Arriving Without Getting There.. Lessons from the In-Between.

Right now, there’s a half-finished mural living in my sketchbook, teaching me more about patience than any motivational quote ever has.

Lately, I’ve been catching myself wanting to already be “there” in certain projects. You know that feeling.... when you’re halfway through something exciting and your brain is already skipping to the results.

My enthusiasm can sometimes make me a little impulsive. And I appreciate the gentle (and also not so gentle) reminders to slow down and enjoy the process. Because here’s the truth I keep rediscovering: even though the results are usually nice in the end, the process is often what I remember the most and what I feel the most connected to when I look back.

Recent example: I’ve been designing a mural I want to paint in the Shanti Room. The idea began months ago, and since then it’s been a slow dance of sketching, planning, erasing, envisioning, and starting again. The project has been living in my head and my sketchbook, and I have been eager to get a paintbrush in my hand.

I almost let that eagerness rush me into painting before I was even done sketching the final draft... A warm reminder from a loved one made me pause. They asked me what my true intention was for the mural. That one question pulled me right back to center.

The mural itself was inspired by the phrase “the journey is the destination.” So the irony was that here I was, trying to shortcut my own journey. Which of course I just had to laugh at myself for forgetting the exact sentiment I was trying to express through art.

These humbling moments  keep me grounded. They remind me that the “in-between” isn’t just filler between the start and finish. It’s where the connection happens. It’s where we actually live.

Just like in a yoga class.. it's not just about the postures themselves, but also how you transition in and out of the posture, how you approach the postures, etc. 

I'm honoring where I'm at in the journey and letting the creative flow take form in it's own timing. When I think back, I know it's not just the painted mural I’ll remember. It will also be the hours spent choosing colors, the drawing & erasing in my sketchbook, the songs I sang while drawing, and even the moment I tried to rush ahead.

Maybe you can relate? If you find yourself wanting to rush the process, you may ask yourself, "what is my true intention for wanting to rush?"

These thoughtful questions that we can ask ourselves (when we remember) help us live with more purpose and peace. It's not just how we show up on the yoga mat that matters, but also how we are showing up the other 99.99% of the time in our actual lives that matter most. What we explore and practice on the yoga mat can give us more information about ourselves - mind, body and spirit - so that we can make more intentional choices when we are learning how to live life more peacefully.

May we continue to ask the hard questions that have the potential to move us towards more clarity. 

With love,
Katie Beene