The Art of Waiting

Waiting.

Tick, tock.

Waiting, waiting, waiting. Tick tock. Tick tock.

You feel like you are in limbo.

In between the letting go of one thing and the having of another.

You feel restless. Slightly anxious.

There’s a nagging within and tension in the gut that won’t go away.

You try not to notice it when you go to sleep. Yet it’s the first thing you notice when you awake.

What is the purpose, then, of these in-between times?

If you believe in the power of intentions, perhaps you appease yourself…
“Oh, the Universe isn’t quite ready: it hasn’t aligned everything yet that’s necessary to manifest my desire. But it’s working on it!”

If you already have a due date for when that ‘other’ is to arrive, perhaps you are just putting in time until that occurs. But if you are focusing on the future event, are you then wasting these present moments?

Perhaps the in-between is not merely a time to be frittered away. Perhaps it is not so much a time for the Universe to finish getting ready, but a time for us to finish getting ready, to prepare for what is to come. A time to go within and explore that tension in the gut, that nagging. A time to get comfortable with the not-knowing. Rather than ignoring or avoiding, welcome it in. Explore. Not with the intent to get rid of those feelings, but with the understanding that all emotions are welcome here. Simply explore.

If that feeling had a shape, what would it be?

If that feeling had a colour, what would it be?

Give that feeling-shape-colour a name. (Inject some humour. Laugh at yourself.)

Arrogant Arnold, Jittery Jill, Succulent Suzanne, Volatile Velma, Waiting Willie

Imagine going into that shape-colour. Just BE in it. Talk to Jittery Jill or Succulent Suzanne. Ask her what her purpose is? What does she have to offer you? Is there something she has to teach you? Listen to her words. If she’s silent, wait for her to speak. And if she doesn’t, simply be comfortable being together. What does the world look like from her eyes? Does she change her colour-shape as you sit together?

Observe without expectation, but do observe with expectancy.

Expectation is for a specific outcome, with attachment to that result.

Expectancy, on the other hand, is for a non-specific outcome. It is accompanied by hope, yet with acceptance for whatever the result will be.

So while you’re waiting for whatever it is to arrive, be fully in the waiting. Find the beauty and joy that is in your waiting. When it and you are ready, whatever you’ve been waiting for will unfold.