Jennifer Russo

I was in a yoga class recently, and often, at the start, the instructor will ask us to “arrive” on our mats. As with any yoga class, it is important to focus and clear your head of all external stimuli to get the most out of your experience. This is your time to step away from the to-do list, the worries, the bad day at work, and the plans that need to be made. It is time for you to energize and get back to center. 

Many people define arriving somewhere as showing up there. Even Google Maps will say “arrived” once you reach your destination. I started thinking more about this idea of arriving, and it goes a lot deeper than this. We can show up anywhere. Showing up is simply going to a place that we set out to go and bringing our physical bodies there. We show up at work most days; we show up for appointments; we show up to concerts and events; and we show up to a party. 

Think about how often you see people at dinner together in a restaurant ,and instead of speaking to the person they are with, they are checking their phones. I sat next to a woman at a concert the other day, and she spent more time taking selfies than paying any attention to the beautiful music the artist was singing. When my husband and I were at an all-inclusive resort on vacation this past summer, it was interesting to see people rush through their meals to get to the pool and not even take a moment to appreciate the amazing view of the ocean from their tables.

Arriving, though, means bringing your whole self, your ENTIRE consciousness, all of what makes you who you are, and giving all your attention to the moment you are in. It means not only taking part as a proverbial spectator to our life, but instead investing ourselves into our life experiences. We need to make a conscious effort to stop rushing through our days. To not only be somewhere, but BE somewhere, living fully in that moment and being present completely, not just in body.

Imagine how much more life would be if we chose to arrive instead of simply showing up to things. Our experiences would have more meaning, and our relationships would be deeper. When we look back on our lives when we are older, we will have memories that we actually do remember because we fully experienced them when they happened.

The pure and present light in me honors the pure and present light in you. 

Namaste.