04Nov 2019 by aryask@gmail.com

A fresh focus with mindfulness

mental health, mindfulness, mindset, self-awareness, Uncategorized
"The body is the shore on the ocean of being." - Sufi saying Mindfulness is feeling the freshness of now, a heightened awareness of breath, spine, and intentions. In the past decade, mindfulness has weaved into mainstream psychology and spirituality circles with its calming and healing effects. Who would refuse greater self-awareness and mood regulation? who would refuse greater focus and wellbeing? What's more, mindfulness is free and anybody can practice it, anywhere. Being aware is common sense and a basic part of being a human. Inside of a mindful moment, a person is awake to what is happening in real-time because of a simple recognition: the present is innately sufficient and everfresh. It is not driven by ambition; it is the feeling of awareness. A mindful moment is not a…
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13Oct 2019 by aryask@gmail.com

Creative brainstorming with mindfulness

creativity, mindfulness
I learned about a company called IDEO some years ago and I was intrigued by their human-centered approach to design and innovation. I followed them over the years. Their founders wrote several books, one titled Creative Confidence, a must-read for educators, leaders, and designers looking to boose their problem-solving skills.  My thesis on creativity, like other soft skills, is that you can activate creativity, you can also de-activate it, but you cannot force anyone to care about it. IDEO seems to share the same ethos. At IDEO there are 7 principles used during brainstorming sessions to enable a team's creativity. It's like oiling the creative engine. A well-oiled engine has a smooth and stable ride.  One of the principles is "defer judgment: put all critiques and judgments aside."  The ancient practice of mindfulness is about…
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15Jul 2019 by aryask@gmail.com

Failure post

Uncategorized
Failure is something we do as we pass through maturity. It can take many forms and the feeling of failure can really suck. Imagine failing a test, or a job interview, failing at marriage, failing at sex. Imagine failing on a blog post. Failure is unavoidable and it can hurt, wondering why things don't fit. All there is to do is to become a better learner, more self-aware, to ask better questions, and shape the stories that we tell ourselves. Success or failure, it helps to hold a healthy detachment from the outcome. To hold a deeper value for the experience itself rather than other people's judgments. Commit to the longview, with an ocean of gratitude long before the rivers came. A moment to reflect: What story do you tell…
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01Jul 2019 by aryask@gmail.com

Seeing with emotional wisdom

Uncategorized
"Knowledge speaks, Wisdom listens.” – Jimmy Hendrix The world can be noisy and chaotic. Thoughts are often racing and emotions are the driving force. Without awareness, it is easy to miss the bigger picture and react irrationally. Like a cat jumping at a red dot on the wall, a momentary feeling like anger or panic can take over and sweep us away.  But this is not necessary if one learns to pause and develop emotional awareness. With the right practice, one can cultivate a non-reactive yet ready state of attention, which has positive effects on the central nervous system (the brain and spine). Mindfulness, the practice of staying in the present moment, focuses attention on observing rather than reacting. The magic is in letting go of the need to judge. As…
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