This month at PLaY we’ve been considering the practice of patience. Like many of you in this challenging year, we’ve become impatient for the things we’ve given up – dinners with friends, holidays celebrated with family, a community yoga class.

But did you know practicing patience is at the core of the Buddhists practice? And that these practices are relatively simple and can be easily learned with practice?The tools to help navigate this strange and often lonely year can benefit your life in many ways.

Now is a very good time for us to start cultivating patience , as the best time to grow this part of ourselves is when things are not going well.

Here are some useful ways to cultivate more patience:

Intentionally Slow Down. Less is more in these challenging times. Before you get overwhelmed in this go-go world, take a break, take a walk and practice self care!

Find Gratitude. While its easy to recognize and be grateful for big events, most living is in day to day moments. These can be filled with small miracles, but we may need to pay closer attention to experience them. Can you spend more time being thankful for these small miracles? Moments of gratitude make us contented ,happy , and above all, calm.When we are calm, its easier to access our patience.

Relinquish Control. Practice Practice Practice the notion that almost nothing is under our control. Not sunshine, traffic, or people.Its a life’s work but can be very freeing!

Meditate. Regular meditation practice generates inner calm and allows us to see our thoughts more clearly. We then see situations in an open-minded and non-agitated way. We can then hold more patience for events and people in our lives.

We hope these tools may ease your path through this amazing journey we call life! Try to have fun practicing, and remember ,we are all life long beginners.

Happy Holidays! and we look forward to seeing everyone soon. <3