Inspiration from the past.
Community for the present.
Sustainability for the future.
These are the three pillars of our mission at Keeper.
Today on the blog I'd love to discuss the connection we hold to the past and how we can practice mindfulness as a means of connecting back. I (Claire) have always felt a strong connection to all things old. For me, vintage objects are a constant source for inspiration, creativity and also connection. It's that connection to the past that can give meaning to everyday objects, mementos, even artwork, film, music...literally all kinds of things. Vintage objects or old clothing can also illicit a memory of a person or experience and instantly give you that "takes me back" feeling...old photos are another great example of this "instant time travel". Perhaps that's why we love looking back at old photographs-- taking a moment to reflect and remember while also staying present. This is a wonderful mindfulness practice we can incorporate into our everyday lives.
Above: a photograph of my grandmother Cheeril (aka: "Chick") fishing on a lake in Wisconsin, in the summer of 1956.
Here's a mindfulness practice using old photos or mementos to try at home.
You will need:
Old photographs and/or objects
A journal
A candle (optional)
Music
Get out an old photo album or shoe-box of memories and choose a couple of your favorite old things (you can even organize photos into a new folder on your phone to look back on whenever you want (I call mine "old photos" and look at it almost weekly). Light a candle and play some music (anything you love will do) to start, practice some mindful breathing exercises and follow the below prompts in your journal or notebook while you look thru your memories...
"I love looking back at these old photos/things because..."
"Today this reminds me..."
"I'm so grateful for this memory because..."
"Something I sometimes forget about this person/place/thing is..."
Add any other prompts you like!
I hope this exercise is meaningful to you and helps you re-establish that connection you have to your most cherished memories.
Do you have any photos from the past you'd love to share with us? We love old photos of family trips in Wisconsin or Door County and your stories to feature on the keeper journal or instagram. Email us at info@keeperdoorco to be featured.