Maksim Belonogov is a technology entrepreneur and a co-founder of the Maxim ride-hailing technology. Early biography Maksim Belonogov was born in 1980 in Siberia. In early childhood, his family moved to towns in the far north above the Arctic Circle, and in 1985 relocated again, where he attended kindergarten and the first years of school. In the late 1980s, the family returned to their original region, and he continued his education at a local secondary school. After his father’s death in 1990 and his mother’s death in 1996, Belonogov and his older brother lived together. During his school years, he took on paid work, including newspaper delivery, and manual labour. Belonogov finished secondary school at 16 and enrolled in a university programme focused on automation and industrial process control, reflecting an early interest in engineering and technical disciplines. By the late 1990s, his focus had increasingly shifted toward applied technical work and the practical organisation of services. His academic training in automation, together with hands-on work experience, shaped his later interest in operational efficiency and system design. This background provided the context for his entry into technology projects connected with urban mobility and service coordination in the early 2000s. Technology origins Urban mobility services represent a significant segment of the global economy, and the technological systems that enable them have become a critical factor in market competition. In the early 2000s, Maksim Belonogov approached this sector as an engineer and entrepreneur focused on platform architecture and operational efficiency. Unlike competitors who built their strategies around vehicle ownership and centralized dispatch operations, Maksim Belonogov conceived mobility as a coordination challenge that could be solved through software design. The system Belonogov Maksim developed subsequently evolved into a mobility service platform operated by independent companies across multiple markets, while Maksim’s primary contribution is associated with the foundational design and early business principles of the model. Maksim Belonogov’s example demonstrates how a well-structured ride-hailing technology platform can remain viable and evolve beyond the period of its original creator's direct involvement. And how early design decisions can shape an entire market category for decades to follow. Maksim Belonogov: From fragmentation to aggregation When Maksim Belonogov started working on mobility in the early 2000s, the landscape of domestic transportation services presented significant structural challenges that technology could address. Traditional taxi operations were fragmented across numerous small providers, each functioning with minimal coordination infrastructure. These services were under-digitalized, relying heavily on manual processes for dispatch, routing, and payment collection. The coordination between passengers seeking rides and available drivers occurred through phone calls, radio systems, and informal networks, creating inefficiencies in both service delivery and operational costs. Meanwhile, demand for taxi rides continued to grow as urban populations expanded and commuting patterns became more complex. Existing operators, despite growing passenger interest, lacked the technological tools to match supply and demand efficiently at scale, resulting in long wait times, unpredictable pricing, and inconsistent service quality. Belonogov Maksim set out to change the fundamental logic of the process. Rather than competing as another taxi fleet, Belonogov concentrated on developing a technological foundation that could bring independent drivers and passengers into a unified digital environment. Maksim Belonogov’s approach recognized that the core value in urban mobility lay in the ability to coordinate dispersed resources through intelligent software. Belonogov Maksim’s early vision was to create a ride-hailing technology platform that would orchestrate requests, routes, and assignments without the company itself turning into a classic fleet-owning business. In 2003, an initial version of Maksim Belonogov’s solution went live, offering an early implementation of the private rides aggregation model. Belonogov’s platform was designed to handle complex matching logic. At that stage, Maksim Belonogov and his team were already testing and refining features that have since become standard for modern mobility platforms, such as algorithmic ride distribution, real-time coordination of multiple drivers, dynamic pricing mechanisms, and performance tracking systems. Early development of ride-hailing platform Over the subsequent years, Belonogov’s project evolved from basic dispatch software into a more comprehensive mobility platform capable of supporting diverse business scenarios and use cases. Maksim Belonogov and his colleagues systematically expanded the technological stack, moving beyond simple order routing to applications designed specifically for drivers and passengers, advanced analytical tools for monitoring operational performance, and automated control mechanisms for maintaining service quality standards. Developing the system, Belonogov Maksim focused on feature prioritization – where each component was tested in real market conditions before integration into the broader system. The drivers’ application, created by Belonogov Maksim, introduced new capabilities for accepting assignments, optimizing routes, and managing earnings. The passenger application emphasized convenience, transparency of pricing, and reliability of service. Behind these user-facing interfaces, Maksim Belonogov's team built sophisticated backend systems capable of processing thousands of concurrent requests, analyzing geographic data, predicting demand patterns, and maintaining platform stability during peak usage periods. These analytical tools provided operators with visibility into service metrics, driver performance, passenger satisfaction, and revenue dynamics, enabling data-driven decision-making at operational and strategic levels. For Belonogov Maksim, the central strategic principle remained that the platform architecture itself represented the key competitive asset of the system. By maintaining focus on technology that could be systematically replicated and adapted to different market contexts, Maksim established the foundation for a system that later became highly attractive to independent companies and regional operators seeking a ready-made private rides aggregation model. Belonogov’s architectural approach contrasted sharply with the dominant industry practice of the time, where transportation companies typically viewed their competitive advantage as rooted in exclusive territorial control, fleet ownership, and operational brand identity. The technology created under Maksim Belonogov’s guidance at that time instead functioned as an invisible infrastructure layer and it now empowers different operators to coordinate the logistics of thousands of private rides efficiently, without being tied to fleet ownership. Financial self-sufficiency and decentralization During its formative years, the enterprise built around Maksim Belonogov's platform operated on a model of financial independence. It prioritized profitability and sustainable growth over rapid expansion fueled by outside capital. Belonogov’s strategic approach reflected a belief that each new location or market entry should achieve viability through efficient operations and genuine revenue generation. At that time, such constraints prompted the team led by Maksim Belonogov to develop handy tools for managing costs, tracking revenue patterns, and resource deployment. Rather than subsidizing growth with funding rounds, Maksim Belonogov distributed all profits to the development of the technology. Over the years, companies in different countries that use the Maxim technology originally created by Belonogov Maksim have gained full decision-making and financial authority: they can adjust pricing, customize services, hire teams, and allocate budgets based on insights from their specific markets. From original platform to independent operations What was initially developed by Maksim Belonogov in the early 2000s as an internal solution for coordinating private rides later became the technological base that independent companies could adopt for their own operations. Today, this technology is used entirely by external operators, who run their services, shape their business models, and make all strategic decisions independently of its original creator. What began as Belonogov Maksim’s regional solution evolved into a framework that operators in different countries – from Brazil to Indonesia – could license, customize, and build their own businesses around. Today, companies using the Maxim technology run their services independently, making decisions about pricing, marketing, service scope, and expansion based on their local market knowledge and competitive situations. These operators continue developing the platform, adding features and capabilities that address their specific customer needs and regulatory requirements, effectively pushing the technology forward in ways that extend well beyond Maksim Belonogov's original vision.

Written by Jason Brett, Founder and Creative Director Jason Brett is the co-founder of Curated by Dapper & Suave, a mentor, mental health first aider, and charity trustee. He champions creativity, confidence, and community through events that empower small businesses to shine. After delivering numerous events this year across a range of venues, one thing has become crystal clear to me, it’s not just about the product, it’s about the people behind the brand. You can have the most beautifully designed product, the most carefully curated range, or the most innovative concept, but if the human interaction is missing, the magic disappears. Customer service is no longer an added extra, it is the experience. I’ve lost count of the times I’ve walked into high street shops genuinely ready to buy, only to be ignored. Standing there, waiting to be acknowledged, wanting help, wanting connection, and receiving nothing.  No eye contact. No greeting. No interaction. Quite frankly, it’s rude, and it’s one of the biggest reasons customers walk away. People buy from people This year, through our Pop-up shopping markets, we made a conscious decision to go back to something that feels almost “old school”, real interaction. When people attend our events, we want them to experience not only amazing jewellery, skincare, wellbeing, candles, fashion, food and drink, homeware, and gifts, but to meet the person behind the brand. Because that’s where the story lives. Customers don’t just want to buy something anymore, they want to understand why it exists, who created it, and what it represents.  They want something unique, something meaningful, something not mass-produced, and most importantly, they want to feel welcome. Show up as the face of your brand What we’ve learned is that showing up matters. Being present matters. Looking up from your phone matters. Standing with your brand, literally and figuratively, matters. During my time as a brand ambassador for French Connection, I learned the importance of fully understanding a brand’s purpose, values, and vision. You are not just selling a product, you are representing something bigger. That mindset has stayed with me ever since. We’ve seen situations at events where stallholders sit to the side, don’t engage, avoid conversation, or send someone else to “cover” while they disappear and are not present.  That simply doesn’t align with the community we’re building. If you say you are there, then be there. Customer service is body language, energy, and intent Great customer service isn’t complicated. It’s the smile. The open body language. The willingness to talk. The genuine interest in another human being. Some customers who attend markets come not only to shop, but to connect, and for some, particularly those who feel lonely, these interactions mean more than we realise. They’ve chosen to come out, money in their pocket, ready to support small businesses, and that choice deserves respect. Raising the standard as we grow As we look ahead to 2026 and beyond, we’re becoming more intentional than ever. We now have the power and responsibility to choose the businesses we work with. We’re clear on what we don’t want: Not promoting or saying they will be at an event  Poor attitudes Lateness Lack of engagement Disrespect for customers Businesses that think they can “do what they like” What we do want is a community of like-minded brands that value people as much as profit. Businesses that understand the long-term impact of customer service and they want repeat customers, meaningful conversations, and genuine growth. Building community, not just events Some incredible friendships have been formed through these events, and that’s no accident. When people show up with the right energy, the right values, and the right intentions, something special happens. This is about changing the way markets are experienced by changing how customers feel. Changing how brands are remembered. Because at the end of the day, people may forget what you sold, but they will never forget how you made them feel, that is what great customer service is all about. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website  for more info! Read more from Jason Brett Jason Brett, Founder and Creative Director With a strong background in hospitality, customer service, and retail, Jason Brett knows the power of genuine connection. As co-founder of Curated by Dapper & Suave, he creates welcoming spaces for small businesses to share their stories and grow through creative pop-up events. Jason is also a mentor, mental health first aider, and charity trustee who champions wellbeing, confidence, and inclusion. His work inspires others to embrace authenticity and express themselves with pride.

Written by Tanya Tsikkos, Innovative Jewelry Designer & CEO of EntityUK Tanya Tsikkos is an innovative jewelry designer who promotes mental health and well-being. COVID-19 left her with emotional challenges, and she found a way to cope and to improve her mental health with her jewelry creations and empowering messages. In a season of reflection, small, intentional acts can gently reshape the world around us. This piece explores how kindness, practised within and shared with others, can make a lasting difference. As the year begins to close and winter wraps the world in stillness, there is something about this season that nudges us inward. December magnifies everything, our joy, our exhaustion, our hopes, our longing for connection. And in that mix, kindness becomes more than a virtue. It becomes a form of grounding . A soft strength. A reminder that we all have the ability to shift the atmosphere of a moment, a day, even a life. Kindness is often spoken about as if it’s fluffy or sentimental, but in truth, it is one of the most powerful human tools we possess. It is the quiet force that steadies us when the world feels loud. It is the antidote to overwhelm. And it begins, perhaps surprisingly, with ourselves. Kindness to yourself: The starting point It’s tempting to treat self-kindness as indulgence, something reserved for when we ‘deserve’ it. But real kindness is not a reward, it's maintenance. It’s the way we refuel the inner space we draw from. Self-kindness can look like: Pausing before pushing yourself past empty Speaking to yourself the way you’d speak to a friend, not a critic Letting yourself be human, not perfect Resting without guilt, especially in a season where busyness is worn like a badge Choosing nourishment, emotionally, mentally, and creatively   When we practice kindness inwardly, something subtle but profound happens, we soften. And when we soften, we naturally project that gentleness outward. Why kindness begets kindness There’s a contagious quality to kindness. One small act, an encouraging comment, a patient moment, a smile, a held door, a thoughtful message, has a domino effect. It signals safety. It creates permission for others to respond in kind. Human beings mirror the energy they receive. Softness invites softness. Patience invites patience. Understanding invites connection.   This doesn’t mean we walk through the world performing kindness for validation . It simply means that our actions carry influence, whether we realise it or not. Every time we choose kindness, especially when it’s inconvenient, we're planting something invisible that grows far beyond us. Projecting kindness into the world This season amplifies the need for gentleness . Not everyone is walking through glitter and festivity. Some people are carrying invisible heaviness. Others are navigating loneliness, grief, tight finances, or pressure that isn’t spoken aloud. Kindness has the unique ability to slip through those cracks. Here are ways that I find quite helpful to project kindness into the world intentionally:   Slow your responses: Before reacting, breathe . Choose words that soothe rather than sting. Sometimes the kindest thing we offer is restraint. Assume good intentions: Most people are trying, even when they don’t get it right. Offering grace creates a softer landing for everyone involved. Give small, meaningful acknowledgements: A compliment. A thank you. A ‘You’re doing well, even if you can’t see it right now’. These tiny affirmations have a deeper reach than we realise. Be present, even briefly: You don’t need to memorise life stories to make someone feel seen. A moment of full  presence,  eye contact, warmth, and genuine interest is kindness in its purest form. Offer practical softness: Pay for someone’s coffee. Let someone go ahead in line. Send a message to a friend who feels far away. Small gestures can be monumental. Hold healthy boundaries: Yes, kindness includes boundaries. It is not about depletion. It’s about generosity that doesn’t empty you. The ripple effect you’ll never fully see The truth is, we rarely witness the full impact of our kindness. We don’t see how the person behind us in the queue carries our smile into their next interaction. We don’t see how a soft word stops someone from spiralling. We don’t see how a moment of patience becomes the highlight of someone’s difficult day. But the ripple exists. It always exists. Kindness, at its core, is an investment in the unseen. A belief that what we give our gentleness, our understanding, our grace flows onward, even if it never circles back. A season to begin, not just reflect Christmas is often described as a season of giving, but perhaps the most meaningful gift we offer is the energy we bring into a room, a conversation, a moment. Kindness isn’t grand. It isn’t loud. It isn’t performative. It’s steady. Intentional. Quietly transformative. And maybe this season, practising kindness within and outward can be our way of softening the world, one interaction at a time. Because kindness begets kindness, and every gentle thing you do travels farther than you think. Just remember Kindness doesn’t need noise to have an impact. It begins in the small choices you make to rest without guilt, to offer understanding instead of judgement, to bring softness into a moment that could have gone another way. Every gentle act you give to yourself or to someone else adds a little steadiness to the world. And those moments, even the tiniest ones, travel far beyond your sight. For more empowerment and inspiration, join my mailing list! Subscribe on my  website  for free and find out more tips on  Tanya's blogs.     Follow me on Faceboo k  and visit my Instagram  for more info! Read more from Tanya Tsikkos Tanya Tsikkos, Innovative Jewelry Designer & CEO of EntityUK Tanya Tsikkos is an innovative jewellery designer who promotes mental health and wellbeing. COVID-19 left her with emotional challenges, and she found a way to cope and to improve her mental health with her jewellery creations and empowering messages. She has since dedicated her life to helping others to always feel good and empowered . She is the CEO of EntityUK, an online fashion jewellery company that combines jewellery with empowerment in each design. Her mission is to inspire, uplift, and empower all to live their best lives with confidence and style!

Written by Kyra Bolzan, Psychology Expert & Mentor Kyra is a psychology expert and mentor with a master’s in psychology and a rare gift for uncovering deep psychological blind spots. As the creator of the Identity Transformation Method™ and founder of The Legacy Club Behind every visible success is a season no one applauds. This article pulls back the curtain on the uncomfortable, misunderstood phase of entrepreneurship where income disappears, identity is rebuilt, and inner strength is forged long before results appear. Did you know that I gave up a €6k/month job to make €0 for almost 18 months? And I dragged my boyfriend out of his apartment to come live in my parents’ basement with me. (Very sexy or not.) And before you jump to conclusions, "no," this wasn’t me having a spiritual psychotic break or “trusting the universe” irresponsibly. I wasn’t delusional. I was clear. Clear in a way that doesn’t make sense to 99% of people who need proof before they move. Because here’s the part no one says out loud: Building something real looks a LOT like self-sabotage from the outside! This was not a “main character” season. There were no aesthetic mornings. No soft life reels. No vision-board orgasms.   It was the season where everything I’d worked for disappeared.   Income gone. Status gone. Independence (temporarily) gone. Ego? Absolutely slaughtered.   And I watched people silently judge me. (Some loudly. Bless them.)   People couldn’t understand why I would walk away from a “perfect” life for something that didn’t exist yet. Why I’d choose instability. Why I’d choose discomfort. Why I’d choose looking like I was losing.   "Because what they didn’t see was the part that mattered." Every single cent I had went into mentorship. Not clothes. Not trips. Not distractions. Not even rent. (Therefore, the basement)   "Mentorship!" I didn’t build funnels first. I didn’t build branding first. I didn’t build a “strategy” first. I built the human behind it all. I built the version of me who could survive being unseen. Unvalidated. Uncelebrated. Hell, even unpaid. The version of me who could lead without applause. Who could keep going when there was no evidence it would work. Who could sit in uncertainty without collapsing into “what if I ruined my life?” (Which, by the way, I asked myself approximately 17 times a week.) There were nights it felt humiliating. There were mornings I woke up thinking. What the actual fuck am I doing?   There were moments when it felt devastating watching other people “win” while I was rebuilding from the inside out. No one clapped for that version of me. No one reposted that  season. No  one said “wow, you’re so brave” while it was happening.   (Besides my boyfriend, S/O to you, babe. You're the realest.) And this is the part I wish someone had told me earlier, "Every leader has a season where nothing makes sense on paper. And everything makes sense in their vision." That season is not a mistake. It’s the initiation. It’s the part where your identity is being stretched to match the future you’re asking for. And if you try to skip it, your success will crush you later. So if you’re in a chapter where you feel like you’re losing.  Where it looks like you “went backwards” Where people don’t get it Where you don’t even fully know how to explain it   You’re not behind. You’re not broken. You’re not doing it wrong. "You’re being built." (Annoying answer. I know. But still true.)   And the reason this phase is so brutal is because most people don’t know what stage of success they’re actually in. So they personalize it. They shame themselves. They think they lack discipline, talent, or motivation. When really, they’re just early. Or misaligned. Or building the wrong version of themselves for the future they want. That’s why I created the two things, I needed them back then. (But didn't have lol.) First, I made a free quiz that shows you what success stage you’re in right now and what needs to shift for your next big breakthrough. Not “believe in yourself” energy. Clarity. (People keep telling me it finally explained why they felt stuck for so long and what to do next!) Take the free quiz ! And if you already feel that pull in your chest and you’re done hoping this works and ready to become the version of you that makes success inevitable, then take the deeper step. Get in the room and watch my free masterclass: How to 10X your legacy .   This is where I explain the transformation that changed everything for me. Not more hustle. Not more proving. Identity. Aka the psychology behind success & impact. You don’t need to romanticize the season you’re in. You just need to understand it and stop abandoning yourself inside it. Follow me on Instagram and LinkedIn  for more info! Read more from Kyra Bolzan Kyra Bolzan, Psychology Expert & Mentor Kyra is a psychology expert and mentor with a master’s in psychology and a rare gift for uncovering deep psychological blind spots. As the creator of the Identity Transformation Method™ and founder of The Legacy Club, she helps high-achievers rewire their identity to unlock results in business and love that strategy alone can’t deliver.

Written by Kewaine Smith, Civil Engineer, Investor, and Entrepreneur Kewaine Smith is a civil engineer, entrepreneur, and active-duty U.S. Air Force professional with experience in aerospace medicine. His work explores disciplined thinking, systems-level problem solving, and long-term approaches to building durable success. Power is usually described in loud terms. Influence. Authority. Visibility. Control. Yet in practice, the most capable people I’ve encountered rarely rely on any of those. Their advantage is quieter and harder to define, yet it involves self-awareness. Not the performative kind often mistaken for confidence, but the disciplined ability to notice one’s own thinking, reactions, and blind spots, especially under pressure. This level of awareness doesn’t announce itself. It operates privately, but its effects are unmistakable over time. We live in a culture that rewards constant motion. Activity is praised. Speed is mistaken for progress. When discomfort arises, instinct is often to distract, accelerate, or externalize responsibility. Few are taught to pause and examine what is happening internally before responding externally. Self-awareness interrupts that cycle. When individuals begin to recognize their internal patterns, how emotions influence judgment, how the ego subtly shapes decisions, and how fear disguises itself as a logical choice re-enter the equation, actions become deliberate rather than automatic. This distinction matters more than most realize. In leadership, the absence of self-awareness often masquerades as confidence. The loudest voice in the room is not always the clearest thinker. Those lacking awareness tend to overcorrect, overexplain, or react prematurely when outcomes are uncertain. What looks decisive on the surface often proves unstable over time. By contrast, self-aware individuals develop a different relationship with pressure. They learn to distinguish tension that carries information from tension rooted in insecurity. They recognize when hesitation is intuition and when it is avoidance. That discernment alone can prevent years of misaligned effort. There is also a practical consequence rarely discussed. Self-awareness creates restraint. Restraint reduces unnecessary friction. Over time, this compounds into efficiency not only in productivity, but in communication, relationships, and decision-making. People who understand themselves tend to waste less energy trying to prove anything to others. Clarity internally often translates to simplicity externally. The ability to pause, listen, and respond rather than react is not a soft skill, it is a strategic one. It shapes how trust is built, how authority is perceived, and how consistency is maintained over long periods of time. Interestingly, self-awareness often struggles to thrive in environments that prioritize speed and spectacle. It does not demand attention. It does not rely on validation. Yet over time, it becomes difficult to ignore. You begin to notice who remains steady as conditions change. Who doesn’t chase every opportunity? Who makes fewer decisions but better ones? These outcomes are not accidental. In a world obsessed with acceleration, self-awareness offers something more durable, alignment. And alignment, when sustained, quietly becomes presence. Presence does not need explanation. And when paired with intention, it remains one of the most reliable forms of power available. Follow me on Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Kewaine Smith Kewaine Smith, Civil Engineer, Investor, and Entrepreneur Kewaine Smith is a civil engineer and entrepreneur with a background spanning engineering, military service, and healthcare operations. As an active-duty member of the U.S. Air Force working in aerospace medicine, he brings a disciplined, systems-driven perspective to problem-solving and leadership. His writing focuses on strategic thinking, real-world execution, and building long-term value through structure and consistency. Kewaine is committed to applying technical rigor and intentional decision-making across business and life.

Written by Sandra O'Neill, Psychoeducation Trainer & Counsellor Sandra O'Neill provides valuable psychoeducation, customised training, and counselling services in the workplace through the unique perspective of a mental health professional who has also had years of senior leadership experience across various business sectors, within corporate organisations, government, not-for-profit, and small business. At its core, mindfulness is about purposefully focusing your awareness on the present moment. It involves mental training and impacts how we interact with the world around us. It cultivates awareness to keep us centred and grounded. This helps with anxiety, depression, stress reduction, and our overall mental health. It’s about being in the moment, the present time, highly aware of your surroundings, taking in the sensations. We can’t control the future, and we most certainly cannot change the past, yet we spend much of our precious mind energy thinking about both. Mindfulness allows you to savor the present moment with intention. Considering this, as we are in the midst of the silly season, preparing to wind down from work, planning for holidays, and finishing the Christmas shopping (or starting it!), here’s a challenge: Mindfully enjoy it! Consciously appreciate the job you are winding down from, treasure the people in your life that you’re sharing the holidays with, and really cherish the loved ones you are buying the presents for! Yes, you know the ones your children, your family, your loved ones. Remember, it’s not just about the tinsel and wrapping paper, it’s really about the intent behind it. Don’t lose sight of that. Reflect on your meaning of Christmas, whatever that idea holds for you. It doesn’t have to be about religion, extravagant presents, or Santa. It can represent your values and beliefs. Acknowledge that this time of year is also difficult for many people. It can be a time of loneliness and isolation, noticing who isn’t there. If you cannot relate to this, then count yourself fortunate and mindfully acknowledge all you are grateful for in your life right now. The simple things that are, in fact, the most important. If you can relate to a feeling of sadness during the season, reflect that each season is an opportunity for renewal and hold onto the hope that each beginning brings. How can I enjoy a mindful Christmas? Being mindful and present in the moment is a way to really be in life’s journey instead of watching it from the sidelines. Create special memories that can be forever cherished and remember what is truly important to you. With practice, mindfulness allows us to change the neuroplasticity in our brains and create new neural pathways. Yes, we can literally change the way we think and rewire our brains! Mindfulness therapies are backed by evidence. Mindfulness differs from meditation, with no need to be in a separate place or take a specific amount of time. Practicing mindfulness can be flexible, adaptable, and highly personal. It may be as simple as taking a mental image in your mind and a deeper awareness of your surroundings. For example, on Christmas morning, sitting by the tree, unwrapping presents with loved ones, listening to the laughter, and smelling the turkey cooking while enjoying the taste of your favorite drink. Take that in. Don’t miss the moment. Enjoy. The great news is, this can literally be applied to any other aspect or activity that you do. Sadly, too often people look back with regret because they didn’t take the mental time to savor these moments, and opportunities can be missed in the chaos of life. Looking back with appreciation of the good times helps to get through the inevitable bad times. Riding the good and bad waves becomes more tolerable because we have stronger mental images to hold our memories. That may feel like a harsh reality, but you can change that going forward. You are the only one who can do that for yourself. It may only take seconds or minutes in a day. Will you afford that to yourself? That might just be the greatest Christmas gift of all. A simple art The art of mindfulness is like learning a new skill in anything. It is probably easier said than done because our monkey minds want to drift back to the past or go into the future. You might not even think you are good at it at first, and that may be true. So, think about the first time you learned to drive a car, mmmm, practice. Same for mindfulness. The many benefits of mindfulness In addition to reducing stress and anxiety, practicing mindfulness will help with cognitive function, such as focused awareness and increased concentration. There are also many related physical health benefits, like better sleep and immune function. Best of all, mindfulness improves mental well-being by supporting emotional regulation. This allows you to pay curious attention to your thoughts, feelings, and emotions, accepting them for what they are, letting them ‘just be’, without the pressure of judgment. With this sense of regulation, you will be better equipped to manage interpersonal relationships and communications. This practice can be personal, powerful, and productive. You will learn to trust yourself more through acceptance, patience, and letting go of situations that are beyond your control. Through your observations, you’ll learn to appreciate the little things in life and activate your senses. Make it work for you There are numerous ways to practice mindfulness, so find a way that works for you. It can simply fit in with your day-to-day activities, amongst the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Mindfulness matters because it can help you not only get on top of your mental health, but also absorb life with greater awareness, rather than it rushing by, noticing life more as you live it.   Follow me on LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Sandra O'Neill Sandra O'Neill, Psychoeducation Trainer & Counsellor Sandra O'Neill brings together a unique blend of experience in mental health, education, and business, intertwining these areas of knowledge to empower individuals and business leaders. As a Trainer and Registered Counsellor, she specialises in psychoeducation, particularly within the workplace, bringing together decades of knowledge in business, leadership, and organisational practices, to align with the psychosocial responsibilities of a modern era workplace. With a passion in human services, Sandra also provides counselling to individuals through workplace and private practice, to support mental health and wellbeing.

Neel Somani  has built a reputation as one of the sharpest minds bridging the worlds of blockchain, artificial intelligence, and applied research. A UC Berkeley graduate, Somani’s path has been shaped as much by the mentors and peers who guided him as by the rigorous academic foundation that continues to support his work today. From early stints in software engineering and finance to founding Eclipse and exploring the future of distributed systems, Somani’s journey reflects both a bias toward action and a thoughtful awareness of when to pause. In this conversation, he shares lessons learned, the importance of fundamentals, and where he sees the next wave of innovation taking shape. Neel Somani Can you share how your journey at UC Berkeley shaped your career path? It's funny because as a student, you're constantly told that your classes don't matter, and you should focus on your network. It's true that the people you meet in undergrad will heavily shape your career. My friends and mentors are the ones who recommended I start as a software engineer at Airbnb, transition to finance, and even start a blockchain company. So your network definitely matters. But what I didn't expect was that my classes mattered quite a bit, too. When I was transitioning from crypto to AI, I could always lean on my fundamentals in computer science. A lot of the background that underlies machine learning and distributed systems is best learned in an academic environment. Of course, you can learn things on the job, but it sure helps to be able to quickly prove trivial facts, like how positive semidefinite matrices have all non-negative eigenvalues. What inspired your transition from academics into applied research and entrepreneurship? One reason was just my opportunity cost. When you can enter the industry and immediately learn what's the bleeding-edge in a real company and also get paid a substantial amount for the privilege of doing so, the alternative of doing a PhD starts to make less sense. Many of the professors who mentored me in undergrad even recommended industry, and they mentioned that if the tech industry had as much funding when they were graduating as it has now, they probably would have chosen industry instead. That was a strong signal for me to start applying my skills in real-world domains. How did the idea for your first major project or company come about? It was my friend from Berkeley who introduced me to his roommate, who was the General Partner of a major crypto venture fund. The GP pitched me a few different ideas, and at the time, the most compelling option to me was to start a project on what was then a rapidly growing blockchain. That blockchain ended up failing catastrophically, but not before I made a splash in the crypto industry. A lot of smart folks reached out to me and pointed me to research that led to my company, Eclipse. What are two or three of the most important lessons you’ve learned along the way? So this is controversial, but what I've found is that when you have something that's going to work, whether a company, or an approach to your personal health, or something else, it tends to work quickly. That's not to say that you should give up on things early. You have to see things through to completion. But what I mean is that if you're not seeing very fast progress after seeing something through to completion, then you need to pivot fast. There is no point in trying to force a direction that's not working. A more concrete example, I've been struggling with my shoulder mobility for years. I tried tons of physical therapists over the course of years. Finally, I found the right one, and I regained full mobility within a month. That's how fast it happens. Another hard-earned lesson is that when you're negotiating, if you give someone a good deal right off the bat, you're still going to get a counteroffer. That's a painful lesson for me, because I try to come out of the gate with a proposal that's really strong for both sides. But sometimes people take that as a sign that you have more to give, especially in the context of employment discussions. It's a shame, and I still give my strongest offer first, but I know to sometimes expect pushback, and I try not to be too disappointed when that happens. What makes your work or your approach different from others in this space? I've noticed that great leaders systemically have a bias toward action. That is a trait that is generally useful. Sometimes, though, you're in situations where pausing or even doing nothing at all is optimal. There's a saying, "Never interrupt your opponent while he is making a mistake." I find that sentiment to be often true. So my approach is usually a bias toward action, but I balance that by checking myself in those rare situations I'm passing through a one-way door. Is there a routine or practice you follow that you’d recommend to others in this field? I love this book called Nonviolent Communication. Satya Nadella at Microsoft apparently recommends this to all leadership within the company. The premise of the book is that when you're in a heated disagreement, the first thing you need to do is identify the exact feeling that you and the other parties are experiencing. That might sound simple, but we often say things are feelings when they're not feelings at all. Just getting extremely good at guessing how people are feeling has been a superpower in establishing shared understanding and making people feel sufficiently heard, while not wasting time. What advice would you give to someone who wants to follow a similar path? Anyone who's giving advice right now is making stuff up. It's impossible to predict what the world is going to look like after sufficiently advanced artificial intelligence is deployed. That being said, it's hard to imagine that fundamental skills like math or philosophy will work against you. For the students I mentor, I'm trying to make sure that they're at least entering environments where they're surrounded by the smartest people. Those smart people will guide you when you're no longer sure what to do. What do you see as the future of your work and of the industries you’re in? It's repeated all the time, but the next wave of advancement has to be in the world of atoms, not bits. That means that software companies or merely advancing foundational models will eventually not be the highest margin return action for smart engineers and mathematicians to work on. The next frontier might be manufacturing, robotics, supply chains, biology, and other physical fields, which are all receiving tons of venture capital funding right now. I'm personally excited about automating the work in "meatspace" or the real world. Somani’s perspective is both pragmatic and forward-looking: networks matter, fundamentals endure, and the future lies not only in code but in transforming the physical world. His reflections highlight the speed at which meaningful progress can unfold, the importance of surrounding oneself with brilliant people, and the value of clear communication in leadership. As industries shift from bits to atoms, Somani remains focused on applying technical expertise to real-world impact—an approach that will no doubt continue to shape the frontier of technology.

Written by Shale Maulana, Liberation-Based Therapist and Coach Shale Maulana is a holistic mental health therapist who specializes in liberation-based healing. She integrates mindfulness, self-care, and cultural integrity to empower individuals and communities. She is passionate about fostering resilience and self-compassion in all her work. We live in a culture that treats healing like a productivity project. Set the goal, do the work, optimize the tools, and expect results on a predictable timeline. And when that doesn’t happen, many people assume they’re doing something wrong. But healing doesn’t unfold at the speed of motivation. It unfolds at the speed of the nervous system. The pressure to heal fast Many people arrive in therapy or healing spaces with a quiet urgency, I want this to be over already. Or with the frustration of, I’m doing everything I’m supposed to be doing, why hasn’t this healed yet? That urgency makes sense. When how you’ve been feeling is uncomfortable, disruptive, or even intolerable, it’s natural to want relief as quickly as possible. But this urgency is also shaped by cultural expectations, a belief that if you work hard enough, apply the right tools, and stay disciplined, you should get a specific result within a specific timeframe. Many high-functioning people feel off even when they’re doing everything “right” for their mental health. Healing doesn’t work that way. Healing is a deeply organic process. Some things can shift in an instant. Others require time, patience, and repeated experiences of safety. It’s impossible to know in advance what will heal quickly and what will need longer to unfold. Eckhart Tolle famously describes years of unbearable anxiety that resolved in a single moment of insight. That story is compelling, and many of us long for that kind of instantaneous transformation. But even when moments of insight arrive, there are often deeper layers that need time to integrate. There can be flashes of awakening alongside slower, quieter changes that take root gradually. We can make profound internal shifts that open the door to healing in an instant. At the same time, there are parts of us that need to be carried, held, and met over time before they can truly soften and heal. A liberation-based approach to mental health recognizes healing as relational, contextual, and non-linear. What sets the pace The pace of healing is shaped less by effort and more by readiness, nervous system flexibility, and a sense of safety and trust, both within the body and within the relational environment supporting the process. Healing is also influenced by whether there is enough spaciousness to make meaning of what has happened, whether from a single event or from years of cumulative stress or trauma. Insight can arrive quickly, integration often takes longer. Research on the autonomic nervous system shows that safety and regulation are prerequisites for integration and healing. Practices like mindfulness and meditation can be powerful supports here. They help create internal spaciousness and increase our capacity to observe rather than overwhelm ourselves. But even these practices have limits when used in isolation. I would put it this way, if you are genuinely trying to move through something and it isn’t shifting despite everything you know how to do, that’s often a signal, not of failure, but of needing support. With the right relational and professional support, many people actually move through stuck places more efficiently, not less. Healing alone is possible. Healing with support is often more sustainable. When motivation backfires Motivation culture interferes with healing by reinforcing the idea that we must do everything ourselves. More yoga. More workouts. More journaling. More mindset work. More effort. For ambitious, driven people in particular, this can quietly turn healing into another performance metric. What’s often missing is the capacity to receive care, to let someone else do some of the holding. For some people, this is the missing link. Less active forms of care, such as massage, acupuncture, or light-based therapies, can be deeply regulating because they ask very little of the person receiving them. You simply show up, and someone else is caring for you. This matters. Safe, relational care, including healthy, consensual touch, can be profoundly stabilizing and corrective. For people who have experienced trauma in their bodies, learning to experience touch and care as safe rather than threatening can be a powerful part of healing. Sometimes trying harder actually backfires. Too much effort can keep the nervous system locked in a sympathetic, driven state of “fixing,” which short-circuits the very conditions healing requires. What slowness looks like In our modern era, most people’s lives are already full. Work, caregiving, relationships, responsibilities, slowness rarely means stepping away from all of that. In real life, slowness shows up in curated moments, small pockets of stillness, presence, and regulation woven into everyday life. It might be a fifteen-minute window between dropping a child off and starting work. A moment to pause, breathe, and actually feel the body. It can look like cooking without multitasking, paying attention to textures, aromas, movements, and sensations, turning ordinary activities into embodied mindfulness practices. This is how slowness becomes possible in a busy world. And this kind of slowness is not a luxury. It’s not something reserved for a future version of life when everything is finally settled. There will never be a moment when everything is done. By creating slowness within full, demanding lives, we build resilience and capacity, not avoidance. The question shifts from What do I need to do to get to that someday? to How can I create small pockets of this right now, even with everything I’m carrying? We heal in relationship If there’s one thing I want readers to take from this, it’s permission, permission to slow down, and permission to receive support. If slowness has felt inaccessible in the past, there are good reasons for that. And if you intentionally create space for it now, even in small ways, things can begin to change. Healing is not something you have to do entirely on your own. Receiving care is not a failure. For many people, allowing support, relational, embodied, and professional, is the missing link that allows healing to finally take hold. Trauma research consistently shows that healing depends on safety, timing, and relational support. Call to action If this resonates, you’re welcome to start by exploring my resources, including the Anxiety Reset , a gentle entry point for nervous system support. And if you’re feeling ready for deeper, more personalized work, you can also learn about the ways we might work together. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Shale Maulana Shale Maulana, Liberation-Based Therapist and Coach Shale Maulana is a licensed therapist and holistic mental health coach specializing in mindfulness and liberation-based psychotherapy. With a background in clinical research and nearly a decade of work addressing health equity in underserved communities, she brings a unique, integrative perspective to healing. Drawing from her expertise in mindfulness, self-care, and cultural integrity, she empowers individuals to navigate challenges with resilience and compassion. Her work emphasizes the connection between mind, body, soul and community, offering a comprehensive approach to wellness.

Written by Brian R Basham, Counsellor Brian is a mental health counsellor who brings with him decades of lived experience and academic study to the profession of counselling. He has lived with a brain injury for over 30 years and has developed various strategies to live a full life. His focus is on men's mental health and employment mental health. For many of us, it has been a tough year, physically, spiritually, financially, and emotionally. Christmas is typically a time for joy, celebration, and connection. It can be incredibly difficult to navigate when grief is ever-present. Grief intensifies during Christmas, making everything feel harder. But while there is no “right” way to grieve, there are ways to honour our loved ones and care for ourselves during this time. 1. Acknowledge your grief It’s essential to give yourself permission to grieve. We are often pressured to maintain a sense of normalcy, especially during Christmas. But grief doesn’t follow a timeline, and trying to suppress it for the sake of others can be emotionally exhausting. It’s okay not to feel festive or joyful. It’s okay to shed tears or sit in silence. Acknowledging your emotions is a key part of healing. Grief isn’t just about sadness, it can involve anger, guilt, confusion, or even moments of joy as you remember the good times shared. All these emotions are valid and deserve to be felt. 2. Create space for memories As you approach Christmas, take time to reflect on the positive memories you shared with your loved one. You don’t have to force yourself to “move on” or pretend everything is okay. Instead, find ways to celebrate their life. Looking through old photos, playing their favourite music, or lighting a candle in their honour can help keep their memory alive. It can be healing to recount funny moments, acts of kindness, or traditions you enjoyed together. Sharing these memories can foster a sense of connection and mutual support. 3. Set a plate for them One beautiful way to honour the memory of a loved one during Christmas is to set a plate for them at the table. This small yet powerful gesture allows you to keep their presence alive, even if it’s in an intangible form. You could place their favourite food on the plate or simply have an empty seat where they would have sat. This doesn’t need to be a grand or public display. It’s a personal act that can be comforting, giving you a way to acknowledge their place in your heart and in your life. In some cultures, this is a common tradition during holidays, where the deceased are invited to “join” the family meal symbolically. Whether you choose to express this privately or share the tradition with others, it can provide a sense of closure and continuity as you move through the season. 4. Create new traditions While traditions can be comforting, they can also serve as painful reminders of what’s no longer possible. This year, consider creating new traditions that reflect your evolving family dynamic and the space left by the absence of your loved one. It’s okay to adapt or change the ways you celebrate if they no longer feel right. In creating new traditions, you’re not replacing the old ones but rather evolving in a way that reflects your healing journey and the love that remains. 5. Lean on your support system During Christmas, it’s easy to feel isolated in your grief. You may be surrounded by people, but still feel emotionally disconnected. Remember, you don’t have to go through this alone. Reach out to friends, family, or a support group. Talking about your feelings, sharing your pain, and expressing how you are coping can be incredibly relieving. Sometimes, just knowing someone is there to listen can help alleviate the weight of grief. If you don’t feel like you can participate in traditional family gatherings, that’s okay too. You don’t need to force yourself to be part of the larger celebration if you’re not ready. It’s important to take care of your emotional and mental well-being first. Some people find solace in quiet reflection or in being surrounded by a small, supportive group who understand grief. If you don’t have close family or friends nearby, consider reaching out to a counsellor, therapist, or grief support group. Talking to a professional can provide comfort and clarity, especially if your grief is feeling overwhelming. 6. Practice self-care Grief can be exhausting, and the holiday season can exacerbate feelings of burnout or fatigue. Simple acts of self-care, like getting enough sleep, eating nourishing food, and engaging in light exercise, can help maintain your physical and mental resilience. Mindfulness or relaxation practices, like meditation or deep breathing exercises, can reduce anxiety and promote a sense of calm. Take breaks when needed and avoid overcommitting to social events or activities if you’re not ready. Prioritise your mental health by setting boundaries that support your healing. 7. Give yourself grace Christmas can bring up a mix of emotions, so remember that it’s okay to not have everything figured out. Some days will be harder than others, and that’s okay. Be gentle with yourself and don’t feel pressured to “move on” or “get over” your grief. Allow yourself the space to feel what you feel and know that healing takes time. Finally The Christmas season, when we are grieving, can feel like a painful reminder of what we’ve lost. But with intention and care, it’s possible to navigate this time while honouring our loved ones and caring for ourselves. Set a plate for them. Remember the good times. Create new traditions and lean on those who care about you. Most importantly, give yourself the grace and time you need to grieve in your own way. You are not alone. Grief is a journey, and even in the darkest moments, the love we have for those we’ve lost continues to shine brightly, lighting our path forward. Follow me on Instagram , and visit my website  for more info! Read more from Brian R Basham Brian R Basham, Counsellor Brian is an experienced counsellor and educator who focuses on men's mental health and encourages employers to focus on their employees' mental health- a focus for his PhD research. He has developed a tool to build effective resilient relationships, and from his experience in policing, has identified five levels of critical thinkers and an assessment tool to guide critical thinking development. Although he has lived with a brain injury for over 30 years, he has achieved a number of academic qualifications and learned to pivot when an obstacle appears. His life motto is "refuse to lose".

Written by Leonie Blackwell, Naturopath, Author & Teacher Leonie Blackwell is the founder of Empowered Tapping® and a naturopath with over 30 years' experience in emotional wellbeing. She trains practitioners globally and empowers individuals through her Bwell Institute and personal growth community, the Tappers Tribe. “Have you ever noticed how often people respond to trauma by offering advice the survivor never had the option to follow?” There is often an immediate internal jolt, a misdirection toward justification, followed by a flood of shame for one’s lived reality. When this advice is offered early in the healing process, it can spiral a survivor into self-blame and powerlessness rather than supporting their survival. When the advice comes later, however, it may evoke a different response, a curiosity about the beliefs shaping the other person’s perspective. It is here that an exploration of self-referential morality can begin. What is self-referential morality? Self-referential morality is a subtle but pervasive pattern in which a person’s sense of right and wrong is organised around their own emotional comfort rather than the lived reality of another. In these moments, morality is not guided by context, power dynamics, or impact, but by an unconscious need to feel safe, in control, or morally intact. What appears as advice, concern, or common sense is often a protective manoeuvre, one that shields the observer from the discomfort of recognising how complex, unpredictable, and unsafe the world can be. This pattern is rarely malicious. More often, it is automatic. The mind seeks reassurance that harm can be avoided if the “right” choices are made, and that suffering is the result of error rather than circumstance, coercion, or delayed awareness. How it shows up in trauma responses In the context of trauma, self-referential morality most commonly appears through advice. Well-meaning statements such as “You should have just left,” “I would never have stayed,” or “You need better boundaries” sound practical on the surface. Yet they bypass the realities of fear, manipulation, confusion, and survival-based decision-making. Trauma narrows choice. Information is incomplete. Threat is often hidden. Decisions are made moment by moment, under pressure, and with the primary goal of staying alive, physically, psychologically, or both. Advice that assumes freedom where none existed does not illuminate. It erases. Why advice becomes the delivery system Advice offers the observer a sense of moral order. It restores the comforting belief that danger can be avoided through better decisions, sharper instincts, or stronger boundaries. In doing so, it relocates risk from the world back onto the survivor. This allows the observer to believe, often unconsciously, “If I behave correctly, this won’t happen to me.” In this way, advice becomes less about supporting the survivor and more about protecting the observer from the unsettling truth that harm can occur even when someone is intelligent, ethical, capable, and doing their best. Self-referential morality simplifies what is complex. It replaces empathy with explanation, presence with prescription, and listening with correction. The hidden harm to survivors For those who have lived through trauma, this kind of response compounds the original wound. It subtly shifts attention away from the threat itself and onto the survivor’s supposed misjudgement. Instead of being met with understanding, survivors find themselves defending their decisions, explaining their fear, or justifying their survival. Over time, this can deepen shame, silence truth-telling, and delay healing, not because the survivor lacks insight or resilience, but because their reality is repeatedly invalidated. Many survivors internalise this moral repositioning. They begin to question themselves rather than the circumstances, their instincts rather than the danger, their worth rather than the harm done to them. What helps instead: From moral judgement to ethical presence What supports healing is not advice, correction, or retrospective wisdom. It is ethical presence. Ethical presence does not attempt to tidy trauma into a lesson or reduce survival to a series of better choices. Instead, it begins with a willingness to sit with complexity, uncertainty, and discomfort without needing to resolve them. For survivors, ethical presence sounds like, “I believe you.” “That must have been frightening.” “You did what you needed to do to survive.” These responses do not demand explanation or justification. They acknowledge that trauma unfolds within constrained choices, incomplete information, and real threat. For observers, ethical presence requires restraint. It asks us to notice the impulse to offer advice and pause long enough to ask, “Who is this for?” If the response primarily restores our own sense of safety or moral clarity, it may not be serving the person in front of us. Support does not come from imagining what we would have done differently. It comes from recognising that we were not there, and that survival does not follow tidy scripts. At its core, ethical presence shifts the question from “Why didn’t you leave?” to “What did it take for you to stay alive?” That single reorientation returns dignity to the survivor and opens space for healing rather than shame. A closing reflection For those who have experienced trauma, recognising self-referential morality can be quietly liberating. It allows you to step out of the exhausting work of self-justification and into a deeper understanding. The discomfort you encountered was not evidence of poor choices or personal failure, but of other people’s difficulty sitting with realities they did not live. Awareness does not require confrontation. Sometimes, it simply offers permission to stop carrying what was never yours. Healing is not accelerated by harsher self-scrutiny. It unfolds when your experience is met with honesty, context, and compassion, first by others, and eventually by yourself. When morality is grounded in presence rather than protection, truth is no longer something survivors must defend. It is something they are finally allowed to rest in. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Leonie Blackwell Leonie Blackwell, Naturopath, Author & Teacher Leonie Blackwell is a leader in emotional wellness, with over 30 years of experience as a naturopath and educator. She is the creator of Empowered Tapping® and founder of the Bwell Institute, offering accredited practitioner training and transformational personal development. Leonie has worked with thousands of clients, trained hundreds of students, and taught internationally, including trauma recovery programs for refugees. Her published works include Making Sense of the Insensible, The Box of Inner Secrets, and Accessing Your Inner Secrets. She is passionate about helping others live with authenticity, purpose, and joy.

Written by Kristy "Ceilidh" Suler, Sex, Relationship, and Birthing Coach Kristy “Ceilidh” Suler is a Sex, Relationship & Birthing Coach with a background in Psychology, blending Somatica®, Orgasmic Birth, and intuitive energy practices to guide clients into healing, intimacy, and joy. She is the founder of Heartgasm Coaching and author of Heartgasms: Sacred Sex, Prophetic Dreams, & the Frequency of Love. For thousands of years, the ancient Egyptians guarded a breath-centered practice said to restore vitality, nourish the soul, and support physical and emotional well-being. Today, as science begins to uncover how breath shapes longevity, energy, and cellular regeneration, this forgotten technique, Ankhing, reveals itself as a timeless pathway to renewal. By circulating life force in a continuous loop of breath and awareness, Ankhing revitalizes both the physical body and the subtle energy field, awakening deeper layers of consciousness, balance, and inner coherence. What is ankhing? Ankhing is an ancient Egyptian practice centered on the conscious movement of life force energy through the breath. In hieroglyphic art, deities are often shown holding the Ankh, a looped cross, before the nose of a pharaoh or initiate. This gesture symbolized the transmission of the “ Breath of Life ,” a direct infusion of divine energy. The Ankh itself encodes deep metaphysical meaning. The oval loop represents the feminine principle, the vertical stem the masculine, and the crossbar the bridge that unites them. When energy flows freely through these poles, it forms a continuous circuit, an infinite loop of creation that mirrors the rhythmic pulse of inhalation and exhalation. Ankhing echoes this geometry, breath as remembrance, breath as awakening, breath as a conscious act of returning to one’s own essence. Each inhale draws in divine life force, and each exhale offers it back in gratitude, completing the loop again and again. Ankhing in the Egyptian mystery schools Although the ancient Egyptians did not leave behind explicit manuals on breathwork, the way their deities are depicted offering the Ankh to the nose of an initiate hints at a deeper reverence for breath, not just as air, but as a conduit of spiritual vitality. The gesture appears throughout temple walls and funerary art, always the same, the Ankh extended toward the face, as if awakening something within. Priests and priestesses in centers like Abydos, Edfu, and Heliopolis trained in rituals that blended symbolism, embodiment, and cosmology. While the details of their internal practices remain largely veiled by time, their mythology suggests that breath, life force, and consciousness were intimately linked. Ancient Egyptian texts describe the human being as composed of multiple energetic and spiritual aspects, including the Ka, the Ba, and the Akh. The Ka was understood as the vital life force or animating essence. The Ba represented the soul’s personality and capacity for movement. The Akh referred to the radiant, transfigured aspect of the soul associated with enlightenment and immortality. These three facets were believed to interact in complex ways, shaping both earthly existence and the soul’s journey beyond death. Many modern mystics and teachers, including Drunvalo Melchizedek, interpret the Ankh as more than a symbolic object. They view it as representing the circulation of life force within the human being, connecting the Ka, Ba, and Akh in a continuous flow of vitality, consciousness, and spiritual illumination. This interpretation aligns with the Egyptian reverence for cosmic order and the movement of energy through both the body and the universe. In this view, the Ankh reflects a functional understanding of how breath and life force interact to awaken higher states of awareness. Rather than treating breath as a mechanical necessity, the Egyptians seemed to understand it as a bridge between the mortal and the divine. Viewed through this lens, Ankhing becomes a modern name for an ancient intuition, that the way we breathe shapes the way we live, awaken, and connect with the sacred. Parallels in Tantra, Taoism, and Kabbalah Across mystical traditions, we find echoes of Ankhing’s looping, life-giving current. In Tantra, energy rises through the sushumna nadi and descends through the front channels, completing a circuit of awakening. Taoist teachings map the Microcosmic Orbit , a near-identical flow of life force that nourishes the organs and spirit. Kabbalah describes the Tree of Life as a ladder through which divine energy descends and ascends, moving in cycles of transformation. These practices do not mirror Ankhing by coincidence. They reflect a shared intuitive truth, life force does not merely rise or fall. It circulates. It returns. It completes itself. Ankhing is the Egyptian expression of this universal energetic geometry. The science of breath and energy flow for vitality and longevity Modern research is finally beginning to articulate what ancient civilizations encoded in symbol and ritual, breath is biology, electricity, chemistry, and consciousness. Slow, intentional breathing influences nearly every system tied to aging and vitality. Studies across neurobiology, psychophysiology, and integrative medicine show that conscious breathwork can reduce oxidative stress, support mitochondrial efficiency, increase telomerase activity, improve vagal tone, regulate the stress response, lower inflammation, and elevate emotional states linked with healing. These are measurable biomarkers associated with cellular repair, resilience, and long-term health. Coherence: The missing ingredient in longevity Research from the HeartMath Institute shows that elevated emotional states such as love, gratitude, awe, and pleasure create heart brain coherence, a state of physiological harmony that strengthens immunity, stabilizes hormones, and supports nervous system balance. When the heart and brain synchronize, the body enters a restorative state where regeneration becomes possible. This mirrors what many people experience during Ankhing, a unified pulse of breath, awareness, and subtle energy. The biofield and the geometry of life force Biofield science describes the human energy field as a toroidal loop, the same looping pattern encoded in the shape of the Ankh. Rather than seeing the Ankh as metaphor, this research suggests it may be a visual blueprint of how energy naturally circulates through and around the body. When I practice Ankhing, this toroidal flow becomes visceral, energy rising up the spine, arcing through the field above me, and returning through the heart and belly. It feels like conscious participation in my own energetic architecture. Wim Hof and the physiology of extraordinary breath Research on Wim Hof practitioners adds a groundbreaking piece to this puzzle. Scientists have documented that trained breathwork practitioners have been shown to voluntarily increase adrenaline, modulate inflammatory cytokines, influence the autonomic nervous system, enhance immune regulation, activate thermogenesis, and increase pain tolerance and stress resilience. A landmark PNAS study demonstrated that participants could modulate their immune systems through breath alone, challenging long-held assumptions about what humans can consciously influence. Wim Hof’s method proves that breath can directly influence systems tied to aging, inflammation, immunity, and vitality. Why this matters for Ankhing Ankhing functions along the same principles that science is now validating. Breath regulates electricity in the body, electricity regulates chemistry, and chemistry regulates longevity. When breath, emotion, and awareness circulate in a continuous loop, the body enters a state of coherence, the same state shown to support regeneration, resilience, and healthy aging. I am not claiming immortality. But I am saying that Ankhing reliably creates the physiological and energetic conditions associated with vitality, repair, and extended health span. In this sense, modern science is not replacing mystical wisdom. It is simply translating it. My experience with Ankhing energy My first experience with Ankhing unfolded a few weeks after my initial Heartgasm , during what became my first Third Eyegasm. I was lying in bed while my partner was giving me oral pleasure, hovering at the threshold of climax but never quite tipping over. Trusting the inner skills I had been cultivating, I decided to meditate. One conscious breath dissolved the mental noise, and in that instant, something entirely new ignited. The orgasmic current did not bloom in my Sacral Chakra the way it usually did. Instead, it sparked at the base of my spine and shot upward like liquid lightning, threading each vertebra until it blossomed in my Third Eye. For a few minutes, the center of my skull pulsed in ecstatic waves. With my eyes open, I watched sapphire blue light radiate from my forehead like ripples moving across water. It felt as if invisible fingers were kneading both the outside and inside of my brain in an utterly gentle, exquisite, and otherworldly way. Then one stray thought, concern for my partner’s jaw, broke my focus. Instantly, the blue light collapsed into a pearl white sphere that shot up through my Crown Chakra, arced through the air, and reentered my chest. It caressed my Heart Chakra, slid into my Sacral Chakra, and burst into a full-body orgasm that shimmered through every cell. The energy did not stop. It looped again and again: Sacral - Heart - up and out the Crown - arcing down into Heart - descending to Sacral. An endless figure eight of pure life force. This serpentine current, which I later learned is called Ankhing, moved without effort or intention, powered only by breath, awareness, and the innate circuitry of the body. Ankhing in the external chakras: A new frontier of human energetics For years, Ankhing moved solely through my internal chakras, Sacral, Heart, Crown, looping within the familiar architecture of my physical energy body. But after years of practice, something shifted. The loop extended upward. Instead of returning through my body, the current rose into the energy centers above my head, the Soul Star, Stellar Gateway, and other transpersonal chakras. At first, it felt like a subtle lifting at the top of my head, almost like a magnetic pull. But over time, the sensations became unmistakable. Ankhing was continuing in the external chakras just as clearly as within the physical ones. It was the same serpent-like rhythm, the same intelligence, simply moving in a higher dimension of my being. My body was revealing a variation of Ankhing I have not yet encountered in any lineage or text, a subtle frontier that seemed to open only through sustained practice and deep nervous system readiness. It felt like what happens in music when a note rises into a higher octave, the same structure, the same identity, but vibrating faster, finer, and more expansively. That is what Ankhing in the external chakras feels like: the familiar circuit repeating at a higher frequency of consciousness. A higher-octave loop that seems to awaken only when the nervous system is trained, safe, and deeply open. This experience reshaped my understanding of subtle anatomy. It felt less like ascension and more like expansion, the soul remembering its own architecture and moving energy through layers of self that most people never consciously access. Practicing Ankhing did not just strengthen the loop inside me. It revealed the loop beyond me, a living bridge between body and consciousness. How to practice the breath of the Ankh If you feel called to experience Ankhing for yourself, here is a simple, gentle way to begin: Find your center. Sit or stand tall with a straight spine. Rest your tongue gently on the roof of your mouth. Inhale through the nose. Feel breath rise up the spine from the base of the pelvis to the crown of your head. Exhale slowly. Guide the breath down the front of your body into your heart and belly, completing the loop. Visualize. Imagine a golden Ankh glowing within your body. With each cycle, light moves in an infinity pattern, up the back, down the front. Continue until the flow becomes natural. After several rounds, let go of effort. Simply breathe and feel. You may notice warmth, tingling, or emotional release. These are signs that your life force is awakening. Move gently. There is no need to force anything. The energy knows where to go. The return of the Ankh Across millennia, the Ankh has resurfaced as a symbol of eternal life and balance. As we rediscover the connection between breath, energy, and longevity, Ankhing emerges not as a relic of the past but as a living practice that brings the body, soul, and consciousness into harmony. In a time when humanity is remembering how interconnected everything truly is, the ancient science of Ankhing feels like a gift returning right on time. To breathe consciously is to participate in creation itself, to remember that pleasure, peace, and presence are not separate from spirituality but expressions of it. Pleasure is medicine , and breath is the doorway back to our divine design. Call to action If you feel called to explore how breath, energy, and conscious intimacy can reshape your relationship with yourself and others, I invite you to reach out. My 1:1 coaching is rooted in safety, somatic depth, and embodiment, supporting you as your system heals old patterns and awakens to new possibilities, leading to a deeper sense of empowerment. Every transformation begins within, and I would be honored to walk that path with you. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , and visit my website  for more info! Read more from Kristy "Ceilidh" Suler Kristy "Ceilidh" Suler, Sex, Relationship, and Birthing Coach Kristy "Ceilidh" Suler is the founder of Heartgasm Coaching and a Sex, Relationship & Birthing Coach trained through Somatica®, Dancing for Birth™, and Orgasmic Birth, with an academic background in psychology, sociology, and peace studies. She offers 1:1 coaching for individuals, couples, and polycules, weaving trauma-informed intimacy, energy work, and sound healing into pleasure-centered transformation. Ceilidh is also the author of the forthcoming book Heartgasms: Sacred Sex, Prophetic Dreams, & the Frequency of Love. Her vision is a world where pleasure, love, and birth are reclaimed as ecstatic expressions of embodied sovereignty and a collective movement toward peace on Earth.

Written by Kellie Winzinowich and Kelly Whelan-Enns, Active Embodiment Coaches Kellie and Kelly are the founders of the Academy of Embodiment Arts and hosts of the Soul Discovery podcast. They combine Qigong with meditation and energy mastery to guide people to embody new frequency through transmutation and transformation for lasting change. Qigong has become a popular exercise for health and wellness, but few understand its origins or the history behind it. Qi is synonymous with blood flow or life force energy. Gong means mastery or skill learned over a long period of time. Together, they mean mastering the skill of your blood flow and life force energy by activating the fascia in the body in a specific way. Fascia is connected to all tissues in the human body, and the more fluid it is, the easier it is for the fourth phase, or Exclusion Zone, water to maintain its integrity and protect the cells in the body. For more information on fourth-phase water, you can look up the works of Gerald Pollack. Qigong is meant to build momentum in the nervous system, blood, and lymphatic fluid flow by opening and closing the joints in a specific sequence to maximize health benefits. Modern fusion systems, while providing some benefit due to movement and breathwork, mix and match movements from different systems, thereby negating the beneficial momentum that would have otherwise developed over time. In resistance training, body confusion can be good for muscular development and endurance. This is not the same for Qigong, which moves the blood and nutrients through the body in a specific fashion while engaging the fascia, joints, and tendons. Mixing and matching Qigong systems can cause damage in the body due to the way Qi and blood are supposed to flow, especially when you do not understand what one particular system was designed to do. Some Qigong fusion sets are actually just joint loosening exercises. While this is beneficial for mobility and range of motion in the body, it does not have the same benefits as a living system of Qigong. The four main formalized sets of Qigong allow for building the Dan Tiens, or energy centres, to run Qi in the body, refine blood flow, and engage the fascia in a way that maximizes energy production, ATP. Over time, you develop stillness and enervation correctly in the body. The four main formalized sets of Qigong that have been around for approximately 3,600 years are: Ba Duan Jin, 8 Pieces of Brocade Qigong Yi Jin Jing, Muscle Tendon Changing Classic Liu Zi Jue, Six Healing Sounds Wu Qin Xi, 5 Animal Frolics Qigong The Ba Duan Jin, 8 Pieces of Brocade Qigong, is the set we teach regularly. It is 3,600 years old and was used in China as a diagnostic and healing method. It massages the organs, trains the body to relax under tension, engages the fascia, strengthens the tendons, and trains the nervous system to relax through breathwork. The Yi Jin Jing, Muscle Tendon Changing Classic, is designed to maintain or regain your youthful physical state, improve the quality of your Qi, and ensure a strong power supply. Liu Zi Jue, Six Healing Sounds, is a Qigong set coordinating movement and breathing patterns with specific sounds. Wu Qin Xi, 5 Animal Frolics, is a Qigong set based on the movements of five animals: deer, tiger, bear, monkey, and crane. These four Qigong systems are considered living art forms. Broken or partial systems promote fragmentation of your energy, not the unification of it. Different systems do different things for the body that bring about a particular balance. These days, there is an obsession with “flow,” which is aesthetically pleasing to watch, but flow does not mean smooth, uninterrupted movement. True flow comes from achieving stillness, something that each of these systems brings about in its own way. Kelly has also trained and taught the arts of Tai Ji, Tai Chi, Xingyi, and Baguazhang. Baguazhang, for example, has several styles, each training the body slightly differently depending on which region of China it was developed in. The three main systems are built on the yin and yang methods of practice. Tai Chi is built on a yin method. Xingyi is a yang method. Baguazhang combines both. Tai Chi softens the body and mind to be yielding and absorbing as a means to defeat aggressive energy and to see beyond our own personal patterns of aggression. Xingyi is a spear art designed for the battlefield, uses fire-breathing methods, and is meant for destruction in the transmutation process. Baguazhang combines the fire of destruction and teaches how to be soft and yielding, to hear not only your body but the energy of another. Baguazhang moves you into deeper awareness of yourself so you can understand stillness by having a balanced and regulated yin and yang flow, to such an extent that your body is not triggered to respond in the same way to external stimuli. Fusion systems often replace true spiritual wisdom, as they project an individual’s beliefs onto the movements, which only makes it true for them, not true for everyone. What works for one may not work for another. Living systems of Qigong, depending on which region they are from, embody the wisdom of the collective and hold true wisdom of the body for many. This is why internal martial artists study several systems and master them over their lifetime. In this way, they learn and embody the wisdom of multiple systems, knowing and understanding when and how to use each system for better health and longevity. Listen to our podcast episode on this topic: Spotify We will be holding an in-person and online nine-week program on the Six Healing Sounds and the 8 Pieces of Brocade. You can register here. We are available for private Qigong or Baguazhang classes, Shaolin Qi healing , or Aligned Embodiment sessions with Kellie. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , and visit my website  for more info! Read more from Kellie Winzinowich and Kelly Whelan-Enns Kellie Winzinowich and Kelly Whelan-Enns, Active Embodiment Coaches Kelly Whelan-Enns is a master of Shaolin Qi Healing, Qigong, and the internal art of Baguazhang. Plagued by asthma and hypoglycemic in his youth, Kelly's journey of healing and self-mastery has spanned over 35 years, training with master teachers, and studying Taoist, Zen Buddhist, and Tibetan meditation, teaching many along the way. Kellie Winzinowich is a former elite gymnast whose journey brought her to Qigong and the study of internal alchemy. Now a Certified Hypnotherapist, she helps others navigate personal transformation Together Kellie and Kelly guide others to embody lasting change through physical, emotional, and spiritual self-mastery.