ZEN LIFE | All We Have Is Now

by Kristen Kainrath

PRACTICING MINDFULNESS IN A WORLD OF CHAOS

During the past few years, through a myriad of personal life events, and perhaps due to our diverse excursions around the globe, as a Mother-Daughter travel blogging team, my 17-year-old daughter, Brooke, and I have experienced a profound transformation. While spending endless hours planning our trips and then proceeding with months reflecting on the memories thereafter, we found often found ourselves living in the future or the past. Our simultaneous epiphany was the realization that all we ever truly have is the present moment. To live each now moment in a state of contentment and gratitude is the secret to a peaceful and meaningful life.

Today, more than ever, a state of mindfulness is essential for our health and well-being. As we are in the midst of unpredictable times, Brooke and I have learned that it is within fear and darkness that we have opportunities to shine our light for ourselves and for others. Painful events are inevitable, yet the realization that each challenge, obstacle and hardship are simply symbolic cocoons --beautiful opportunities for emergence and personal transformation. Changing your perspective changes your reality. Whilst we may not have control over our external environment, we do have control of our inner landscape. We have control of our thoughts, our behaviors, our words, our emotions, our choices and most importantly our breath. When the outside world is full of chaos, invert your gaze inward--it is here where you will find serenity and calm.

In 2018, Brooke and I began practicing mindfulness on a consistent daily basis. Before getting out of bed each morning, we set positive intentions for our day and reflect on things we are grateful for in our present lives. We began studying ancient healing practices such as yoga, mediation and reiki energy healing. We both became Reiki Master Teachers after years of studying and course work. Brooke began her own abusiness creating custom healing bracelets which she sells at Peace in downtown Naperville and I received my Yoga Teacher training at Abhyaasa Yoga Studio. Peace is a small business that supports other small businesses sharing their dreams and passions. Abhyaasa, the studio above Peacce, offers many types of yogic practices and tools for healing to empower students to awaken their innate ability to move into a space of unbounded potential. It is a beautiful space to begin a mindful journey.

Our overall message for our beautiful community during these trying times:

“When we can no longer change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”

~Viktor Frankl

Your mind, body and spirit with thank you.

ABOUT THE WRITER

Kristen Kainrath has been an elementary school teacher for the past 30 years in Naperville. She has now brought yoga and meditation to her school, offering these practices to both students, families and teachers alike. Follow her and her daughter each month with Glancer Magazine for mindfulness tips, guided meditations and overall mind, body and spirit wisdom.