Danielle Zhu is a junior at Northwestern University, studying journalism and psychology. She began her summer with little yoga experience beyond the yoga DVD from her high school gym class. However, her internship with Illumine has provided her with a newfound perspective of and appreciation for yoga. In her free time, Danielle enjoys dancing, baking and binge-watching television shows.
Connect by eMail
Danielle ZHU
Illumine on Facebook
Quite the perfect morning in the #westloop First an early rocking #cycleride @cbfultonmarket with Angelina then breakfast at @littlegoatdiner with illumine’s organizer-in-chief (and friend) Rona. We are building another indispensable wellness resource for the Chicago community #illuminentlife directory. Stay tuned.
@chicagoangelina teaches an awesome class with great music, new versions of classic songs, great mix and hope they send me the playlist!
And best part of the morning conversation was how we up level our lives through being real adults in our relationship with our parents. Loving them powerfully and communicating consistently, maintaining healthy boundaries and dealing with what triggered us(not necessarily with them), while staying in the game with respect and honor. That is for sure the essence of loving back, regardless of our story of how they could have been better and weren’t “enough” for us. Tears and joy all at once!
Good thing we ordered the #crumpets or “little pillows of joy” as our server described them! #scrumptious
#marchmindfulness
That is the beauty of mindfulness, it’s not about fixing what’s broken;
it’s discovering that nothing is broken and that we’re not broken.
- Jon Kabat-Zinn
Ah... and Therein lies the secret. Meditation and mindfulness is not changing from bad to good, wrong to right, or any other shift from the present. It’s the awareness, through slowing down and noticing, it’s loving the cracks and the complexities, it’s getting curious about the patterns we are living and the frustrations we keep running into, it’s walking and noticing the ground is already and has been “holy” and wonderful, that today is an amazing opportunity to say yes to the things we are excited about and so-long to the stuff that is dragging us down.
#mindful #mindovermadness #shinesobright #illuminedlife #illumine #illuminelife #meditateeverydamnday #meditation #meditationfortheloveofit #meditationspace #mindfulnessmeditation #mindfullife #practice #simplebutnoteasy #mindovermadness #shinesobright #deepandprofound #illumine #illuminelife #unlimitedpossibilities #sacredground #meditation #mindfulness #getquiet #getquietliveloud #illumine #illuminelife #shinesobright #wellness #livewell #bewell #mindbodysoul #mindbodyspirit #holistic #livewell #illuminechicago
#marchmindfulness
Sound research shows that meditation and mindfulness reduces blood pressure, boosts recovery after stressful situations (as measured by reduction of cortisol), improves immune system (resilience against sicknesses like the common cold), slows down aging of the brain, and mitigates symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Jon Kabat-Zin founded the Stress Reduction Clinic in 1979 and wrote the book Full Catastrophe Living in 1991. So these results are not new. But it’s a timeless practice. If you feel moments that feel catastrophic, have hope and get quiet, Start with few minutes either right a day. And notice. Keep track of measurables, and observe for yourself.