Can Patience be Learned?

Can Patience be Learned?

Ever since childhood I’ve had the patience of a chipmunk. That’s why when I discovered Qigong, I was surprised how it captured my attention. At times we moved so slowly that to an outside observer it looked like we were hardly moving at all, yet gradually I learned to sense and feel what my teachers called “The movement within the stillness and the stillness within the movement.” Rather than being bored by this process, I found it intriguing. It also felt much better than the compulsive push, strain and competitiveness of other movement techniques.

Recently someone asked me “Is it really possible to learn patience?” With Qigong, the answer is “Absolutely yes!”. Qigong teaches us that slowing down enough to grow comfortable in the present moment doesn’t have to feel like keen and subtle torture. As we practice relaxed, flowing exercises we come to a place where, almost like magic, being in the present moment starts to feel friendly, fascinating, and healing. Rather than being pulled by anxious thoughts of an unpredictable future, we learn how to hang out comfortably in the here and now—and when that happens, it’s a true vacation for the body and soul.

We’ve been doing “Silk Reeling” exercises in our Zoom class recently .Their smooth, circular movements are slow, relaxed and continually evolving so there’s no chance to get bored! During the course of the hour the creaks and aches melt out of our joints. Most of us feel so delicious moving like this that over time we have come to love slowing down. What a treat! Breathing, sensing, feeling, relaxing…the present moment isn’t so bad after all. Once you land there a whole new world opens up.