A – Acceptance: Embrace life’s changes with an open heart
Dear Advisors, Partners, and Friends
This is a very special Blog… A letter written 2 months ago by my fathers hands, in his office, alone with his thoughts and sheer reflection of the world and how we should all perceive and embrace every outcome as it is believed, in life all is as it is meant to be. Almost as he him-self knew he would be writing this blog, as so, please take note of the Date and Time it was written… exactly 60 days…almost to the hour when we said our final goodbyes.
*** *** Below is one of his last letters composed of his Outlook of Inspirational thoughts onto the world *** ***
From: Mahen Sanghrajka
Sent: Monday, January 15, 2024 1:50 PM
Subject: A – Acceptance: Embrace life’s changes with an open heart
As the sun gives light, the sensation gives birth to compassion, and the flowers always spread their fragrance. The same way may your New Year be a pleasant one for you and everyone every day, every moment.
In the spirit of gratitude and respect for these remarkable individuals, we acknowledge the invaluable contributions of Saints, Swamis, and Other Distinguished writers who have enriched our lives with their timeless wisdom.
Also, to thank all of you for being a part of this uplifting journey with us.
In 2024, we’ll board on an alphabetical journey filled with positivity and wisdom. Each message we’ll send you will be a message centered around a word that begins with the letter. Together, we’ll explore valuable lessons and insights that can enrich our lives at this age and beyond.
A – Acceptance: Embrace life’s changes with an open heart.
Acceptance is a fundamental aspect of personal growth and well-being. It involves acknowledging and welcoming the various changes and transitions that life brings, whether they are positive or challenging.
Here are some more details about the concept of acceptance:
Understanding Change: Change is an inevitable part of life. It can take many forms, including changes in relationships, career, health, or personal circumstances. Acceptance starts with recognizing that change is a natural and unavoidable part of the human experience.
Embracing Impermanence: Nothing in life is permanent. Embracing Acceptance means understanding that circumstances, people, and even our-own feelings and thoughts are in a constant state of mix.
By accepting impermanence, we can find greater peace and resilience in the face of change.
Letting Go of Resistance: Resistance to change often leads to stress, anxiety, and suffering. Acceptance involves letting go of resistance and the desire to control every aspect of our lives.
Instead, it encourages us to flow with life’s currents and adapt to new situations.
Cultivating Resilience: Acceptance is closely linked to resilience. When we accept change, we become better equipped to deal with adversity and bounce back from setbacks.
Flexibility, resilience allows us to navigate life’s challenges with grace and determination.
Self-Compassion: Being kind and compassionate toward yourself is an essential aspect of Acceptance. It’s important to recognize that it’s okay to have mixed feelings about change and to treat yourself with gentleness during times of transition.
Acceptance can be challenging, especially when dealing with major life changes or loss. Seeking support from friends and family can provide a valuable space to process your feelings.
Embracing change and practicing acceptance can lead to personal growth and transformation. It allows you to develop a deeper understanding of yourself and others.
In summary: Acceptance is a mindset and practice that encourages us to greet life’s changes with an open heart and a willingness to learn and grow.
“However, whatever, whenever, wherever, learn to Adjust, Adapt and Accept.”
Stay tuned for letter B
Mahen Sanghrajka
We have prepared a short AI of our Beloved Father, Founder & Friend in Loving Memory.
As the holy month of Ramadan begins, we wish all our close friends and colleagues whom I often call extended family, Ramadan Kareem.
رَمَضَان كَرِيم
This week, I was supposed to be in Egypt with the family for one of my last two spring breaks with my son. Circumstances however were such that the trip had to be pushed out although I will certainly be back in Egypt after ILTM Cannes later this year, one of our Egypt specialists will be there this summer. Egypt is like home for me, since I was a teenager, and many of you know my mother is from Sudan while Dad and I are from Kenya, so Egypt has never been far. And those of you who have been to Egypt either with clients or on one of our educationals that I lead every year, you have met Gamal who is like my second father. You have met my sisters, Farah and Nour, and you have met my other mother, Sally, who are my second family.
Archaeology is the center of tourism in Egypt. New Discoveries are at an all-time high, from an average of two discoveries a decade in the early 20th century to averaging six a year since 2018. This pace of discovery is a major contributor to the PR driving tourism interest in the destination. One of the challenges Egypt faces is the invisibility of the local excavators and archaeologists, the ones making the actual discoveries not the media rounds. These workers are doing the most important work, and Big Five is committed to creating fair wage jobs in archaeology for them where the fees paid to open a tomb go towards paying the salaries of these local workers, instead of into one person’s pocket or to an external organization. We want clients to have a front-row seat and even get involved in the exploration of new discoveries. On my podcast, the Sustainable Voice, my cohost, Leigh, and I recently dedicated an entire episode to this very topic, which is live now for your listening pleasure.
I share a video we took at the end of last year as we were the first ones into this burial chamber that was discovered just two months prior. Since our country manager Gamal in Egypt is an archaeologist by degree, we get to meet him and his fellow alumni and their teams. I am so excited about this new initiative.
With every, effort, every journey, every experience all tied together …. brings full circle a commitment to Egypt my father started more than four decades ago.
Enjoy this Video
We are one month and two days into our 51st year, and this week I am reflecting on our beginnings in Peru 31 years ago. My father was so excited when it happened. I was a child in school in Long Island New York and sadly couldn’t pinpoint Peru or Botswana on a map. In fact, my father would ask me regularly about the locations of Machu Picchu and the Okavango Delta. Not carrying out a world atlas bigger than my head, and Google Earth not yet invented, I had no chance. It was embarrassing especially as I came from a travel family.
In the years since, I spent countless visits to Peru exploring northern Peru. In 2018, some of you may have read about a minor train accident on the way to Machu Picchu. I was on the second train, and our very own Gisela Polo was on the train in front of me. To this day, my father and I say that she was partying for her birthday, and the conductor was distracted which caused the accident. We knew the reason had more to do with locals on the track, however we won’t tell her that! My wife, children, and our famous guide, Cris, who many of you know, were on the train with me. Ten hours on the track later, the conductor apologized that we would not reach Machu Picchu. I was grateful for having 10 uninterrupted hours with my family and was not bothered that we missed Machu Picchu. It wasn’t until a few days later, when we were exploring parts of northern Peru around Kuelap and Chachapoyas, that I became infatuated with everything other than Machu Picchu. In every visit since the focus has been to explore new areas from Illescas to Huaraz and beyond. In fact, my planned trip this October will blaze a new trail again and I cannot wait! I’m sure my father and his avatar will have something to say about it just like it did in this week’s video.
When the team here started to develop new glamping experiences in remote areas of Peru, including Waqra Pukará, you can imagine my excitement. This is the Peru I love exploring, and it doesn’t matter if I’m climbing up the side of a cliff on via Ferrata or hiking around glacier lakes that easily belong in Patagonia. I even cracked the so-called undestroyable rear axle of a Toyota Hilux in Illescas in search of a new path to the peninsula which was a little moment of pride. I wrote to the Toyota engineers who said that the axle couldn’t be cracked and said… whoops. It’s still a source of laughter for everyone here.
Stay tuned for some exciting products coming out soon on the best lesser-known hikes in Peru, customized in #bigfivin fashion, vs standard group hikes. This even includes a few true glamping experiences that make even the most challenging of historic treks even more rewarding. Enjoy this week’s video from Waqra Pukará that one of our country managers, Nico, recently summited.
Time to go “Back to the Future.”
