KARMOMO

portfolio

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 09 Aug 2015 05:26:00 +0000

Thank you for stopping by!

Click through to view existing projects & designs.

Most recent work can be viewed via @heykarm.

Blog content will not be updated for the time being (but stay tuned).

Please contact me for project inquiries!

featured: the creative diaries

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 10 Jul 2014 16:21:00 +0000

Over on Lady & Like,

I recently shared about my morning rituals, creative inspiration,

and a favorite nut butter recipe.

What keeps you creative?

non-attachment: technology

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 02 May 2014 03:45:00 +0000

I think that using a computer should be viewed like renting a place and living out of a suitcase; anytime, you might just have to pack up and leave.

Over the past 3 years, I’ve encountered several major system breakdowns, where I had to rescue my data (whatever I could get) and then move to a completely new operating system. There, I would plant down and try to get comfortable all over again. New formats, new interfaces, new glitches and annoying features — but it’s home. At least until the next crisis. The move is always a big production.

Maybe my difficulty with migrating each time is the fact that I treat my computer like it’s a real, permanent home for the mind, and various aspects of life. I really settle into the technology, using it as a storehouse for ideas (virtual Post-its and Word documents), a window into my own experiences (eg. Picasa albums), a key source of entertainment (songs and online reading) and heart-to-heart communication.

But do I want to keep using (only) computers this way? No. It’s too dependent, fickle. Kind of like depending on ecologically unsustainable conveniences (imported plastic goods, gasoline for driving, pesticides for fruits & vegetables):

mindlessly, you run on them —

until they run out on you.
And when they do, you’ve been so wholly dependent that you have no alternatives, no way to keep functioning. Such a good wake-up call for me to put computers in their own place -- to still use them for creating and sharing work documents, for accessing email/remote communication...

But:

If I have ideas, doodle them out on napkins and notebooks; bounce them off other people in conversation. If I have experiences, document them if I can, but most of all, breathe in each smell, sight, emotion, impression, and burn them into my mind, cherishing quality images over hefty photo albums. If I want entertainment, go and spend time with people, sing a song, write a random story, make a smoothie or gift for someone.

They say that for most of his life, Gandhi lived out of a suitcase. The underlying mentality (though perhaps not the feasibility) of this is non-attachment, that is, appreciating but not being too rooted in an environment that constantly shifts.

With non-attachment, anything -- good things, bad things, happy things, difficult things -- can be encountered as important, yet transient visitors.

my favorite tea

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 02 Apr 2014 19:36:00 +0000

I've been drinking a lot of this wonderful herbal tea called "Queen Bee Balance," by Allegro. It is a soothing confetti of raspberry leaf, rose petals, alfafa, spearmint, and dandelion root. It smells of vanilla and flowers, but has a mild, round taste.

Yesterday, one of the tea bags got torn and spilled its contents into the water. I was fascinated by the beautiful colors and had the inspiration for this project today.

What is your favorite tea? I would love to add to my collection!

simple grace

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 22 Mar 2014 19:41:00 +0000

weekend doodle...

clarity

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 19 Mar 2014 22:03:00 +0000

Your mind is like the water.

When it is agitated

it becomes difficult to see,

but when you let it settle,

the answer becomes clear.

- Kungfu Panda

My mind was feeling stuck today -

so I wished it to be like water...

handwriting is a memory

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 19 Mar 2014 00:30:00 +0000

{ print }
My elementary school teachers were very, very concerned with proper handwriting. They constantly used their red pens to point out if our letters weren't high enough, or round enough.

We used Clairefontaine notebooks, one for each class. Glossy, colored covers and smooth, thick pages... ruled with strong red lines and four faded blue ones in between so I could obsessively plan out how high each letter should go, and make sure it was all level. (Loved this, of course.)

Recently I tried to recreate this handwriting. Or more so, remember the feeling of making round, deliberate letters in those ruled notebooks.

Handwriting is a happy memory.

aromatherapy: lavender

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 17 Mar 2014 12:00:00 +0000

Herby, nutty, floral... lavender (lavandula angustifolia) is a classic healing herb. It is commonly used in aromatherapy to alleviate anxiety & depression and to promote calm & relaxation.

Research studies have observed that lavender oil has similar effects as diazepam (valium) in calming down the nervous system. Lavender contains high levels of linalool, an organic compound with sweet & sedative properties. Try* adding a few drops to your pillowcase for a good night's rest, or keep in a spray bottle for misting over your face on busy days.

A few things inspired by the scent of lavender:
1 | NOW Foods essential oil: I liked the simple design of this bottle, but you may want to sniff around and pick a lavender that smells best to you. Oils vary in sweetness, sharpness, & woodiness.

2 | L'Occitane en Provence sachet: This lovely cotton bag is filled with dried lavender flowers, to naturally scent your drawers and closet, or even place under your pillow. You could also make your own...

3 | Jeni's Wildberry Lavender ice cream: According to the description, this magical ice cream is "fruity, with brambly berry flavors, citrus zest, exotic spices, and lavender essential oil."

4 | Pree Brulée necklace: A statement necklace.

5 | Essie nail polish in St. Lucia Lilac: A creamy, relaxing shade -- almost like a nude if a color could be one. Also check out Revlon's Parfumerie nail collection with their Lavender Soap scent.

If you have any further lavender recommendations, please do let me know!

---
*Note: Not all essential oils are safe for use by children, pregnant women, or individuals with medical conditions. Please consult a doctor and research thoroughly before using essential oils for yourself. Part of the Aromatherapy series.

just

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 15 Mar 2014 18:00:00 +0000

Download for your desktop here!

( 1600 x 1200, also suitable for 1024 x 768 )

I am using this as my background right now --

whenever I swish my windows to the side, I see it... and I take a breath...

saying yes

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 13 Mar 2014 12:00:00 +0000

Do you make choices to avoid bad things, or to move towards good ones?

In social psychology terms, are you more sensitive to punishment, or reward? Depending on which tends to influence your decisions, you may be relying one of the following motivational systems...

Behavioral Inhibition System (BIS)	Behavioral Activation System (BAS)
"Avoidance" -- NO	"Approach" -- YES
Responsive to threats	Responsive to opportunities
Motivated to avoid punishment	Motivated to gain reward

BACKGROUND

These systems (first proposed by Gray, 1981) are governed by distinct brain processes. Each of us actually has both systems, which get engaged at different times -- e.g., as a kid, you might stick to one side of the playground (behavior) to avoid a fight (punishment) -- BIS; or, you might sit down next to someone at the lunch table (behavior) to make a new friend (reward) -- BAS.

Each person is different in terms of how often the BIS vs. BAS systems get activated. For example, can you pick out the people in your life who tread carefully at every step, watching for potholes? And, do you know people who always jump at every opportunity without much thought to the consequences? There are also people in between, who bounce between both.

There is no "superior" system -- BAS sounds like a fun, exciting way to go, but high-BAS individuals, if not careful, may take risks that are harmful to themselves and others (and are more likely to develop addictions!). At the same time, high-BIS individuals may seem fearful and neurotic at times, but this can also allow them to be dependable, achieve goals, and... stay alive.

APPLICATION

Knowing that we may be lugging these two systems around in our heads, how can we be most effective with them? Today I want to speak to those who sometimes find their BIS system turning on loud & strong, like me.

I'm the kind of person who sees a lot of opportunity and am energized by possibilities (BAS), but am also quick to spot potential threats and be influenced by them (BIS), i.e., this-may-not-work-out-so-let's-just-cut-losses-and-play-it-safe.

While I've made plenty decisions out of hope and excitement, I can also think of many times where I completely missed the boat on great opportunities to learn, grow, develop -- because I was waiting... watching... afraid.

I don't know about you, but missed opportunities hurt. Where to go from here?

(1) Know yourself: are you always listening to your BIS?
(2) Has it brought you any closer to your valued life?
(3) If not, why not give the BAS a chance?

Say yes,

and see where it takes you.

Would love to hear what you think! And check out a related post on Showing Up.

be where you are

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 12:30:00 +0000

Trust the process . Work with what you have . Be where you are

aromatherapy: sweet orange

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 10 Mar 2014 00:30:00 +0000

Sweet orange (citrus sinensis) oil has an uplifting, warm scent, like a freshly peeled clementine.

It is thought to help with sadness and anxiety, and promote digestion and detoxification in the body. Try adding a drop or two to a glass of cold water, and sipping slowly. It also has effective anti-bacterial properties, so you could add it to a diluted vinegar solution for wiping down your counters!

A few things inspired by the scent of sweet orange:
1 | DoTerra essential oil: This company makes some high-quality essential oils and this one is derived from wild orange. This link offers good suggestions on how to use this oil & why.

2 | Threla hydrating facial lotion: My go-to daily facial moisturizer. It contains argan & rosehip seed oil and is lightly scented with sweet orange oil, blackcurrant absolute and apricot extract. Beautiful! Threla is owned by a most wonderful scientist with a passion for developing safe & effective beauty products.

3 | Jo Malone Orange Blossom Cologne: The description alone is uplifting: "Clementine flower sparkles over a heart of orange blossom and water lily, with warm undertones of vetiver." Word has it that Kate Middleton reaches for this fragrance too!

4 | Art print by Lucile's Kitchen: How lovely is this organic watercolour print?

5 | Photograph: Saw this simple image via Lauren's Tumblr...

happy weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 07 Mar 2014 23:25:00 +0000

Have yourself an adventure,

wherever you are...

ordinary magic

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 07 Mar 2014 03:04:00 +0000

People may encounter objectively difficult circumstances

-- disaster, loss, illness, transition, heartbreak, etc. --

but still survive, even thrive.

It seems so extraordinary,

but is actually part of human adaptation,

which makes it... an ordinary magic.

nostalgia

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 04 Mar 2014 12:30:00 +0000

Is it strange to feel nostalgia for a place you've never called home?

aromatherapy: an introduction

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 01 Mar 2014 20:22:00 +0000

Smell is the most ancient of our five senses. It is the sense that we rely on most when we first come into the world.

Interestingly, our sense of smell is also intimately linked to our emotions. When we smell something, the odor molecules travel up the nose to millions of little receptors connected to the olfactory bulb in the brain. The neural information received by the olfactory bulb is then sent out to various parts of the brain, including straight to key systems (e.g., limbic) that govern our memory & emotions.

So when we smell,

we feel.
This is where aromatherapy comes in.

Aromatherapy can be defined as the use of Good Smells (often scented essential oils) to enhance physical and/or emotional wellbeing. Essential oils are the aromatic compounds extracted in concentrated form from plants, usually through the process of steam distillation. Popular oils include extracts from florals (e.g., rose), citruses (e.g., lemon), and herbs (e.g., rosemary).

Different oils are said to have specific mood-related properties. For example:

APPLICATION

How to harness the effects of aromatherapy?

First, pick your essential oils* according to your desired effect. Are you looking for something relaxing, or energizing? Do certain smells remind you of something happy? Do your research.

Second, choose your mode of application. Essential oils can be inhaled in the air or applied onto the skin. If applied, however, essential oils should rarely be used at full strength, and are best diluted in some kind of neutral carrier like jojoba oil.

Breathe, and enjoy the moment -- appreciate this ancient system that connects mood to our sense of smell.

Do you have a favourite scent? What effects does it have on your mood? I look forward to featuring specific essential oils in upcoming posts!

*Note: Not all essential oils are safe for use by children and/or pregnant women. Please consult a doctor and research thoroughly before using essential oils for yourself.

{ ACT } let go of your struggle

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 26 Feb 2014 16:46:00 +0000

In ACT, it sometimes help to identify "clean" versus "dirty" suffering:

(1) Clean suffering being the kind of emotional "stuff" (eg. sadness, anger, fear, etc.) that one might experience as a primary result of being a conscious, real human being in the world...

(2) Dirty suffering as the secondary struggle against the pain itself.

Maybe, just maybe, pain itself is not toxic. Maybe it's human. So let go of the struggle.

patience

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 23 Feb 2014 06:31:00 +0000

Be patient,

stick to principle,

and it will all open up

like a great cauliflower.

- R.M. Alexander

{ ACT } identifying life values

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 21 Feb 2014 15:40:00 +0000

Values are the lights that guide us, that give us courage to step into fears & risk.

But how can do figure out what we value? One way is to ask an Opposite Question:

If this _______ (fear/pain/risk/etc.) went away,

what would my life look like?
The answers can often be telling. "If I wasn't wrestling with fatigue all the time, I would get up and spend time with my friends, call family more often, keep my home cozy & inviting, exercise and make homemade meals." This is someone who values relationships & health.

Or, "If I weren't so afraid, I would smile more, practice often, ask for more opportunities, and actually put my name out there." This is someone who values courage & creativity!

Try it for yourself:

Think about something you've been struggling with lately. Ask what your life would look like if that struggle went away. Make a list of all the things you would be doing from day to day. Can you see any patterns about what you find important? Even if the struggle remains, how can you start living that out today?

The funny thing is, we often feel like we have to get over certain things (fear/pain/risk/etc.) before we can live out our values. But what if we don't have to wait for the struggle to disappear; what if we could choose to act towards our values now?

Just know your values,

then live them.
This post is part of a series on Acceptance & Commitment Therapy, where I share bite-sized concepts from my training and how they relate to everyday life, wellness & creativity.

tangible reminders iii

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 19 Feb 2014 08:50:00 +0000

How nifty!

The Gratitude Tote Bag -- a handy reminder on-the-go :-)

Original post here.

a quiet celebration

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 09 Feb 2014 16:50:00 +0000

1 / 2 / 3 / 4

You hear so many people talking about the snow this year. For those cold days & freezing nights, how to make this season more bearable? How about breaking open the bubbly, playing with snowflakes, taking a slow walk, or lighting a wood-scented candle?

Whatever you do, may you find:

cheer,

wonder,

stillness,

& warmth.

to see & notice

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 26 Jan 2014 03:16:00 +0000

Today, I decided I would try to spot as many blue things as possible during my morning walk.

Blue things I saw today

* door of a house
* bucket (plastic)
* writing on a concrete post
* advertising sign painted on a wall
* garbage (bags/wrappers)
* frame of an unopened shop stall
* little socks hanging from a line
* window bars
* gate of shops, closed

There are a lot more blue things in my neighbourhood than I had ever previously noticed. Most of the time when I am walking, I set my mind on ‘nature’ mode and so automatically take in mostly browns and greens. Ah, the greens! But today, when I decided to start looking out for blue, blue objects started appearing. My eye was drawn to little details or faraway things simply by their virtue of being what I was looking for: blue.

What we seek, we see (selectively so). When I look out for bad things, the negative aspects of a conversation, or of a day, fly to my attention, like iron filings to a Very Strong Magnet. Similarly, when I make it my business to see what’s interesting or positive in my environment, it is then I begin to notice those things popping up everywhere. They are sometimes tucked away inside tufts of grass; sometimes they masquerade as something else, perhaps functional and otherwise ignored.

Nevertheless, what this morning exercise suggested to me is that good things have never been absent, except from my mind. And, that noticing good things doesn’t mean forcing myself to see positives-only-dangit, but instead noticing things just where they are, as they are.

How can you practice the art of Noticing?

Maybe you could pick a color and see how many times it shows up in your workplace or school. Or right when you wake up, try to pick out & describe 5 different things you can see or hear from where you are sitting. You might be surprised by what you Notice right where you are!

dosha types for health

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 08 Jan 2014 05:14:00 +0000

Over the holiday break, I started reading about Ayurvedic medicine. From a physical health standpoint, I was curious to learn more about a system of traditional medicine that has existed for thousands of years (translation: they must have some things right!).

Though I am not much a believer of chakras and such, I became interested by one simple working concept: dosha types.

In a nutshell

Dosha types refer to three different mind/body constitutions that people tend to have:

VATA (WIND/AIR)

Physically: thin frame, quick-footed, and gets cold easily.

Temperament: can be enthusiastic and creative, but also easily become worried or anxious.

PITTA (SUN/HEAT)

Physically: solid and muscular, warm-bodied, with ease of digestion.

Temperament: can be dedicated and capable, but easily become angry or jealous.

KAPHA (EARTH/RAIN)

Physically: stocky build, gains weight easily, have oilier skin/hair, and slower pace.

Temperament: often kind and grounded, but can withdraw, over-indulge, or become possessive.

Eating for your type

There are different kinds of foods recommended for each of these types, in order to "balance" the dosha. For Vata types, whose bodies are naturally colder and lighter, the best foods are warming -- i.e., soft cooked foods, warming spices, cozy teas, etc. On the other hand, for Pitta types who are already fiery in composition, cooling foods are recommended -- i.e., raw veggies, cooling spices, water-based fruits and drinks. For Kapha types, light foods with strong flavours are suggested.

Self-knowledge for health

When such balances are made (and others not described here), maximum health -- both physical & emotional -- can be achieved. But how?

What I find most compelling about this ancient system is the timeless wisdom of tailoring your diet and your lifestyle to your specific body type. Rather than being dictated by a one-size-fits-all magic program, it proposes an intuitive way to live and take care of yourself -- one that transcends medical philosophies. The point is just to

Know Yourself:

be aware of your natural tendencies

and learn to balance them with appropriate choices.

---
Do you know your dosha type? Here are some places to start: 1, 2. As a self-identified Vata type, I have always gravitated towards soups/broths, chilis, teas & warm spices to feel at my best, and now I have a new lens for understanding why!

new year mindfulness

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 06 Jan 2014 23:06:00 +0000

Take each moment

& experience it like it is New...

because it is.

Have a mindful new year!

{ ACT } our values as guides

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 13 Dec 2013 04:56:00 +0000

How do you move in the direction of a life you value? This is one of the main questions in Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT). In ACT, you choose to allow yourself to stay with all your feelings (even the hard ones), because running away from them has only increased your struggle and narrowed your life.

For example, Miss P who doesn't want anything to do with feeling incompetent may find she is always anxiously on the lookout for failure in her life. Not only that, but she constantly behaves in a way that helps to minimize risk and pain -- but ultimately prevents growth and spontaneity.

Although Miss P hates feeling incompetent, if she thought about it she might say "I want to look back and see that my life was not about hiding or playing it safe... but about being real and adventurous, and connected."

If her heart could be pulled -- really pulled -- by these values, maybe they would help her stay the true course in moments when she is tempted to jump ship.

If we had a better sense of what we want our lives to Be about,

we could have reason or courage to Have _________ (fear/pain/risk/etc.),

if that meant giving ourselves enough space to Act towards what we care about.
Everyone has their own set of "guiding lights" (values) -- some already shine boldly and brightly, while others need to be dusted off after years of being forgotten, covered over by other messages or priorities.

What are your values -- i.e., at the end of the day, what do you want your life to Be about?