On my birthday trip to Lisbon, one of the most beautiful gifts I received was the experience of making pastel de nata with my partner and a close friend.

To those of you, who haven’t yet visited Portugal, pasta de nata is a famous local pastry - and definitely a must try item on the list.

And making it ourselves was such a fun and unexpected way to get a glimpse into Portuguese culture and get to know the city a little better.

As we started assembling the ingredients and following the recipe on the carefully prepared laminated paper, we naturally began chatting with the owner and another participant in the workshop.

And that’s when we learned something interesting.

The owner of the workshop wasn’t actually Portuguese.

He had moved to Lisbon from another part of Europe after falling in love with the city and deciding to stay. Before that, he used to design workshops and trainings, and at some point he came up with the idea of creating pastel de nata workshops for travellers.

He found a recipe online, tried it a few times, adjusted it to his own taste, got approval from his local wife — and simply started.

Such a simple story.

And yet, I found it deeply inspiring.

Because while we were all laughing, baking, and enjoying the experience together, I caught myself thinking:

If I were in his place, would I have allowed myself to do something like this (opening a workshop about a local cuisine) in a country that wasn’t originally mine?

And honestly, I’m not sure I would have.

The more I travel, study, and observe people, the more I notice how much of our lives are shaped not only by skill or opportunity, but by permission.

Permission to try.
Permission to take space.
Permission to be visible.
Permission to create something imperfect and still begin.

Perhaps some people grow up in environments where they are constantly reminded that they can create, experiment, build, and take space in the world.

And that is such a powerful thing.

Another recent example of this has been learning how to drive.

I recently enrolled in driving school, and from the very first practical lesson my teacher keeps reminding me that being on the road is all about mindset.

Traffic is not something to fear or panic about.

It is a space for awareness, calmness, respect for others — and even enjoyment while moving toward a destination.

And perhaps life works similarly.

Perhaps growth is not always about becoming someone new, but about allowing ourselves to become someone we already quietly wanted to be.

A moment to pause and reflect:

1. What are some areas of your life that could benefit from thinking differently?

2. What is one mindset shift that could help you approach a desired goal differently?

Sometimes the biggest shifts in life do not begin with confidence.

They begin with permission.

Permission to try, to be seen, to take space, and to believe that certain experiences might belong to us too.

And perhaps this is also one of the reasons why I enjoy mentorship so much.

Because often, growth is not only about strategy, productivity, or setting goals.

Sometimes it is about gently noticing the invisible limits we carry, rebuilding self-trust, and allowing ourselves to imagine a different version of life.

From June 1st, I’ll be opening a few mentorship spots again for those who would like to explore topics such as mindset, habits, life direction, confidence, and building a more intentional life.

If this resonates with you, you are always welcome to reach out.

“You are in the right place, Lunara,” - my mentor told me during our first meeting, when I shared that I care about mindfulness and wellbeing.

She is a local entrepreneur with years of experience in this industry. And she said something that stayed with me:

Denmark is a place that strives to live mindfully.

So I’ve started to notice it more.

When people think about mindfulness, they often imagine meditation, yoga retreats, or quiet mornings with tea. But here, mindfulness isn’t always a practice.

It’s often… infrastructure.

Small, everyday details that quietly create calm, even if no one calls it that.

Here’s what I’ve been observing.

🚲 1. Movement Is Built Into Daily Life

In Copenhagen, bikes are everywhere.

Cycling isn’t a trend. It’s just… normal.

More than half of people commute by bike in all seasons. And you can feel it. People are active, not in a performative way, but because movement is simply part of life.

Cyclists are kings of the roads honestly :D If in Krakow, I could see how pedestrians are prioritized on the road, here pedestrians let the cyclists pass first.

For me, cycling changed something mentally.

When I cycle, I’m not scrolling. I’m not consuming anything, not listening to the music.

There’s space for thoughts, but mostly for observation.

On busy streets you are alert, as you are a part of traffic, especially in the rush hour. On quiet ones or green areas you are just letting all the sounds and colors in and noticing what changed from your last ride.

One of the few daily moments that feels truly uninterrupted.

🪟 2. Design That Reduces Noise

Walking around the city, you notice how everything feels… lighter.

Natural materials, soft colors, large windows, open spaces.

It’s airy.

When I travel elsewhere out of the country, a lot of times I notice how I feel overwhelmed by density and constant visual stimulation.

Coming back to Copenhagen feels regulating - almost like the nervous system can exhale.

The city doesn’t fight for your attention. And that matters more than we think.

📉 3. Less Visual Noise

One thing I didn’t expect: How few ads there are.

Of course they exist, but mostly in designated spaces like bus stops or specific metro stations.

Not covering every building.
Not constantly flashing at you.

Now, when I travel, I notice how much information competes for attention. And how tiring that can be.

Here, the absence of constant advertising creates space.

Less noise and more clarity.

🌊 4. Third Spaces That Invite Presence

There are so many public spaces designed simply… to be.

Libraries. Harbors. Parks. Benches.

Clean, accessible, welcoming.

People sit, read, talk, swim - without needing to spend money. And that changes something.

It makes connection easier.
It makes slowing down feel allowed.

🗣 5. Direct Communication as Care

Communication here is often direct, but not harsh.

Clarity is seen as respect. Honesty is a form of care.

People don’t raise their voices in public.
There’s a shared awareness of space.

And that quiet respect creates a subtle sense of safety.

Reflection

Denmark isn’t perfect. No place really is, I realized after living in many places.

But living here made me realize something: Mindfulness doesn’t always come from a practice. Sometimes it comes from how a society is built.

From how cities are designed. From how people move through their day.
Or from how much noise is allowed.

And it makes me pause more often lately…

What in our environment might be shaping our nervous system without us even noticing? And what small things can we gently shift?

— Lunara

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I recently stumbled upon research showing that many young adults — including Gen Z — are drinking less alcohol than previous generations did at the same age.

That made me reflect on the ways the current generation is quietly reshaping the world — and what other shifts might already be unfolding beneath the surface.

We live in a rapidly changing world, with an infinite loop of news at our fingertips. A constant, slightly tiring awareness of nuclear threats, ecological catastrophe, global instability. And yet, there is another thread we often overlook. A silent one.

A thread that disguised itself so well it became a cultural norm.

A small, soil-colored bean — which, according to legend, was discovered by a shepherd who noticed his goats behaving unusually energetically after eating berries from a certain plant. They ran, jumped, and refused to rest as they usually did.

As you might have guessed — coffee.

An aromatic drink that has made a significant impact on the progress of our civilization.

Don’t get me wrong — I love it myself. It’s tasty, pairs beautifully with dessert, and has long been a cherished part of my routine. That smell is hard to resist.

Now to my story.

On my last trip home, I tried to make the most of my time and tick off as many long-awaited tasks as possible. I’m sure every immigrant can relate to this feeling — somewhere between meeting relatives and friends, you also squeeze in operational errands: renewing documents, registering devices, fixing things that can only be done “back home.”

Since I return once a year — or even once every two years — this felt like my only window.

Naturally, I turned to coffee.

What struck me was how my small hometown was now buzzing with a sea of coffee places. Left and right. Parallel and perpendicular. Next to each other, on top of each other. You get the idea 😄

And with the first sip, my overachiever alter ego woke up - with 10x energy.

Gone was the gentle, loving Lunara.
No time to rest. Long live hard work.

As with any task involving multiple people, there were hiccups and delays. Looking back, they were nothing serious — but in that moment, they made me furious.

Add to that the lack of easy access to drinking water (you can’t drink tap water), and I became even more agitated. A version of me I hadn’t met in a long time surfaced — irritable, anxious, on the edge. Almost obnoxious, if I’m being honest.

And as a cherry on top: during the ride home, in an eight-seater car, I ended up in the back seat. After an hour, the already anxious ordeal turned into nausea and a pounding headache. My body clearly said: enough.

One of the things my yoga teacher training gave me is the ability to notice the smallest signals from my body. During that very long hour drive home, I relied on breathing technique which i use a lot when I need to steady myself.

Reaching home, I made a homemade electrolyte drink — a habit and a drink I’ve refined over the years — and felt relief almost immediately.

Wow. What an emotional roller coaster.

In just a few hours, a cherished and beloved coffee turned from a friendly companion helping me get through my to-do list into a catalyst for nausea, agitation and nervousness.

Pair that with dehydration, reversed culture shock, travel stress, and being a highly perceptive person — not a great combo.

Later, while reflecting on the experience, I was reminded of the fascinating history of coffee and the role it has played in our societies in this fascinating lecture by an ethnobotanist Dr. Mark Plotkin:

• Coffee was initially consumed in religious and elite circles and became a valuable trading good between regions.

• Once it reached the masses, coffeehouses turned into centers of political, philosophical, and cultural discussion — spaces that united curious and thinking minds.

• Coffee spread widely in Islamic societies, where alcohol is prohibited, making it a socially acceptable stimulant.

• J.K. Rowling has spoken about how writing in cafés supported her creative process while working on the Harry Potter series.

• As its impact on productivity became clear, coffee was gradually institutionalized in workplaces — normalized as a tool for sustained performance, a quiet driver of progress. Not unlike cigarettes once were, before their effects were questioned.

Coffee rarely announces itself as an addiction.
It slips in quietly: wrapped in productivity, routine, and social rituals.

For many of us, it’s not about craving the taste, but about needing the state: alert, driven, switched on. And over time, that need can blur the line between support and dependence, especially in cultures that reward constant availability and output.

To reiterate: the moral of the story is not not to drink coffee.
There’s no place for hypocrisy here, as I’m writing this, it is one of my coffee days. 😁

It’s about not glorifying it — and consuming it with awareness.

If you drink several cups a day, the invitation here is to start small. You choose your pace and what to start with.
One cup instead of three.
After food, not on an empty stomach.
Before late morning, rather than all day long.
With water alongside it — not as an afterthought.

Not as a rule.
As an experiment.

Coffee isn’t a stable foundation.
It’s a supplement to our modern lifestyle.

Let’s consume it mindfully ☕️

Over the years, a few people have asked me how I manage to drink coffee only once or twice a week — and what I do instead when I need energy or focus.

One of the simplest tools I learned during my yoga teacher training — and practice every day — is pranayama, breathing techniques that can shift your energy in minutes. Our teacher used to call it a secret weapon: a way to change your state in just a few breaths.

I’m thinking of creating a small practical guide on breathing techniques for everyday situations (focus, energy, calming anxiety, better sleep).

Would that be interesting to you?

I’m thinking of creating a small guide:

Something like “Breathing Instead of Coffee — 7 Pranayamas for Energy, Focus and Calm.”

It would be short videos demonstrating simple breathing techniques for real-life situations:

• morning energy
• afternoon slump
• pre-meeting nerves
• sleep preparation

While there are many resources about pranayama online, I’d love to create a practical guide for real-life situations - tailored to different lifestyles:

• young parents managing fatigue
• entrepreneurs handling stress
• students needing focus
• office workers resetting during long days

Or anyone simply trying to rely a little less on coffee.

If 10 people are interested, I’ll record it.

Early supporters will get access for €10 - roughly the price of two cups of coffee, but something you can use for a lifetime - instead of €29.

If you’d like me to create this guide, simply reply “BREATH.”

Sometimes what we interpret as a lack of energy is simply a lack of oxygen.

February always carries a certain energy.

The month of love.
Soft pink shelves in stores. Hearts appearing quietly everywhere.
And at the center of it all — Valentine’s Day, the biggest symbolic day of love on the calendar.

Valentine’s Day is quite an interesting one.

First, the historical irony.
According to one of the legends, a priest named Valentine was executed for secretly marrying couples against the emperor’s orders. A romantic holiday with roots in martyrdom. Not exactly roses and chocolates.

Second, the marketing machine.
We all know this by now. It’s a strategy. A beautifully designed one. Hearts everywhere. Buy a gift. The other person must reciprocate. Social contract activated.

Love, but make it transactional.

Find a partner, build a household, get the mortgage, consume more. Marketers are very good at this. And sometimes it feels like Valentine’s is just another reminder that we are expected to perform love through purchases.

We know all of that.

And yet.

Isn’t it still… kind of beautiful that we have a day — and even a whole month — that reminds us to pause and notice love?

Especially now.

We live in times of deep uncertainty. We are more connected than ever, yet often feel unsupported by the systems around us. I recently listened to a conversation about trust and leadership — about how many corporations are not designed to protect people, but to protect shareholder value. How good leaders sometimes struggle because they must prioritize numbers over humans.

It reminded me of Fallout, the series based on the game (small spoiler alert coming).
At the core of the apocalypse in the story? A corporation. Decisions driven by power and shareholder interests. Humanity as collateral damage.

Fiction… but not entirely unfamiliar.

And perhaps that’s exactly why February — and days like Valentine’s — matter.

Not because love exists only on one day of the year.
But because in times of noise, instability, and quiet darkness, we need visible reminders of light.

I remember when I was a teenager, growing up in a Russian-speaking, post-Soviet space. Around Valentine’s Day, a box would appear in the school hallway. Anyone could drop anonymous notes inside — to friends, classmates, anyone.

It wasn’t just about couples.
It was about appreciation.

You could tell someone:
“I see you.”
“You matter.”
“You’re doing great.”

And I think we lose some of that when we grow up.

Valentine’s slowly becomes centered around romantic partnership only. But love is much wider than that. It’s friendship. It’s family. It’s the colleague who shows up. It’s the person who texts you, “Did you get home safe?”

Maybe that’s why I also love how the idea of Valentine’s has evolved.

There is Galentine’s Day — celebrating female friendships, usually on February 13th. A reminder that sisterhood, support, shared laughter, and long voice notes matter just as much as romance.

And in Finland, February 14th is called Ystävänpäivä — literally “Friend’s Day.” It’s less about couples and more about appreciating friends. Cards, small gestures, simple reminders: I’m glad you’re in my life.

I find that refreshing.

It takes the pressure away from romance being the center of everything.
It reminds us that love has many shapes.
And that friendship is not a secondary form of it.

And lately, I’ve also seen a version of this showing up at work.

There’s this idea called Love Week at work, where for one week, teams choose care over fear and express appreciation to each other.

(If you’re curious, I shared the full ritual on Instagram here)

Yes, maybe it is a marketer’s holiday.
Yes, there are hearts everywhere.
Yes, it can feel noisy.

But we also get to choose what we focus on.

And what we focus on — grows.
Where attention goes, energy flows.

And now, as we are gently saying goodbye to this lovely month of February, why not carry this energy forward into the rest of the year?

Because love was never meant to live on one day —
or even in one month.

At this stage of my life, I see February not as pressure — but as a gentle reminder to keep the lights on. To move forward with more kindness, more care, more softness.

And honestly… I’m grateful we’re celebrating love — and not something darker.

Hugs to everyone 🤍

🌱 Reflection for you

• Who around you might need a simple “I appreciate you” today?

• Is there someone you’ve been meaning to thank — but haven’t yet?

• If you wrote one anonymous note today, who would receive it?

• What small gesture could you offer today without expecting anything back?

The way I look at cities when I travel

When you travel, do you also find yourself quietly imagining what it would be like to live in that city one day?

I always do.

I observe how the city is built and how its infrastructure connects people.
Is it made for cars, or does public transport actually work — and on time?
How much do bread and eggs cost? A simple meal or breakfast? What is the weather like most of the year, not just when tourists arrive?

And finally, how do people behave with one another?
Do they seem rushed or relaxed? Safe to express themselves? Do they smile easily?

Maybe it’s just me — a descendant of nomads, someone who has lived and worked in seven countries — but I can’t help seeing cities this way.

Arriving in Lisbon

So, Lisbon.

A marvelous capital with a colonial past, open to the Atlantic Ocean, wrapped in mosaics and fueled by excellent seafood (do try them).

And there are many reasons to love it.

The moment you step on the Portuguese soil, the humid fresh air caresses your cheeks and the view of the green palms and freshly cut grass calms your ancient brain whispering it’s safe to be here. No chance to freeze and food should be plenty.

Food that tastes alive, colors that spill everywhere

And the food doesn’t taste like cardboard. Not at all.
It has flavor. Depth. Care. There’s experimentation with recipes and a clear respect for local ingredients.

There are orange trees with actual oranges hanging from them, as if that’s the most natural thing in the world.

On the way from the airport to your carefully chosen accommodation, you notice the colors. Plural.
Especially if you come from the northern part of Europe, Lisbon feels almost overwhelming in the best way. Colors spill everywhere — buildings, clothes, café plates, graffiti, signs. You name it.

People who make the city feel warm

And then there are the people.

Warm, good-looking, chatty, open.
Wherever we ate, waiters checked in to see if we liked the food. I realized how much I had missed genuinely attentive service.

Taxi fares are affordable, so we used that to our advantage. One kind Uber driver turned a regular ride into an impromptu city tour, telling us stories about the places we passed — all in Portuguese. We left with smiles and a slightly expanded vocabulary.

Two other drivers shared honest insights into the current state of Portugal’s economy. I loved these conversations.

Art, culture, and quiet moments of thought

We also managed to visit two museums during our short three-day trip. Both thoughtful, different, memorable.

One, housed in a former bank, still had its original vault — now filled with art.
Another sat quietly by the sea, its architecture almost in dialogue with the water.

When everyday practicality enters the picture

And yet - despite all of this - I wouldn’t choose to live here.

Part of it is practical.

The famous tiles, while beautiful, are surprisingly unforgiving. We visited in February, when it rained almost every day. Combine rain, smooth tiles, and a city built entirely on hills, and walking becomes an exercise in constant caution.

I slipped more than once, thankfully nothing serious, but it made me think about how beauty sometimes comes at the cost of everyday safety.

Digital nomads, rising costs, and quiet tension

Another part is more complex.

Portugal is often described as a haven for digital nomads. And in many ways, that openness is admirable — I say this as an expat myself. But walking through Lisbon, especially in central areas, you can’t help noticing how saturated it feels with newcomers and laptops.

One Uber driver told us he was trained as an intensive care nurse, but chose not to work in healthcare. The salary, he said, was around €900 a month — roughly the same as rent. Driving Uber, he earns more, with flexible hours and autonomy no hospital can offer.

I’ve observed a similar phase when I used to work in Turkey in a local company. When a wave of foreigners started to move in to the country with higher salaries, suddenly the rent and cost of everything started rising exponentially.

The result: local salaries were not enough to cover daily life (forget about savings) and many locals had to move out from the city to suburban area to keep up with the rising cost. For a time I was lucky enough to have a shared accommodation provided by the company, but when the time was to release it to next tenants, I had to leave the country.

That is to say I’m not against digital nomads per say or the concept of choosing where to work and live. I just want to shed the light on this challenging situation and perhaps together we can come up with better ways of doing things. Because when local population have to deal with consequences of one policy and skilled professionals are pushed away from essential work simply to survive, something feels misaligned.

Small infrastructure details that quietly matter

And then there are the small infrastructural details.

Like water.

While most of Europe treats drinkable tap water as a given, in Lisbon we were advised to avoid it due to old pipes and possible rust — filtered water is recommended instead. It’s not dramatic, but it’s telling. These small compromises accumulate on top of another.

A city I’ll return to, but just not to settle in

Lisbon is generous. Sensory. Alive.
It’s a wonderful place to visit — to rest the eyes, feed the body, and soften the heart.

But for me, choosing a place to live means more than beauty and atmosphere. It means everyday ease, long-term balance, and a sense that the city supports the people who hold it together.

So yes, I’ll return.
For the colors. The food. The conversations.
Just not to stay.

Reflection

I’m curious — when you travel, do you also quietly test cities for livability?
I’d love to hear what makes a place feel like home to you.

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или уже тридцатый второй выпуск инсайтов обо всём, что я изучаю

Небольшая пауза на чтение - около 5 минут. Завари чай и позволь себе вдохновиться.

Фундаментальность фокуса

Вещи о которых не говорят так часто как хотелось бы

Идея: чтобы быть полностью включённым в любой процесс - от работы до общения с близкими - важно сначала удовлетворить базовые потребности.

Многие из вас проголосовали об инструментах продуктивности, поэтому решила поделиться последними мыслями об этом. (У вас все еще есть возможность проголосовать и выбрать ваш любимый топик в опроснике внизу)

Расскажу реальную историю из жизни, которую я вспомнила недавно.

Мне всегда была важна идея здорового образа жизни. Ну как важна, религиозна важна. Делаю я активно йогу лет 10, считаю 7-8 часов просто базой и никогда (читай НИКОГДА) не пропускаю завтраки. Еда для меня вещь больше из серии “есть чтобы жить” и было пару моментов, поэтому все-таки хотелось улучшить отношения с едой.

Поэтому в прошлом году я решилась наконец взять консультацию у сертифицированного нутрициолога. По совместимости, моя хорошая подруга Аня. Не реклама.

В чудеса я не верю. (Аня и не обещала, сказала что важна личная работа.) Но знаю как важна работа с пищеварительным трактом. И для меня была важно улучшить отношения с ним и получить персональные практические знания по моему организму. Что есть, что мне лучше не стоит, и т.д.

Итак я сделала все, что Аня наказала. Получился довольно емкий, но необходимый и стоящий процесс.

И вот уже через неделю-две, не преувеличу, когда скажу, что я буквально летала. Да-да, такое возможно. И до сих пор или лучше сказать с того времени чувствую себя прекрасно.

Что у меня поменялось :

• Просыпаться вовремя стало намного легче. Да что там, я просыпаюсь теперь САМА без будильников в нужное для меня время поутру.

• Не чувствую приходящей порой тяжести как раньше.

• Идеи посещают чаще.

• Да и вообще, больше энергии фокусироваться, творить, пробовать и идти за своими целями

Это мне показалось такая наглядная и реальная история из жизни: как базовые потребности из пирамиды Маслова влияют на нас, поддерживают и действительно являются тем самым фундаментом (будь это сон, приемлемая для нас и полноценная еда, движение и спорт)

И имеют большОе значение в нашей жизни. И, возможно, даже больше чем нам хотелось бы :)

Пару вещей призадуматься

Чему может научить Моцарт​

Помимо музыки :)

“«The music is not in the notes, but in the silence between».”

Недавно мне удалось открыть для себя новый город и страну - Вену, Австрия. Одно из вещей которые меня сильно тронули и удивили - это личность Моцарта.

Для информации, я человек закончивший музыкальную школу. Мы имели предмет музыкальной литературы и конечно изучали биографию этого виртуозо.

Но побыть в городе, в котором он жил, гулял и дышал и как он описал в письме к отцу “I assure you that this is a magnificent place …” и “ … and the best place in the world for my profession” оставило большее впечатление для меня.

К слову, Вена была так же домом для Бетховена, Листа и других величайших музыкальных умов.

Мы побывали в музее музыки и доме в котором жил Моцарт в течение нескольких лет. Он был неидеальным со своими тараканами и слабостями (у кого их нет :). Но прочитав его письма, больше всего как личность мне импонировал именно он.

И именно его такие фразы и моя интерпретация:

• “When I am, as it were, completely myself, entirely alone... my ideas flow best and most abundantly.”​
  ​«Когда я полностью сам с собой, в полном уединении… мои мысли текут лучше и обильнее всего.»​
  - О важности рефлексии, уединения, глубокого сосредоточенного труда и творческой дисциплины.

• “If only the whole world could feel the power of harmony.”​
  ​«Если бы только весь мир мог ощутить силу гармонии.»​
  - О необходимости внутреннего покоя, согласия с собой и окружающим миром.

• “Silence is very important. The pauses between the notes – that’s where the magic lives.”​
  ​«Тишина — это очень важно. Волшебство живёт именно в паузах между нотами.»​
  - Он гениально поднимает тему тишины и рефлексии, несмотря на то, что был одним из самых выдающихся композиторов всех времён.

• “When I feel well and in good humor, or when I am taking a drive or walking, thoughts crowd into my mind as easily as you could wish.”​
  ​«Когда я чувствую себя хорошо и в хорошем настроении - или, скажем, еду в экипаже или просто гуляю, мысли наплывают ко мне с такой лёгкостью, какой только можно пожелать.»​
  - О том, как важно удовлетворять базовые потребности и создавать внутреннее состояние для вдохновения и новых идей.

• “It is when I am completely alone, and the world is quiet, that I hear music most clearly.”​
  ​«Именно когда я полностью один и мир вокруг затихает, я слышу музыку яснее всего.»​
  - О силе тишины, глубокой связи с собой и рождении настоящего творчества в спокойствии.

Во всех этих строках я снова и снова слышу одну важную тему - уединение, дисциплину и необходимость создавать физическое и ментальное пространство для того, чтобы родилось что-то новое. Это напоминание от великого композитора особенно ценно - и так сильно откликается во мне.

Ведь, как я заметила и в собственных размышлениях, и в разговорах с близкими, быть наедине с собой не так просто, как кажется. Тишина и одиночество порой пугают, заставляя сталкиваться с мыслями и чувствами, которые мы обычно стараемся обходить стороной.

И раз уж зашла речь о тишине, не могу не вспомнить интервью с моей подругой о её опыте випассаны - глубокой практики молчания и внутреннего погружения.

Собственно, кстати, идея моих интервью довольно проста. Мне кажется, когда ты слышишь человека, который на твоём уровне или всего на пару шагов впереди, вдруг возникает ощущение, что и ты можешь дотянуться. Это куда ближе и честнее, чем разговоры с уже знаменитыми людьми, чьи истории нередко кажутся слишком далёкими от реальности.

Если вы еще не видели, оно доступно в инстаграм аккаунте нашей странички.

Мы говорим:

• ​Что такое випассана простыми словами?​

• ​Говорим об истории ​практикующего ​незнакомца, который дошел до уровня 1234​

• ​И в чем же сила випассаны на деле?

На случай, если ты пропустил/а предыдущие выпуски...

​#25 Дорога к себе, помощники фокуса и предновогоднее обращение

#2 Привычка недели “суперсила этого века”

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Чтение займет около 6 минут. Приглашаю присесть поудобнее и погрузиться в рассылку.

История рыбака и важность знания своих приоритетов

Напоминание: знание и понимание того, что тебе действительно важно, помогает расставить правильные приоритеты

У вас когда нибудь было такое, когда вы читаете две совершенно разные книги подряд и вам попадается один и тот же референс или упоминание чего-то или кого-то?! У меня так довольно часто, но это не перестает меня удивлять и верить, что есть в мире что-то большее.

Так и получилось с книгой Тим Ферриса “4 часовая работа” и “Personal MBA”. В обоих книгах друг за другом мне попалась очень поучительная история, к которой я возвращаюсь временами снова и снова. Итак, присаживайтесь поудобнее:

“Американский инвестиционный банкир отдыхает в небольшой прибрежной мексиканской деревушке. Он видит рыбака, гребущего на лодке к берегу с уловом желтоперого тунца.

Банкир: «Сколько времени тебе потребовалось, чтобы поймать это?»

Рыбак: «Совсем немного».

Банкир: «Так почему же ты не задержался подольше и не поймал больше?»

Рыбак: «Этого достаточно, чтобы обеспечить насущные потребности моей семьи»

Банкир: «А чем ты занимаешься в остальное время?»

Рыбак: «Я сплю допоздна, немного рыбачу, играю с детьми, отдыхаю с женой Марией (или Джулией), каждый вечер прогуливаюсь по деревне, потягивая вино и играя на гитаре с друзьями. У меня насыщенная и активная жизнь».

Банкир усмехается:

«Я обладатель степени MBA и могу тебе помочь. Уделяй больше времени рыбалке, зарабатывай больше денег, а потом купи лодку побольше. С ростом улова купи несколько лодок... вскоре у тебя будет целый флот. Потом ты избавишься от посредников, откроешь собственный консервный завод, будешь контролировать переработку и дистрибуцию, переедешь в Мехико, затем в Лос-Анджелес или Нью-Йорк. Через 15–20 лет ты выйдешь на IPO, станешь публичной компанией и заработаешь миллионы!»

Рыбак: «Миллионы? А потом что?»

Банкир: «А потом ты выйдешь на пенсию, переедешь в маленькую прибрежную рыбацкую деревню, где будешь спать допоздна, немного рыбачить, играть с детьми, отдыхать с женой, гулять по вечерам, потягивая вино и играя на гитаре с друзьями».

Рыбак делает паузу, а затем улыбается:

«Разве не этим я сейчас занимаюсь?»

Для меня эта история прекрасное напоминание, что:

Мы часто гонимся за успехом, думая, что потом купим свободу, но иногда она у нас уже есть. Стоит лишь приглядеться.

И тебе выгодно, и еда сохраняется

«Мир изменят не единицы, идеально живущие без отходов, а миллионы, которые стараются - пусть и неидеально.»

Энн-Мари Бонно (Anne-Marie Bonneau)

На днях перед звонком с подругой нужно было забежать по делам. Немного задержалось дело, стою и все еще жду в очереди. Время для звонка подошло и думаю, зайду быстро на звонок и предупрежу.

Говорю подруге: “Я тут на Too Good To Go, дай пожалуйста минутку. “

И тут подруга спросила, что это такое. Я и сама узнала от другой подруги сравнительно недавно, поэтому хочу познакомить и вас, если вы еще не слышали или пользовались.

Too Good To Go - это компания родом из Дании, мобильное приложение, которое помогает бороться с пищевыми отходами. Через него рестораны, кафе, пекарни и супермаркеты продают оставшиеся в конце дня продукты по сниженным ценам, чтобы еда не отправлялась в отходы.

Вот как это работает :

• Пользователь открывает приложение и видит список заведений рядом, которые предлагают так называемые «волшебные пакеты» с едой.

• Вы не знаете точно, что будет внутри, но это всегда свежая, качественная еда, которую просто не успели продать вовремя.

• Вы бронируете пакет, оплачиваете через приложение и приходите в указанное время, чтобы его забрать.

Таким образом, вы:

• спасаете еду от выбрасывания,

• экономите деньги,

• и помогаете природе

Too Good To Go активно работает в Европе, включая Данию, Францию, Германию и другие страны.

Я помню, как в индийской школе, где я преподавала, прямо перед входом в столовую висела надпись:

«Будь осознанен с едой, ведь миллионы людей по всему миру голодают.»

Эта мысль сильно отпечаталась у меня в памяти.

Недавно я снова задумалась об этом и решила посмотреть актуальные данные. Оказалось, что примерно треть всей произведённой еды в мире выбрасывается. Треть! Это поразительно.

С тех пор, как я узнала об этом, стараюсь хотя бы раз-два в неделю использовать приложение Too Good To Go - особенно если нужно что-то купить в последний момент. Это не только помогает сократить отходы, но и чувствуется как маленький, но важный вклад.

Если приложение доступно у вас в стране, попробуйте - очень полезное и интересное приложение

Скачать приложение

На случай если хочешь обменяться энергией и поддержать рассылку , можно купить мне кофе нажав на кнопку снизу:

Сделать донат или купить Лунаре кофе

На случай, если ты пропустил/а предыдущие выпуски...

​#8 Любимое приложение с 2017го и инструмент изменяющий восприятие​

​#23 Искусство маленьких шагов и важные вопросы

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или уже тридцатый четвертый выпуск инсайтов обо всём, что я изучаю

Возвращаюсь после каникул с новым зарядом энергии и вдохновения!

Чтение займёт 4 минуты. Подготовь тёплый чай: будет о внимании, боли и решениях, которые меняют опыт.

Устройство которое я хотела бы иметь раньше

Знали ли вы, что каждая четвёртая женщина испытывает боль или спазмы при менструации?

Историки говорят, что сегодня большинство из нас живёт с бОльшим комфортом, чем короли и королевы XIX века. Но комфорт - это не повод переставать изобретать.

На TechBBQ, инновационной скандинавской конференции, я встретила людей, которые продолжают задавать вопросы привычному порядку вещей и искать решения там, где мы часто говорим: «ну так всегда было».

Одна из них - Kateřina Rydlová, основательница Body Moody - femtech-стартапа, создавшая клинически подтверждённый термокомбинезон, поддерживающий женщин во время менструации.

Знали ли вы, что каждая четвёртая женщина испытывает боль или спазмы в эти дни? Для Катерины это было не просто «нормально» - она увидела проблему, которую можно и нужно решать.

Больше не нужно ждать, пока окажешься дома с грелкой или обогревателем. Это инновационное устройство передает тепло в любом месте, где бы ты не находилась, делая эти дни более спокойными, лёгкими и достойными.

• Не требует ручной стирки

• Клинически протестировано

• Разработано для реальной жизни

Определённо стоит присмотреться, правда?

Узнать больше о Body Moody

Именно такие инновации я хочу показывать вам - продукты и людей, за которыми стоит следить.

Одна из вещей которая поменяло мое мышление

“Are we having a weird moment with our attentions? Absolutely. But the idea that our attention spans are shredded, that we’ve lost the ability to focus deeply — that’s not convincing. Have you watched anyone play a video game? That is a deep, intense, profound attention.” - Daniel Immerwahr

«У нас что-то странное с нашим вниманием? Безусловно. Но мысль о том, что наше внимание уменьшилось, что мы потеряли способность глубоко сосредотачиваться, - это неубедительно.

Вы видели, как кто-нибудь играет в видеоигру? Это глубокое, интенсивное, основательное внимание».

Мы привыкли думать, что «наше внимание испорчено». Что TikTok и смартфоны «украли концентрацию». Но правда в другом: внимание не исчезло, оно просто стало контекстным.

Да, мы можем меньше читать «Войну и мир». Но мы можем часами быть погружёнными в игру, исследование или любимый проект. Это не потеря внимания - это его перенаправление.

И вывод здесь простой: у нас всё ещё есть способность к глубокому фокусу. Важно лишь то, куда мы решаем его направить.

А у вас как? Где вы замечаете у себя состояние настоящего погружения? Поделитесь ответом на это письмо

Рассылка как и организм растет и изменяется с вами

В последнее время мне всё сильнее хочется быть честной с собой и с вами. Я также всё больше думаю о том, как нам оставаться на связи. Мне хочется, чтобы Gyan было не просто письмом в пустоту, а местом живого общения, обмена энергией, поддержки и идей.

​
Поэтому Gyan переезжает на новую платформу - Substack. Там всё будет легче, уютнее и чище. Уже следующий выпуск придёт именно оттуда.

На случай если хочешь обменяться энергией и поддержать рассылку, можно купить мне кофе нажав на кнопку снизу:

Сделать донат или купить Лунаре кофе

На случай, если ты пропустил/а предыдущие выпуски...

​#33 История, К Которой Хочется Возвращаться и Еда, Которая Не Стала Мусором​

​#23 Искусство маленьких шагов и важные вопросы

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если тебе понравился выпуск или что-то отликнулось тебе

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​Linkedin​

The 4-Hour Workweek

by Tim Ferriss

I loved how the concepts are broken down and how generously practical the book is.
Some resources are already outdated, and it’s heavily targeted at people living in the US.

Us Against You

by Fredrik Backman

A continuation of the story about Beartown, a small Swedish town with a fierce passion for hockey, and how everyone’s lives were affected — and never the same — after a horrible tragedy.

Backman, as always, makes my heart feel wrapped in a blanket while I cry, giggle, and experience everything in between.

The Buddha and the Badass

by Vishen Lakhiani

One of the books I like to re-read from time to time.
Bold title and easy-to-read language.
Many thought-provoking stories and practical exercises.

My favorite part: how to work with the mind before going to bed.

The Island of Missing Trees

by Elif Shafak

Have you ever wondered what trees might think and have to say? Or bees and butterflies?

Sometimes I couldn’t put the book down.
Sometimes I didn’t want to finish it, just so I wouldn’t know the end.

But one thing is for sure: you won’t look at the world around you the same way again.

The Yamas and Niyamas

by Deborah Adele

In the yogic world, there are foundational principles called yamas and niyamas.
They are like a compass in a vast, ever-changing world — helping you stay afloat, check in with yourself, and ground yourself.

I love how the author not only dives into definitions and explores their deeper meaning, but also shares practical examples from her own life and the lives of others.

The Midnight Library

by Matt Haig

I stumbled upon this book at Berlin’s railway station, and I’m so glad I read it.

I love how such a common idea — that our choices shape the course of our lives — is turned into a beautiful, wisdom-filled story with wit, set in a modern context.

Highly recommended to everyone.

Range

by David Epstein

Range opened my mind to the power of diverse experiences and broad thinking.
Instead of promoting the myth of early specialization, Epstein shows how exploring across disciplines builds deeper intuition, creativity, and adaptability — especially in a fast-changing world.

A must-read for anyone who wants to think better, connect ideas, and thrive in uncertain environments.

What books inspired you last year or recently?

I’m always curious about the stories that shape us.

💛 Drop your recommendation in the comments
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Recently, I had a conversation with a Danish woman in her late forties — maybe fifties.

Let’s call her Mette.

While Mette was sharing her background - successful in her career, eventually reaching a Regional Sales Director position - she said something that stayed with me.

Mette didn’t say she was thrilled about it.
Instead, she said: “I regret that all those years, I couldn’t hear myself.”

She worked in places and positions that didn’t resonate with her.
She didn’t pursue what she truly wanted.
She was deeply unhappy.

Still, she kept pushing. She kept going.

Until one day, she woke up and realized that, out of the blue, she had been diagnosed with early-stage diabetes.

Diabetes.

I was shocked. It felt more like a movie story than real life.

Now, I’m not trying to say that not pursuing your passion directly leads to health issues - although there are more and more studies exploring this connection. 📚

What I do want to ask is this:

How many of us are delaying our lives?

Waiting to start a dance class, go to the gym, write a book, or ___ (fill in your own) — for that perfect sunny day.
When we have more energy, more time, more money.
When everything is good. All conditions met. All stars aligned.

Psychologists call this a deferred life.
Living in preparation mode — while real life waits.

I really like how Deborah Adele, who wrote about yogic principles in The Yamas and Niyamas, talks about truthfulness and its deep connection to self-expression:

“When we habitually silence ourselves, we begin to lose our lust for life and look toward other things to fulfill us.”

And the truth is, the energy of self-expression lives in all of us — and it isn’t going anywhere.
It has to flow somewhere. It needs direction.

Otherwise, when mistreated or overlooked, it starts coming out in all the wrong ways.

How?

Have you watched Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them?

There is an interesting phenomenon called Obscurus — a parasitic dark magical force that forms inside a witch or wizard who suppresses their magic, or who they truly are.

In the Wizarding World, magic needs expression.
When it’s repressed, it turns inward — and mutates.
That mutation is called Obscurus.

I believe it’s the same in our Muggle world.

When, out of fear or shame, we shut ourselves down for too long, this energy starts feeding something destructive.

Every time we indulge in overeating, over-watching Netflix, or overworking.
Doing almost everything imaginable — except the thing we actually want.

In moments like that, I pause and ask myself:
What am I so afraid of? What am I avoiding?

Because starting something new isn’t only a matter of time or money.
It’s scary. For some — terrifying.
There are countless inner reasons holding us back.

And it’s okay to be scared.

Every one of us has our own fears, insecurities, and pace.
But each of us also has a unique soul — quietly asking to come out, to paint, to draw, to be seen.

As Deborah Adele writes:

“We forget that we are here on this earth to self-express in a way no one else ever has or ever could.
Living the life that cries to be lived from the depth of our being frees up our energy and vitality.
We benefit — and everyone around us benefits.”

Diabetes was Mette’s wake-up call.

From that difficult day ten years ago, she completely turned her life around.

She got a new education, wrote two books, and partnered with a friend to start a company in emotional education. She still lives with her diagnosis — and by now, she has learned how to work with it.

I know we all have our reasons. And our excuses.

We are busy people with busy calendars. I can’t live without mine — today my partner said my personal calendar looks like Tetris.

We don’t have to quit our job today, start a business tomorrow, save the world, and chase all our dreams at once.

I believe in the art of small steps.

Every change starts with small changes.
Schedule that class.
Buy those paints.
Invite someone who’s already doing it for a coffee.

Do the first thing that comes to mind.
You already know what you need to do.

🌱 Before you go

If you read this till the end, pause for a moment and write in the comments:

“I choose to follow my curiosity.”

No pressure to explain.
No need to know how yet.

I’m working on creating a small, gentle reflection workbook on how to start listening to yourself again - step by step, without overwhelm.

If you write the affirmation, I’ll reach out and share it with you when it’s ready 🌱

Leave a comment

Chilling ducks in our neighborhood

A week ago, I felt mentally in between places. That happens rarely. I’m usually grounded, as I invest daily in training my mind and body. But that day was different. My mom was having surgery.

The day looked normal from the outside - meetings, classes, routines - but inside I felt a softness, a vulnerability sitting quietly in my body. I didn’t tell anyone except my life partner and my manager.

Yet somehow, the whole day unfolded with care. People showed up without knowing why.

And it made me pause. Reflect. Breathe.

How lucky and privileged I am to be surrounded by people who see me, support me, and hold space for me:
A cheerful lecturer offering new angles on approaching companies, laughing at our inside jokes.
A CEO giving gentle feedback and wishing my mom a speedy recovery.
A thoughtful Danish teacher, passionate and curious, connecting our primary languages with such empathy.

All three happened to be women. I love my male counterparts too, but women… women carry so much, notice so much, and give so much. I’m always in awe of their strength wrapped in thoughtfulness.

I understand that popular narrative nowadays that this is the life I’m creating everyday and because of the choices I make and the people I choose to surround myself with. Yes, thats true. But at the same time I’m just a mere sand piece in the grand scheme of universe.

I believe a lot of things is so random and involves SO MUCH LUCK.

That reminds me how Alain De Botton, a Swiss-born British author and public speaker, puts it:

“We live in an individualistic world, what that really means is we live in a world where people feel that they control their own narratives.

That what happens to them is very tightly a reflection of who they are and what they’ve done. And this was not always the case. For long periods of history, people were not necessarily tightly held to the observable outcomes of their lives.”

Alain De Botton

Creator: James Duncan Davidson | Credit: TED/James Duncan Davidson. Copyright

He says that happened with money, for example.

“In old English, a poor person was known as an unfortunate.

For the Romans, fortuna was the goddess of luck, the goddess of fortune. And the Romans were there for all the time, sacrificing things to the goddess of fortune as a way of saying, Please, it’s not me, it’s this outside agency.

Now we live in a different world. We don’t allow people the benefit of luck. We believe that people do things and that that action leads to results or failures.”

And I agree and believe that luck plays a huge role. “How I built this” podcast with Guy Raz does it beautifully. At the end of each interview the guest is asked one question:

Source: New York Times. Copyright

“How much of your success is due to your skill and hard work and how much is due to luck?”

❔❔ How would you answer this? Do you think you are where you are in life - mostly because of your hard work or mostly because of luck? 💫

Leave a comment

I also heard interesting theory of how to generate luck. But that I might share in the next post, this is quite a big one already.

Secondly, the kindness of environment reminded me of one of my favorite old parables.

A beautiful dinner table. Food everywhere. People dressed elegantly, ready to eat. But the spoons and forks are absurdly long. No one can feed themselves - food falls before it reaches their mouth. They sit in abundance, yet stay hungry.

Then picture the same table again. Same food. Same cutlery. But this time, a shift: people start feeding each other. One hand reaches out, another follows. Suddenly, everyone eats. Everyone smiles. Everyone is nourished.

That’s the point.
Alone, we struggle.
Together, we thrive.
True abundance lives in community, collaboration, and caring for one another.

With this post I just want to:

1. gently remind, first of all, myself and you, my friends:

To be kind to each other because we don’t know what other people are going through. And be kind to ourselves.

Because when we are kind to ourselves, we are kind to the people around us.

2. On another note, lately I’ve been thinking about how beautiful it would be to experiment and bring our small Gyan community together in one space - to get to know each other, breathe, reflect, and gently close this year. So I got an idea:

   
   a cosy Gyan Zoom Gathering where we can connect, share our end-of-year reflections, and set a collective intention for 2026.

   Before I plan it, I’d love to hear from you:
   Would you like to join this gathering?
   Your answer will help me shape the first ever Gyan community circle.

   And if yes, which date option would you pick?

I’m looking forward to hearing your thoughts and excited (and a little nervous) to try something new with you. Let’s see where this takes us ✨

I was at this week-long conference in Amsterdam - a mix of leadership, wellbeing, finance, mindfulness… one of those places where people genuinely think and feel about life at the same time. And there was one talk that honestly blew my mind.

They said:

Clinical studies only started including women as research subjects in 1993.

1933!!! Which in the timeline of humanity is… basically yesterday.
If not ten minutes ago.

So all the medication, tests, the “this is how the human body works” knowledge that we grew up with - was mostly based on men’s bodies. Not ours.

When I learned that, I remember sitting there thinking: No wonder so much of women’s health feels confusing, unsupported, or just… missing.

And since then, something inside me started unfolding slowly. I’ve been reading more. Listening more. Paying attention.

Why I think this matters:

Our cycle shapes so much - energy, emotions, digestion, cravings, productivity, the way we socialize, the way we rest. But many of us were not taught how to work with our cycle. We just try to “push through it.”

Lately, I’ve been experimenting with:

• tracking my cycle more intentionally,

• adjusting certain foods depending on the phase I’m in,

• even planning work + social life around energy waves instead of forcing myself.

If you’re already doing something like this - tell me. I would love to learn.
This is something I want us to talk about more, maybe in the group chat I mentioned last week. A place for sharing and comparing notes in a soft, supportive way.

But at the same time, something else that stayed with me recently:

In the Diary of a CEO episode I shared in instagram, the women’s health expert talked a lot about various important things. One of them was about how tracking devices (like watches, rings, wristbands) are often not accurate for women - especially during different cycle phases.

And when we see something on a screen, even if we don’t consciously react, it can influence how we feel.

She said that in some sports teams, women athletes are encouraged not to look at their tracking data during certain training phases because it can affect their performance mentally.

This made so much sense to me because I also noticed moments where the watch said one thing… and I felt another. And I believed the watch over myself.

So now I try to stay aware:
Data is helpful - but my body is wiser.

I’m looking forward to the day when these tools evolve.
And they will. We’re at the beginning.

Yuval Noah Harari has a quote I think about often:

So if we invested even a fraction of the resources we put into AI into studying the human mind and body, we would be living in a completely different world.
And I deeply feel that.

There is so much we don’t yet know about how our minds work as well.

I guess what I’m trying to say is:
We are living at a time when women’s health is finally being re-seen, re-studied, re-valued.
And we get to be part of this shift by simply learning about our own bodies.

One woman at a time.
One conversation at a time.

If you have podcasts, books, voices, or accounts you trust in this space - please share.
I’ll also share more of what I’m discovering.

But at the same time there is so much to learn about our minds too.

It’s fascinating for me to observe it. Whether it’s in myself every day, people dear to me or mentees who trust and confide in me.

What a time to live in! To experience, explore, learn and support each other.

When was the last time you felt your body telling you something, and you actually listened?

Do you track your cycle? If yes, how has it helped you?

Any favorite books, podcasts, or accounts that helped you understand women’s health better?

Leave a comment

I’m going to return to learn and ponder about these topics more but in the meantime I will be looking forward to reading your comments.

With warmth 🌱
Lunara

So today, I’m opening Gyan’s Substack Chat - a space for our community to share thoughts, reflections, and small joys. Think of it as our group circle or a cozy digital café where we meet between newsletters ☕️

I’ll drop gentle prompts, ideas, or stories that cross my mind - and you’re always welcome to join in, share your take, or simply listen in.

Remember to turn on push notifications so you can join the flow of the conversation as it happens.

Let’s make this a mindful, easy space - a slow conversation that unfolds naturally.
See you there 💛

Join chat

✨ How to join the chat:

1. Download the Substack app over this link or the button below. You can also access chat on the web.

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2. Tap the little chat bubbles icon at the bottom.

3. Find Gyan by Lunara, open the thread - and say hi 🌸
   Substack’s FAQ.

The master returned home and found the thief. Calmly, he said:

“You’ve come a long way to visit me. You should not leave empty-handed. Please, take my clothes.”

He took off his simple robe and handed it to the thief.
Embarrassed and confused, the thief grabbed the robe and ran away into the darkness.

The monk sat down by the window and looked up at the night sky. The full moon was shining brilliantly.
He whispered to himself:

“Poor man. I wish I could give him this beautiful moon.”

Isn’t it beautiful?!

I interpret it as, when you stop clinging to possessions and instead align with gratitude and inner peace, you become “wealthy” beyond material measure.

Something that no one can steal from you, because it comes from within.

That also reminds me of my father’s words. Growing up he used to tell me that I should pursue studying and learning new things. Because “then you become truly wealthy and no one can take it from you. Something that always stays with you no matter what”.

With love Lunara from Gyan

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