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The Holistic Panda Blog

WELCOME TO OUR WELLNESS LIBRARY

Now sit back, relax, and explore our diverse range of topics to help you feel inspired and incorporate self-care practices into your lives.

Explore our wellness content to help you feel inspired and incorporate self-care practices into your lives.

RELATIONSHIPS

Explore stories and expert insights on navigating relationships challenges and issues with romantic parnters, family and friends, and other important partnerships that shape our experiences in this world.

Explore stories and expert insights on navigating relationship challenges and issues.

CAREER

Explore stories and expert insights on navigating challenges and issues pertaining to career, including career exploration, development and transitions.

Explore stories and expert insights on navigating career challenges and transitions.

INNER SELF

Explore stories and expert insights on finding alignment with yourself, building up your inner strength, and getting empowered through inner-transformation.

Explore stories and expert insights on connecting with your inner self.

MIND & BODY

Explore stories and expert insights on topics related to the mind and body, including holistic treatments, nutrition and fitness tips, and skin-care tips and intel.

Explore stories and expert insights on optimizing the mind and body.

INSPIRING STORIES

Read inspiring stories from members of our community and Asian thought leaders and changemakers on breaking the bamboo ceiling, maintaining wellness, and finding alignment in their lives.

Read inspiring stories from our members and trailblazers in the Asian community.

Recent articles

Oracle Card Reading: How It Can Help You Gain Clarity

INNER SELF

4 minutes read

Oracle Card Reading: How It Can Help You Gain Clarity

Oracle card reading is a form of holistic healing that uses cards to help you gain insight into your current situation and find solutions to the problems. We often become frustrated or overwhelmed because we lack a sense of direction or purpose. This practice can be used to help you gain clarity, relieve stress, and make better decisions in your life. In this blog post, we've reached out to two holistic coaches, Giovanna Lin and Linh Nguyen, for their thoughts on this topic. We will discuss what oracle card reading is and how it can help you tap into your intuition!

5 Ways to Raise Your Vibration through Food

MIND & BODY

5 minutes read

5 Ways to Raise Your Vibration through Food

Everything in the known universe has an energetic vibration. Have you ever felt uplifted after spending time with an aligned and positive friend, or down after being with someone who complains about everything? Good vibes vs. bad vibes have become part of modern vernacular, however, did you know your food can impact your vibe too?

How Hynotherapy Help Immigrants & Children of Immigrants Live More Fulfilling Lives

RELATIONSHIPS

5 minutes read

How Hynotherapy Help Immigrants & Children of Immigrants Live More Fulfilling Lives

Celine Lim is a Hypnotherapist, RTT Therapist and Life Change Coach. In this article, she writes about some of the challenges that can come with the immigrant experience, and how hypnotherapy combined with inner child work can help immigrants and children of immigrants live more fulfilling lives.

The Surprising Truth About Stress: Why It Can Be Both Helpful and Harmful

INNER SELF

4 minutes read

The Surprising Truth About Stress: Why It Can Be Both Helpful and Harmful

You know the feeling - that tightness in your chest, the racing heart, the sweaty palms. Stress can be a very unpleasant experience. But what you may not know is that stress can also be helpful. In fact, it is a natural response to danger that helps us stay alert and focused. Without it, we would be unable to protect ourselves from danger or achieve our goals. However, too much stress can be harmful, leading to health problems such as anxiety and depression. This blog post will discuss the pros and cons of stress and offer some tips for reducing stress levels.

Finding Culturally Competent Health Care

INSPIRING STORIES

5 minutes read

Finding Culturally Competent Health Care

Many have asked us how the idea for The Holistic Panda came to be. For us, it started with our personal self-healing journeys in coming into acceptance of who we are, what we truly want in life, and abandoning the glorification of "work hard and climb the corporate ladder," a practical ethos instilled by our Asian parents but led us to extreme burnouts. While trying to find coaches and healers who helped us invoke internal and external shifts and transformation, we experienced firsthand the challenges in finding providers who understood, or at the very least, respected our cultural values and heritage, which shaped who we are and our beliefs. So, when Bored in Vancouver invited me to write an article about the importance of cultural competency in healthcare, and why we need to provide diverse care to the large Asian population in B.C., I was thrilled to share my struggle with mental health and the mission behind The Holistic Panda. 

From Working in Corporate to Transforming Corporate Wellness

CAREER

5 minutes read

From Working in Corporate to Transforming Corporate Wellness

In this article, Meditation & Breathwork coach Bernice Tong shares her journey of how her first experience with burnout from a demanding corporate job in Hong Kong led to a downward spiral of emotional and physical exhaustion. Through seeking professional help, taking time off, and exploring her interest in yoga and mindfulness, she discovered her calling in this field and is now determined to help others working in stressful corporate settings find wellness and navigate challenging times. 

How to Manifest What You Want in 2022 with 3 Simple Steps

INNER SELF

5 minutes read

How to Manifest What You Want in 2022 with 3 Simple Steps

If you are looking for a simple and effective way to manifest what you want in 2022, then this blog post is for you! In 3 easy steps, we will help guide you through setting achievable goals that will have an impact on your life. It doesn't matter what goal it is--whether it be starting a new business or finding love--you will learn how to manifest something you want. So join us as we answer some commonly asked questions and walk through the steps below to start living life to its fullest potential.

Body Pain has a Purpose

INNER SELF

5 minutes read

Body Pain has a Purpose

In this article, Reiki Master, RMT, and creator of ColourWisdom energy field refinement Suzanne Belanger explains how physical aches or pain contains valuable information - it’s not simply irritating noise or a nuisance that ought to be silenced or suppressed.  

Interview with Ayurvedic Coach Sanika Bhurke

INSPIRING STORIES

5 minutes read

Interview with Ayurvedic Coach Sanika Bhurke

In this week’s inspiring story, we interviewed Ayurveda and Goal-based Life Coach Sanika Bhurke. Sanika is an engineer by training and is originally from India (she did a stint in San Francisco before moving to Vancouver). We talked about how a stressful work environment led to her career transition to become a holistic coach and how Ayurveda has helped her become more mindful in her wellness journey. Through her journey, she developed faith in the Universe and trust in herself. She shared her advice on making big life transitions, including making career pivots and the importance of representation in the workplace.

Interview with Japanese-American Singer-Actress MASUMI

INSPIRING STORIES

5 minutes read

Interview with Japanese-American Singer-Actress MASUMI

Japanese-American singer-actress MASUMI's journey has been one marked by twists and turns, but she eventually landed where she needed to be. After a close friend's death, she abandoned her dreams of pursuing her singing/songwriting career to return to Tokyo, where she enrolled at the International Christian University. However, after witnessing the devasting 2011 Earthquake in Japan, she gained true clarity of her mind and heart and resumed her passion for music and performing. In this interview, MASUMI shares her inspiring journey of preserving despite life's challenges to stay true to her path, how she handles rejection in an industry known for its competitiveness, and how she manifested her lead role in Yakuza Princess. 

Interview with Korean Canadian Television Personality Tanya Kim on Asian Representation in Hollywood

INSPIRING STORIES

5 minutes read

Interview with Korean Canadian Television Personality Tanya Kim on Asian Representation in Hollywood

Canadian television personality and former co-host of etalk Tanya Kim joins us in sharing her inspiring (and non-linear) journey of pursuing her dreams in a competitive industry, her thoughts on Asian representation in Hollywood, and her words of encouragement (DO YOU, FOR YOU) to other Asian-Americans looking to pursue non-conventional career paths. 

A Holistic Coach's Life-Long Journey With Ayurveda

MIND & BODY

5 minutes read

A Holistic Coach's Life-Long Journey With Ayurveda

As an Indian immigrant living in the USA at the time, my journey in Ayurveda started as a way to reconnect to my roots. I was already a believer in holistic wellness, intuition, and ancient wisdom by then, and Ayurveda really resonated with me as it's a life science that takes into consideration the connection of mind and body and alignment with nature and seasons.

Live Your Purpose & Attract Your Ideal Customers

INNER SELF

5 minutes read

Live Your Purpose & Attract Your Ideal Customers

The previous week, we did Biofield Tuning for Brian’s business. While doing the tuning, I saw the underlying benefit that he provides for his customers — safety. Lightbulbs of realization flashed. As he was busy focusing on the daily work within his business, he hadn’t looked at things from this perspective. By doing Biofield Tuning, I helped his energy field to integrate and flow with this new understanding. In the following days, voilá, he magnetized new work. Within days of the Biofield Tuning session, I brought on five new clients.” says Brian.

Interview with Clinical Psychologist Dr. Joseph Choy on Mindfulness, Neuroplasticity, and Mental Wellness for Asians

INSPIRING STORIES

5 minutes read

Interview with Clinical Psychologist Dr. Joseph Choy on Mindfulness, Neuroplasticity, and Mental Wellness for Asians

In our latest inspiring story, we interviewed Clinical Psychologist Dr. Joseph Choy on the importance of practicing mindfulness, the power of our brains to establish new patterns of behavior, and the steps we can take to start normalizing mental health, especially in the Asian culture. 

5 Stages of Healing Old Wounds  In Order to Move On

INNER SELF

5 minutes read

5 Stages of Healing Old Wounds In Order to Move On

In my practice, I ask clients what they think the opposite of pain is. Without fail, everyone answers with the word “joy.” Imagine you’ve just broken your leg, and someone comes along and says, “Don’t think about how it hurts right now, focus on how good it will feel when it’s healed.” Seems ridiculous, right? 

Mental Wellness and Flower Phototherapy in Japan

INNER SELF

5 minutes read

Mental Wellness and Flower Phototherapy in Japan

In Japan, there is a term called "karoshi," which means "death from overwork.'" Japan has a longstanding brutal office culture where long hours and taking time off work beyond the absolute minimum is not an option (according to government figures, in 2018, workers took only 52.4% of their entitled paid leave). Guilt, the mental stress of competing with your colleagues or being seen as "incompetent," and the striving for perfection are some of the reasons that contribute to intense work culture. The term "karojisatsu" (which translates to overwork suicide) was coined after the rise of suicide from occupational stress or overworking. 

Changing Our Money Mindset by Debunking 5 Common Money Myths

CAREER

5 minutes read

Changing Our Money Mindset by Debunking 5 Common Money Myths

We all have our own money beliefs that were either inherited from our childhood, learned from school, society, the people around us, or formed through our own experiences and traumas. Some beliefs are true, and some are far from it. When you have false beliefs and based your decisions on those belief systems, you may feel like things are not working out no matter how hard you try. Breaking free from your limiting beliefs or myths (as I like to call them) can open up the doors to opportunities and help you manifest your financial goals. Below are 5 common money myths that could be keeping you from achieving financial abundance.

The Dark Side of 5 Asian Foods and What to Eat Instead

MIND & BODY

7 minutes read

The Dark Side of 5 Asian Foods and What to Eat Instead

If your house was like my house growing up, you always had to finish your plate, and you didn't have much say in what went on it. Your plate may have consisted of a few main ingredients: rice, protein, and vegetables. How do you know the difference between what was good or bad as a child? We only know what we know and continue in life. With diseases like Type 2 diabetes and heart disease on the rise in Asian populations, I want to share with you some dark secrets behind five of the most popular Asian ingredients and what you can have instead

Learning to Forgive My Asian Father, Develop Self-Acceptance, and Break Generational Trauma

RELATIONSHIPS

8 minutes read

Learning to Forgive My Asian Father, Develop Self-Acceptance, and Break Generational Trauma

My grandfather left my father when he was young. This not only left my father as the “man of the house” at an early age but also left an emotional void that would eventually impact his relationships with his children. Growing up, I would see my peers be showered with physical affection from their parents. While my Korean mom was very affectionate, my Chinese dad withheld his physical love – even a hug to this day feels awkward. The duty or “job,” as he calls it, of being a parent meant providing financially for his children and giving them the opportunities that he was denied of. He was by all measures a dutiful parent in that sense. He gave us the freedom to pursue what we wanted. Yet, like many Asian parents, he held high expectations of how we carried ourselves in the world, especially when it comes to our academic performance. Having good grades was naturally rewarded, and doing poorly was met with a disappointed look. I grew up working hard, constantly working towards something in exchange for winning my father’s affection. Like him, I became diligent and resilient in my academic and career pursuits. 

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