Conviction
We must know what we do matters, and that our why for doing it makes a difference in our lives and know it will do the same for those we serve. We must have conviction in our services, or they will not sustain us, our company and especially our customers, without whom, our purpose for serving is lost.
Integrity
We are dedicated to doing the right thing in the best way possible while remaining true to all our values. We will show up for each other and for all our clients as the best version of ourselves and will do so in truth, honesty and respect providing the best outcome with the services and time we are allowed to share.
Perception
Our employees and our customers are our greatest assets. What they see and believe to be, about us, is their truth. When we show up convicted in the benefits and our delivery of them with integrity then the perception should be of great value to us all.
Kindness
This is a quality, in each person that represents our company, that is unwavering. If there is nothing else, we can do, we will do it with kindness. Kindness is the essence of our company.
Faith
We have faith in the doctrines of meditation and know that in even the smallest of moments it makes a difference in your day, which means the more you do it, the more it will make a difference in your work and most importantly, in your life.
Our Core Values
Meet Your Guided Meditation Teacher, Kat Sykes.
Jack Kornfield once said "When we get too caught up in the business of the world, we lose connection with one another – and ourselves". I have a deep understanding and connection to this quote. That was my driver for starting In For Zen.
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Having worked many long countless, mindless, frustrating hours in Corporate America, to painfully discovered, I wasn't even aware of what I was doing anymore or what I wasn't. I was completely burned out. I learned a great deal along the corporate pathway, until I reached a point where stress had taken over and as a result, my personal and professional life, including my health and wellbeing, suffered greatly.
Stress wears us down from the inside out—in body, mind, and spirit—and that’s exactly what it had done to me. Years of severe anxiety, depression, as well as battling ADHD, executive functioning disorder, and addiction—the physical toll of these, in addition to work and life stress had taken on my body—eventually ran me over. I was burned out, overworked, and hurting.
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I had practiced various types of meditation over the years but once my professional life ultimately imploded and I realized how sick I was, it became essential in my healing. My work with professionals around my mental well-being and allowing myself to experience feelings for the first time my life I needed a way to cope since my alcohol addiction was removed. I started to see the beautiful ways meditation began to change my life . I knew I owed it to people who work countless, exhausting hours under extreme pressures and trying to live up to the expectations (often unrealistic) of the company, driven by dollars and not human capacity. Offering a way to connect to themselves and find focus and clarity in their day, their life, their work became my desire and purpose. So it began.
How I Came to Meditation
My meditation journey began in the early 90’s when I accidentally came across a labyrinth at a local hospital while searching for the chapel. Having never walked a labyrinth, I immediately felt relief when I did. I’m not exaggerating when I say “that first labyrinth walk saved my life". And although I didn’t know it at the time, that walk was my first introduction to a meditative practice. The only thing I did know, instantly, was that it changed my life.
Eventually I made my way into the world of contemplative prayer, and several years later, various additional forms of meditation became my solace. However, it was not until I finally began to study meditation after complete burnout that I instantly visioned having a mobile meditation studio that could help keep companies and individuals from the impact of work and overall life burnout. And here we are today.
By coupling meditative practices with a supportive team of medical and health professionals, I slowly began to understand how critical it is to find compassion for ourselves, to practice self love and care. And to do these things every single day. In For Zen is here to help you get on a path to finding your productive, focused self in your business and personal lives.
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Mindfulness & Guided Meditation Education and Beyond
I began serving others with meditation first as a Labyrinth Facilitator. Once there was no blend between work and life balance and I basically imploded I became a certified Mindfulness Meditation Instructor. There are many tools I learned through practicing mindfulness meditation that I wish I had when I was working. Many of these tools are shared with clients for quick relief in moments of stress and anxiety that can be done right in the middle of a meeting and nobody will even know.
The practice I share most with clients is what became the greatest game changer in my life. That is when I decided to become an Immersion Guided Meditation facilitator. Meditation has been scientifically proven, in recent years. to improve necessary skills to be productive in the work place as well as improving overall wellness, decreasing illness among employees. The overarching goal? To help as many people as I can, find their focus, meet their goals, turn around a sluggish day and make it productive, discover creativity, and experience mindfulness and presence through it all.
As mentioned, I experienced what happens when we don’t take time for ourselves, even if just a few minutes each day. I created In For Zen Meditation, a mobile studio, a place where people can do exactly that, make time for themselves, breathe, be. A safe space where anyone and everyone can reconnect (even in the middle of a busy day), We help people see, feel, and understand the importance of self care.. Because, well, we can't afford not to.
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Fun Facts About Me
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I enjoy the gifts of laughter and humor.
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I focus on gratitude and look for the good, even in the bad.
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I’ve definitely learned to laugh at myself. A lot.
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My two teenage children, two pups and a lot of love, laughter & silliness make up our home in one of Charlotte’s neighboring towns, Mooresville., NC
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I am Charlotte girl, born and bred! (Carolina Girls, best in the world, I love that song!)
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I grew up in a wonderful family with two pretty fabulous older brothers.
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Time with friends and family make my social time everything but boring.
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I fully believe in the power of prayer, love, laughter and self care.
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I find that the still small voice from within, during meditation, has a lot more valuable things to say, than what I conger up in my head.
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I am an advocate for the fact that self-care is not selfish, it is ESSENTIAL!