Move from THERE to HERE

This month I am completing a two-year mindfulness meditation certification program (MMTCP) with Jack Kornfield & Tara Brach. The world was a very different place when I was accepted into this program in February 2020 (2/20 photo above) and especially when the program began in January of 2021.  It has been quite an intense time to deep dive into difficult emotions, notice patterns of thought and guide students through mindfulness practices. However, that is the practice… being able to be with what is and find joy.

Throughout those two years, in addition to participating in this program, I launched KLARITY Mindsette,  taught countless yoga classes online and in person and led two Yoga & Mindfulness Retreats in Costa Rica & Belize. It has truly been my honor to see so many of you finding the joy of the present even with all of the turmoil around us.  In addition to all of that my family relocated, so as you can imagine, there were lots of “checking things off the list” and just trying to get things done.

We can create patterns of thought quite quickly and throughout this past year I had been noticing that I was often negotiating with the universe on my happiness. “When xyz happens, then I will be happy”. Even after the move was complete that thought pattern translated to other things… this bargaining for joy some time in the future. Trying to complete something or “get” somewhere and then I will be happy. 

Last week, in one of the final lessons of the program,  Jack shared a powerful perspective on this topic;  that instead of a trying to get from HERE to THERE,  to set our intention on moving from THERE to HERE– “there” being our ideas, worries, stories we tell ourselves– and “here” being the reality of the present, where we are. When we do that we realize that freedom, happiness, awakening isn’t some place else, it is right here, right now no matter what is happening in our lives.