What I’m thinking about…
I am not a big movie guy. For the longest time, Boyz in the Hood was my favourite movie. It resonated with me because it opened my eyes to the challenges faced by African American youth living in south central LA. Your Birth Lottery refers to the idea that an individual's life circumstances, including when, where, and to whom they were born, are largely determined by chance. Although this is beyond our control, it plays a significant role in the opportunities and challenges we face in life. Factors that play a role in your formative years include family dynamics, location, faith and the social environment of one’s life. In terms of future experiences and opportunities, individuals have limited control over these initial conditions.
If two children were born with the same physical disability their lives would be vastly different depending on where they were born. Born into a wealthy family in the US would significantly improve their quality of life and prolong their lifespan compared to being born into a low-caste family in southern India. Warren Buffet recognizes his privilege and has used the term the Ovarian Lottery to emphasize the significant impact of being born into favourable circumstances. Being aware of our privileges and being aware of how fortunate we are is important. Two billion people on earth do not have access to clean drinking water. As challenging as handling rebellious teenagers or interacting with that annoying co-worker is, remember what you do have, and how fortunate you are to have it.
What I’m listening to…
Cloud Sangha - recently renamed to Banyan.
I recently listened to an episode of the Heart Wisdom podcast featuring Jack Kornfield where he discusses a new online community called Cloud Sangha. Loosely translated, sangha means the company of illuminated souls. Designed to make implementing a daily mindfulness routine easier, it offers classes led by world-renowned teachers. Through small groups, you can feel seen and heard, satisfying the crucial human need for belonging. The 30-minute daily meditations provide a consistent opportunity for self-centering, while the immersion groups led by experienced mentors create a stronger bond among participants. It is in beta testing and the current cohort group has closed. It should have spots opening up in mid-February. If you are interested in learning more, watch this intro video here.
Weekly Breathwork Tip
This week I have less of a tip and more of a discussion about the science of the psyche and what we feel in our bodies when going through a somatic breathwork journey. When we use our breath to access deep levels of consciousness, we undergo significant physiological changes. We shift our brain wave activity from predominant beta waves to deeper wavelength alpha and theta waves. Additionally, our CO2 levels decrease impacting the pH of our blood. The effect is entering a trance-like hypnotic state where our usual protective mechanisms are less active and subconscious/unconscious material can surface. When they appear, we can give ourselves permission to release them and even replace them with more positive intentional thoughts. Practiced more regularly, it can be used to process deep-rooted triggers and even rewire their patterns of thinking.
If you want to experience a Somatic Breathwork Journey, I am leading a session this Wednesday, January 31st at 8:30pm EST. It is free and you can register HERE.
Quote I’m resonating with...
If you cannot decide, the answer is no.
Naval Ravikant
I had an old colleague contact me about a prospective opportunity to change jobs. He was struggling with making a decision. Any choice as significant as this requires careful consideration. In my opinion, the first step is writing down a list of pros and cons to provide your mind with the opportunity to feel heard. You can assign a value from 1-10 for each listed item and add up the columns to help you in this process. Visualizing yourself in your new role, feeling potential obstacles and challenges, and picturing your new day-to-day routine can also be helpful. After doing these, I found it important to connect with myself and listen to my intuition. The truth is any change will make you feel uneasy. It is getting beyond the change management piece and seeing what else comes up for you that is key. This is not easy for many of us because we are out of touch with our feelings and unable to hear our internal voice. If we can get to this point, it is important to lean into how we feel about this decision. If it feels good and exciting that can help you decide to move forward. If you feel scared and overwhelmed, perhaps it is not the time for you. If you can’t decide and feel confused and frozen, the answer is usually no. Thank you to ACE Coworking for this quote and the many thought-provoking quotes you share weekly.
Action Items
If you haven’t already, watch Boyz in the Hood.
Check out Cloud Sangha (Banyan) to be a part of a group of like-minded individuals who practice mindfulness daily.
Sit in silence for 3 minutes and pay attention to what comes up. You may find nothing comes up and your mind is just racing the entire time. No judgment - allow yourself to be the witness to what comes up. This in itself is progress.
A thoughtful article Manjit & I appreciate your narrative of vulnerability & growth mindset.