There is a peaceful abiding in one who has trained in patience. We all have many desires and we wish to satisfy them as soon as possible. If we truly want to satiate our desire, we must learn how to be patient. If we are impatient and we grasp for fruit before it is ripe, we will never have a sweet meal. Our harvest will always be unsatisfactory. However, if we learn how to wait patiently for things to come to fruition by themselves, we will always have an abundance of nourishment.
The method for becoming patient is simple enough but is difficult to put into practice. It involves first labeling what we are doing and how we are feeling. Then we know when we’re starting to become impatient. We know when desire has crept in and begun to corrupt our minds. At that point we can choose to let go of and overcome the desire and continue on with the task at hand. This works because the act of becoming aware by naming the desire weakens it and robs it of most of its power. The result, if we remain determined is a patient attitude.
It is not enough to understand the logic of what I have just described. The next and important step after knowing the method is actually training and practicing the method. If we are serious about this then we will need to devote resources to it. That means putting time aside for our daily meditation practice and for regular retreats. There is no way around the need for practice and effort — any successful person will tell you that. However, the good news is that if we invest resources into meditation practice, the good karma we gain from this will give us more resources over time so that we will not be at a disadvantage. Therefore, those who are seeking peace should make the development of patience their goal.