Deep Breathing Let's begin by making sure our eyes are closed and then take a slow, deep breath, filling our lungs completely, visualizing their expansion and feeling the chest broaden. Once the lungs are filled, slowly exhale, completely emptying out the lungs. Take another five to ten breaths in the same way and try your best to stay focused on the breath going in and out of your lungs. This is not only helping us stay in the present moment, but it's allowing the lungs to t

Mahatma Gandhi's quote, "Be the change you want to see in the world..." is a perfect example of what it takes to be a mindful and conscious leader. It puts the onus on one's self. If we want others to act and behave differently, we have to implement the change in ourselves first. Asking others to change while we stagnate in our character and habits is not only ineffective, but it is also unrealistic and hypocritical, quickly eroding trust and creating resentment. Change is ha

I thought I would take over my parents' multi-million dollar jewelry business in Los Angeles. Then, in the early 1990s, my parents factory burnt down and we went bankrupt. Then I followed my dad to post-communist Bulgaria to pursue new business opportunities. Needless to say, this was a very uprooting and challenging experience. In 1999, I took a month long retreat to live in a monastery in India and loved it so much that I spent six months there and then another 14 1/2 years