Karen is extraordinary.
Spiritual teacher, writer, dancer and above all a creator.
She is one of those women you meet and fall immediately in simpatico with. Have you met before? Did you know each other in a past life? How is it that she is a kindred spirit so quickly and on first meeting? She just is.
I instantly want to be like her; to harness her courage and bravery, to inspire in the ways she does. She is beautiful to look at but that is almost a by-product as her spiritual, emotional and intellectual self take front of stage in our conversation.
I met Karen in London and we talked and talked. Her life story is fascinating and if there was ever a woman who has mastered re-invention at various stages and ages, it is Karen.
I really want you to know her story before you meet her.
I was so charmed by Karen I wanted to share her story with you. Her interview with David Peschek covers her background.
When she was seven, the family moved to Paris – partly because of the political situation at home, and partly to further the children’s education. Karen remains “very close to the soul and spirit of Morocco” where she and her husband are establishing a museum of photography, and still visits regularly. “For me it’s very luxurious in terms of nature and culture.
“I suffered a lot. My god! When I was a child I suffered because I was not a proper little French girl, I was a Jew, and I was from Morocco. It is tough in France, because when you’re different, you have to fight twice as hard. I was fighting really hard. It triggered that thing in me. If they weren’t going to accept me, I was really going to fight. I really wanted the laurels, and was dedicated to becoming a good student.”
Her hard work paid off she won an MBA from the Grande Ecole, and went on to work in banking and, later, the bond market. It was hard, hugely competitive, and – of course – incredibly male. But the rewards were great, and Karen is not the kind of woman who baulks at a challenge. “The more I’m in trouble, the more I fight. It’s my soul, it’s the way I am.”
She wrote her first book and the success led to workshops in America. Again, Karen found herself successful, busy – but something in her blood was driving her elsewhere. She had taken dancing and singing classes since she was a girl, and it was a calling that could not be ignored. “All my life, dance was in me.”
Karen went on to perform and produce flamenco shows in some of the most prestigious venues in London and Paris. Not content with simply dancing, Karen felt the call of the stage. She began by doing little shows in restaurants, living a double-life, wanting desperately to be a performer.
What is it that she loves about flamenco? “Foreigners see it as sexy. It is sexy, but it’s not that. It’s from the soul. Women are sexy because they’re powerful. They are not selling their sexiness, but they are really showing who they are. They are proud, fierce. I’m ok with being sexy when I dance flamenco, but it’s more than that. It’s passion for life; sadness.”
Karen’s latest project is the creation of Kalmar, the most beautiful lifestyle brand. We talked about her vision, her dreams for Kalmar and I can honestly say she knows no bounds.
Over to Karen,
Karen Ruimy, London March 2017
Artist and messenger, sensual and sensitive woman, so woman, love life and love to spread love and enjoyment. Tell us about your day-to-day life? I always have my first 2 hours for myself in the morning. I wake up, do my 30 minute yoga, do my meditation, have my breakfast where I read then I try to have time to write my spiritual moment of the day. What a luxury ! This luxury is the essence of my life. If I don’t have it, I feel the day is not mine, but I am reacting to the day. Are you the woman you imagined you would become? Oh no! I have had so many dreams in my life, they always transform with time. If you think about my dream as a young woman, yes I become the powerful financier but it did not last. Then yes I dreamt about being a dancer, I never thought then it was possible… What I am happy about is that I always wanted to be real and true to myself and in that yes I totally follow my dream/life mantra. What are the valuable life lessons you have all figured out? I think we progress in life, we never achieve the understanding of a lesson. Life is like an onion to peel-sorry not so sexy comparison-, you learn a lesson, then life brings you more to experience and learn about it, second layer, and then you learn and know more, and you are happy, and then comes another layer hahaha. Staying humble in the number one rule of life. You learn but you are never arrived, darling. Voila for this one ! Stay truthful to who you are is the number one rule. You will never win in a situation where you play someone else. you will feel joyful and you will achieve many goals when you act from your core being. If not you are struggling, you are shoehorning projects in your life and your energy, it is tiring and it is not creating happiness in yourself. What do you like most about yourself? What do you like the least? I love my connection to my spirituality, I love my capacity to still be like a child, enjoying the moment, having fun with life. I don’t enjoy my tendency to lose my stability and stressssss. Yes I am still working on this Omg. What do you like most about getting older? What do you like the least? Ah yes becoming more who I am without questioning so much, is it good to be this or that ? Realising that the truth factor is the key to well-being, to enjoying your moment. Also choosing well your moment, acting your life rather than reacting because as you are young you so believe the world is more right that you. I don’t think old unless I am reminded by the world, like when my daughter thinks 40’s are old women. Whenever you do what you love, the age consciousness flies away. Evidently we all have to deal with our ageing look. It is a new thing to deal with. I believe in wellness over surgery. It works wonders. So what I like the least is when I believe others, I am getting older. What’s your favourite way to dress? Do you have a signature style? I am and all women are multiple. Every facet of mine needs a different look and feel of the clothes I am wearing. When I am in holidays or in my moments of taking care of myself, I would wear flowing beautiful fabrics caftans or outfits that let me be and at the same give me a sense of sensuality. That is the motto of my brand Kalmar. When I am in London, I love to play with strong looks, like a Balmain dress in the evening, a great cut blazer over a blue jean in the day. But my signature style is a white shirt. I collect them, I love them. They give you a look in a second, they give you a glow, they give you cool or chic. Do you have a beauty secret to share? Love yourself. Take time to chill, to be kind to yourself, take a bath, meditate, have good scents around you, pamper your skin, your body, pamper your spirit. Be centred. From there you will glow. All the rest will marry your energy. What’s on the bucket list? Finding the moon and the stars in my everyday Singing for an immense crowd Going to all divine islands Meeting tribes and shamans in the world Meeting great spirits and great artists Spark a light in the eyes of disadvantaged women and children If you could change one thing in the past, what would you do differently? Being less shy about my visions, my intuition, my desire to give. What age do you feel right now? 35-45. Remember I am an artist on stage so I can’t think otherwise Who would play you in a movie? Sophia Loren ! Why not? Country or City? London || Cats or Dogs? Dogs || Casual or Dressy? Casual || Books or Films? Books !! Comedy or Drama? Drama || Trends or Classics? Classics || All or Nothing? Alllllll || French or Italian? Italian Superpower? Yes, my soul || A Guilty Pleasure? Chocolate, and alone time, and daydreaming || The Perfect Gift? A bag or a stone Your hero? One is too little for me, any woman who broke the limits to make life better, bigger, kinder to others. Simone Veil, survived the concentration camps, became one of most brilliant ministers in France, voted the abortion law, beautiful woman, great presence, intelligent and kind, mother of many. And many others.
Off The Cuff
read karen’s blog HERE || follow karen on Instagram HERE || read karen’s words HERE || shop kalmar HERE
