Today we are sitting down with Khajak Keledjian, former Intermix CEO and now the Founder and CEO of INSCAPE and talking about his routines and Savoir Vivre.
What time do you wake up? / What is your morning routine?
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I wake up at 4:45AM. The Ayurvedic teachings say to wake up around 1.5 hours before sunrise.
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5 mins of daydreaming in bed and breathing to acclimate before touching phone
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Spend 15 mins washing up / brushing teeth, etc…
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45 mins of yoga listening to chants and mantras or a mixture of Russian and Tibetan body movement
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30 mins of advanced pranayama/breathing.
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30-45 minutes of meditation; 1 hour sometimes on weekends
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Reading NY Times + some Emails next
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20 mins of learning to play piano with the Simply Piano app
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My daughters, Dalita and Ava, 4 and 2, wake up. We read a chapter of a book and I make them some masala Chai tea, they call it “special” tea, or we’re simply playful and play hide & seek
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Shower and sit with the family while they have breakfast
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Sometimes a quick play on the gongs because my daughter Ava loves to play with me. She’s two and a half and even likes to ride her bike right into the gongs.
What do you have for breakfast?
Before I start my yoga, I have hot water with lemon. Later in the morning I have my daily juice which is a blend of grapefruit, lemon, cayenne, olive oil, garlic powder, flaxseed and ginger — it’s good for the liver.
What time do you go to bed? Bedtime ritual?
I kiss my daughters goodnight and hug my wife. I meditate and sometimes I read a book or I listen to Dream Journey in the sleep section of the Inscape app. I go to bed at 10:30 and my eyes are closed by 10:45-11PM.
What do you do for exercise?
Twice a week I swap my yoga portion of the morning with rowing, cycling or the elliptical.
How many emails do you get a day? How many do you respond to?
We do the best we can. My assistant prioritizes and we start with the important ones. For the rest, we try not to feel guilty for not getting around to all of them right away … sometimes it’s just not possible.
What is the last book you read?
These books aren’t the most recent ones that I’ve read but they are really great:
Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself
This is a great book because Dr Joe Dispenza explains how our brains work and helps us understand, in a scientific way, why our thoughts create who we are. It’s a practical, pragmatic book.
Mind is Your Business / Body is the Greatest Gadget
Sadhguru shows in this book how a human being can help to find and raise him or herself above mind and body with practical explanations to expand awareness and ultimate possibilities, to live life to its fullest potential. I gift everyone this book.
Where is the most special place in the world to you to meditate?
I have meaningful and deep meditations inside the dome at Inscape or when listening to a soundscape in our app simply laying on the beach. Tiger’s Nest in Bhutan is an amazing place to meditate, and I also had an unforgettable meditation experience in the Temple of Burning Man. A few months ago, I did a Sacred Walk in the Himalayas with the Isha Foundation, led by Sad Ghuru. Those were very unique moments in special environments. 15,000 altitude
What is your drink of choice?
I don’t drink often, but I do have a Stella Artois now and then. When we worked with them this past Summer to create a mindful, sensory experience about how to properly drink a beer, it was authentic since I do like their beer.
Coffee or tea?
I prefer Tea (decaffeinated) over coffee because coffee increases my heart rate.
What is on your current playlist?
I like a variety of music but really enjoy music by Viken Arman, Blondish, and Bedouin.
Do you have a beauty routine? What products do you use?
I use a dry brush before I shower. I use a crystal face roller with uma oils from Inscape to hydrate my skin.
What is your favorite café? Where is it?
I don’t typically like going to cafes because they can be very loud and crowded. Recently I have been going to Made By We, it’s great to get a space to grab a coffee and catch up on work or have a meeting.
What is your favorite restaurant? Where is it?
I don’t have a one go to restaurant as I always like exploring new restaurants, but do enjoy ABC V, Cosme, and Bluehill at Stone Barn.
What is the last thing you watched on Netflix?
Minimalism
What is your go to homemade meal?
I love eating Lebanese Mezze with tabouli, hummus, lentils, subreg etc.
What is your biggest vice?
Chocolate
What do you do to relax?
Yoga & Meditation
NYC or LA?
NYC. I enjoy the energy and diversity of New York. New York is very convenient to get around unlike to LA and has so much to do. I also need the four seasons.
Where would you like to travel to that you have never been?
I would like to travel to the Arctic to see polar bears & the Northern Lights.
Beach or mountains?
This one is difficult for me to separate the two. Growing up in Lebanon, I could do both in the same day. I could ski in the morning in April and go to the beach in the afternoon. I’m not sure I can choose one or the other because I love them both.
