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, and painfully discovered, I wasn't even aware of what I was doing anymore. 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 that and all of the stress had taken on my body—eventually caught up to me. 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. 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 corporate/life/business 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
In addition to being a Labyrinth Facilitator, certified Mindfulness Meditation Instructor, and a Guided Meditation Instructor, I am also a Spiritual Life Coach whose studies include a variety of sacred practices that provide a deep connection, growth and peace.
Because I experienced what happens when we don’t take time for ourselves—even just a little each day—I created In For Zen Meditation, a mobile studio, as a place where people can do exactly that, make time for themselves, breathe, be.
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 a safe space where anyone and everyone can reconnect with themselves (even in the middle of a busy day), In For Zen helps people see, feel, and understand the importance of self care. Because, well, we can't afford not to.
Fun Facts About Me
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I enjoy the gifts of laughter and humor. I focus on gratitude and look for the good even in the bad. I’ve definitely learned to laugh at myself. A lot.
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My two teenage children, two pups, and a fish make up our home in one of Charlotte’s neighboring towns, Mooresville.
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I am Charlotte, NC born and bred! I grew up in a wonderful family with two pretty fabulous older brothers.
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I fully believe in the power of meditation, and that everyone should have an opportunity to learn how to do it on their own and enjoy it with a group as well.