With a Little Help from my Friends
By Kumkum Ramchandani
Some time ago, I got together with a few like-minded friends and we do yoga together once a week. The experience has been profoundly moving for me simply because I know that my friends are open-minded and ready to receive. There is no compulsion to outdo each other, we are simply there to bond and feel good.
Redefining their roles: Canadian Arab women
By Kumkum Ramchandani
Prior to September 11, Canada was an immigrants’ haven, known worldwide for its tolerant society and welcoming attitudes towards refugees and immigrants from all over the world, regardless of creed or colour.
That equation changed overnight after the horrific events in New York and Washington, as a shaken Canadian population began to redefine its thinking. Two mosques were damaged and a temple was burned down in quick succession in the Toronto region while some people of “brown” colour or a so-called “Middle Eastern” appearance were subjected to racial slurs.
Hypnosis and Past Life Regression:Truth or Myth?
By Kumkum Ramchandani
Hypnosis, a deep state of relaxation where the subconscious mind can be motivated and Past Life Regression (PLR), an even deeper state where past lives can be accessed, are still viewed by many as “hocus-pocus”, simply because there is not enough research to show tangible evidence of their benefits.
Of the two, PLR is viewed with more scepticism.
Dubai: City of Dreams
By Kumkum Ramchandani
Something wow happens in Dubai almost every day. Tennis legend Andre Agassi plays tennis with world number one Roger Federer on the helipad of the world’s most luxurious hotel; Tiger Woods and Boris Beckham buy multi million dollar properties; nine year old Shakiba Asif from Kerala, daughter of a time keeper in a Dubai company wins 100 kilos of gold during Dubai Shopping Festival 2005; South African waitresses in Asha’s, Asha Bhonsle’s restaurant, wear bindis and nose rings. A Guinness World Record is sought for the maximum number of people named Mohammed under one roof.
Being Canadian and a desi too
By Kumkum Ramchandani
You know why I love living in Canada? Because I can be a Canadian yet not relinquish my desi identity. I live in Mississauga, 30 minutes from downtown Toronto, a booming city (Canada's sixth largest) where the economy is being pumped up in a large part by the high proportion of 'visible minorities'. Almost 40 per cent of Mississaugans are 'brown' or a similar colour.
