Musings on Patience and Fullness

As I was indulging in a challenging and sweaty Power Vinyasa Flow class at Yoga Ananda, my instructor prompted us to set an intention and challenged us to think about PATIENCE. Ugh... It really resonated with me because stillness used to be and still is a challenge for me. I forget that we are put in situations today for a reason and I get restless and bored at times. But, the sad thing is if you don't live in the presence you can oftentimes miss out on life and it will just start to whiz right by.

I've been trying to challenge myself professionally and I'm at a loss with next steps. I'm not necessarily worried, but I am getting restless. As I was meditating and praying, I realize that patience (eagerly waiting and taking your time to work through today) is very related to living a full life. The best thing I can provide myself and others is my presence and really being in the moment fully. I started to think about things and experiences that I might have missed out on because I was so focused on moving on. And, that can be really tragic.

So, this maybe a bit weird, but cooking also really made me think about patience and fullness. When I was cooking my risotto recipe again, I thought about how much time, attention, and patience you really need to have to make it work. You have to pay close attention to each step: looking vigilantly for the right amount of broth in the pan, observing the "dancing waves" of rice, and the particular starchy liquid that the little rice grains produce. You can't make it too dry or too wet. It's a balance that you have to feel. But, suddenly almost like magic, the dry rice grains eventually puff up and become creamy, tasty risotto. So, with the right amount of stirring, patience, and nurturing, life experiences eventually bloom! During this time of the year, I think this is the appropriate time to really work on patience and fullness.

* How can I be fully present in my work, social life, and on my own? How do I give my best and do my all in this area?
* How can I make my holiday experience more meaningful? I am really excited about doing my cards, creating some fun gifts by hand, and learning how to craft more.
* How can I really be there for the people who matter most in my life?
* How can I give to others who really need it?