Amanda Vander Kelen

It's that time of year again - Samhain. The veil between this world and the next is thin. We honor those who have crossed over and we honor what the passing year has bestowed upon us. Mother Nature winds down to lay dormant through the Winter so She can begin anew in the Spring. Samhain is from the Gaelic (Pagan) Irish tradition. This sacred holiday eventually becomes what is more commonly known today as Halloween. As with many Catholic holiday traditions, it is rooted in Paganism. Halloween is probably the most notable. I posted a YouTube video HERE where I do a little breath work and talk about life updates and Samhain. Did you bring your broomstick with you? How can we celebrate this ancient holiday? While the traditional broom cannot (sadly) be flown across the night sky, at least, not until I can figure out how to make that work with my savvy tech witch brain. After all, magic is science that has yet to be explained. This is something I have said for years. So, until I can ge...

Staying positive during uncertainty is probably when it is most important, and yet most difficult. What I have discovered about myself in this process, and what I hope could be helpful for at least one person reading this, is that it is not a linear process. Sometimes, in order to achieve the positive space, you have to create it. Sometimes, you have to fake it till you make it, and force it upon yourself. That may sound uncomfortable, and if so, you are correct. What do I mean by this? You might be thinking that being positive means feeling happy all the time. That isn't true. It can't be true. As all animals, we have a gamut of emotions and experiences. Those happen to exist alongside whatever is happening in our lives at any given moment. Oftentimes, when those experiences are too much for any one person, it becomes a "trauma" and, however great that trauma is in relation to our being means that it could coexist in our lives until we figure out the right healthy co...

 Today is a beautiful, sunny, warm day in autumn in Chicago. I took some time to reflect on where I am now and how I became the person I am today. Although my personhood is not complete (do we ever stop learning and growing?), I am a fully functioning adult human and I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the women in my life who have helped shape who I am.  First and foremost, to the women throughout my life who I consider mentors. These are educators, therapists, dancers, moms, aunts, archivists, librarians, and spiritual leaders. Through the process of putting my words online vis-a-vis this blog, I have had the wonderful experience of re-connecting with many of these extraordinary women. I am reminded of the times in my life each one of them has helped and influenced me to strive for my goals and attain the many accomplishments I have. Without each of these women, I could not be the women I am. I am reminded of the little girl I was, and how she is still exactly the same ...

For two weeks, I devoted 2 hours of my day to meditation and artwork. Now, I am not a professional artist in terms of drawing or painting. I am, however, trained in ballet and other styles of dance. I do like to draw. I started out practicing Zentangle a few years ago, and I like to do that as a hobby. I have been fortunate enough to have sold a few of my pieces, but that was when I was actively drawing at length every day. I pick it up when I need as another tool for anxiety. I was searching around for some guided meditation and I came across the work of Pema Chodron. I hadn't heard of her before this, and I literally just clicked on an audio book of hers and started to craft a self-guided daily meditation regiment following her series, "How To Meditate". Throughout this meditation journey I learned about Pema Chodron, her life, and her teachers. Pema is an American-born Buddhist nun and the fact that I stumbled upon her work and randomly selected it among my search resu...

These writings are now becoming a new tool in my toolbox. I am so grateful for this space, and am still pleasantly surprised at the traction and feedback I am getting on these early posts. Thank you so much for being here with me.  I have been taking a few days to just be still. My daily nature walks were on pause for the past few days, partly because of the weather, and partly because I am listening to my body. Being mindful means that I have to listen to what my body is telling me. There are so many parts involved with this. There is the body as a whole - the physical corporeal body. Within the corporeal body are all the little aches and pains that arise. Then, for some of us more specifically, there are the monthly period cramps and overall wanting to be lazy (at least, it is for me) for a little while. During this time, I generally like to be a couch potato, and I always have to remind myself not to beat myself up - that allowing myself to be lazy for a few days a month is actu...

 The past month has been a lot of the same. Applying to every open job post in my field, and then some. My excel spreadsheet has gotten quite long. A friend of mine remarked that I have mastered the art of applying to jobs. A well-executed and organized list just waiting for the rejection column to remain unchecked. This isn't my first time job searching for a "career" position, but it has been a couple of years. I do remember from the last time that it took a while to get a first interview, then a second, then a final interview with a job offer. So, I knew going into this process that it wouldn't be quick. Each application I submit holds the promise of a fabulous opportunity. Some are downtown, where I imagine the public transit commute to be enjoyable - having my morning coffee and scrolling through social media. Some are in the burbs, where I imagine the short, drivable commute to be a breeze - quite possibly mapping out where I would stop for coffee along the way....

Hello! My name is Amanda Vander Kelen, welcome to my blog! Here, you will find my posts about mindfulness, meditation, apartment plants, and other good life things. I am currently applying for jobs in my field, and decided to share my techniques for staying peaceful during such a daunting process.  I have taken to doing almost daily mindfulness walks in nature. I find this is a great way to stay grounded and present. I end up doing these in the later part of my day, after scrolling through new job listings, writing cover letters, and sending out job applications. What I notice is that it really helps me to stay mindful and peaceful, feel confident with my daily task accomplishments, and end the day feeling hopeful.  While on one of my walks, I started to think more about what it means to be mindful. Coming at this from the perspective of a Geographer (I have a master's degree in Geography & Environmental Studies), I began to think of mindfulness as something that is consta...