The Art of Waiting

Have you ever found yourself tapping your toes, feeling impatient, wanting the line to move forward, having to WAIT? Waiting is one of the consequences of a busy life. Albeit technology has significantly changed wait times, we have become as a society one of immediate gratification. 

Do you want to learn how to make waiting a time for peace? 

Last week I had the unique pleasure of becoming reacquainted with public transportation. On a romantic getaway to Vancouver, my husband and I opted to use public transportation to get around the city. After years of being connected umbilically to our cars in car land Calgary, this was a reminder of another way to get around. 

We loved the adventure of finding our way around the city, charting bus, ferry and train routes. For us car lovers it felt novel and fun. That was until we found ourselves on top of Grousse Mountain after a lovely sunset dinner waiting for the bus. You see we had just missed the earlier one and it would be another hour before the next one would arrive to take us down the mountain. We had to WAIT. 

What a strange experience, having been used to climbing into our cars at will and charting our every move at home. There on a warm fall night, we sat in the glow of the street lights learning how to wait. At first it was uncomfortable and a nuisance. Then the magic of the moment opened up and we found ourselves with the opportunity to enjoy the night in a way we had not imagined. We watched people come and go, groups laughing and enjoying themselves, workers going home and most other people "waiting" looking to their smart phones for some sort of entertainment. 

I chose to take off my shoes, get grounded and find the stillness within. It was a welcome opportunity to connect inward and attune with the world around me. I let go of my expectations of how things would unfold and trusted that they would just perfectly. I was not in a rush, nor did I need to be anywhere. I was here on purpose. To sit and WAIT artfully. 

When you find yourself waiting, here are some tips for how to do it artfully:

1. Pay attention to your thoughts. Check in with yourself to become aware of what you are thinking. Are they stressful hurried thoughts? Are they thoughts of impatience? Take time to change your mind and remind yourself that you have all the time in the world. That this too will pass and you are where you are meant to be.

2. Put your feet on the ground. Take this time to put your feet in connection with the ground whenever and where ever you are. If you can take your shoes off and connect to the earth - all the better. This is a time to take to get grounded. If you are in an office, recreation centre or grocery line, bringing awareness to your feet can help you feel grounded and reduce the stress you might be feeling as you wait. 

3. Relax and know that you are in the right place at all times.  As you relax, you can impact the perception of time. Somehow the minutes stop racing by as you are focussed not on where else you think you should be and you enter the Now moment of where you are. Become aware of your surroundings and the other people there with you to keep you in the moment.