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On Thursday, December 17, 2020 at 5:00 PM (EST), I

On Thursday, December 17, 2020 at 5:00 PM (EST), I am hosting my first TED Circle, which is essentially a relatively small group of people that engage in big ideas. The event will focus on mental health for creatives, as creatives manifest culture, creatives are the architects of the present and future, and the mental health of such individuals is paramount to the health and joy of our society, especially in light of the stressors created by the COVID-19 pandemic. To me, a creative is anyone that is tapped into their inherent creativity, and that approaches their work in a way that is unique, whether they are a painter, an actor, the founder of a startup, an employee with a side gig or two, or a leader within an organization. From my perspective, a creative is what author and marketing expert Seth Godin describes as a linchpin, which is an individual that is indispensable to their communities and organizations. With that said, we will be watching a TED Talk on mental health during the event, and we will discuss the TED Talk, the cultivation of mental health, various mental illnesses, and more soon after. If you want to join us, please e-mail my assistant Carla at assistant@ajani.ca to register, and I am grateful to the TEDxToronto team for inspiring me to create this event, I am grateful to everyone involved in the TED Circles that I have attended, and I am thankful for the support of Peter Maccario and other members of the TED team, as they helped me to organize this event. #ted #tedcircles #tedxtoronto #mentalhealth #creatives

The second half of my Sales And Mindfulness course

The second half of my Sales And Mindfulness course is taking place in December via the good people at Artscape Daniels Launchpad, through the organization's Learning platform. I am honoured to be able to share the course's content, and I strongly believe that sales and mindfulness are some of the most valuable skills that creatives (and human beings in general) can possess. This course is ideal for artists, entrepreneurs, and executives, and the first upcoming class via Sales And Mindfulness will be taking place on Wednesday, December 2, 2020 at 4:00 PM (EST), and it will be focusing on the Mindful Sales Process. The second upcoming class via Sales And Mindfulness will occur on Wednesday, December 9, 2020 at 4:00 PM (EST), and it will focus on Tools And Systems For Success. The final Sales And Mindfulness class will take place on Wednesday, December 16, 2020 at 4:00 PM (EST), and it will focus on one of the most important aspects of entrepreneurship, working in an organization, and interacting with human beings in general: Negotiation. Registration is available via the link in @launchpadtoronto's bio, and I look forward to seeing you in December! #sales #mindfulness #education #introspection #art

I attended The University of Western Ontario, whic

I attended The University of Western Ontario, which is now known as Western University, and today I have the honor of being featured through Western News and Western University's Alumni platform via the link in @westernuniversity's bio. The fact that the story of my career and personal development has been featured through one of the most prestigious educational institutions in Canada is amazing, considering the fact that my undergraduate years were the most chaotic and dangerous years of my life, I skipped my graduation to work on a photography project, and I picked up my diploma four years after I graduated, as I was in London, Ontario to help a client with a project at the time. With that said, I studied philosophy during my undergraduate studies, as I was unsure about my career path and many other aspects of life, and I believed that philosophy would provide me with the clarity that I was seeking, which it did. Making the decision to become a professional photographer during my last semester was the smartest decision I have ever made, I went from editing mediocre photographs in my apartment at Oxford and Richmond in London, Ontario, while listening to Drake, to being on a stage with Drake two years later. Since the earliest years of my career, I have diversified my skillsets to a degree that was inconceivable to me a decade ago, I have worked with some of the most prolific artists and entrepreneurs in the world, my artwork has reached millions of people, I have traveled the globe, I have been featured in some of my favorite publications, and recently, I told my friend Julien that we are beyond art now; we save lives now! The mental health advocacy component of my career has inspired many to cultivate introspection and mindfulness, to live far more sustainably, I am living proof that self-actualization is possible, and that the riskiest career paths are usually the wisest, most fulfilling, and ironically the safest bets in the end. I dedicate this post and the classes that I will be teaching at Western as a Guest Instructor in the near future to my friend Nathan James Carl Holder, who went by the name Nate Black, as he was the ultimate Western student. #uwo

A recent Globe and Mail article entitled "My PTSD

A recent Globe and Mail article entitled "My PTSD and shame around money are intricately linked. It's time financial literacy programs recognize that" features Rhiannon Rosalind, who is the president, CEO, and owner of The Economic Club of Canada, and Founder of The Jr. Economic Club of Canada and the Global Institute For Conscious Economics. The article also features my portrait of Rhiannon, her description of childhood traumas and how they adversely affected her relationship with money, useful insights on the correlations between financial health and mental health, and how maladaptive financial habits are often learned in childhood. On November 16th, The Jr. Economic Club of Canada will unveil its newest financial wellness program, Mindfulness & Money, in partnership with The CEE Centre for Young Black Professionals -- an organization that is dedicated to creating a society and economy where Black youth can thrive and make meaningful contributions, and I am grateful to be one of the Instructors for Mindfulness & Money. Registration for the course is available via the link in @economicclubca's bio. #mindfulness #finance #money #mentalhealth #education

I am honored, grateful, and inspired to be Canon C

REALthings is the company that created the customi

REALthings is the company that created the customized meditation cushion and meditation mat that I use every day, and they recently interviewed me about my use of their products, meditation practices, the importance of introspection, the mental health advocacy component of my career, and more. Meditation has changed every aspect of my life for the better, and the interview is available via https://www.realthingscushions.com. #design #meditation #mindfulness #portrait #toronto

For motivational purposes. #jamelshabazz #brooklyn

For motivational purposes. #jamelshabazz #brooklyn #newyork #photographer #portrait

"How are there people that never met me that hate

"How are there people that never met me that hate me? I wonder if they understand that I meditate daily." -Big Sean #bigsean #detroit #motown #hiphop #photojournalism

The ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus once stat

The ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus once stated that "the only constant in life is change", and it is amazing how much the world has changed in a year. A year ago, Operation Prefrontal Cortex was inspiring thousands upon thousands of people in-person (and online), but in-person interactions are now significantly limited due to a pandemic that most of us never foresaw. Also, based on the current data available to us, shootings in Toronto have increased significantly over the course of the last twelve months, Toronto is still in the midst of a gun violence crisis, and our city is also experiencing an opioid crisis and a homelessness crisis, all of which are by-products of the global mental health epidemic. Despite the many challenges facing Toronto and humanity at large, this past summer was arguably the most productive summer for Operation Prefrontal Cortex, we are unwavering in our mission to reduce gun violence, mass violence, and police violence in Toronto through mindfulness and meditation, our petition to bring Advance Peace to Toronto has passed the 86,000 signature mark, the City of Toronto is now considering our mindfulness-based policing program, and the Mindfulness Mentors program that has been designed by our partners Mindfulness Everyday is now active. I look forward to sharing more updates about our operations and programming in the coming weeks, and in the meantime, please follow Operation Prefrontal Cortex via social media, please continue sharing and signing our petition to bring Advance Peace to Toronto, donate to our GoFundMe if possible, purchase our exclusive Director X set design bag via xylk, and reach out to us if you are seeking guidance regarding mindfulness and meditation. Together, we can reduce violence in Toronto through mindfulness and meditation! #mindfulness #meditation #takeaction #oppfc #toronto

I was recently a podcast guest for the first time,

I was recently a podcast guest for the first time, and I am grateful to have been interviewed by Rhiannon Rosalind for The Lunar Podcast through the Global Institute For Conscious Economics, in association with the Economic Club of Canada. Our conversation is available through The Lunar Club's Instagram account bio or by searching for The Lunar Club wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts. With that said, our conversation focuses on mindfulness and its role in shaping leadership, business, and all facets of humanity for the better, on a global scale.

"Step with care and great tact, and remember life'

"Step with care and great tact, and remember life's a great balancing act." -Dr. Seuss #beijing #china #acrobats #performance #bicycle

My first article for The Toronto Star was publishe

My first article for The Toronto Star was published this morning. I wrote it, I photographed myself at the meditation studio Hoame for the piece, and I was fortunate to have it edited by my longtime colleague Priya Ramanujam (and some of her gracious team members). The article focuses on meditation, and how meditation and other mindfulness practices have transformed my life for the better, ultimately saving it. Furthermore, the article discusses meditation's potential for dismantling systemic racism on a global scale, while reducing violence of all kinds. I began engaging in various meditation practices regularly in 2014, and such habits have been crucial to my mental health, and to my professional successes in the midst of a global pandemic, a global civil rights movement, and many other upheavals. Meditation is undoubtedly a game-changer, from my perspective, and based on many scientific studies facilitated by institutions such as The University of Toronto, Harvard University, and Stanford University, and the article is available via the Toronto Star website (https://www.thestar.com). #torontostar #journalism #toronto #mindfulness #meditation

Qatari camel trainers. #doha #zekreet #qatar #midd

Qatari camel trainers. #doha #zekreet #qatar #middleeast #camel

“When writing the story of your life, don’t le

“When writing the story of your life, don’t let anyone else hold the pen." -Drake #drake #octobersveryown #ovo #toronto #selfactualization

"Artists can have greater access to reality; they

"Artists can have greater access to reality; they can see patterns and details and connections that other people, distracted by the blur of life, might miss. Just sharing that truth can be a very powerful thing." -Jay-Z #emmalynestrada #venicebeach #losangeles #california #artist

Mary J. Blige is legendary. #maryjblige #randb #so

Mary J. Blige is legendary. #maryjblige #randb #soul #music #concert

"When we are no longer able to change a situation,

"When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves." -Viktor Frankl #chaos #pandemic #blacklivesmatter #protest #toronto

Last November, part of our team attended Mindful L

Last November, part of our team attended Mindful Living Barbados, in beautiful Bridgetown, Barbados, to learn about the country, mindfulness, meditation, self-care, the human condition, mindfulness programs that are similar to Operation Prefrontal Cortex in North America and the Caribbean, and more. Read about our trip and view my photographs of our adventure via my photography company's blog (https://ajani.ca/blog), and we strongly urge you to sign our petition to bring Advance Peace to Toronto through the link in the article or through Operation Prefrontal Cortex's Instagram account, so that Premier Doug Ford, Mayor John Tory, and the City of Toronto can implement a proven solution to the shootings that we are all concerned about. #bridgetown #barbados #mindfulness #meditation #advancepeaceto

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