I know it’s happened to you. Hey, it’s probably happened over and over. It happens in the bank, the supermarket, on airline flights, even when buying a house. You know it, the hurry, hurry you go through to get somewhere, like the bank, and then wait in line? It’s watching as the grocery cashier rings through the 10 customers ahead of you after having hurried through the store to pick up your items. Maybe you watch all those people waiting to board a flight, lined up and ready to go before the flight is even called? Yet, having flown down the gangway there is a long line to get in the aircraft door.
I was reminded of this experience recently as Hubby and I were in the middle of purchasing a house. We had identified the house that we really wanted. We were advised by our realtor to put an offer in quickly before anyone else did. The offer went in and we waited. And waited. Waiting like that takes on the flavor of being a child at Christmas looking forward to the arrival of Santa Claus!
How many other ways in our lives do we hurry up and wait without even realizing it? Healing came to mind – funny that! Years ago as a newbie Reiki practitioner I wanted instant healing. It never happened. Surprise, surprise. Through the years there were times when I wanted faster, better, or more healing for a client. That often never happened the way I wanted or expected it to happen either.
Sometimes the best that you can do is to allow the simplicity of flow to happen – the idea of ‘what will be will be.’ The practice of Reiki is to simply put your hands on and let the energy flow. There is nothing to do. Pushing doesn’t make it work better. Neither does chanting, begging or persuading. The practitioner is asked to just allow the energy to do its thing and be present. Standing in the grocery line waiting there is nothing to do either but you can be present.
You can become aware of your thoughts. Don't let them run wild in a field of weeds. Instead bring them gently around to the beauty and inspiration within your sight. You can become aware of your breath. Keep it soft, deep, and fulfilling. You can become aware of your body. Notice the tension in your legs, shoulders, or abdomen. Notice as the tension melts from your body like butter on a hot day. In that moment of presence the stuff that happens enhances your experience of waiting. The situation takes on an easy feeling allowing a flow that happens naturally.
Eckart Tolle in his book The Power of Now says, “Joy arises from within.” Having hurried, and perhaps feeling harried at having to wait, that would be the perfect opportunity to test Eckart's statement. Get present – I dare you!
Then in-joy.