This post’s theme is Be your own *AIKHAN, and whenever I am for lack of inspiration – I call upon my friend and mentor Nicholai Cerezo Khan, aka NICHOL*AIKHAN, pronounced like it sounds, icon.  Nick is an artist, life enthusiast, enlightened philosopher, entrepreneur and self made mogul.  Personally, as an artist and someone who thrives on inspiration, occasionally I hit a creative block.  Part of the reason I began this blog was to make it “my job” to inspire myself constantly and to hopefully impart some inspiration onto you.  Below intertwined in to this post are works done by Nicholai Khan.

Nicho is one of those people that if you have never encountered him – you have probably heard of him, if you have met him – you will never cease to be amazed,  if you spend a day with him, you conclude you must spend many more days with him.  His vast knowledge and ingenuity is astounding.  He is my teacher and friend.  A mentor and guru in his own right.  He’s the guy with the impossible story, the one who has overcome mountains,  and comes back to you screaming for more. He has been to the depths of the world, and back.  His bio page on Nick’s Aikhanbuyhouse.com (another one of his ventures with co-partner Leon  Bourn, others include NicholaiKhan.com ) describes him as living a “nefarious lifestyle, realizing the folly of his ways and decided to clean his life up.”

Nick started out as a graffiti artist, getting arrested for it’s illegal nature,  educated at The Fashion Institute of Technology in New York facing the streets of Manhattan then, years later traveled the world and studied at The Oneness University in India.  He had achieved the path of enlightenment by way of study, meditation and reading through sleepless nights of Da Vinci, Machiavelli, Chopra, Hoftstadter, Lipton, Osho as well as books like “The Secret” and  “A Course in Miracles”.   Nick is an artist, an entrepreneur, a visionary and an inspirational leader.  He believes in the strength of humanity and the guidance of your heart and intentions.

(Emily Jessica Brickel) EJB: What Inspires you?

(Nicholai Cerezo Khan) NCK: There is inspiration found everywhere in life itself,  in everything I see, and in everything I experience. The little lessons that we learn along the way are inspiring.  We can discover great clues about ourselves just by being truly present.  A lesson in consciousness can be learned from anyone whether it be homeless person or a billionaire, you have to know how to truly hear their story.  I try to get to know everyone I meet and get insight from them, deep and intricate insight and information.  Almost like a celebration of humanity. When you find individuals you see real raw life, everyone is experiencing it and no one is alone in that.

EJB: So would you say you get your inspiration mostly from people?

NCK: No, everything, anything, deep thought.  A good feeling will be inspiring to me, an Ah Hah moment and I realize Wow, I can make this feeling into something tangible.  If you step into something unpleasant and you invent something from it you can make it so no one ever has to step into that something again.  It (life) can be either a comedy or a tragedy, you have to take the positive out of it.  Every step is a reality.

EJB: Do you ever have a creative block and if so, how do you get out of it?

NCK: No, I’m chasing with my creativity, I have things running through my mind all the time and I let them play, your thoughts should be allowed to play because life is not that serious, and when it is that serious you should let them play more.  My thoughts fly, they have their own wings, and one day those thoughts will come back to me and give me a new experience and then the hands of my physical being will create it.

Let your inspiration come though, It’s not a matter of doing, It’s a matter of being and awareness of what you are being, and everything comes out of that. THE FLOWER KNOWS TO BLOSSOM AT SOME POINT.  DOES IT BLOSSOM RIGHT AWAY?   NO, BUT IT DOES WHEN IT IS SUPPOSED TO, WHEN IT IS NURTURED BY THE ELEMENTS,  WE ARE ALL MEANT TO BLOSSOM, THAT IS THE REALITY OF IT. The truth is that we are all unique and amazing! We need to see this about ourselves before we can truly be free in our own lives. Each flower holds infinite beauty, and each person should embrace their need to expand and flourish in order to find such radiance in themselves.

EJB: Thats amazing, What do you hope to leave as your legacy?

NCK: I want to leave behind a group of individuals, and not just a group but a reality of individuals that will inspire the world – not just wait for inspiration but play with it and create.  (I want to leave behind) Smiles, recognition, (and) Ah Hah moments – for everyone.  If I were to go tomorrow, I want everyone to have an Ah Hah moment and say, yeah I get it, I finally truly understand what he was saying. (On Nick’s many teachings and speeches).

EJB: What is your daily routine?

NCK: I wake up and I’m on my phones Immediately.  From that point on I am giving advice and helping people create businesses for themselves.  Those are the things I do constantly, building businesses and giving advice.  There’s no such thing as a routine in my type of lifestyle, there’s only doing, being and handling one task at a time, giving the time allotted to each task.  Easier said than done, time management is an art in itself.  Harnessing time and making it work for you is difficult but once you get down to it and most effectively be motivated by just being and doing what you have to no matter what (comes up) or no matter where you are. Thats how they (artists, entrepreneurs) are successful.

EJB: Quote to live by?

NCK: Know your goals, know the steps to take, always be patient, never settle and never give up.

EJB: Who said that?

NCK: Nicholai Khan. I live by my own quotes, not any one else’s. I love other quotes, I have hundreds that speak to me, but I WRITE MY OWN BOOK.

This “Lennon” resembles another great besides John. See below photos of the Guru himself and a few of his projects.

Nicholai’s AIKHANIC Clothing Line

Nicho The Tiger Children’s book NichoTheTiger.com available at Amazon.com

Nick’s Beginnings as a graffiti artist.

The artist with his work, at Aikhanbuyhouse.com and  Vespa Restaurant in NYC

Meet the guru.. Nick all over the world. Modern Renaissance Man

Nick living life to the fullest.

The man himself…

I’m not even sure this can do him justice but I hope, at the very least this inspired you.

It’s the true story of the power of intentions and taking control of your destiny.  Nick was a huge force in the creation of my baby Rock Hard Atelier along with many other companies in his profile and for that, his friendship and his guidance I am eternally thankful.