By Haley Brickner - Boreal Community Media - May 16, 2025

In a world that can feel increasingly overwhelming, a new community offering is helping Cook County residents slow down and reconnect - both with themselves and each other. The Community Mindfulness Night series, launched by local wellness entrepreneur Carly Puch, invites people to gather monthly for guided mindfulness sessions led by a rotating lineup of teachers.

Mindfulness, for Puch, means the ability to stay in the present moment despite all the ways life pulls us into the past or the future. As someone who has navigated anxiety and depression, she sees mindfulness as a grounding force that helps her stay connected to herself and to the world around her.

“I feel overwhelmed by the world in some way every single day,” she said during an interview with Boreal Community Media. “I know I’m not the only one who feels that, but it’s really easy to feel isolated in it.”

The series is held at Two Birds Healing Studio in Grand Marais and offers free gatherings where participants can explore meditation, breathwork, and other mindful practices. For Puch, creating a space like this was about responding to a need she felt personally and sensed in the broader community. 

Puch sees mindfulness and community care as deeply intertwined. In a culture where mindfulness is often commercialized or presented as a solo self-improvement project, she offers a different perspective: that nourishing ourselves allows us to show up more fully for others, and that community is a key part of what sustains us.

“Self-care is community care,” she said. “I know I’m a better community member when I’m working to be more mindful.” 

In a small town like Grand Marais, especially in a seasonal, tourist-driven community, local relationships matter. While mindfulness can be practiced alone, practicing in community builds connection and a shared sense of purpose. It reminds people they’re not alone in feeling overwhelmed - and that healing, while personal, is also collective.

For those who feel unsure or intimidated by mindfulness, the series is designed to be welcoming and accessible. Puch intentionally selected instructors who are known for creating safe, inclusive spaces - and she encourages even those who are brand new to mindfulness to simply show up and give it a try.

Looking ahead, she hopes the series becomes a community mainstay. “I want it to be incorporated as one of those things we can count on,” she said.

Community Mindfulness Nights take place on the last Monday of the month, with sessions currently scheduled through July. For the latest schedule, visit https://twobirdart.com/community-classes, and for more information, contact Carly at [email protected]