How Practicing Mindfulness Can Help You Stay Grounded? by Ainee Cha Before we dive into all the benefits of practicing Mindfulness and Meditation. Let’s get to know What is Mindfulness? The Fundamentals of Mindfulness Mindfulness is the psychological process of bringing one's attention to experiences occurring in the present moment, which can be developed through the practice of meditation and other training. According to our renown Teacher Jon Kabat-Zinn; “Mindfulness is awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgementally.” Mindfulness is a ‘fully-conscious’ state of living that enables us to relate to our experiences with higher accuracy and clarity. Much of Western society perceives mindfulness to be ‘emptying one’s head of thought’, whereas the exact opposite is true. Mindfulness involves being acutely aware of our thoughts, emotions, and why we do what we do. It means being aware in the moment and paying clo...

What Was Standing In My Way? by Ainee Cha Most of us, at some point in our lives, will have to face challenges and obstacles in which we ended up realising that we have somehow fallen into a place where we don’t belong; or perhaps found ourselves lost in the midst of our quest - our journey. Whether it’s that we are in the wrong relationship, or wrong job or with the wrong people around us. Whether it’s being in the wrong place, or wrong approach to life; or simply wrongdoing. At times, we pretend to believe things that we no longer believe; pretending to be who we are not; or pretending to be someone we were never meant to be. This moment of realization is no fun. It’s terrifying, it paralyses you with fears. At its worst, you may end up avoiding the whole truth and you succumbed to every situation that comes - you are lost! It’s not yourself, but the truth that no longer serves you. You’ll know it when your body, your heart, and your soul subtly tells you. All you know is ‘T...

Fun 'Mindfulness' Experiment for Kids A mother’s job can sometimes be daunting. As a mother, we try to do the right thing even if we are not sure what is the right thing. I believe there is no perfect way to be a good mother or father, each child is different in their own way, every circumstance is unique, every parent has their own challenges as we all have different skills and abilities. As parents we always want the best for our children. But what is the best? There are so many programs out there which are good for their development but how do we know what to choose or which is the best. I believe we have heard much about mindfulness and its benefits. Scientific research shows positive effects on mental health; it enhances a child's focus, improve their overall well-beings and social skills. They have better control of their emotions as it nourishes their thinking and they are more balance.  Mindfulness is one way to teach our young children how to deal with s...

The Art of War – My enemy, My best friend by Ainee Cha I was once told from a very young age that the human mind has super powers and that we can possibly bend a spoon with our mind if we learn to use it properly. Wouldn’t it be great to know that it’s true? I wish to have that ability. I would ask myself - “How would I describe my relationship with my mind?” Does my mind control me or the other way around? I believe we all struggle in one way or another, or at least I have. I realized that I often struggle with the confrontation I invite upon myself. I often ask myself questions that pops up out of nowhere. Should I have done that or should I not? What if it’s wrong and what if it’s right? Why? Questions of uncertainties and full of animosity that makes you feel agitated and sometimes lost.  Our mind is always clouded with all sorts of feelings. Sometimes we tell ourselves that I will be happy if I’m successful, if I make more money, if I have more power and skills, if ...

Unleash the potential that only love can create.  by Ainee  Cha Spring is here... which means barbecue sessions are trending again, among the many activities I look forward to in the year. I had a great time hanging out with friends over a game of mahjong with heaps food and drinks to palette... and I had my first sip of Moutai... which led me to this inspirational moment! It doesn't have to be some kind of an extraordinary or tremendous achievement to define living life to its fullest. Simple activities like being around with friends and family, watching the children play, fight, cry and make up is what really matters. It's the less visible and less obvious things that happens in our daily life that dictates the most of us as humans. It could be as nostalgic as taking a stroll down memory lane, or reading a favorite book, or a few minutes of mindfulness breathing while waiting for my soup to cook. As long as it is something that we enjoy at every presen...

Living Life to Its Fullest, Here-and-Now by Ainee Cha "The journey has just begun...I believe in the person I'm becoming" Are we simply existing, or living? Perhaps many of us have at least stumbled upon ourselves with such a question.   Well, everything that we are existed in potential. We have the ultimate freedom to do with our life as we like to fulfill the potential or to make some smaller version of ourselves. We make the decision to whatever extent and it’s all depends upon our efforts and commitment to reach the potential life that exists within ourselves. Sometimes in life there are more disheartening memories that we'd rather not remember. Other times, those pleasant memories that we’d love to cherish seems to fade away too easily. Let alone the constant struggles, the challenges we face day-in and day-out, and the humility we humbly swallowed. Possibly more often we tend to take responsibility, while at times we may feel overburdened by the ...