Find health from inside out

Visions of fresh opportunities and healthier personal habits typically accompany a year's birth. But the uncertainty of what lies ahead can also foster or compound one's anxiety level.

Nourish the soul and manage stress with practices that make space for calmness amidst the daily churn of chores and external pressures. Hinsdaleans need not look far for help looking inward as these programs reveal.

Sounds of serenity

Sound bathing may not be a familiar concept to many, but Dana Kraszczynski, sound healer and meditation coach, would like to introduce more people to the therapeutic practice.

"The natural sound used in sound bathing is different because there's not any special rhythm or melody to it," she said. "It's easier to just focus on the feeling of the sound overall and just relax into it."

Kraszczynski will lead a Sound Meditation program from 7 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 15, at the Hinsdale Public Library, 20 E. Maple St. Using crystal bowls, chimes, a flute and a sound pyramid among other instruments, she'll present this alternative to the breath-centered approach of traditional meditation.

"I do find that often time folks that have struggled with focusing on the breath often find that sound bathing is more accessible because of its focus on something external," Kraszczynski said.

The idea is to trigger people's parasympathetic nervous system, which helps the body relax.

"People report improved mood afterwards," she said. "People are often saying they're ready to go to bed because they're so relaxed."

For the new year Kraszczynski aims to help attendees "set intention" and direct energy toward their goal.

"When they settle into the sound, they can better interact with that intention," she said. "I'll often have them hum with me to use their own voice to activate the vagus nerve."

Chairs will be provided, and participants are also invited to bring a yoga mat for floor meditation.

"It's a safe space," Kraszczynski said, noting that a question and answer session will follow the program. "It doesn't really require any physical abilities or any background to be able to participate.

"I would suggest giving this a try," she added

The program is free but registration is required, Visit http://www.hinsdalelibrary.info or call (630) 986-1976.

Put your mind to it

Meditation instructor Stephanie Frantz invoked the image of stacked round stones to illustrate the benefits of the practices she teaches.

"They look like they might fall, but they stay balanced," she said of the stone tower. "Meditation doesn't solve you're problems. It's just going to help you handle them better."

The Chopra Center-certified Frantz will lead the four-week Mindfulness Meditation workshop from 1 to 1:50 p.m. Thursdays from Jan. 16 to Feb. 6 at The Community House., 415 W. Eighth St.

She said she'll share classic meditation and breathing techniques to relieve stress and increase an overall sense of well-being. Mindfulness meditation, she said, heightens awareness both of one's surroundings and internal state.

"People will learn two simple mindfulness meditations and some breathing techniques to help them calm down in the moment," she said of the program.

She noted that physical fitness tends to be emphasized over mental well-being in society.

"Most people stop training their brain and don't spend very much time in the moment. They're worrying about what's going to happen next or what's happened in the past, and then they start creating stories around those worries," Frantz said "These (techniques) help people to just to stay in the moment in a non-judgmental way and focus on their breath using a mantra. You're training yourself to detach from your thoughts."

Frantz expects people notice benefits including lower blood pressure and deeper sleep. And the effects can ripple out.

"If you're more peaceful, that impacts everyone around you. You're doing you're little part for the collective consciousness," she said.

Such practices need to become habitual to be truly healthy.

"Like exercise and dieting, it only works if you do it. It takes personal commitment," she said.

The cost for the workshop is $97, with a discount for keyholders. To register, visit http://www.thecommunityhouse.org or call (630) 323-7500.

Coping through cancer treatment

Those on the cancer journey may find their previous methods of emotional therapy lacking, according to Rev. Ally Vertigan, chaplain in the supportive oncology department at Rush University Cancer Center.

"Sometimes folks have found the tools and faith traditions that had provided comfort for them aren't holding up in light of a significant diagnosis," she said.

Vertigan will present other ways for cancer patients and survivors to navigate the path ahead in Nurturing the Soul from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 14, at Wellness House, 131 N. County Line Road. Meditation, labyrinths, gratitude and writing/journaling are among the practices she will invite people to explore to cope with the physical, mental and spiritual aspects of cancer in daily life.

"It's about trying to find way that people can reflect on what they're going through and feel more connected to others or to a higher power," Vertigan said. "A lot of folks that I've worked with describe that everything they thought they knew just kind of gets shaken up when they get a diagnosis like this.

"They're ready to explore things that they haven't needed to before that hold up to their life experience," she added. "How can we draw nearer to those questions and engage with them to draw nearer to our own humanity and others."

There is no fee, but registration is required. Visit http://www.wellnesshouse.org or call (630) 323-5150.