A letter about love, nourishment and intention from Christina

Dear one reading this,

Thank you for making the time to read and receive this written piece.

Thank you for being here, because something must have sparked your curiosity for you to land on this post.

If you have been following our journey for a little while – I thank you for being a loyal and caring part of our Ananda Universe. Your energy and feedback matters, impacts and inspires our doing, our creating, our ways of running this business. And I would like to speak more to this in today’s blog post.

After another bumpy ride through this universe in 2021 and us heading into the 3rd year of a global pandemic I have been contemplating a lot about my personal and Ananda Soul’s intention for this still very new year, lead by the question:

What are the needs of today’s world in light of everything that has been happening and how does this reflect onto our company culture?

A business led from the truth of my heart

As we have mentioned numerous times in our blogs and social posts and as you can re-read it in our Ethics section of our website, HUMAN-NESS stands at the core of our business. A business from humans for humans speaks the truth, the language of my heart. It is the world of Ananda that circles around the humans we work with, the ones we intend to support, and the versions that we are ourselves.

Our jewelry after all is a beautiful manifestation of all that is our deepest heart and intention. This is where the intention and energy we want to ripple out into the world, resides.

As we’ve said it before: “Our vision at Ananda Soul is a thriving humanity, a healthy planet and a deep calling to act from integrity in favor of a better tomorrow.” Mindful intention, conscious consumerism, sustainability and consumer education stand all at the forefront of our business – we can’t say it enough.

These past two years in particular have shown the human side of a business much more than any other year before. We cherish the ‘human-ness’ of each of our team members which evoked a family bond like no other. I am incredibly proud to have this team of wonderful women that I get to call family. That shows up every single day, in all their glory, beauty, their joy and honesty. 

Leading a company with humans has its hiccups as much as it has its beauty. It asks for radical compassion, mutual respect and understanding. Every single day we do our best to find the balance between being Ananda Soul and letting our intention weave into a common goal while at the same time seeing every individual in their personal needs. Which brings me to an important point: personal needs.

A place to feel safe and nourished in this world

Our company has become a safe space, a container for my employees, my suppliers and my customers to be held and supported in their human-ness. It is less about the personal stories that may individually guide the way, but the greater and commonly shared desire for being seen, heard and to connect more deeply with one another. To be encouraged, to receive permission to do all the things our own limiting beliefs, personal habits or society tell us not to do.

With a personally challenging year that brought up many challenges I recently contemplated on the question: what are the guiding words for me for 2022?

Have you given any thought into that? If you could give this still relatively new year a word or two – what would it be?

Mine are nourishment and family.

Nourishment & family

The concept of NOURISHMENT has been a big theme in my personal story. Not only related to the eating disorders I once was struggled with but also to come to think of ways of nourishment in every little moment and detail of my personal and work life. What in our lives truly nourishes us versus what we might think nourishes us? Is it ok to take a step back for a moment to find our breath, our calm, the right amount of sleep, a hug, a touch? Is it ok to say No?

It is imperative that we do so. And I am, too, still learning. Allowing myself to nourish myself better and in more intricate ways is my answer to burn-out, emotional reactivity and a run-down immune system.

Saying No is imperative, saying No means to care instead of to carry. I recently read this beautiful quote from poet Jaiya John, that hit home so much:

"Saying No to what is not divinely right for you creates room in your soul and your life for a whole new flow of divinely attuned Yes."

Read that again. And again. What do you say Yes to, when you actually say No?

The other word is FAMILY. Soul family, chosen family, immediate family – anything that creates depth in my life and that gives and receives uninterruptedly and unconditionally. Like many others I haven't been able to see my family in Germany in over 2,5 years. It is in these trying times where soul family forms a form of replacement, where we all move closer together creating the container that is needed for us to move, to suffer, but also to heal and to thrive.

And to celebrate. So may this year be about that, too. About celebrating our human-ness. About celebrating our human mess. About deepening what is while finding nourishment in the little things. Like smelling the roses. Watching the dragonflies dance. Walking my dog. Sweet inhales and soft exhales.

May love and peace be found in every of your actions.

With so much love,

Christina