Archive for April, 2011
We often talk about “the company.” Especially when we are looking for someone to blame.
The company doesn’t know what it’s doing.
The company doesn’t get it.
The company doesn’t care.
The company needs to make a decision.
Have you ever asked yourself who the company is? Here’s an obvious realization: It’s the leaders in the business. It’s your manager, your manager’s manager, the directors, the board, the shareholders, the executive, the management team, the senior managers, the people making decisions. It’s people. It’s people with power and influence.
Next time you are tempted to blame the company, ask yourself who you are really talking about.
Background on the “Obvious realization” series: This is a series of posts dedicated to my friend Angela who thinks it’s cute that every now and then I have an “obvious realization” that totally changes my life. Here’s the other posts in this series.
Sona: My sister’s wisdom has proven to be pretty popular on this blog, so I asked her to share some more of her gems on Feng Shui with all of you. Given it’s spring, a lot of us are thinking about getting healthier after our winter hibernation (yes, I think winter in Calgary is finally over!). So here’s a little ditty on using Feng Shui to create better health. Oh! And for the next little while, Rachna is offering an exclusive gift to sonakhosla.com blog readers: a complimentary Feng Shui Swarovski crystal with each booked appointment. There’s something to make your health area sparkle!
Feng Shui, literally translated as “Wind and Water,” is the ancient Chinese study of how energy moves. It’s used by people all over the world to support their goals in life, whether it’s health, relationships, family, career or wealth.
Assessing your health and your space
Let’s start by considering the quality of your space. Hard to know sometimes, isn’t it? Try the following and see what happens. With health as your intention, start looking around your home as if you were a visitor. Ask yourself the following types of questions and remember to be honest!
- What kind of lighting do I have? Is it too dark or too bright?
- Is it easy to walk around or am I bumping into things?
- How do I feel in this part of the home? Do I have low energy or am I restless?
Thinking beyond your environment, ask yourself other questions that may help you understand how your environment is impacting your health, such as:
- Do I need caffeine or sugar to give me energy?
- Do I have trouble sleeping?
- Do I have trouble breathing or am I coughing a lot?
If any of your responses make you question if you really do have a home that supports your health, Feng Shui may be able to help you! It can foster an abundance of energy to flow easily in and around your home, which you can in turn use to replenish and sustain yourself.
Three ways to create health at home
Let’s use the proven principles of Feng Shui to support your health. Remember the key is balance, so use your wisdom to find your perfect combination.
- De-clutter your home to keep the energy flowing consistently throughout. Clear out any items from under your bed and anything broken or unloved from your family room. Too many things slow down energy which can create lethargy or tiredness.
- Use earth tones as these colours are associated with health. These include warm browns, lush greens and deep yellows. These colours are very effective in the middle of the home, which is the health area. Bring them in with paint, furniture, decorations or even wear them! Lethargic or depressed? Wearing bright colours can increase your personal energy. If you want to tone down hyperactivity or restlessness, wear warmer deeper hues or go for cooler colours like khakis and greys.
- Check your lighting, as it is a major contributor to the energy of a room. Very bright or fluorescent lighting can result in anxiety, stress or hyperactivity. If the wattage is too low or there are burnt-out lights, you may find depression and lethargy. Outdoor lights count too!
These are just a few quick ways you can use Feng Shui in your home to support your health. Of course, there are many more techniques depending on your goals and your home layout. Try just one of these suggestions and let us know how you feel!
This morning when I woke up, I thought today was just going to be another great day off work. It turned out to be so much more. Today, so many important and symbolic days collide:
- Good Friday - An important Christian day to commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus Christ; I’m not Christian but that’s okay because today I got to see my friends’ little ones go on an Easter Egg Hunt.
- Earth Day – A day for us to truly consider our footprint on our planet; even Google is celebrating it on their homepage today.
- Advance voting day – We’re in the process of making a huge decision about the future of our country and we only have until May 2 to do so.
- My best friend’s dad’s birthday – Happy birthday, Peter in Saudi Arabia!
For me, it has so far been a profound and important day. Here’s why.
While sitting on my sofa playing Words With Friends on my iPhone (my new addiction which I did not give up for Lent), there was a knock at the door. It was the JW making a Good Friday visit. When Jan and Maggie asked if I believe in God, I decided not to be evasive and try to get rid of them as fast as possible (which is what I usually do). I figured I should be open minded enough to consider being Christian — today of all days. So let me hear them out and engage with them in a meaningful conversation. You never know where this could go.
We covered the environment (which was fitting for Earth Day), love (always a hot topic), nature (one of my favourite subjects), prophecies (from the Bible) and spirituality in today’s society (a topic I can go on about forever). It was fascinating to see where our beliefs converged and where they diverged. We discussed the difference between following your heart and following your desires. We discussed the peril of our planet and how humans don’t seem to understand how grave the situation is. We agreed that animals and humans were created by the same God. We agreed that in love, one doesn’t count and hold onto past hurts. Where Jan felt we were blessed with a mind that we should use to inform ourselves about how to live, I shared my belief that the mind is a curse and cannot be trusted and that we must find a way to discover our inner truths and live by them. We both vehemently agreed that government sucks.
Jan promised that God was going to come down and become our ultimate ruler and remove all governments. I said I would very much like for this to happen but asked if this would not just become another government. She laughed, held my arm and then went on to the next topic.
Jan read a passage that said the planet was going to go into ruin (a prophecy which is clearly coming true and has in fact been true many times before) and that God was going to come down when that happens and ruin those who are ruining our planet. This confused me. So, I asked Jan a few questions. If God is truly in charge of everything and overseeing this whole place, how is it that the destruction of the planet is not also God’s work? How can God be everything, but not the ruin of the planet? And where is God if he’s not here watching the ruin of the planet? Literally. Where is this God? She said she needed to get back to me on that one and asked if next Sunday afternoon was a good time to visit again.
It was just so perfect that Jan and I were able to discuss God’s involvement in the future of our planet on Earth Day. I look forward to our next discussion but I am, in the meantime, taking very careful steps to ensure that I do my part to make the planet a better place. I do believe it’s in dire shape and that if things don’t radically change, we may not live to see the future for much longer. Here’s what I think: everyday should be Earth day. Everyday we should ask ourselves how we can make better decisions for our planet. Everyday we should care about the sustainability of our actions and our impact on our “home.” Earth is a beautiful and amazing living, breathing creation. It is here trying to help us live, so we owe it the same respect.
And this leads to my decision at the polls. Tonight, I will be going to the advance polls in Calgary to vote for the Green Party. I’ll be honest, I don’t align with them on everything, but their principles of sustainability are applicable to more than just the environment and their fierce focus on the economy, the environment and community are critical. I think Elizabeth May is an intelligent woman who should have a voice in Canada’s future (and should have had one at the national debate).
So, this Good Friday, this Earth Day, I’m going to use the mind that Jan told me God gave me and exercise my right to vote for a better planet.
Today is day three of the yoga retreat at Anamaya Resort in Montezuma, Costa Rica and I’ve met a few fellow yoginis so far. I’ll tell you all about this heaven-on-earth kinda place sometime soon, but for now this post is about one special yogini from the Toronto area named Pamela. She accidentally and unintentionally taught me something really cool about the true meaning of yoga.
Over the last three days, Pamela hasn’t made it to a single 8 AM yoga class, despite her best intentions. Being the disciplined yogini I am, I’ve made it every day. But here’s the funny thing. Last night as I lay my head down to sleep, I wondered if Pamela was going to make it to yoga the next day. Then it occurred to me. While I might be “doing yoga”, she’s definitely living yoga.
I’ve been in Pamela’s energy for the last three days on buses, on beaches, on trails, in towns, at meals, at the pool and around. She’s present with every bite of her meal, indulging in every taste. She’s present with every breath of fresh beach air, taking in all the salty smells. She’s present with her body, giving it the rest it wants and without feeling guilt for not doing the yoga she came for. She’s present with her every need in every moment - to be alone, to be with, to be.
It kinda makes you ask yourself: are doing yoga or are you living yoga?
Welcome
Hello! My name is Sona Khosla and I hope this blog brings you new perspectives, insights and ideas for your life—whether they are written by me or someone from my community.
