Danijel Gajan

List of lifestyle improvements for 2012

Danijel Gajan — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:45:45 +0000

Stay away from TV
Minimize computer usage @ home
Go to bed at 22:30 latest whenever possible
Get up at 6:00 and start the day with exercise
Say NO to unimportant tasks – stay focused
Get rid of unnecessary stuff
Allow yourself to be happy

Letting go

Danijel Gajan — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 07:56:25 +0000

After practicing Aikido for three and a half years I was forced to quit in March due to other obligations. This was one of the toughest choices I’ve had to make in my entire life. As I was walking to the dojo to let my sensei know about my decision my eyes were filled with tears and I felt devastated.

Aikido has brought so much into my life. Apart from the benefits of physical exercise Aikido has boosted my confidence and thought me valuable lessons about handling life situations. It is the hardest martial art to learn due to the fact that you must conquer your own mind and resist the “fight or flight” instincts imprinted in our genes. It is all about taking the neutral point of view, even when attacked, and making sure no one gets harmed, through applying various non-violent defensive techniques.

The bitter experience of letting go of Aikido has thought me a valuable lesson, though. I’ve managed to get over the mourning period relatively quickly and focused on remembering all I’ve learned in classes and applying the knowledge in real world. I still occasionally do the warm-up exercises in the morning to get my bloodstream going and regularly meditate through breathing exercises to clear my mind and release stress at work.

Someday I may or may not return to classes and pick up where I’ve left off, but the most important thing perhaps is that thanks to Aikido I’ve become a better person and I am very grateful for that.

Ki Aikido – a year later

Danijel Gajan — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 16:40:39 +0000

It seems like only yesterday I have made the decision to start practicing the art of Ki Aikido, yet over a year has passed since then. I have had ups and downs, a few bruises here and there, gone from frustration to excitement and I must say – it was well worth it!

Ki Aikido is one of the rare martial arts that promotes non-violence and peace. Basically you learn fighting skills with a goal and intention to never use them A true Ki Aikido master avoids conflict at all costs. Fighting techniques are used only if diplomacy fails, and even then the goal is not to harm the attacker, yet to disable him in a gentle and caring way.

I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate my one year anniversary than attending a three day Ki Aikido seminar in Belgrade held by sen-sei Kenjiro Yoshigasaki, founder of the Ki No Kenkyukai Association International.

It was a thrilling experience. During the three days we were practicing for two hours, twice a day. Sensei Yoshigasaki has taught us some great new techniques and shared some of his wisdom. I was so amazed by the things he said – some of his words still linger on in my mind.

Taking Aikido lessons has for sure been the best decision I have made regarding my self-confidence, spirit and overall health. If you are interested in making a good change in your life, look up an Aikido dojo in your town and attend at least one class – that’s how long it took me to get hooked

Muscle power

Danijel Gajan — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 22:54:59 +0000

Today, I’ve spent a whole day helping my father clean up the garden at his new house. My muscles ache from the hard work, I’ve got scratches on my arms from the bush and branches, but you know what – it felt great!

We’ve cleaned up a part of the backyard that is to become a beautiful garden soon. Between work I played with the dogs, which I enjoy very much. And at the end of the day we enjoyed a great meal my mother and sister prepared. What a day!

As a web designer I spend a lot of time in front of the screen and it’s really a great thing to get out and get those muscles into action from time to time, and for a good cause too. Is there somebody you could help out with some muscle power?

The miracle of life

Danijel Gajan — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 22:50:14 +0000

Thanks to the power of technology today I had the privilege to meet my future son! By using a 4D ultrasound device the doctor was able to take a peek into mommy’s belly and there he was – our little one, getting ready for the big wide world. Truly a miracle

Aikido – still going strong

Danijel Gajan — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 23:25:09 +0000

I have started practicing the art of Aikido in November last year. I made a promise to myself – if I stay interested and keep practicing for 6 moths I will buy myself a dogi. Dogi is the clothes we use while practicing – similar to kimono in karate. You can practice Aikido in any comfortable sportswear, until you purchase a dogi. So here I am 6 months later and still very interested, so the promise has been kept. It feels a little awkward to wear all white, but I’ll get used to it I guess

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Veggie BBQ

Danijel Gajan — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 13:37:58 +0000

On March 20th, the first day of spring, I have decided to give vegetarian diet a try for one month, inspired by Steve Pavlina’s 30 day trial system for acquiring new habits. I am proud to say that this first trial of mine was successful and I have indeed cut meat out of my diet for 30 days. The fact that I have made a conscious decision to do such a thing was exciting enough, and to complete the task was very fulfilling and encouraging.

I must say that this trial wasn’t as difficult as one might think, because I have been considering trying vegetarianism for quite some time and additionally I have chosen a very liberal form of lacto-ovo vegetarianism, which means that I was consuming milk, dairy products and eggs. I have also been reducing the meat consumption gradually in the months preceding the trial.

In a way I guess I was preparing myself, but it wasn’t until the day I have chosen to give up meat that I have finally made the switch. And that’s the only thing that counts – turning your ideas into action! I have encountered some resistance from family and friends, but generally my decision has been accepted very well. I guess the 30 day trial period works well both for the person who is doing the trial, as well as for the people who have to accept the change – “it’s only for a month, you know”

One of the most enjoyable moments was the family barbecue at my parent’s house – at that time I have not yet seen the Simpsons episode where Lisa (a vegetarian herself) ruins Homer’s BBQ party as an act of protest For the first time in my life I have prepared grilled mushrooms, carrots and other veggies instead of burgers and chicken wings, and it was both fun and very tasty – everybody have had a bite of my cuisine.

Right now I have returned to non-vegetarian diet since I have not made it clear to myself if I really want to be a vegetarian for life, but the 30 day journey brought me several benefits:

I have made a conscious decision about an important part of my life, which is great
I have tried some very tasty vegetable recipes for the first time… mmmm… grilled cauliflower
I have focused more on what I eat, which is important
Hopefully I have influenced a few people to think about their eating habits

Value of compromise

Danijel Gajan — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 08:55:29 +0000

This morning I have learned a lesson about differences and compromise.

It all started as a conflict between me and my fellow employee over the intensity of light in the office. There is a neon light source placed on the ceiling which shines right into my eyes and is very distracting. Incidentally, one of my colleagues needs this light, in addition to his low intensity overhead light source, for his working area, so turning it off wasn’t an option for him.

Naturally, each of us found his own trouble more important and we ended up with a conflict and no resolution. However, after a minute or two we have started discussing possible solutions, and came up with a simple idea. We took out one neon bulb from the problematic light source, thus decreasing it’s intensity, and added it to the group of bulbs above my colleague’s head, to increase the intensity of light for him.

However, the new intensity of light from his overhead source turned out to be strong enough for him, so we could turn off the problematic light completely. We have made a true compromise, without anyone’s needs being neglected.

This story may sound trivial to someone. For me it was a great opportunity to overcome my ego and learn the value of compromise.

Can dreams save lives?

Danijel Gajan — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 13:44:46 +0000

This morning I woke up after a very intense dream. Usually I don’t remember my dreams, but this one was quite disturbing. In the dream I was driving my car on a usual route from my home to work. Suddenly a big gap in the road appeared in front of my car, as if some construction work was going on. I managed to stop the car just a few millimeters from the hole in the ground, avoiding an accident. The hole was very deep and falling in would have caused injury or even death. I remember thinking that someone should put up a warning sign!

At that very moment another car came down the road so fast that it couldn’t stop on time and crashed right into the hole. The car was a wreck and I was sure that there were no survivors. I remember calling the ambulance and this is where the dream ended. The weird thing was that the car looked just like mine.

So I got up, got ready and headed of to work as usual. A few minutes after I left the parking space and headed downtown a speeding car jumped in front of me from a side street. The guy who was driving was talking on a cell phone and wasn’t paying attention to the road. I hit the brakes and luckily managed to stop my car early enough to avoid crashing into the other car. As my heart pounded like crazy of the excitement the first thing that rushed through my mind was the dream.

It may sound like a coincidence but I am certain of one thing: in a way I already knew that the accident was going to happen and subconsciously my attention was higher than usual. As a result I was able to react more promptly.

So if someone asked me if dreams can save lives I would say yes, I do believe so. And I have a story to prove it.

The Way of harmonious spirit

Danijel Gajan — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 15:04:54 +0000

Yesterday was a very important day for me. After months of procrastination I have finally attended my first Aikido class. The experience blew me away! After just one hour of training I felt as if my body was charged with electricity and my mind was clear and sharp. I am really looking forward to today’s class!