dhairya, patience

There were once two yogis who met someone who could tell them how long it would take for them to reach the ultimate goal of yoga.

When the first yogi stepped forward, he was told that it was going to take him five more lifetimes. He became deeply disappointed. After having been so disciplined in his practices, he still had five more lifetimes  ahead of him. Discouraged, he abandoned his practices and decided to live a normal life.

Then the second one stepped forward. He was told that it would take as many lifetimes as there were leaves on the lush tree next to him. At that moment, the yogi jumped with excitement and exclaimed, "YES, I WILL GET THERE!" He left and resumed his practices.

We have been exploring and practicing stabilizing qualities like discipline. This week we turn to another one: dhairya, patience. This quality brings up in us the strength to remain steady, composed, and committed in the face of difficulty, uncertainty, or the passage of time. Rather than waiting passively, dhairya invites us to continue participating without demanding that its results appear according to our timetable. 

Without this quality, we risk abandoning the process before transformation has had time to occur.

I look forward to seeing you in class this week to cultivate this quality.

Breathe easy,

Blessings,

Jorge Nihāl