Infinite Patience - January Mood in song and visuals

I first heard the idea of Infinite Patience from a Course in Miracles. I loved the idea instantly. Somehow, for an anxious person like me, it just worked like butter to calm my nerves. It set my mind in a different place. Rather than setting goal posts which I continually failed, and berated myself for failing, instead it was a quiet confidence that I would reach the goal, even if it took 9 lifetimes. What is time to an infinite universe? What is time to our souls?

We all know by now that time is an illusion and our mindset is everything. I’ve been reminded of this again this week. It creates the experience of success or failure, even as simply as the perception of whether a situation is a success or failure. Perception is the filter through which we experience our lives.

But if you are in tune with the power of your creative abilities, then you know that our mind can influence so much more than just perception. It’s a hard power to grasp because there is so much responsibility inherent in this notion. And it’s easier to just externalize blame to anyone and anything.

Our mindset is, in fact, the only thing we can control. Yet I still find I can’t control mine. It jumps all over the place and my focus changes with the weather. I am so undisciplined in this arena. I have had to admit to myself how much my own ‘scatterbrain-ness’ has contributed to the chaos and failures of my life. I’ve wanted to blame it on so many other things, but this week , it has hit me hard in the face; I have abdicated this responsibility to outside sources. I have babysat an overactive mind, and allowed it to run free range for too long. I somehow forgot that it is subject to me, not the other way around.

I was led to study music back in the early 2000’s for precisely this reason, to introduce discipline into my life. And to build my self esteem through small victories. I set reasonable goals and applied heaps of Infinite Patience to them. Like magic, I met them.

Of coarse, it wasn’t magic. It was discipline. However, it felt like magic because it was with out the struggle. I used it over and over again all those years in Jazz School in Paris, and then have shared it over and over again with so many students since then. It brings a sense of peace to our music practice, and with out that frustration and failure looming over us, we could experience the joy of the process. My music education has been steeped in this idea, that there is NO need for struggle to learn an instrument. Discipline, yes. But struggle no.

But what I teach so well hasn’t yet transferred over into my life at large. Music for me has always been a microcosm to the macro. What lessons I learn in music, end up being applicable and very necessary to course correct my redeemed life. It’s been a conscious and purposeful journey for me. And yet, I am so impatient for results in my life, as well as truly lacking discipline of thought.

The past 2 years has shown me that so clearly. I’ve lost momentum on so many projects. This January 2022, like so many of us, I’m ready to put the Pandemic behind and dig in again to my life and my journey. I’m tired of excuses and I’m tired at functioning at half mast. But the wall of resistance is so strong. And my own mindset is to blame. I’m ready to take this responsibility, as I grow up a little bit every day. Through the discipline to not only work on my musical goals, but also to tame my scattered and afraid mind, I am maturing.

This is the year I’ll master the art of my thoughts. And it will be reflected in my music. It will take discipline and perhaps initiation thru many challenges. It will take forgiveness for my past failures and inconsistencies. And in many instances, I must accept this lack of strength of my character. The truth hurts, but I don’t want to deceive myself. And I don’t want to stay stuck on the same, play out track.

There is a unity in this idea, of infinite patience. It connects my frailty with my strength. My humility with my power, my mind with my heart (which knowns no time)

When things seem impossible, either in music or life, try this simple phrase. See if it doesn’t bring you above the struggle, and restore you to the truth; that you are enough and worthy for whatever it is you may dream of.

And try playing this Beatles classic when your mind is raging - Let it Be! This exemplifies the idea of Infinite Patience. AND it’s very accessible to novice pianist! Almost effortless for intermediate to advanced.