One of the most important and difficult Dhamma teachings is that of patience.
The Buddha called this, ‘the highest practice.’
Coupled with surrendering into the practice without aims and goals, this can often make our life very frustrating as we told to sit in meditation and practice in the world, without the intention to get something back for our effort.
In our unawakened life we are always running towards something we want, or away from something that we don’t want. There is no peace that, and the rewards that come are always short lived because they belong to the world of transience, of arising and passing away. If we fulfill our desire, we maintain the environment for suffering as the next time we will want the same or better. If we don’t get what we want, we suffer immediately.
Grasping at new ideas and identities only becomes more things to carry when our Dhamma Path is actually a lightening of our load, a putting down of the burden we carry through the day. Who we are, what we are and how we should be?
Love is not something to get, it is something to realize. It lies underneath the fear that makes up our life, so our journey is not to create a special feeling that we must then hold on to, but only to dissolve the fear that covers it. Simple, but not easy, and on this road you cannot cheat. We cannot avoid the truth of this being called self which is why we must commit to simply doing the practice for its own sake and not some perceived goal, a gift waiting at the end.
You are already the beautiful loving being that you are searching for, so stop looking for a special and romantic spiritual experience and just do what you are supposed to do. In this way, the Dhamma, the truth and the open loving heart will find you.
The cultivation of patience is the highest practice
and Nirvana is the highest truth.
The one who harms or upsets another is not a true disciple.
(Dhammapada Vs 184)
May all beings be happy.