Blog, Yoga
Yoga is not just about twisting your body into difficult postures, it is much more than that. It helps to expand your awareness, sharpen your intellect, & enhance your intuitive abilities. It teaches you to live in perfect harmony with the nature. That’s exactly the logo of International Day of Yoga explains. The IDY logo has a beautiful meaning & message for the humanity.
- The Folding of both hands in the logo Symbolize Yoga, the union, which reflects the union of individual Consciousness with that of universal Consciousness, a perfect harmony between mind & body, man & nature; a holistic approach to health & well being.
- The brown leaves symbolize the Earth element, the green leaves symbolize the Nature, blue symbolizes the Water element, brightness symbolizes the Fire element and the Sun symbolize the source of energy and inspiration.
- The globe symbolize Oneness – वसुधैव कुटुम्बकम् (Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam). The world is one village, we are all one.
- The logo reflects harmony and peace for humanity, which is the essence of Yoga.
If you are living in Vancouver and looking for events organized to celebrate International Day of Yoga, please visit https://www.YogaDayVancouver.ca. Since most events are online now, anyone living in Pacific time zone can join the session
Blog, Community Buzz
Happy Baisakhi to everyone who celebrates it!
Picture Credit: @PeelSchools
Baisakhi or Vaisakhi is celebrated by both Hindus & Sikhs. Baisakhi is an ancient festival of Hindus celebrated on April 13th or 14th, marking the Solar New Year based on the Hindu Vikram Samvat calendar and also celebrating the spring harvest.
Vaisakhi is one of the holiest Sikh festivals. It was on this day that their tenth and last Guru – Sri Guru Gobind Singh – formed the Khalsa panth in 1699.
The festival Baisakhi is termed as different name in different states like Rongali Bihu in Assam, Naba Barsha in Bengal, Puthandu in Tamil Nadu and Pooram Vishu in Kerala.
References:
Blog, Yoga
If you are a beginner and looking for easy and short meditation, try following short meditation for beginners given at the end of this post.
“When meditation is mastered, the mind is unwavering like the flame of a lamp in a windless place” — Bhagwad Gita
Some of the benefits of the meditation are:
- Increases your focus & attention span
- Improves functioning of your brain
- Reduces stress
- Relaxes & rejuvenates your body
- Meditation can unfold the powers of mind
Short 5 Minutes Meditation:
15 Minutes Guided Vipasana Meditation:
Blog, Community Buzz
Give Back 2 India is an initiative to raise awareness about some of the great causes in India and motivating Indian Diaspora to Give Back to India. We leave India and become residents and citizens of another country but India never leaves from our hearts and we always look back to pay it back somehow. Give Back 2 India is such an platform to provide opportunities to Indian Diaspora to connect and start giving back to India.
This year team “Give Back to India” is raising funds for 200 Free cataract surgeries which will be organized in Varanasi, India by Friends For Cause Foundation, Canada. Please visit https://giveback2india.org to know more about the initiative.
Blog, Real Estate
Are you planning to buy a home in Vancouver area? Attend the free information session that I organize couple of times in an year & prepare yourselves and get the knowledge you need to understand the process of home buying in BC.
We will try to cover the following in these sessions:
- A to Z of home buying process in British Columbia
- How and when to prepare for your mortgage and financing
- The most common mistakes made by first time home buyers
- Basics of Financing/Mortgage
- Answers to any questions you may have about the home-buying process in BC, Canada
Presenters of the session:
A Licensed REALTOR® & a Mortgage Broker will present this session.
How to join the next session?
Please register via this form https://forms.gle/g57iuwqYVbgZ3HHe9 if you would to get notified when the next session is planned.
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Neeraj Kumar is a Real Estate Agent with eXp Realty who operates in Metro Vancouver. He is a Yoga Enthusiast and a community leader. Visit www.linkedin.com/in/kumar-neeraj to connect with Neeraj on LinkedIn.
Articles, Blog
“Indian Community in Vancouver” is a Facebook group that provides an opportunity to Indian Diaspora to connect with each other. The members of the group share Indian cultural events that are happening around Metro Vancouver. These events help Indian Diaspora to stay connected with their heritage & roots. Join the group https://www.facebook.com/groups/IndianCommunityVancouver/ to connect with the community and stay connected to your roots.
Vancouver Indian Community Group. Click the image or above link to join
This group is created for Indians (Indian Origin or who were Indian citizens earlier) staying in Vancouver Area. Members of this group are allowed to share community events & news.
Other Indian Groups in Vancouver
“Indians in Vancouver Area” – Facebook Group
Check out other Facebook group called Indians in Vancouver Area. This Community Group is created for Indians in Vancouver, Expats from India coming to Vancouver, or People of Indian origin living in Vancouver Area.
Meetup Group
“India in Vancouver” – Meetup group for the Vancouver Indian Community
Join the Indian Community Meetup Group if you are interested in connecting with other Desi Indians living in Metro Vancouver. They regularly organize meetups such as “Chai Pe GupShup” which allows new Indian Immigrants to connect & make new friends in a new city.
Articles, Blog, Real Estate
Connect with Neeraj Kumar if you are wondering how is real estate market is doing in Vancouver. Neeraj can Provide Great Insights of Real Estate in your neighborhood. Call him today at 604-363-2370 or visit his real estate website http://www.nkumar.ca to find your dream home.
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Neeraj Kumar is a Real Estate Business owner who operates in Metro Vancouver. He is a Yoga Enthusiast and a community leader. Visit www.linkedin.com/in/kumar-neeraj to connect with Neeraj on LinkedIn.
Articles, Blog, Real Estate
1. Determine how much you can afford
This should be first thing you should do. Talk to mortgage professional such as Mortgage Broker and check how much you can afford.
2. Prepare a Budget – Do not forget about the closing costs
There are some closing costs involved such as property transfer tax, lawyer’s fees, moving fee etc. The cost would vary and will depend on the purchase price.
3. Tax Credits
Talk to your accountant about tax credits. Fortunately, there are some tax credit available for first time-home buyers. Also talk to your accountant or Financial Advisor about the RRSP Home Buyer’s Plan.
If you have a Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) set-up, you can borrow money you have saved in this plan to probably use it for down payment.
4. Prioritize your preference
Based on your affordability, check what you would prefer condo, townhouse, or detached house.
5. Work with great real estate agent
Make sure you work with a trusted & reputable real estate agent. Finding the Right Home starts with choosing the Right Realtor. Once you know the price you can afford & your budget is in place, talk to your trusted Real Estate Advisor to check the prices of the properties in your preferred neighborhood. A Real Estate professional can set up an automatic search for you so that you get a notification as soon as a listing that meets your criteria gets listed.
Enjoy your home buying experience!
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Neeraj Kumar is a Real Estate Business owner who operates in Metro Vancouver. He is a Yoga Enthusiast and a community leader. Visit www.linkedin.com/in/kumar-neeraj to connect with Neeraj on LinkedIn.
Articles, Blog, Real Estate
The Contract of Purchase and Sale (CPS) form in BC is the document that outlines the terms of the offer from a buyer to a seller in a real estate transaction. Watch this video below and understand the process.
The British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) has created this video which explains one of the key documents used in a real estate transaction.
Blog, Yoga
If you have this question what should be practiced first Yoga Asana, Pranayama, or meditation then you are not alone. I would quote a very famous Hatha Yoga book here to answer this question. Hatha Yoga Pradipika commentary by Swami Muktibodhananada (Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar, India) explains:
After asanas, pranayama should be practised to purify the nadis. For this purpose nadi shodhana (nadi purification) pranayama is best. Then mudras should be performed to channelize the energy and create specific attitudes of mind, and bandhas to force the energy upward. In hatha yoga the sequence is – Asanas first, then Pranayama, Mudras and Bandhas. Lastly one should sit quietly in a meditative pose.
Personally, I start my practice with Sukshma Vyayama or light exercises to loosen up followed by Asasanas, Pranayama, and then Meditation if I have full hour to practice. The asanas help remove physical blockages in the body and after performing Asanas the energy flows freely and you are able to sit comfortably to perform Pranayama. After Pranayama, it is easy to sit in a meditative state.
In Hatha Yoga they say if you can control (regulate) your body and breath, you can control your mind to a greater extent.
Reference:
Hatha Yoga Pradipika commentary by Swami Muktibodhananada is a highly recommended book. Originally हठयोगप्रदीपिका Hatha Yoga Pradipika was written in Sanskrit by Swami Swatamarama in 14th Century.
