the next time I feel I am ready to do the full pose unassisted and go back to the twisting and turning. Lesson for being more patient: Take your time with things that are there to help after all they are only there to help.
4) Appreciating Being Present
At first I dreaded the first opening minutes of class and Savasana at the end of class. The reason being is periods of silence made me feel a little uncomfortable and I can get a tad antsy. Savasana was never a problem as I quickly learned it was a place to catch the breath and let the body cool down. Eventually after listening to an insightful instructor, I began to utilize the time at the start of class to get in touch with my breathing. Another instructor than suggested a simple meditation to focus the mind. I have taken the simple meditation and breathing exercises outside of the studio and incorporated the techniques in my daily life to help when dealing with a bout of impatience. Lesson for being more patient: You already have what you need; you need only to cultivate it.
Learning patience is an essential part of growing in life. We need to have patience with life’s obstacles, patience with other people, and patience with ourselves. If we lack patience we may never stick around long enough to appreciate the more beautiful things in life.
