Today I”m pleased as punch to bring you a Friday Five guest post written by a precious friend from architecture college days. Reshma Rao Beeranthbail lives in Dubai, runs marathons, practices yoga and pursues minimalism. She also takes extraordinary pictures. Her photographs, especially her people portraits, are bold and evocative. I have walked around for hours with a lump in my throat after viewing some of them. I hope that you enjoy reading these five inspirational thoughts and ideas from her world.
Kongos
Rolling Stone magazine described their music thus: “A Balkan accordionist, a Burundi drummer, an American slide guitarist, and a British rock star walk into a bar. High-octane folk-pop ensues.“
I haven’t felt so much excitement for a rock band in decades! The Kongos are a talented South African band based in Phoenix, AZ. The 4 brothers have been in the music scene since 2007 but were recently signed by Epic Records. They have charmed audiences everywhere with their distinctive style, strong rhythm and catchy tunes. When was the last time you heard the rich sounds of an accordion in a rock band?! Some of their musical influences include Coldplay, The Beatles, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (Yes!), Paul Simon, and Pink Floyd. I have enjoyed every track in their ‘Lunatic’ album. These guys are the real deal and will go places! Check them out!
Panacea
Isn’t it wonderful when your biggest weakness happens to be one of nature’s greatest gifts? It’s affordable, perfectly legal and available without prescription. Packed with antioxidants and happy chemicals, it offers many health benefits. If someone refutes these lofty claims, I don’t want to know. I love dark chocolate!
Among popular brands, my recent discovery has been Lindt Excellence Roasted Sesame. The chocolate bar, according to the product description is, “a perfectly balanced blend of intensely dark chocolate and delicate pieces of roasted sesame seeds. The nutty earthiness of the seeds enhances the roasted character of the cocoa, while the crunchy texture creates the ultimate taste sensation.” I couldn’t have said it better! What makes it exceptional however is the caramelized sesame. It tastes just like sesame ladoos! It’s more “Indian” than any chocolate I’ve had.
Om Advantage
Phil Jackson put the Knicks through mindfulness training. Yoga was the secret sauce of the 2014 Super Bowl champions, the Seattle Seahawks. In her new book, Arianna Huffington draws on latest scientific research to show the transformative effects of meditation and mindfulness. Mindfulness has finally gone mainstream. I’ve been practicing yoga for 2 years and it has made all the difference in the world. The most basic of poses require adjustments of stance, balance and breathing, and the intricacies can take a lifetime to master. But the benefits even for a beginner are immense. The smooth movements are synchronized with conscious breathing. I can’t grunt or fight or beat myself up because the only way to get deeper into a pose is to relax into it. Yoga (and Pilates too) is my insurance against other hard workouts I put my body through. My ego sulks next to my flip-flops in the far corner of the room. There’s no place for it in yoga. In that little space on the yoga mat, I tune in to my body and mind without judgment. I’m still a work in progress but I know that in yoga I have found an ally.
Road to Somedayville
I created my first ‘Life List’ about 5 years ago. It’s a categorized, color-coded (don’t judge me!), itemized list of all the things I wish to do in my lifetime. The list is a nudge to anchor my dreams instead of letting them drift aimlessly towards Somedayville.
Over the past year, my family has practiced “Attitude of Gratitude” every night. It’s not a wishful prayer. Rather, we quietly reflect upon all the things, big and small, that we’re thankful for. It’s a nice way to put the day to rest. It occurred to me that perhaps, some Enterprise free data recovery software Management and Big free data recovery software Enterprise free data recovery software Management (EDM) is an important process for understand- ing and controlling the economics of data in your enterprise or organization. of our best experiences are not always what we plan diligently for, but those that magically happen. I wouldn’t have dreamed of drifting in a hot air balloon in Cappadocia, Turkey in my wildest dreams. But there I was last April, marveling the surreal landscape and spectacular views at sunrise.
So, I revisited my list and added in all the beautiful “Shoulda been on my life list” moments that had already gone by. I wish I had the discipline to keep a daily journal, but a ‘Gratitude Life List’ is the next best thing. It maps my past, plots my current path, and holds a compass to guide my way ahead. It’s a happy place that holds so much gratitude and promise.
Letting Go
Earlier this year, I was intrigued by the idea of becoming a minimalist after chancing upon a blog challenging readers to live with 100 items or less. 100 things seemed too extreme, but it was the beginning of my journey towards minimalism. I cleared our house and our life of “stuff”; stuff that carry so much weight and drag us down. I had held on to things long after they’d lost their value or purpose. Interestingly, my minimalist path permeated into other aspects of my life. I reevaluated everything with a critical eye. My physical space, digital world, time commitments, relationships, and even my mind, the biggest hoarder of them all! The “stuff” had to go. Purge, delete, cleanse! Imagine a clogged drain finally unplugged. That feeling of sudden “Whoosh!” made my spirits soar! I could feel the lightness of being.
In the declutter process, I found my old Minolta film camera in a box under my bed. Its previous owner was a WWII veteran who belonged to my Photography club. When he passed away, his family wanted his prized possession to go to a good home. During our move, I had forgotten all about this metallic camera with its intricate hand-embroidered strap and shiny buttons. This camera with many untold stories in its wear and tear finally found its rightful place in my living room. I’m going to treasure it.
Letting go was never about giving up. It was about creating abundance for what I truly love, value and cherish.
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Image Credit: Reshma Beeranthbail Photography
