Here and Now: East Brunswick Public Library Presents Mindfulness

Mindfulness is the art of being present in the here and now. To help senior citizens reach this state, East Brunswick Public Library (2 Jean Walling Civic Center) hosts the weekly Wellness From Within in-person program series.

In these half-hour sessions, participants will learn how to warm up with breathing and laughing exercises to help relax the body and mind. The group will then go on a journey through guided meditation to help achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm state.

“We believe it is important for older adults to have a safe space where they can begin to reintegrate themselves into the community through the practice of mindfulness,” said Kamlu Gulajani, the program host.

Gulrajani was interested in meditation practices after her brother Ramesh Gularajani was elected president of Sri Sathya Sai Baba Center of East Brunswick and introduced her to meditation rituals. In 2007, she was certified by Sri Sathya Sai Organization of America to teach “Education in Human Values” to children ages 6-8.

She is a daily meditator and member of the spiritual organization Brahma Kumariswichi, which teaches soul consciousness. In addition, she is the director of AGRAJ Seva Kendra, a non-profit organization that preserves Asian Indian culture and traditions and promotes diversity in the community. She is also a volunteer member of the East Brunswick Water Advisory Committee and the East Brunswick Senior Center.

Samantha Seigerman and Kaitlin Montague will join Gulrajani in this program series.

Seigerman is a certified yoga instructor, wellness enthusiast and current graduate student at the Rutgers School of Social Work. In addition, she is an aspiring psychotherapist passionate about using movement as part of the therapeutic process. Her first-year internship was at East Brunswick Public Library, where she helped serve library patrons by referring them to community resources.

Montague is a Rutgers Ph.D. student studying Library and Information Science. After working as a librarian for several years, she directs her attention to researching human information behavior and how social workers and librarians can collaborate to fulfill a community’s information needs.

Wellness from Within is held every Wednesday, July 7 through August 25. The half-hour sessions start at 10:00 am, and they are held outside the library by the clock in the Municipal Complex. All participants must bring a towel or yoga mat to the program.

This program is offered through East Brunswick Public Library’s Just For The Health Of It consumer health and wellness information initiative. To learn more about related programs and resources, visit www.justforthehealthofit.org.