What is a Mandala ? Mandala is a sanskrit word for sacred circle. “Mand’ means mark off and ‘La’ means circle or sacred centre. Essentially mandala means marking a sacred energy circle in the centre .
An hour in the life of IITBHU Students wth Mandala Art therapy
This is what could be possible when students in technology come together for an art expression and understand themselves through this sacred art form.
Students from various departments on a Saturday evening explored themselves through mandala art therapy.For many of them it was a new skill and new way of learning and self introspection.Contrary to the self awareness tools available today, mandala in my experience is the easiest and quickest way to explore and understand your patterns and thoughts.
Whether we wear the Hindu or Buddhist lens of looking at Mandalas – they are the mean to self realisation and portal for enlightenment with the divinity within.
The use of Mandalas or circles is not only limited to Hindu or Buddhism but also come from ancient spiritual methods of the Egyptian Ra symbolism or Christian traditions. If you have noticed churches have forms of mandala or circular paintings and expressions on magnificent stained rose glass windows or chambers- they are none other than mandalas as spiritual or religious teaching devices. Carl Jung a renowned swiss psychologist used mandalas as a tool for self introspection and psychological wholeness.
There are several ways to work with mandalas – right from plain coloring to transformative healing to gaining insights about the self .
In this session ,we explored a simplified way to create mandala patterns – free flow and grid templates and facilitation was around how to interpret the mandalas emerging out of the unconscious mind.
If you are looking for a workshop to impart employee , student or personal wellbeing across emotional/mental/spiritual / intellectual level then connect with me here or on
https://facebook.com/ranjinicoach
You can also find me on https://instagram.com/ranjinir_holisticlifecoach
Watch the quick glimpse of Mandala art session here >>
To get the most out of yourself, whether it ís at work or during physical exercise, it is crucial to understand how the body’s systems work. Most particularly, it is very important to recognise how the energy systems work and how they help to keep us awake and focussed throughout the day and soundly asleep during the night. Once you understand this, you can create a routine that helps you perform your best at the right times.
The Sleep Wake Cycle
The first thing to acknowledge is the body ís sleep/wake cycle. This is called the circadian rhythm and it is essentially our body clock, which is set by both external cues (called external zeitgebers) and internal ones (called internal pacemakers).
Things like sunlight, the build-up of metabolites in our bodies and even social cues help us to understand when we should be awake and when we should be winding down ready for bed. Shifting your body clock is very difficult as it means that the external cues and internal ones will be out of alignment until your body is able to sync up again ñ this is why jet lag is so painful. This is also why Monday is so painful: after two days of waking up at 12pm, it is very hard to go back to getting up at seven. The unfortunate solution? That is right: stick to the same routine during your weekends!
The Anabolic/Catabolic Cycle
Throughout the day, your body will go through several more smaller cycles. These cause you to fluctuate between an anabolic state and a catabolic state. When we are anabolic, we are calm, relaxed and producing hormones and neurotransmitters that make us feel good. This is also when the body stores fat and builds muscle. When we are catabolic meanwhile, we are burning fat for energy, highly focussed and ready for action. In terms of our evolutionary history ñ catabolic states were the fight or flight states, while anabolic states were our rest and digest states.
When our blood sugar is low or we’re in danger, we go into a catabolic fight or flight mode. When we’ve eaten and when we’re safe and happy, the body takes stock and starts to recover in an anabolic state.
Of course ,we aren’t constantly going through these two extremes but we will always be somewhere on that spectrum ñ either highly focussed, or calm and relaxed. The key is to make sure that we are highly focussed at the right times and calm at the right times. And this is linked to a number of factors. Eating for instance causes an influx of sugar that puts us in an anabolic, restful state. If you’re having a big lunch then, do it at the start of your break so that you have time to rest and digest and literally. Likewise, recognize that you can’t spend your whole day in focussed, alert mode without it taking a toll. Make sure you schedule mini breaks and listen to what your body is telling you.
According to a HBR study – Organizations are demanding ever-higher performance from their workforces. People are trying to comply, but the usual method—putting in longer hours—has backfired. They’re getting exhausted, disengaged,and sick. And they’re defecting to healthier job environments.Longer days at the office don’t work because time is a limited resource. But personal energy is renewable, say Schwartz and McCarthy.
How might organisations build workers’ physical, emotional, and mental resilience for their employees?
Help your employees systematically rejuvenate their personal energy, and the benefits go straight to your bottom line.
Whats the ROI? Wachovia Bank: Participants in a personal energy renewal program produced 13% points greater YoY in revenues from loans than a control group did. And they exceeded the control group’s gains in revenues from deposits by 20% points.
HOW COMPANIES CAN HELP? By giving their employees a space to express their true selves and manage their energy- at all 4 levels, And….Here’s a great opportunity !
Introducing “Mindfulness through art” workshop that will help employees focus on building mental resilience which is an innate ability to overcome difficult situation, challenges and overall adversities that one faces on a daily basis
It is loaded with activity and action. An action packed day of 1.5 to 2 hours :
1. Understand employee challenges or pain points through non judgemental and non verbal method
2. A mandala art therapy session complimented by a centering meditation technique
3. Body movement to integrated and learn new behaviours or expressions
4. Reflections and wrap up It will help them in developing the ability to do well in times of great stress, urgency and pressure.
Startup India, Government of India 🇮🇳 , and Schulich School of Business, Canada 🇨🇦 present ‘Together 2021’, an entrepreneurship Bootcamp and venture competition for budding student entrepreneurs.
This is a recorded version of the session that was held virtually on 9th December 2020 and learn about the program from the top leaders!
Deep Dive sessions on Pitch Design :
Link: https://lnkd.in/gM6Wdjp
#startup #entrepreneurship #entrepreneurship #entrepreneurs #startups #founders #funding #innovation #business #canada #india #leaders #entrepreneur #venturecapital #startuphub Together 2021 From January 4th to 10th, The Schulich School of Business and Startup India (Government of India) bring you “Together 2021”, a joint Indian and Canadian student entrepreneurship Bootcamp and venture competition creating lasting impact in the Indian Startup ecosystem.
From so many sessions and interactions with clients , I am just what are the first steps you need to follow to get the best results?
Three simple but powerful Keys to Success to obtain outstanding results:
•🔑 # 1: Increase your level of awareness. Understand your stress level, particularly around your finances and your career, and what is causing this stress.
•🔑# 2: Be specific and identify the problem
•🔑# 3: Develop good habits to resolve the problem
Start with your habits ! Review your habits ! Change your habits —-
See the change you want to see in the world 🗺 – Mahatma Gandhi .
What habits would you like to change in your routine or incorporate or delete as of today?
NLP -Neuro linguistic programming Is about changing the way you think about thinking.Thought experiments . Technology that reveals thoughts feelings and actions to be habitual programs open to manipulation .
NLP : The new technology of achievement best introductions to the discipline.
Benefits of NLP are :
Getting motivated
Discovering your mission
Achieving your goals
Creating rapport and strong relationships
Persuasion techniques and strategies
Eliminating fears and phobias
Building self confidence
Creating self appreciation and self esteem
Securing a positive and mental attitude
Achieving peak performance
The 10 Principles of NLP are :
1-Map is not the territory
2-Experience has a structure
3-If one person can do something anyone can learn to do it
4-The mind and body are parts of the same system
5-People already have all the resources they need
6- You cannot not communicate
7- The meaning of your communication is the response you get
8- Underlying every behavior is a positive intention
9-People are always making the best choices available to them
10- If what you are doing isn’t working , do something else .
“The cost of dreaming is not money but human emotions, spent luxuriously over the years to keep them alive and fulfilling them.”
Giving up on your dreams is so much easier than going through that rocky road. If you have ever committed yourself to a goal, you know it better than anyone else – it is so difficult. Many people avoid dreaming big. Not because they don’t believe they can achieve them. But it is too much of a risk.
In my professional journey, I met a man who knew no fear of following his dreams. He was one of those inspiring personalities who led me to believe in my dreams. And I thought, why keep such a gem just to myself and not share with you guys. So, brace yourself up, for I bring you an exclusive interview with Dravid Seetharam and my learnings from the digital meet.
Is Risk Unavoidable?
Of all the useful advice and pieces of wise words shared by him, I was drawn towards “the risk factor” the most. Risk is unavoidable, especially when you are doing something offbeat. But doesn’t it make things more engaging and exciting?
One of the ways I see dreams is like a game. A game divided into different levels and stages with many boss stages, catapulting you into a new environment with an evolved understanding of the world, more zeal, and of course, improved skillset. In the end, the reward is so so so beautiful that you can’t resist the temptation but pursue it to the end of the world.
Dreams are intoxicating; they change your reality each time you conquer your long-term and short-term goals. You will take time to understand the risks and challenges you might face at each stage of your dream journey. However, I bring you the 4 most identifiable challenges that you will be facing in your quest. With the “tadka” of some fantastic tips, let’s see what they are and how to manage those risks.
Relationships
There is no doubt that you will have to confront some situations when your relationships are put at stake. The bigger the dream, the more significant is the risk. And what would be more threatening than losing the people you love or people that love and care for you?
Life has it’s way to help you evolve. All things that happen in life are about going for your destiny, which doesn’t consider people around us. It understands people that love would stick and people who don’t would exit and make way for the right people in life.
We all have emotional baggage. We associate with people that don’t believe in our dreams and do not support us in our journey. Rather than seeing your efforts, people would blame you for temporary hiccups such as time and instability.
When our elders said you must associate with the right people, they were right. But so are the people who are not understanding your problems. People want different things in their life, and you cannot judge anybody for being non-supportive. It is merely about associating with the people that would help them support their dreams. Before you associate with people, know them before you make any long-term commitments. And if you have to let go, let go and don’t regret it because you and they would be happy.
2.Health
You have to forget about sleep, you will have to give up your comfort, and you would have to double up your mental and physical workload to achieve your dreams. And it is only a start. Success comes at a cost, but it will compensate for all the troubles it has caused you when it comes.
People like Indra Nooyi are known to sleep only 4 hours a day, and their success is magical. Sleeping patterns of people can affect their health. But train your body by increasing the workload a little at a time.
Having a schedule is the best way to ensure that your health is least affected by your increased workload. If you would regularly go to bed at a particular time and get up at one, your body would become ready for it, and it would support your decision. Giving random challenges to it is dangerous.
3. Finance
Dreaming big, flying high is going to cost you, this time even financially. Most dreams require you to invest in some resources. Resources cost, but can you avoid it. Of course, you must plan your finances well and understand the practical grounds of how much you would burn to reach a scalable number.
We know entrepreneurs who started their own ventures using their life savings. And they worked hard to make sure they are least affected by the financial losses. In fact, even your first win might have to be reinvested in the business to help it grow. Ensure that you voluntarily don’t take any financial burden before you achieve your dream, or if you have one, try finding multiple income sources to start saving for your goal.
4. Emotions
Dreams will cost you, emotionally, go back to our opening line. It will empty you inside out. It will duly need every ounce of positivity and motivation you have in your body to fulfill your dreams. That is a big gap between your desired future and your present circumstances. You have become so much used to your current situation you might just not want to change it. But–But do you feel the pain in your heart to live a life you don’t love.
Well, then go out and take over the world. No matter how risky the road is, go out and at least try. And each time you fail and feel you are about to give up, rest but not stop because it is all worth it in the end.
In the end…
A.P.J Abdul Kalam, in his speech, asked, “You want to be you or everybody else?” If you’re going to live your own life as a stranger who regrets not taking the chances when they could, then you can forget about what we said.
A true dreamer would trust himself and take the chances to reach his/her dream. And again, there is no easy road to success. You have to go through the risky dungeons. Not a single personality would become what they are if they didn’t dare to make difficult choices and take risks. Just open your eyes to the challenges you might face, have a contingency plan, and you will be fine.
There are times when life puts you at crossroads. For some reason, when mine put me in one such situation, I just whispered to myself, “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” ~ Robert Frost, Road Not Taken.
It is one of my favourite poems that reminds me that there is a purpose of being for each of us. Every day, every waking moment (and even when you are in a sweet slumber), your soul tries to communicate with you of the void it is feeling. Questions such as “Who was I born to be?” “What is my purpose here?” “Why do I feel incomplete even after so many accomplishments?” would haunt many. Some chose to play deaf to the soul’s call, and some people like my next guest on Warriors of Change, Mrs. Ashu Khanna, act upon it.
Mrs. Ashu Khanna is a globally celebrated Leadership and Life Coach and a writer of four best-seller self-development books. In a life-threatening encounter with bees (yes! life has different ways to wake you up), she realized it was time she stops existing and starts living. And that indeed made all the difference. All it takes is listening to that alarming voice of your soul and acting upon it.
What is my destiny?
Uffff… Destiny! How do you explain it? How do you find it? It is a bit confusing and sometimes gimmicky. But honestly, it is just because no other person can tell you what your destiny is. It is a self-discovery process. People can support you, and let me warn you, at the start of the journey, you will find yourself lost, nothing would make sense, and you would feel right inside. But, when you would look around,… how do I say, everything would seem uncertain.
On one hand, you have been so numb to your destiny’s call, and suddenly, when you wake up, you are bound to become sensitive to the things around you. We, humans, create relationships, life, and work around us. Suddenly, it dawns upon you it’s not worth it, and you embark on a new journey altogether. It will be difficult.
How can you be sure it would work for you?
When we are born to do something and be something as per our life’s design or destiny, you will be gifted with all the talent, strengths, and skills to fulfill it. I remember a line from the Holy Bible, which makes a lot of sense here:
“No temptation has seized you that isn’t common for people. But God is faithful. He won’t allow you to be tempted beyond your abilities. Instead, with the temptation, God will also supply a way out so that you will be able to endure it.” ~ 1 Corinthians (10:13)
Simply put, life and God would not give you a test bigger than you can brave. You are born with talents and gifts that would help you endure your journey to find yourself. In fact, these set-ups are so powerful that it would even weave an environment around you that enables you to realize it and be what you are destined to be. We would find people and resources that would help us fulfill our destiny.
Is everything predestined?
So, your soul has a plan for you. And when you are born, life showers you with innate gifts, collaborates you with the right people, and offers resources to evolve yourself and fulfill your destiny. So, do you not have any control over anything in life? And if not, how can you be sure you have created it at all.
As per my understanding, humans are born free. Your soul might have a plan for you, but as a being, you have a choice to follow it and be it, or you ditch it entirely or partially. Isn’t it beautiful? You can change the course of life anytime you want. However, what would make you feel complete? What would nourish your soul throughout life for it to become happy? You might have a plan for you, but not every time you can compete with the “perfect” plan destiny has got for you.
It is a deeply meaningful plan that would make sense all your life. It has short-term and long-term goals for you and short-term and long-term benefits to keep you enthusiastic all throughout life.
Should You Take a Leap of Faith Then?
If anything can explain what destiny is, I would say it is a dream of your soul for you. It is what you are meant to be. It is hopeful, joyous, and profoundly satisfying and gives meaning to your whole being.
There are sciences such as palmistry that say before we are born, our life’s design gets imprinted on our palms and fingers, and by reading it, we can understand what we are born for. Not endorsing anything here, but humans have tried to make sense of their being for thousands of years. Dissatisfaction from your actions, especially the goods one, and a void that gets bigger and bigger each day. We have been trying to find the meaning of life for eternity.
Would it be easy to follow my destiny?
What was ever easy? It is our zeal for survival and finding happiness that gives us the boost of positivity. If we were to get frightened by the challenges and failures, I would say we would not have been the keepers of the world. We would not have created the wonders we see today. That includes everything physical and non-physical.
Somewhere, sometime, someone was frightended to call upon his destiny. But when he did, he created electricity, Similarly, the skyscrapers, the space stations everything in this world and outside. In different parts of this world, people had it imprinted in their destiny, and they believed in fulfilling it; it gave them happiness and that changed the world for the better.
So was decided for you by your soul’s calling. You would never be ready outside, but always be ready inside. Take one step that would alter the world around you, change your life, and people who get in touch with the wonders you create. In the end, focus on nourishing your soul with happiness, leave the details for the universe.
Watch my interview with India’s best coach and hear her wisdom :
“It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.” ~ William Shakespeare
Are you the one who controls your life or is your life controlling you? Which road should you take? Do you know which path will lead you to where you really want to be?
Creating and shaping your own destiny is one of the many things that only a handful of persons can successfully do, while most end up aimlessly cruising through life, hoping that one day, their predetermined fate will step in and lady luck will shine on their lives.
If you want to live with purpose, the first thing that you have to do is to know remember that more than anyone or anything else. It is you who have the ability of preparing for the opportunities that are bound to come your way. It is you who make things happen. You do not just put your trust on fate. Creating your own path and destiny is actually all up to you. That is the foremost thing that you need to keep in mind if you really want to live a life with purpose.
“You were put on this earth to achieve your greatest self, to live out your purpose, and to do it fearlessly.” ~ Steve Maraboli
Most people today are struggling with the concern that how they are doing their lives is not really in sync with living their life’s purpose. But what are the basics of living on purpose? How will you be able to live a life that is aligned with your calling, authentic and put into action your purpose every single day?
To life a life fully, you need to live a life that you created yourself. This way, there will be no regrets, no pointing of fingers, and no disappointments. This way, you can say that even though there might be failures along the way, at least, you did what you need to do and no one dictated you to do things that you do not want to do.
Create your own destiny! Find the path that you want for your life! Start living your life today!
“No matter what your history has been, your destiny is what you create today. What are you going to create?” ~Steve Maraboli
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