Patience vs Presence

Patience is a facet of disconnection, rather than presence.

Patience implies waiting, biding one’s time, tolerating until…

Patience runs out, leaving impatience, a “having had enough of”, in its wake.

Beneath patience is resistance, a wishing for something to be other than what it is, now.

Patience can graduate to annoyance or disappointment, if preferences aren’t satisfied.

Patience is not peaceful.

Presence is with what is, whatever it is, fully, wholly. It is at one with experience. It is pure existence.

In this state, there is deep focus, relaxation and aliveness.

A client had been talking, without pause, for half an hour. The noisiness of the client’s mind was apparent. There was rushing, assuming and insisting. Thoughts came: “When will she stop talking? Will I ever get a word in edgeways? I’ll wait another 5 minutes, and if she doesn’t stop talking then I must say something”. Then, a smile arose; here was patience / impatience. Awareness of Self as consciousness returned. Attention was refocused on the client.