The Shelly Story

This episode was released on the heels of perhaps the most dramatic election of our time—one that will have a serious impact on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and leadership initiatives in corporations throughout the United States. So I felt very fortunate to speak to one of the most compelling and dynamic authorities in this space—Dr. Priya Nalkur. Priya Nalkur, Ed.D. is the President of The RoundTable Institute, where she leads a global group of coaches and facilitators to help companies build more inclusive leaders and workplaces. She is a professional speaker, coach and facilitator and has taught at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and the Heller School for Social Policy and has several courses on Udemy for Business. She is the author of the book Stumbling Towards Inclusion: Finding Grace in Imperfect Leadership. We touched on so many topics in this discussion, including: Priya's innovative framework of JEDI for Leaders and JEDI for Coaches; how the notions of justice and belonging are often overlooked in many well-intentioned DEI intiatives in corporate America. How Stumbling Towards Inclusion evolved from a "manual" to accompany the JEDI training to also include her journey—from a child of South Asian immigrants who struggled to fit in, to her time at leading universities in the US (Harvard, Yale), to her current role as an authority on DEI and executive leadership coach. The genesis of The Roundtable Institute as a leadership development platform to focus on women and marginialized people, launched in the wake of the tumultuous 2016 election. Joseph Campbell's quote about "going into the abyss to recover the treasures of life and stumbling"—and how the notion of stumbling (as well as biking up steep hills in Southern California) plays into leadership. The relationship between the activity of dance—in all its forms—and the dynamics of effective leadership. Concepts discussed in Stumbling Towards Inclusion, including "lowering the waterline," allyship, and the notion of headwinds and tailwinds in leadership. Priya's experience as the child of Indian immigrants in Ontario, Canada, and how that shaped her lifelong mission for inclusion. Struggles that we as South Asian parents face in juggling the tasks of assimilating, succeeding in corporate America, while passing our cultural heritage (culinary, dance, musical) to our children. To connect with Priya and learn more about JEDI, The Roundtable Institute, and her many other initiatives, visit priyanalkur.com or theroundtableinstitute.com. You can also connect with her on LinkedIn or Instagram. Connect with Nikhil to learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Untether Your Life⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and other projects: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Since moving to Southern California last year, I've been blessed to cross paths with many souls on a similar journey of spirituality and wellness. I had one of these folks on the podcast a year ago, Kyle Peche, and am now delighted to welcome his wife Sundarri Rodriguez as a guest. Sundarri is an award-winning actress, musician, and philanthropist. You may have seen her appear in shows on Hulu, indie films, or even local theater. Sundarri is passionate about healing others with sound. She is a performing artist, and plays shows around the Southern California area, with music on Spotify, Apple Music, and other platforms. In 2023 she founded a non-profit organization called Soma Wellness. Soma is a Christ-Consciousness based non-profit formed to build community and to serve those in recovery with holistic modalities, such as sound-healing, breathwork, and yoga. Please note that Soma Wellness is entirely separate from SOMA Breath, a breathwork modality which we've discussed on the show previously. NOTE: Soma Wellness is entirely separate from SOMA Breath, a breathwork modality which we've discussed on the show previously. Sundarri and I discussed many topics, including: How a tiger in a South Carolina zoo served as her namesake, and serendipitously led to discovery of sacred geometry, Kriya Yoga, sound healing, and other holistic modalities. The false dichotomy that often exists between Eastern and Western forms of spirituality such as Christianity and Hinduism. How many mistakenly see the former as overly rigid or confining, and the latter as too ethereal or abstract. How sages such as Paramahansa Yogananda and Swami Vivekananda help to bridge this gap; how their mission being carried forward today at organizations such as Self Realization Fellowship - where I originally met her and her husband (and former podcast guest) Kyle. Sundarri's Southern Baptist upbringing in South Carolina, which exposed her to speaking in tongues, and other spontaneous spiritual practices that she feels have largely faded away in the modern iteration of Christianity. The "origin story" of Soma Wellness, which sprung in some part from the tragic loss of her stepfather to addiction at age 45. How the platform combines sound healing, breathwork, yoga, and music to help those in recovery from addiction. How Sundarri is able to maintain her strong sense of spirituality, even while working in the music and film industries - traditionally seen by some as being more commercial and lacking in spiritual foundation House of Soma - a camping and music Festival held in Southern California, featuring more than 30 acts and the holistic modalities offered by Soma Wellness. To find out more about Soma Wellness and connect with Sundarri / learn about her journey, please visit healwithsoma.com, or connect with her on Instagram at @ayoitssundarri or @healwithsoma. Connect with Nikhil to learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Untether Your Life⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and other projects: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

To comemorate the 90(ish)th episode of Untether Your Life, I'm rebroadcasting my appearance on the Happy and Human podcast. I always walk away from my exchanges with the hosts - my friends Dinesh Melwani and Dr. Seema Desai - with some new insight, an expansion of my network, and at the very least, a good chuckle. This conversation was no exception. It's full of light-hearted banter, mixed with discussion of weightier topics such as breathwork, epigenetics, and the triumphs and tribulations of life in the South Asian diaspora. In this far ranging conversation, we touch on the following: The implication of Bruce Lipton's conceptualization of our body as a community of 50 trillion cells. How this mindset can improve our decision making skills and sense of agency and empowerment. The power of Thich Nhat Hanh's mindful breathing techniques (i.e., "In / out, deep / slow") in enabling us to better navigate turbulent times, and help humanity "one breath at a time." What it truly means, as members of the South Asian diaspora, to have "made it" vis-à-vis the American dream. The impact on this pivotal success juncture of the Buddhist notion of impermanence, and the concept of asymptotes (pro tip: you may need to dust off your high school math textbook for this episode). The true meaning of the practice of "clean living," and how positive self-talk and gratitude factors into this How breathwork and humming can stimulate the vagus nerve, and activate our parasympathetic nervous system and the "rest and digest" response, widen our lens and help us move from scarcity to abundance mindset The perils of the "if / then fallacy" that many children of immigrants face in prioritizing success over true happiness, fulfillment, and physical and mental health Reflections on cold plunges and other practices covered in the Netflix Limitless series with Chris Hemsworth Interested in checking out other episodes of the Happy and Human podcast? Visit the Instagram page or check them out on Buzzsprout. I highly recommend following these dynamic changemakers on Instagram as well (@dineshmelwani / @dr.seemadesai). Connect with Nikhil to learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Untether Your Life⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and other projects: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

This episode gives credence to the saying that "there are no coincidences in life." It's being released on the eve of World Mental Health Day, October 10th. Every year on this date, I marvel at the mental health journey I've been blessed to embark on thanks to this podcast. Further, this episode was recorded on September 20th. Eight years ago on this date, I'd hit rock bottom in a psychiatric hospital in Chicago - divorce, unemployment, complete detachment from my kids, and the nadir of my mental and physical health. I'm thankfully in a better place now. This is in part because I "did the work," but also because of my incredible wife Shelly. She pushed for me to get an accurate clinical diagnosis, pursue an effective treatment regimen, and many other factors that helped me get to where I am today. I'm living proof of the pivotal importance of caregivers in the journey of adults with bipolar disorder and other forms of serious mental illness (SMI). On this World Mental Health day, I dedicate this episode to my wife and the millions of caregivers out there. Your hard work does not go unnoticed, and as beneficiaries we're eternally grateful for your perseverance and determination. Hopefully this episode gives you some comfort in the storm. This week's guest, Mitul Desai, has emerged as a champion and voice for these unsung heroes and, given my own lived experience, I was thrilled to cross paths with him through organizations such as Indiaspora and South Asian Americans for Change (SAAFC). Mitul has been helping care for his brother, who lives with schizophrenia, for the past two decades. Mitul began his career working in healthcare law and finance, and he's held leadership roles in product development and data services. He also served in the Obama Administration. Mitul serves on the Board of NAMI-NYC and has written about his family's experience in Forbes and USA Today. Mitul created The Care Hack with Dr. Eli Shalenberg to ensure that no other family has to suffer in isolation the way his did. To connect with Mitul, visit thecarehack.com, or follow @thecarehack on Instagram. Connect with Nikhil to learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Untether Your Life⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and other projects: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

As busy, hard-working professionals with families, demanding jobs, and multiple other obligations, we often go into auto-pilot. We mindlessly follow scripts and templates that were passed onto us about what success looks like. We rarely stop to ask "why?" and fail to see that saying yes to too much may in the end lead us on to the people-pleasing road to ruin. This week's guest, Amy Green Smith, has successfully navigated this dance, and has helped many clients get out of this trap. Amy is a certified and credentialed life coach and hypnotherapist, masterful speaker, and personal empowerment expert. Amy uses her roles as coach, writer, podcaster, and speaker to move individuals to a place of radical personal empowerment and self-worth. With acute focus on helping people “find their voice”, she is highly sought after for her uncommon style of irreverence, wisdom, and humor and has been a featured expert in Inspired Coach Magazine and on Fox 5 San Diego. We touched on many fascinating topics during our discussion including: The artificial distinction between intuition and inner critic, which are actually in many ways just opposite sides of the same coin The common tendency to focus on the fight / flight response associated with the sympathetic nervous system, and ignore the 3rd “F” – fawn. How people-pleasing plays into all of this. Amy's powerful conception of “self-sentiment,” which is a bit more nuanced than the traditional notion of self-talk. How emotional “entry points” help us unpack moments of high anxiety, and prevent us from getting taken down by black and white thinking. Amy's spiritual journey, which started with a dogmatic, devout Christian upbringing, and evolved into her exploring Buddhism, Universal Unitarianism, and numerous other schools of thought Amy's transition from a successful (but unfulfilling) career in corporate training for a large cosmetics manufacturer to life coaching, which was far more aligned with her soul purpose The role of consent in following the voices of our inner critic as adults (vs. when we were children) The power of hypnotherapy in unlocking alpha, theta, and delta brainwave states. How injecting mindfulness even in small doses can ultimately push humanity forward. The importance of distinguishing between "am I in danger?” or “is this something new?" when entering ambiguous situations. What it truly means "outsource our self worth" - i.e., please others for the sake of feeling better about ourselves. How progressive language, and a more incremental approach, can help us break down those “big hairy audacious goals,” and prevent us from getting mired in self-sabotage and defeat. The analogy of smoke alarm to help us take a more measured, nuanced view of our self-defense systems. The valuable insights of Bruce Lipton, Jose Silva, Richard Davidson on mindfulness, hypnosis, and meditation Amy's signature 9-month transformational group immersion program for women entitled “Worthy,” which includes two 5-day retreats, a supportive community, as well as numerous online and offline resources Do you want to feel more worthy? Get a better handle on your inner critic (or...intuition)? Reach out to Amy Green Smith today on Instagram or LinkedIn, check out her podcast, or visit her at amygreensmith.com. Connect with Nikhil to learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Untether Your Life⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and other projects: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Always love connecting with folks who share my passion for everything from breathwork to podcasting to cold plunges to the iconic So Cal rock group Sublime. So it was a sincere treat to host this week's guest Sam Kabert. Sam is a Serial Entrepreneur turned Certified Breathwork Practitioner and TEDx speaker. He is the Author of the #1 Bestselling book, SOUL/Life Balance, and host of the Soul Seekr Podcast. In the past 5 years, he has courageously embraced a transformative path of self-discovery, centering his focus on prioritizing mental health. Sam is on a mission to offer tools to overcome overwhelm and encourage the rise of compassionate leadership to eradicate the glorification of “hustle culture.” You won't want to miss this episode, as we tease apart all the things, including: The importance of delineating between different forms of breathwork, from exercises for maintenance and relaxation to more expansive journeys that help release trauma, and bring about mystical, almost psychedelic experiences. How Eastern principles like samadhi (e.g., “release”) tie into these practices. How Sam - who had landed on Silicon Valley's 40 under 40 list, with a thriving 7-figure business, a 4 hour work week, and a seemingly picture perfect romantic relationship – suffered a crippling bout of depression, having “seemingly cracked the code” The effectiveness of cold exposure, psychedelic therapy, and other techniques in pulling Sam out of this seemingly intractable dark night of the soul, and enabling him to "Overcome the Overwhelm" (also the title of his most recent book) The meaning of the notion of "72 ounces to freedom." What this play on the classic Sublime album can teach us about feeling into our emotions, overcoming toxic positivity, and engaging in what Carl Jung called shadow work to achieve "soul life balance." The myriad implications of the Viktor Frankl quote - "between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom." The opportunity that the Covid-19 pandemic, and the accompanying lockdowns, give for people to pause, reflect, and go deeper within spirituality How for some, including Sam, ayahuasca, psilocybin, and other forms of psychedelic therapy can provide a more rapid form of trauma relief than conventional mental health treatment modalities Insights from Overcome the Overwhelm, SOUL/Life Balance, and other books that Sam has written. If anything from our discussion resonated with you, and you'd like to speak further with Sam please visit him at samkabert.com, check out the Soul Seekr podcast, or connect with him on LinkedIn or Instagram. Connect with Nikhil to learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Untether Your Life⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and other projects: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In line with the mantra of this show - to "own your health" - this week we speak with gastroenterologist Dr. Supriya Rao, whose Gutsy Girl MD platform has evolved into the go-to resource for all things gut health, nutrition, and lifestyle-related. Supriya is quadruple board certified in internal medicine, gastroenterology, obesity medicine, and lifestyle medicine. She received her undergrad degree from MIT, followed by graduation from Duke University School of Medicine. In addition to her role as managing partner at Integrated Gastroenterology Consultants in 2014, she serves as Director for Medical Weight Loss at Lowell General Hospital. Supriya is passionate about empowering people to improve their health through sustainable lifestyle changes, and enjoys traveling, running, yoga and spending time with family and friends. We touched on numerous topics, including: The pivotal importance of a healthy gut microbiome, and the benefits of practices such as "eating the rainbow." The implications of common phrases like "gut feeling," or "going with our gut" - i.e., an underlying connection between gastrointestinal function and cognition The scientific basis for this linkage with the gut brain axis, and the staggering fact that more than 90% of the body's serotonin is produced in the gut Dr. Rao's Gutsy Girl MD platform, which leverages Blue Zones principles, newer disciplines such as lifestyle medicine, as well as nutrition, relationships, and other harbingers of whole health to provide patients with a comprehensive approach to owning their health via Instagram and other channels. Supriya's somewhat circuitous path to her current specialty of medicine, a bit of a departure from her start in computer science at MIT. The differences between the multi-faceted discipline of gastroenterology, and other more compartmentalized specialties, and why it appealed to Supriya. The double-edged sword of the South Asian diet, which includes both good (i.e., turmeric, cardamom and other Ayurvedic ingredients) and not so good (i.e., simple carbohydrates) The challenges doctors face in adhering to the age-old "physician, heal thyself" mantra A look at "the good, the bad, and the ugly" behind biohacking Want to learn more about all things gut health from Gutsy Girl MD? Connect with Supriya on Instagram at @gutsygirlmd, or visit her at gustygirlmd.com or myigic.com. Connect with Nikhil to learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Untether Your Life⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and other projects: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

My time at one of the prestigious “Big 4” consulting firms sharpened my analytical skills and built my professional network immensely. It also contributed to me bottoming out physically and mentally. This rock bottom forced me to embrace meditation and go within, while working to shed my dependency on external validation and traditional symbols of "making it." I'm always fascinated, therefore, to cross paths with Big 4 alums who have also gone on a journey of spirituality and self-realization – such as this week's guest, Camilia Berrada. Camilia Berrada is a vehicle for change, who spent 8 years professionally mentoring and coaching top-level execs, using Deloitte London as her primary vehicle. She's also devoted over 13 years of her life consciously exploring and expanding human consciousness at individual, collective, and systemic levels. From “shamans to boardrooms,” Camilia is continuously tuning herself to become the instrument she needs to be for the people she meets and elevates. When leaders are open to change, she is their vehicle. We touched on so many topics in our conversation, including: The difficulty that many high achievers face when looking to integrate learnings from retreats in Costa Rica, Bali, and other “epicenters of enlightenment” that comprise the rapidly growing global wellness tourism market The fundamentals of generative trance - known as the “third wave of hypnosis” - that builds on the work of Milton Erickson. How this modality (highly favored by Camilia) can help us achieve a partnership between our conscious and unconscious minds, and fully tap into our intuition. The potential for surfing to help corporate leaders maximize their performance in crafting vision, setting direction, achieving razor-sharp focus, and getting organizational buy-in. The drawbacks of embracing the "hustle culture" seen in startups and top management consulting firms - specifically chasing dopamine and external validation. How staying "in our head" too much prevents us from achieving true somatic healing in the body - which as Nietzsche said is a far more abundant source of wisdom than any philosophy Camilia's coaching and mentoring program, which encompasses VIP programs, corporate offers, masterminds, memberships, online courses, to “support leaders in finding deep inner freedom and amplifying their impact in the world.” What the concept of "home" truly means to spiritually enlightened globe-trotters such as Camilia A nuanced, mutli-layered view of the role of ayahuasca, psilocybin, and other forms of plant medicine in achieving states of higher consciousness. Camilia's roots of growing up in Morocco, and how her perspectives on her cultural background have evolved (as has her home country) over time. To learn more about Camilia, and potentially collaborate with her, please visit her on Instagram or LinkedIn. Connect with Nikhil to learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Untether Your Life⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and other projects: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

There's a concept in Eastern wisdom tradition called sangha, which centers on the power of community. When I launched Untether Your Life two years ago, I had no idea what an incredible sangha awaited me with the podcasting ecosystem. Connecting with fellow storytellers and content creators has led to impactful collaborations. It's exposed me to life-changing frameworks, and it's given me many a good chuckle. One of these podcasters is this week's guest, Dr. Seema Desai. Seema is a transformational success coach and speaker, who helps high-achieving leaders go from stressed and overwhelmed to productive and fulfilled. She's the author of the book Connected: Discovering Your Inner Guides and co-host of the Happy and Human podcast. Seema recently served as Co-President of the Austin chapter of the influential non-profit Pratham USA, which aims to create learning equity for underserved children in India and globally. In a former life, she was also a dentist. We touched on so many incredible topics in this discussion, including: A revisiting of the famous Steve Jobs quote that "you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards;" understanding what to do in the present, when all those dots seem like a giant, jumbled mess. Finding “Calm in the Chaos” (which, interestingly enough, is the title of Seema's course) Seema's book Connected, which introduces the concept of guides and guards to help us tap into our intuition and higher selves, while better understanding the survival mechanism underlying the frantic, fight-flight state we often find ourselves in. How Seema applied the "guides and guards" framework to parenting with her own children. The background and mission of Happy and Human, which Seema and co-host Dinesh Melwani launched to amplify voices of the South Asian diaspora, and share the powerful life lessons they've picked up as parents, coaches, attorneys / dentists, yoga experts, surfers, and incorrigible goofballs. Seema's decision to transition from a career as a dentist to a transformation success coach and speaker. The pitfalls of “checkbox syndrome” / “if then fallacy,” and how this myopic external focus yields an imperfect path to happiness. The evolution of South Asians' image in the United States, from one-dimensional spelling bee champion “robots,” to thought leaders with a “seat at the table.” The power of simple, everyday practices like gratitude, curiosity, and focusing on our breath To learn more about Seema, please visit her at drseemadesai.com, check out the Happy and Human podcast, or connect with her on Instagram or LinkedIn. Connect with Nikhil to learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Untether Your Life⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and other projects: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Since launching this podcast two years ago, I continually marvel at the power of synchronicity, and the amazing wise souls that it's put in my path. Their books, online videos, and friendship have deepened my understanding of the wisdom traditions I've become so passionate about. This week's guest - Mas Vidal Maheshananda - is a prime example. Mas Vidal is considered a global ambassador for Yoga, Ayurveda, Vedanta, and the wisdom of the Indian culture. Through his many programs, lectures and private counseling, Mas has become one of the most influential voices for evolutionary living based on the principles of these wisdom traditions. He is the founder and director of the Dancing Shiva School and he developed MoreLifeMarket.com, an online Ayurvedic Superfoods company. As an Ayurvedic practitioner, he maintains an active international counseling practice that also integrates medical astrology. He is also the author of two books on Yoga and Ayurveda – Sun, Moon & Earth, and The Evolution Revolution. I thoroughly enjoyed my discussion with Mas, in which we touched on: A rethinking of the traditional model of evolution, centered on Darwinian cut-throat competition and survival of the fittest: the consideration of a more enlightened view on progress of the human species, that champions harmony, cooperation, and "soft power." This is the core theme of Mas' latest book The Evolution Revolution The misguided emphasis in the West on achieving the optimal mix of calories, proteins, vitamins, and other nutrients in our meals, which we continually freeze and reheat. A need to prioritize what's really essential (prana, or life force) in our food, drink, relationships, activities, information we consume, relationships and everything else we expose our mind, body, and soul to. The roots of Dancing Shiva, the platform through which Mas has made Yoga, Ayurveda, and numerous other Eastern wisdom traditions accessible to seasoned and novice practitioners alike. How "soft power" can extend beyond behavior to our consumption habits, i.e., that we can live a healthier, more yogic life by avoiding "hard" foods. The etymology of the name "Mas Vidal Maheshananda," a unique East Meets West combination. The benefits of living in communities - such as Santa Fe, New Mexico; Encinitas, California; and Pune, India - on one's mental, physical, and spiritual well-being The meaning of Mas' statement that "the world is my guru," and more specifically, how that ties back to his following of the "one true guru, Paramahansa Yogananda. How the Eastern wisdom traditions of Yoga and Ayurveda complement one another. Intrigued? Learn more about Dancing Shiva, and tap into Mas Vidal Maheshanda's wealth of spiritual knowledge by visiting the Dancing Shiva Website. You can also connect with him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Connect with Nikhil to learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Untether Your Life⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and other projects: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Many of us lead very fragmented lives. If we're lucky, we set aside a couple hours a week to what really lights us up in between our busy "9-to-5"s and hectic social and family obligations. I find it very inspiring, therefore, to connect with people like this week's guest Sharanya Rao, who succeed in "bringing their whole selves" to their day to day and follow their passion. Sharanya is an expert on making transitions, having lived in 4 countries, and changed careers from being a commercial litigation lawyer to government and then to becoming a professional coach. Now, as the head of Global Coaching Works and the Artistic Director of Leela - An Indian Community Theatre, she focuses on empowering individuals and developing their potential through Co-Active Coaching, mindfulness and creativity. She is a champion of diversity and inclusion, and a true believer in the power of community. In this episode, we touch on numerous topics including: The concept of a Third Culture Kid (TCK), and the implications of straddling the cultural norms of three countries (India, Singapore, and the United States) on adaptability and authenticity. Further, how this unique background helped Sharanya navigate a career shift from law into leadership coaching. An overview of Leela, and its showcase project Anklets in the Boardroom, a project story-telling inspired in part by the Theater of the Oppressed and leaders such as Deepa Purushothaman; how these initiatives helped Sharanya follow her passion and give voice to South Asian women struggling with workplace discrimination. Exciting announcements for the Leela team, including funding from the City of Austin and a partnership with Austin PBS. The concept of svadharma and how can it help us achieve the show's mission of breaking free of templates How somewhat "dodgy" questions in the foreign service application process contributed to Sharanya's disenchantment with this profession How the field of coaching, and connections formed through the International Coaching Federation (ICF) provided Sharanya with a community where people would "bring their whole self to work." Sharanya's journey into spirituality starting with her introduction to Swami Chinmayananda at the age of 14 The lifelong learnings at Chinmaya Mission in oneness / Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam / "The World Is One Family" You can connect with Sharanya via numerous channels, notably her LinkedIn profile. To learn about Global Coaching Works, visit the Website, connect with them on Instagram, or check out their Facebook page. You can find out more about Leela and Anklets in the Boardroom at their Website, as well as on Instagram and Facebook Connect with Nikhil to learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Untether Your Life⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and other projects: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

This episode is a first in Untether Your Life history, in bringing on a husband and wife duo. On the heels of my interview with Amish Shah in 2023, I'm proud to release my discussion with his wife, the incredibly insightful Dr. Puja Shah. Puja is a visionary poet who shares her voice through written and spoken word, guided meditations, and teaching. Born in Queens, New York to immigrant parents, she defied teachers who questioned her English skills by winning countless poetry and short story awards in her youth. With over 10 years of nonprofit experience and a long public health career, she has pivoted careers to follow her passion for writing and created a campaign aligned with girls rights awareness causes for her triple award winning novel, For My Sister. Puja holds a D.M.D. doctorate degree and has completed multiple training courses in yoga, meditation and ancient wisdom. She teaches corporate mindfulness guided meditations and is currently president of The Shah Education and Exploration Foundation, 501c3. For My Sister is her first novel. Puja and I touched on so many amazing topics in our far-ranging interview, including: The meaning of the Paulo Coelho quote "we will only understand the miracle of life fully when we allow the unexpected to happen" How the Buddhist practice of Vipassana or "seeing things as they really are" can help us question default stress management behaviors like alcohol or social media The impact of Puja's award-winning book For My Sister in shining a light on the dark practices of human trafficking in India and other parts of the world. The lessons of Puja's book on intuition, the duality that exists in all of us, and the benefits of following our dharma How serving underprivileged girls' communities in India and Uganda pushed Puja to reconnect with her life-long passion for storytelling Puja's journey from a lucrative but unfulfilling career in private practice dentistry and in government, to teaching children in India and Uganda, to teaching yoga, launching a 501(c)(3) non-profit and finally as a bestselling author The impact of COVID-19 in allowing Puja to "press pause" on life, reassess, and also attend multiple writers' events virtually The importance of community (or "sangha") in Puja's journey, notably The Chai Mommas group that she co-founded How Alka Joshi, who wrote her book, The Henna Artist, at age 60, provided inspiration to Puja and her fellow "chai mommas" How a "safe" career with high salary, benefits, and stability serves as "golden handcuffs" can prevent us from realizing our true dharma, or calling. Puja's impactful experience with plant medicine, which helped her connect with her true essence Find out more about Puja's incredible journey and work by visiting her Websites, puja-shah.com and formysisterbook.com. You can also connect with her on Instagram at psnamaste, or check out her guided meditations on Spotify or other streaming platforms under psnamaste. Connect with Nikhil to learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Untether Your Life⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and other projects: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

I've been blessed to cross paths with some of the most dynamic, impactful souls across the planet through my involvement in Mindvalley, SOMA Breath, and other global communities. One of these is Piotr Ciepiel, who I met during a breathwork retreat in Ibiza, Spain. His evolution - which includes healing from cancer - is a powerful demonstration of the transformation that is possible when we untether our lives. Piotr, MiFit Mindful Fitness founder, takes his transformative body / mind / energy programs worldwide. A dynamic public speaker, retreat leader, and breath master, he guides people to embrace emotions, vulnerability, and authenticity. A health and wellbeing advocate, Piotr shares his cancer and chemotherapy journey, compelling us to prioritize physical and mental health now. This invigorating, inspiring discussion, touches on numerous topics, including: How Piotr's cancer diagnosis at 28 forced him to re-examine the "templates" he'd had been following in terms of lifestyle, health, and career decisions. What Piotr did to interrupt and completely transform his life by embracing mindfulness, breathwork positive self-talk and unlocking his true "superhuman" powers How retreats and in person events can 10x the benefits of informational resources for breathwork, physical fitness, public speaking, and many other personal transformation disciplines widely available online; how they can deliver the true benefits of sangha, or community How breathwork offers a powerful one-two punch of research-based science and soul-shaping spirituality, and can "bring you to places that you've never been before" The philosophy behind Piotr's MiFit ("mindful fitness") platform and programs like "Unpack Yourself," which bring together activation, strength training and awareness to everyday activities like taking a walk, to more transformational peak experiences like retreats in San Miguel de Allende, Ibiza, and Marrakech. To connect with Piotr and learn more about MiFit and Unpack Yourself, visit him on Instagram or LinkedIn, or check out his Website Connect with Nikhil to learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Untether Your Life⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and other projects: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

This week marks the 80th episode of Untether Your Life. It's "kind of a big deal" in the podcasting space, where 90% of shows don't make it past episode 3. For this important milestone, I chose to rebroadcast my appearance on The Life Shift, hosted by my friend Matt Gilhooly - largely to help commemorate the two year anniversary of his incredible podcast. Congrats Matt on this "pivotal" moment! Matt is an incredible host, who I thoroughly enjoyed speaking with about: The meaning of the "Untether Your Life" mantra; how a seemingly stable life of ticking off all the items on a checklist can mask huge discontent that requires a radical breakthrough. When reflecting on the triumphs and breakthroughs in later chapters of our "life book," the importance of honoring the difficult, messy, and often painful lessons from "Chapter One" The genesis and mission of The Life Shift Podcast; how Matt tapped into the tragic, premature loss of his mother when he was 8, to create a powerful platform for guests to share the pivotal moments of their lives. The difficulty of correctly diagnosing bipolar disorder, given that patients with this condition only come to seek treatment when they're in a depressive state - thereby exacerbating the problem. The vital importance of humility and awareness in seeking resolution for mental health challenges - beyond the "hacks" / "just add water" models circulating on YouTube, Instagram, and other channels. The irrelevance of titles, salaries, or other traditional hallmarks of "making it" when defining how aligned we are with our true dharma - or "right way of living" The role of serendipity in the journey of a podcaster in storytelling, and diving deep into topics that make their heart sing. The implication of bipolar disorder on oscillations between types on extroverted and introverted personality types. To learn more about Matt and his podcast, please visit The Life Shift Podcast Website, or look for The Life Shift on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also connect with Matt on Instagram, LinkedIn, and X. Connect with Nikhil to learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Untether Your Life⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and other projects: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

One of the goals of this show is to empower you the listener to break free of templates for managing physical and mental wellness. I'm inspired by organizations that facilitate this journey for patients through clinical and technological innovation. One shining example is Modern Age, a New York City-based startup "on a mission to add millions of years of healthy life expectancy to the world." We were therefore honored to have their Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Anant Vinjamoori, as a guest on this week's episode of Untether Your Life. Prior to Modern Age, Dr. Vinjamoori was a product leader at Virta Health, and attended Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard University, and Stanford University for his internal medicine residency, medical degree and MBA, and undergrad degree in biology respectively. In this episode, we touch on numerous topics, including: The role of biohacking in putting more power into the hands of the consumer, and how doctors can use its principles to develop a more collaborative relationship with patients. Side note: Dave Asprey, if you're listening, would love to have you on the show. How Modern Age is making neurotherapy or brainwave therapy - once limited to professional athletes, celebrities, and wealthy executives - available to the masses seeking to optimize performance and manage their mental health. What folks can do to improve their odds of living to a 100, especially if they don't have the luxury of living in Sardinia, Okinamwa, or other "Blue Zones" as covered in the Netflix documentary by Dan Buetner. How attitudes toward health and wellness have evolved over the past 5 years - from merely "staying out of the penalty box," to really optimizing longevity and the quality of life. The limitations of the current medical system in finding ways to manage how genes might impact our health - beyond the cookie cutter approaches of exercise and a healthy diet. How more science-driven, consumer-focused wellness assessments can help patients optimize the 12 hallmarks of aging - which include mitochondrial dysfunction and nutrient sensing. The counterproductive approach of many anti-aging clinics that bombard patients with a data dump of information lacking context. How the efficacy of modern cutting edge longevity practices be enhanced by the incorporation of ashwagandha, turmeric (or "haldi") and other staples of Ayurveda - the Indian wisdom tradition dating back over 5,000 years. To connect with Anant and find out more about his work at Modern Age, check him out on Instagram and LinkedIn, or visit modern-age.com Connect with Nikhil to learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Untether Your Life⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and other projects: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

One of the most rewarding parts of hosting this podcast is connecting with brilliant, compassionate polymaths, whose knowledge and experience extend across numerous realms. Dr. Tanmeet Sethi, MD is a prime example. She is an Integrative and Psychedelic Medicine Physician, activist, TEDx speaker, and author of the incredibly powerful book Joy Is My Justice. She's also been featured on Oprah Daily. Tanmeet has dedicated her career to caring for marginalized patients all over the globe from Seattle to Puerto Rico to Ukraine, as a senior faculty member at The Center for Mind Body Medicine. She is also a Clinical Associate Professor and a primary clinical investigator there on psilocybin at the University of Washington. In this episode, Tanmeet and host Nikhil Torsekar touch on numerous topics, including: The role of movement in releasing myokines / what scientists call hope molecules - whether it's a quiet walk in nature or vigorous dancing to bhangra music. How the vagus nerve regulates our parasympathetic nervous system and helps us feel safe, and how pranayama (or breathwork) facilitates this. The fundamental distinction between happiness (a binary cognitive evaluation) and joy, and how the latter actually comes from the same deep well as pain. An overview of Dr. Sethi's impactful book Joy Is My Justice, which captures her beautiful journey to thrive and embrace with gusto all that life has to offer after her three year old son Zubin received the challenging diagnosis of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Growing up in the South Asian diaspora – the good (solid foundation in community, cultural traditions such as pranayama and Ayurveda), the bad (pressure to live up to impossible standards, tendency to suppress challenging emotions), and the ugly (Nikhil's bhangra moves) To order a copy of Tanmeet's incredible book please visit her Website, or connect with her on Instagram, LinkedIn or Facebook. You can also check out her Substack titled “Beautiful and Brutal.” Connect with Nikhil to learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Untether Your Life⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and other projects: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Two years since our first guest interview episode of Untether Your Life with clinical psychologist Dr. Jyothsna Bhat, many strides have been made in mental health in the South Asian diaspora. This is due to the work of groups like South Asian Americans for Change (SAAFC), co-founded by Rupal Joshi, Keerthi Channarasappa, and this week's guest - Sumit Shukla. In addition to this role, Sumit is an accomplished pharmaceutical expert with nearly 15 years of industry experience, a dedicated husband and father, and a passionate mental health advocate. Driven by personal experiences with depression and anxiety and overcoming alcohol addiction, Sumit established SAAFC with a mission to dismantle mental health stigma and promote holistic well-being in the South Asian American community through arts, education, and community-building events. Breaking the Silence, Sumit's YouTube documentary series featuring renowned comedian Nimesh Patel and previous Untether Your Life guest Ankur Varma, serves as a platform for raising awareness and sparking conversations on mental health, particularly among South Asian men. Join host Nikhil Torsekar and Sumit Shukla this week as we discuss: The upcoming annual SAAFC event - The Healing Through Art - on March 2, 2024 at Tendenza in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Tickets available at the SAAFC Website. What Sumit and his cousin Nimesh Patel – an Emmy award-nominated comedian and writer for Chris Rock, Hasan Minhaj, and Saturday Night Live - uncovered when they teamed up with Ankur Varma to create Breaking the Silence. The application of the operating systems analogy when we look at updating values, traditions, and behaviors passed down from our parents. How the outdated template of gender norms has prevented many South Asian males from focusing on mental health. Second-generation South Asian immigrants' destructive habit of “toxic gratitude” and feelings of inferiority when comparing their struggles to those of their immigrant parents. How Sumit had turned to alcohol throughout his undergrad years at Ohio State University and many years afterward; how this ineffective form of self-medication prompted a wake-up-call, and intervention from his wife Rupal, cousin Nimesh Patel, and other family members. The origin of SAAFC, which sprung from a discussion between Sumit, Rupal, and Keerthi, and coincided with many of the board members relocating to Philadelphia to launch the organization. How Sumit's desire to – as a father of a young son – “break the cycle” of mental health issues. How the 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization achieves this mission through online workshops, social events, and the upcoming The Healing through Art Gala on March 2nd, 2024. Visit the SAAFC Website to learn more about the organization, or get tickets for the The Healing Through Arts gala. You can also connect with the team on Instagram at @saaforchange, or with Sumit directly at @sumit112 Connect with Nikhil to learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Untether Your Life⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and other projects: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

This podcast takes aim squarely at the templates that many of us in the South Asian diaspora grew up with – around the ideal career path, marriage, and managing our mental health. It's therefore gratifying to connect with others in the community who question the norms and fight against the status quo that has caused us great turmoil over the years. One of these iconoclasts is Tracy Vadakumchery, aka "The Bad Indian Therapist." Tracy is a licensed therapist in New York, California, and Florida. She helps South Asian Americans who struggle with toxic guilt, shame, and cultural stress and trauma. Tracy continues to challenge her own toxic guilt and shame as it relates to cultural norms about mental health. She is currently taking on new clients in the above states. In this episode, she and host Nikhil Torsekar examine many issues, including: The rationale behind Tracy branding herself as "The Bad Indian Therapist," and her goal of providing a platform and safe space for Indian Americans who think they are "not Indian enough," or feel guilt for not conforming to the norms of our collectivist culture. The active use of Instagram, TikTok, and other channels by South Asian mental health therapists for drumming up awareness and brand building. How the idyllic portrayal on social media may conflict with the challenging reality of being a South Asian therapist in private practice in 2024. The concept of toxic gratitude, and how being thankful may give way to inadequacy, shame, and invalidation of powerful feelings. The rationale for South Asian clients in selecting a therapist with the same, or different cultural backgrounds, through services such as southasiantherapists.org. How "self-gaslighting" can manifest in issues with mental and physical health for members of the South Asian diaspora. Tracy's multifaceted journey to becoming "The Bad Indian Therapist," which included group practice, private practice, as well a stint at Rikers Island To connect with Tracy, please visit thebadindiantherapist.com, or connect with her on Instagram at @thebadindiantherapist. Connect with Nikhil to learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Untether Your Life⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and other projects: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Mental Health is a mixed bag in 2024. I'm thrilled about the community that has blossomed since I launched this podcast two years ago - especially within the Asian diaspora. However, I'm disheartened by the assembly line approach that has evolved as a by-product of the skyrocketing demand for psychiatrists, therapists, and other providers. In this environment, Dr. Elizabeth Nguyen - a highly credentialed California-based psychiatrist - is a breath of fresh air. Born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, Dr. Nguyen had parents who were refugees from Vietnam who arrived in Honolulu in 1975 at the end of the Vietnam War. She received her BA from Stanford University in Human Biology, her MD from Northwestern University, and her Psychiatry Residency and Child Psychiatry Fellowship training at University of California, Davis. She started her career in community mental health, with specific interests in cross-cultural psychiatry, the intersection of spirituality and mental health, and the healing power of water and the natural world. Dr. Nguyen lives in Davis, California, where she is in private psychiatry practice. She is also the author of the book Aloha Vietnam, "a rich journey across the Pacific Ocean to find one's true home and identity amidst loss, grief, and mental illness." In this episode, we touch on numerous topics, including: The role of our relationship with water - both externally and within our body in optimizing mental wellness How resources such as Dr. Nguyen's Water Keepers community and books such as Wallace Nichols Blue Mind can help nurture our appreciation for this dynamic An overview of multidimensional psychiatry, as conceptualized by Dr. Nguyen: how looking at a patient's cultural background, their spiritual leanings, and other elements of their journey can provide a more effective alternative to the limited, check-the-box approach seen in the mental health field today Dr. Nguyen's book Aloha Vietnam, which interweaves her own lived experience with fictional narrative of a Vietnamese American refugee family that finds their way to Honolulu to provide rich insight into the Asian immigrant experience with bipolar disorder and other mental illnesses. The importance of language in conceptualizing mental illness in other cultures - i.e., the lack of the word "bipolar" in the Vietnamese language Personal inclinations (i.e., a love of storytelling) that led to Dr. Nguyen choosing psychiatry as a specialty How the Western model of psychiatry falls short of serving its patients by only looking at the individual, as opposed to within the context of the patient's relationship with the culture and family. The importance of collaboration that involves investment of time from the patient as well as the provider in ensuring favorable mental health treatment outcomes To learn more about Dr. Elizabeth Nguyen, water healing, multidimensional psychiatry, and her book, please visit multidimensionalpsychiatry.com, or connect with her on Instagram at multidimensionalpsychiatry or waterkeeperscommunity. Connect with Nikhil to learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Untether Your Life⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and other projects: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

And that's a wrap! 2023 was such a transformational year, thanks in large part to the more than 20 epic souls I spoke with on the Untether Your Life podcast. In recognition of their contributions to the raising of our collective consciousness, I've published a highlight reel recapping the most impactful moments of our conversations. I've provided their information below, in case you'd like to learn more about their platforms and / or connect with them. Jonaed Iqbal - Founder, NoDegree.com | Website Jason Goldberg - Celebrity Mental Performance Coach, Author, Keynote Speaker | Website Benoit Kim - Psychotherapist, Psychedelic Therapist, Podcaster | Website Shermin Kruse - TEDx Producer / Speaker, Law Professor, Author | Website Ankur Varma - Clinical Therapist, Founder, Brown Man Therapy | Instagram Jenny Thrasher - Keynote Speaker, Author, Mental Health Advocate | Website Erwin B Valencia - Performance Coach, Wellness Expert, the "Godfather of Gratitude" | Instagram Robert Pardi - Speaker, Author, Coach - Possibility in Action | Website Neal Bakshi - Spiritual Guide, Energy Healer, Breathwork Author | Website Tanya Mitra - Relationship Coach, Founder, The Remixed Relationship | Instagram Dr. Nilesh Satguru - Self Mastery Coach, Doctor, Entrepreneur | Website Vasavi Kumar - Keynote Speaker, Coach, Author, Podcaster | Website Niraj Naik - Founder, SOMA Breath | Website Neelu Kaur - Executive Coach, Author, Speaker | Website Laura Carney - Writer, Author, Artist, Activist | Website Freeman Fung - Coach, Author, TEDx Speaker | Website LeRon Barton - 3x TEDx Speaker, Author, Writer | Website Chris McDonald - Therapist, Yoga Teacher, Podcaster | Website Kyle Peche - Founder, Jyoti Mineral Balancing | Website Amish Shah - Entrepreneur, Film Maker, The Natural Law | Website Connect with Nikhil to learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Untether Your Life⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and other projects: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

As a member of the South Asian diaspora, I'm humbled by the vast wisdom in our DNA and at our fingertips as evidenced by traditions such as Ayurveda - literally the "science or wisdom of life." I also have great respect for others in our culture who have embraced these holistic modalities to own their health, and have pursued their true dharma or calling in lieu of the limited "doctor, engineer, failure" menu that we grew up with. I was therefore very glad to speak with this week's guest Amish Shah. Amish Shah is a thriving entrepreneur, yoga and meditation expert, and a seasoned filmmaker, who encountered a pivotal health obstacle that served as the catalyst for a profound voyage into the realm of ancient sciences. This journey ultimately led to the creation of Deep Origins, a venture that now touches the lives of 20 million people each month. Amish's latest undertaking, The Natural Law, is an extraordinary documentary and platform that revolves around the principles of Ayurveda. This groundbreaking film documents his personal healing journey while simultaneously delving into the intricacies of the fragmented Western medical system and the transformative potential of achieving harmony among the mind, body, and spirit. In this episode, Amish and I delve into numerous areas, including: How Ayurveda - a South Asian wisdom tradition dating back 5,000 years - provided Amish, then a burnt-out multi-millionaire tech entrepreneur, with an effective means for managing ulcers, fatty liver, celiac disease, and numerous other disorders when traditional medicine had failed him. The power of synchronicity, as illustrated by the chain of events that connected Nikhil and Amish: meeting Dr. Sheila Patel (Chief Medical Officer, Chopra Global) at a Deepak Chopra-led retreat, a random email advertisement of Dr. Patel's appearance on a Natural Law Webinar, and an introduction to Amish How the concept of dharma - the "right way of living" - plays out in the South Asian diaspora, and how falling out of alignment may contribute to "dis-ease." Amish's career spanning several lucrative, but stressful opportunities that wreaked havoc healthwise: financial services in New York City, followed by the launch of several multi-million dollar technology and digital marketing startups in luxurious La Jolla, California The Natural Law - an award-winning documentary created by Amish with hundreds of thousands of viewers, featuring Deepak Chopra, Mark Halpern, Vasant Lad, and many other experts in Ayurveda. The film's roots as a passion project / labor of love that started 10 years ago The next steps for The Natural Law beyond the film, including an online portal with a knowledgebase on Ayurveda, telecoaching services, a tool for finding pracititioners, an interactive community, and a marketplace for Ayurvedic herbs and other products Learn more about The Natural Law by visiting the Website, or connecting on Instagram via the documentary feed or Amish's personal account Connect with Nikhil to learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Untether Your Life⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and other projects: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

One of the mantras of this podcast is to "Own Your Health;" while conventional modalities such as surgery are very helpful for addressing trauma, optimizing one's health requires a rigorous exploration of alternative approaches. This week's guest, Kyle Peche, demonstrates the benefits of "ripping up templates" in charting one's health journey, when the tried-and-true comes up short. After resolving his own 7 year health battle with chronic fatigue, brain fog, panic attacks, and other mysterious symptoms, Kyle developed a passion for healing others and alleviating their suffering as well. A certified Mineral-Nutritional Balancing Practitioner and founder of Jyoti Mineral Balancing, he now uses what he's learned about detoxification, mineral nutrition, hair analysis, and functional medicine to help others not only recover from mysterious ailments, but also regain an ability to “thrive” in their lives. We touch on numerous topics in this podcast, including: How Kyle's 7-year journey of disenchantment with traditional allopathic healthcare modalities and frustrating trial and error with holistic / alternative practices led him to find the effective missing link between gut healing, pathogen elimination, psychological healing, and inner work. The potential impact of increased levels of glyphosate and mercury on neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD and autism. The benefits of living a “detoxification-friendly lifestyle” in a world where the levels of metals and toxins are higher than ever before. How meditation and breathwork practices such as kapalbhati (“breath of fire”) and anulom vilom (“alternate nostril breathing”) can help reverse blocking of detoxification caused by increased stress How the work of Dr. Paul Eck, James Nestor, Joe Dispenza, Swami Rama and others influenced Kyle's journey of healing An overview of Kyle's company Jyoti Mineral Balancing (JMB). Jyoti is Sanskrit for essence and light and shining, and symbolizes Kyle's conviction that "when we purify the body and balance it and rejuvenate it, that our essence better shines through." How JMB's combination of detoxification, hair analysis, mineral nutrition, and functional medicine might help clients manage brain fog, optimize gut health, and tap into deeper meditation and states of flow. To connect with Kyle, please visit him on Instagram and TikTok, or check out jyotimineralbalancing.com. Connect with Nikhil to learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Untether Your Life⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and other projects: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

This week's guest, Chris McDonald, is a breath of fresh air in a world beset by false dichotomies between "traditional" and "holistic" approaches to mental health. Chris is a holistic therapist, yogi, meditation teacher, author, and host of The Holistic Counseling Podcast. She owns a group online practice called Path to Hope Counseling. Chris is a 200 hour Registered Yoga Teacher, is certified in brainspotting and offers gentle yoga to clients in session, and offers private yoga sessions. She specializes in treatment of anxiety, depression, trauma and grief in young adults. As the author of Self-Care for the Counselor, she has helped many therapists prioritize their own mental health and wellness. She is a Meditation Teacher on the Aura app and Insight Timer. On this week's episode, host Nikhil Torsekar and Chris cover myriad areas, including: The state of mental health among mental health practitioners, especially after COVID. How self-service mindfulness techniques like three part breathing can help combat burnout and compassion fatigue. How holistic modalities like yoga, breathwork, and guided meditation can be beneficial in getting to the root of the issue vs. superficially addressing symptoms Brainspotting, a modality developed by Dr. David Grand as an offshoot of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). How therapists can leverage the basic, yet powerful adage that "where you look affects how you feel" to help their clients effectively process trauma - sometimes moreso than with traditional talk therapy Subtle yoga, which can help ground us, strengthen our connection with the present, find the "window of tolerance" and strike a balance between our sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system. The importance of finding community - whether through Facebook groups, virtual / in person happy hours, hosting a podcast, or yoga circles - in navigating the sometimes overwhelming "rabbit hole" of holistic modalities The wisdom of Thich Nhat Hanh (known as the "father of mindfulness"), Kristine Weber (the founder of subtle yoga) and other figures who have influenced Chris in her holistic counseling journey Interested in learning more about subtle yoga, brainspotting, or the other modalities discussed on this episode? Check out The Holistic Counseling Podcast or join the Facebook group. Additionally, click here to claim your 30 day Aura app guest pass from Chris McDonald; find peace and get restful sleep with Chris today! Therapists can check out her book entitled Self-Care For the Counselor at Amazon. Connect with Nikhil to learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Untether Your Life⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and other projects: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

As a podcaster, I love connecting with like-minded hosts such as Benoit Kim, given our shared interests in mental health, mindfulness / mediation, the cultural implications of the Asian-American “model minority” myth, and much more. My wife Shelly Sood and I appeared on his show - Discover More - in early 2023, shortly after the devastating loss of her father / my father-in-law. We found great comfort in this far-ranging discussion, touching on the following topics: How Albert Einstein's perspective that "everything is energy" can used to complement surgery, medication, talk therapy, and other traditional healthcare modalities to ensure optimal patient outcomes What we can learn from Alcoholics Anonymous or those trust fall exercises at corporate retreats about the power of surrender and turning over to a higher power How breathwork modalities such as SOMA Breath can help quiet the default mode network, maximize our health and productivity in business, and achieve what psychologist Abraham Maslow called self-transcendence The correlation (or lack thereof) between the prestige of someone's alma mater and their contributions to society The positive impact of building an impenetrable “bubble” of personal space to tap into one's intuition and connect with their higher self How the collectivist mindset of the South Asian diaspora can contribute to the propagation of unhealthy templates throughout the generations The incredible power of affirmations and the spoken word, which has been shown to change the shape of water molecules How someone's environment - i.e., their relationships, their surroundings, - can play a pivotal role a patient's recovery – almost as much as medication and surgery To learn more about Benoit, please visit ⁠discovermorepodcast.com⁠, or search for Discover More on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also connect with him on ⁠Instagram⁠ or ⁠LinkedIn⁠. You can also reach Shelly via her ⁠Website⁠⁠⁠, her Instagram, or her healthcare company - GIOSTAR Chicago⁠. Finally, connect with Nikhil to learn more about ⁠Untether Your Life⁠ and other projects: ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠ ⁠Twitter

One of the most rewarding aspects of hosting Untether Your Life is having conversations with folks who have attained great success by overcoming adversity, fighting the status quo / ripping up templates, and staying true to themselves. This week's guest, LeRon Barton, typifies these values. LeRon L. Barton is a a 3x TEDx speaker, writer, and information technology professional originally from Kansas City, Missouri. LeRon is the author of two books, Straight Dope: A 360 degree look into American Drug Culture and All We Really Need Is Love: Stories of Dating, Relationships, Heartbreak, and Marriage. In addition to his books, LeRon is an essayist whose topics cover racism, mass incarceration, politics, gender, and dating. These works have appeared in Black Enterprise, Salon, Harvard Business Review, Newsweek, and many other outlets. LeRon is an international speaker who has given three TEDx speeches and has appeared at Oxford University, University of San Francisco, Square, and Defy Ventures. In this week's episode, LeRon and host Nikhil touch on many topics, including the following: LeRon's youth in Kansas City, his days in California, and his multi-faceted career as a writer, speaker, information technology professional, and much more The silver lining in the storm clouds of COVID, in providing black workers with remote work opportunities that could benefit their mental health Code switching, and the compulsion for minorities to surrender parts of their identity in the workforce. How LeRon encourages these employees to stay true to themselves, and still achieve advancement in corporate America. The meaning of the Nelson Mandela quote "I never lose. I either win or I learn." How this mindset of perseverance and determination inspire LeRon - someone with a decades-long stutter, anxiety, and fear of public speaking - to become a 3-time TEDx speaker all the while prolifically writing thought-provoking articles in the most influential journals of our time Want to learn more about LeRon or work with him? Visit him at leronbarton.com, or reach out to him on LinkedIn or Instagram. Connect with Nikhil to learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Untether Your Life⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and other projects: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GIOSTAR Chicago⁠

Freeman Fung is an international speaker, best-selling author and certified life coach, who has advocated new global citizenship at TEDx, Mindvalley and world tourism forums. He left his native Hong Kong at 19 to begin a journey to travel and experience life in over 35 countries. Freeman's book Travel to Transform teaches readers how to use traveling as a holistic personal growth tool and the fast-track to self-mastery. In this episode, host Nikhil Torsekar and Freeman explore the following: The art and science behind Freeman's book Travel to Transform - which shatters the false dichotomy between travel memoirs and self-help books Takeaways from travels to more than 35 countries, including Romania, India, Finland, Singapore, and Australia Freeman's success in shedding the "templates" of his native ultra-competitive upbringing in Hong Kong, to find his true, authentic identity The cultural significance of the phrase, "have you eaten rice yet?" How traveling is the ultimate fast track to personal growth Nikhil and Freeman's shared experiences with the personal growth platform Mindvalley The true meaning of writer T. Harv Eker's quote that "money will only make you more of what you already are" Healing modalities Freeman embraced to manage Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), including the wisdom tradition of Shaolin Kung Fu as taught by TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) practitioner Micke Hoong Freeman's experience in India (Nikhil's native country), where - in addition to a rich tapestry of cultures - he witnessed the jarring disparity between the opulence of the business tycoons' skyscrapers and the abject poverty of the slums of Mumbai (where Nikhil's family is from) What we as "global citizens" can do to raise our collective consciousness to solve the problems caused by huge disparities in wealth that are pervasive throughout the planet Looking to learn how you too can Travel to Transform your life? Visit traveltotransform.com or reach out to Freeman on ⁠Instagram⁠. You can also pick up a copy of the book on ⁠Amazon⁠. Connect with Nikhil to learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Untether Your Life⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and other projects: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GIOSTAR Chicago⁠

Laura Carney is the author of My Father's List: How Living My Dad's Dreams Set Me Free. It's the story of how the author found the courage to go after her own dreams after tackling an ambitious 50+ item "bucket list" compiled by her late father Mick Carney, who had been killed by a distracted driver more than a decade prior. Host Nikhil Torsekar deeply enjoyed speaking with Laura, as he had lost his own father-in-law earlier this year after a grueling decades-long struggle with Parkinson's disease and many other illnesses. Like this week's guest, he finds comfort in listening to the messages and guidance his father-in-law continues to send messages from beyond. Nikhil and Laura touch on many topics in this episode, including: The origin and contents of the "bucket list" compiled by Mick, which includes skydiving, surfing the Pacific Ocean, and talking with a US President. The power of belief and surrender in coping with loss. The significance of simple inanimate objects such as the horseshoe, and how can they take on an entirely new meaning when inverted or placed upright. Note: all you Mad Men fans out there, stay tuned for some Easter eggs. How we can achieve a richer fuller life through documenting and capturing stories, thereby illustrating Jessamyn West's maxim that "people who keep journals have life twice." In addition to writing this book, Laura is a New York City-based copy editor who has been published in Washington Post, Associated Press, and many other outlets, and has worked as a copy editor in Vanity Fair, GQ, People, and other journals. To learn more about her journey, visit bylauracarney.com, or connect with her on Instagram. You can also pick up a copy of My Father's List on Amazon. Connect with Nikhil to learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Untether Your Life⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and other projects: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GIOSTAR Chicago⁠

South Asians often encounter limitations in corporate America in adhering to the model minority myth, a collectivist mindset and many other "unqiue" nuances of the culture. This week's guest, Neelu Kaur helps clients tackle these challenges head on. Neelu is an expert in leadership, wellness, and diversity, who has worked with Google, RBC, and many other top firms over her 15-year career in coaching and leadership development. A certified NLP coach and master practitioner with degrees from NYU and Columbia University, she's also a certified Yoga Instructor, Ayurveda Specialist, and trained Ericksonian Hypnotherapist, focused on bringing mindfulness and stress management practices to individuals, teams, and organizations. Neelu's program, Be Your Own Cheerleader, teaches mental well-being in a diverse and inclusive workplace, and she is also the author of a self-advocacy guide of the same name for Asian and South Asian women. In this episode, host Nikhil Torsekar and Neelu cover: - A deeper dive into Neelu's recently published "Be Your Own Cheerleader" book and innovative platform, which melds Ayurveda, yoga, and neurolinguistic programming - What South Asians can do to find the sweet spot between their native collectivist mindset and Western rugged individualism - or the "I-we speedometer" - and thrive in corporate America - How paying heed to concepts like "fit for purpose," "reverse classroom," and "time confetti" can help workers manage burnout in a increasingly virtual world that continually blurs the line between home and office - Neelu's journey to Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP), and how this practice helped her confront toxic, uninspiring internal dialogue - How comedy and improv can help workers become more agile, take themselves less seriously, and reap the benefits of neuroplasticity - The principles of leadership embodiment, and how the "cocktail" of oxytocin and testosterone can help achieve an effective reset in stressful conditions To learn more about how you can "Be Your Own Cheerleader," visit neelukaur.com or connect with Neelu on Instagram or LinkedIn. Her book is also available on Amazon. Connect with Nikhil to learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Untether Your Life⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and other projects: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GIOSTAR Chicago⁠

Niraj Naik has a highly effective prescription to optimize the health of your mind, body, and spirit. He is a certified UK pharmacist, turned holistic wellness, brain training and breath work expert who launched SOMA Breath. Through SOMA, Niraj has trained thousands of coaches in the powerful, scientifically-backed benefits of breathwork, music, dance, and community. Niraj developed a course called Breathwork for Life that is among the most popular on Mindvalley, a personal transformation platform with more than 12 million members. His journey is a fascinating one that demonstrates the power of "owning your health" and "untethering your life" - the key tenets of The Shelly Story podcast. In this episode, podcast host Nikhil Torsekar and Niraj touch on the following topics: Niraj's time as a highly successful DJ, hosting some of the UK's largest raves, followed by returning to a his "fall back career" as a community pharmacist How a Tony Robbins event opened his eyes to the power of nutrition, breathing, and other nascent forms of biohacking to optimize health Niraj's application of these holistic health management principles as a pharmacist to rave reviews, which then ended and sent him into a deep depression combined with nearly fatal ulcerative colitis Niraj's "dark night of the soul," which led to a discovery of Ayurveda, meditation, music, "brain training," colostrum, and other alternatives to invasive surgery and dangerous medication Niraj's reinvention as "the renegade pharmacist," creation of content on YouTube, development of a music therapy business, and collaboration with Marisa Peer and Wim Hof How SOMA Breath has won over skeptics in the Indian medical community through the stamp of approval from Cambridge University The "inner pharmacy" paradigm of SOMA Breath, as a more personalized, fun alternative to the one-size-fits-all "pill for every ill" pharmaceutical model How community be beneficial in the healing process, but also lead to rigid, dogmatic indoctrination Reflections on Mindvalley, where Niraj and Nikhil had met, and how a trip to the company's "AFest" led to a very fruitful partnership Nikhil's reflections on teaching SOMA Breath box breathing to a classroom of 3rd graders, and the myriad benefits of teaching the next generation breathwork and meditation The science behind breathwork, leveraging studies by Dr. Prakash Chintamani Malshe, and the benefits on generation of stem cells for healing To learn more about SOMA Breath, visit the ⁠Website⁠, or sign up for ⁠a free masterclass⁠.  You can also connect with Niraj on his Instagram channels (⁠@nirajnaikofficial⁠ and ⁠@somabreath⁠) and his ⁠Facebook group⁠. Connect with Nikhil to learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Untether Your Life⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and other projects: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GIOSTAR Chicago⁠

Julian Guderley is a legacy coach for founders, with a mission to help clients unlock their full potential to become more effective leaders who create positive impact with heart. Originally hailing from Germany, Julian "untethered his life" from a successful corporate career at blue chip firms like Nike and BMW. He pursued the road less travelled, launch a studio space in Canada and journey into the startup world in Silicon Valley and Vancouver Island. He also launched the Green Planet Blue Planet Podcast, a global top 3% podcast, while traveling the world. Since 2017, Julian has consulted and coached dozens of Founders, CEO's & Start-ups to fully pivot toward the legacy projects and lives they'd been dreaming of, but were slightly out of reach. Join host Nikhil Torsekar as he and Julian discuss: Julian's journey as a polyglot (5 languages and counting), and how mastery of several foreign languages can augment one's impact as a leader, entrepreneur, and global citizen The Green Planet, Blue Planet podcast - which does a deep dive into the principles of regeneration, to help listeners better appreciate the symbiotic and synergistic relationship we as humans have with animals, plants, and innumerable other members of the global ecosystem An overview of breathwork, which encompasses pranayama, holotropic, Kriya Yoga, Wim Hof, SOMA Breath, and QiGong modalities Julian's retreats, hosted in exotic locales like Tulum, Mexico, which help C-level execs and founders fully grasp the concepts of synthesis and community ("communication + unity") to refine their compass and home in on their true north The "will-being-function" compass framework that Julian developed, and has incorporated into his coaching practice to "navigate the inner world so that our inner work leads to outer world success and effectiveness" Learn more about Julian's fascinating journey and learn how you can work with him by visiting his LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube profiles. Also check out Green Planet Blue Planet Connect with Nikhil to learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Untether Your Life⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and other projects: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GIOSTAR Chicago⁠

Vasavi Kumar is often described as the "Queen of Saying It Out Loud." A first-generation Indian immigrant raised on Long Island, NY, Vasavi has relentlessly searched to find her own voice, access the freedom of her creative spirit, and help others along the way...out loud. When diagnosed with bipolar disorder at the age of 19, she made it her life's purpose to understand how her mind works, starting with making room to hear herself think. Her mission is to share everything—the good, bad, and ugly—in order to teach a more mindful, practical, and simple way of running every aspect of your life. Through her Say It Out Loud platform, Vasavi has taught thousands of entrepreneurs, creatives, and artists from all walks of life how to move through any situation — by saying it out loud. In this episode, host Nikhil Torsekar speaks with Vasavi on many topics, including: The mission of the Say It Out Loud platform, which includes a podcast (now in its 6th year) and a book published earlier this year by New World Library Vasavi's journey with bipolar disorder, and recommendations for other South Asians looking for strategies to manage this condition The struggle of South Asians and the complex relationship with our culture; long ridiculed and marginalized, it is now being embraced by the mainstream for Ayurveda, yoga, and other practices seen as trendy and worthy of appropriation or co-opting The empowering value of self-talk - something that we've long been dissuaded from engaging in The concept of "power leakages" - how they prevent us from living our best life, and what we can do to regain control To work with Vasavi and get a copy of Say It Out Loud, visit vasavikumar.com or connect with her at @mynameisvasavi on Instagram. Connect with Nikhil to learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠Untether Your Life⁠⁠⁠⁠ and other projects: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠GIOSTAR Chicago

Gratitude is a topic that gets a great deal of attention in the personal growth space. However, an area that is less discussed is compassion - a subject that this week's guest (Dr. Nilesh Satguru) is very knowledgeable and passionate about. Dr. Nilesh Satguru is a self-mastery coach, compassion expert and medical doctor. After over a decade practicing medicine, Nilesh now coaches entrepreneurs with powerful missions. His client list includes 7 figure serial entrepreneurs, ex-athletes, authors, executive coaches and award-winning charity founders. He was recently named by LA Weekly as one of "10 Leading Coaches to watch in 2023." This episode explores a wide range of topics including: The scientifically proven benefits of compassion, as studied by famed UCLA neuroscientist and researcher Dr. Daniel Siegel: how it can literally bridge connections between different parts of our brain and help maximize performance An overview of Altered Traits, The Body Keeps the Score, The Molecule of More, and other literature that demonstrate our power to change the structure and function of our brain Limitations of the overly compartmentalized Western healthcare system, which prompted Nilesh to explore functional and integrative medicine, and other holistic modalities. What Nilesh learned from the lotus flower - which thrives in mud - in showing resilience and learning through extremely adverse, life-altering circumstances in his career as a general practitioner in the UK. To work with Nilesh, please visit drsatguru.com, or connect with him at @drsatguru on Instagram. Connect with Nikhil to learn more about ⁠⁠⁠Untether Your Life⁠⁠⁠ and other projects: ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠GIOSTAR Chicago

Of the many issues impacting the South Asian diaspora, one topic we haven't discussed on this show is relations with other minority groups. So I was very excited to connect on this week's episode with Tanya Mitra, one of the most prominent voices on the topic of Blindian (Black and South Asian) relationships. She is a perfect illustration of a life untethered, as she's broken free of numerous templates in the South Asian diaspora - in her choices of career, romantic partner, and strategies for managing her mental health. Tanya is an Indian-Canadian-American former luxury fashion executive turned Conscious Change Life Coach who works with Women of Color + Women of Immigrant Descent to break the cycles of limitation by unpacking toxic cultural and societal conditioning. Tanya is also the creator of The Remixed Relationship (formerly known as Blindian Bliss), a group coaching program and community that supports South Asian women in a relationship with a Black partner who are struggling to navigate familial and cultural disapproval by learning to courageously and confidently live in their truth. We touched on many topics, including: How relations between black and South Asian communities – specifically romantic and marital relationships - have evolved since the 1990's, when Tanya began her first relationship with a black boyfriend in high school. Tanya's incredibly challenging journey with mental health, which began at age 16 with several suicide attempts, hospitalization, and multiple rounds of trial and error with medication. By getting curious, reading extensively, and probing beyond the "script" read to her by doctors, she was able to own her health and achieve happiness, balance, and stability in her life. The mission of Blindian Bliss, a group coaching program that helps South Asian women in relationships with black men achieve "self-awareness, love, heart-centered guidance, and enjoy the best and most important ride of their lives," along with success stories of women who have gone through the program. To learn more about Tanya's story or find out how to work with her, please visit tanya-mitra.com, or connect with her at @the.remixed.relationship on Instagram. Connect with Nikhil to learn more about ⁠⁠Untether Your Life⁠⁠ and other projects: ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Website⁠⁠ ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠ ⁠⁠GIOSTAR Chicago

One of the most exciting parts of hosting Untether Your Life is connecting with folks with whom I "vibe" on numerous fronts, such as Neal Bakshi. Like me, Neal's parents came to the US from India, he worked for years in the very stressful financial services industry, and he developed a strong affinity for Eastern wellness modalities of a traditional (i.e., Paramahansa Yogananda's Self-Realization Fellowship) and modern (i.e., Niraj Naik's SOMA Breath) variety. We touched on numerous topics on this week's episode, including: Neal's move from the cut throat, always-on world of investment banking at Goldman Sachs to that of a spiritual life coach, reiki energy healer, breathwork instructor, and digital nomad Neal's recently published book Banking on Angels, and how it can help readers achieve a sustainable meditation practice, attain higher states of consciousness, and appreciate the power of synchronicities in life How the devastating and unexpected loss of his mother prompted him to untether his life, and rethink his previous attachment to the never-ending pursuit of material satisfaction The legacy of Greek mathematician Pythagoras, beyond the widely-known Pythagorean theorem: the vibrational energy of numbers; the significance of "angel numbers;" and why (how??) Neal gets up at the ungodly hour of 3:33 every morning The scientifically proven benefits of breathwork, meditation, and energy healing A deeper dive into the Map of Consciousness by David Hawkins, Einstein's maxim that "everything is energy" and the Soul Audit, as developed by Jean-Francois Brau If any of these concepts resonate with you, please reach out to Neal on Instagram, visit his website at nealbakshi.com, or check out his book Banking on Angels. Connect with Nikhil to learn more about ⁠Untether Your Life⁠ and other projects: ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠Website⁠ ⁠LinkedIn⁠ ⁠Twitter⁠ ⁠GIOSTAR Chicago

Are you looking to improve your mental health and overall sense of wellbeing? Focusing on deep breathing and gentle poses through the practice of yoga may help! On this podcast, we love to go beyond medication and cognitive behavioral therapy and other traditional modalities in exploring approaches to managing mental wellness. In this encore episode of Untether Your Life, we discuss yoga as a mental health management tool. To help educate us and our audience, we have invited one of the practice's preeminent voices, Dylan Bernstein. Nikhil and Dylan met in middle school at Maumee Valley Country Day School in Toledo, Ohio in 1989. This is where Dylan was introduced to yoga and meditation at age 14, from their favorite teacher Jenny Barthold. Since then, he has called upon these practices to engage the body, still the mind, and seek more subtle expressions of self. He has gone on to teach classes, workshops, retreats, and teacher training in Hong Kong, Istanbul, Bali, and other locations worldwide. While all physical exercise plays a role in improving your mental health, yoga is particularly helpful as it incorporates breathwork and meditation to help quiet the mind. Tuning in today, you'll learn more about Ashtanga yoga, the self-directed practice of Mysore, and some of the ​​benefits of yoga and meditation for not only your physical health but your mental and emotional wellbeing too! Ultimately, Dylan believes that yoga is for everyone, not just Instagram models in designer yoga pants or devout yogis who can twist themselves into seemingly impossible poses. It's all about owning your health and doing what works for you, and we hope that this episode will inspire you to do just that. Topics discussed in this episode: The value of having a good teacher Insight into Dylan's yoga journey, which began when he was in high school The surprising role Indian comic books played in inspiring his first trip to India How Dylan learned to follow his bliss – as per Joseph Campbell Why he believes that education is key to your personal foundation How the pandemic influenced his practice and brought philosophy to the fore Sacrifice, gratitude, practice, and detachment: what yoga means to Dylan Breath and pose in the practice of Ashtanga Why yoga is often misunderstood as a physical, acquisitive practice An understanding of the self-directed approach of Mysore Dylan's thoughts on the commercialization of yoga Going beyond the cookie-cutter solutions of medication and cognitive therapy Benefits of yoga and meditation for your mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing How to start your yoga journey, starting with finding a good teacher! You can stay up to date with Dylan by following him on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠Facebook⁠! You can also check out his ⁠website⁠ or reach out to him directly at ⁠dylanyo@gmail.com⁠ Connect with Nikhil to learn more about his various initiatives: ⁠Instagram⁠⁠ ⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠ ⁠Twitter⁠⁠ ⁠Facebook⁠ ⁠Website⁠ GIOSTAR Chicago

This week's episode features my thoughts on The Life Shift Podcast as well as a trailer for the show, which launched a year ago. One of the things I've loved most about my journey in podcasting is connecting with amazing fellow podcasters such as the show's host, Matt Gilhooly. The Life Shift Podcast features candid conversations with people about the pivotal moments that changed their lives forever. We all have our stories, but through these conversations, we discover communities. We learn that there are commonalities through the ups and downs that we all face. But most importantly, we learn that we are not alone. The Life Shift podcast highlights life-altering moments and humanizes the struggles and triumphs through them all. Please follow/subscribe on your favorite podcast app, and listen to new episodes every Tuesday morning. If you enjoy The Life Shift Podcast, please take a moment to rate the show 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ In honor of the one-year anniversary of The Life Shift, here's a quick bit from Matt discussing the show, along with a "highlight reel" featuring some incredible guests. This trailer features moments from episodes, including: Pamela Topjian Matt LeBris Cristina Marcello Matt Drinkhahn Wiley Davis Rebecca Lerch Claudia Noriega-Bernstein Brian Acord Music: Spark of Inspiration by Shane Ivers - https://silvermansound.com Ad-free episodes released two days early, and bonus episodes with past guests available through Patreon. https://patreon.com/thelifeshiftpodcast Connect with The Life Shift: Instagram: http://instagram.com/thelifeshiftpodcast YouTube: https://bit.ly/thelifeshift_youtube Twitter: https://twitter.com/thelifeshiftpod Website: http://thelifeshiftpodcast.com Connect with Nikhil to learn more about ⁠Untether Your Life⁠ and other projects: ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠Website⁠ ⁠LinkedIn⁠ ⁠Twitter⁠ ⁠GIOSTAR Chicago

The central theme of Untether Your Life is going beyond traditional modalities for managing your mental and physical wellness. What does that actually mean though? It's a very broad statement, but intuition, inner child work, and energy healing are some of the essential elements of this holistic approach. This week's guest, Natasha Levinger, is well versed in all of this, and then some. Based in Asheville, North Carolina, she is a professional intuitive reader, energy healer and inner child healing expert. Through her practice Highest Light Healing, she teaches classes and workshops, delivers meditations, and much more. Natasha writes a monthly column called The Energy Report, for the leading wellness lifestyle site Mind Body Green, is the co-host of the podcast Getting to Know Woo and her book, Healing Your Inner Child comes out in April 2023. Host Nikhil Torsekar had a very enlightening discussion with Natasha on numerous topics, including: An overview of chakras - "vortexes of energy" - and how can better understanding them can equip us to optimize our physical and emotional well being How meditation (including several that Natasha offers through her Website) works to clear chakras, and can assist in managing anxiety, depression, addiction, chronic fatigue syndrome, and many other issues A closer look at the concept of the inner child, which is "a part of ourselves that stayed stuck in an event" How engaging in a more supportive and nurturing dialogue with our inner can child help us better manage challenges such as addiction to sugar, social media, and other vices The mission of Natasha's Getting to Know Woo Podcast; how, despite the comical title and light tone, it can provide serious benefit to those seeking help for their trauma beyond medication and cognitive behavioral therapy Find out more about Natasha by visiting her Website - highestlighthealing.com, checking out her podcast Getting to Know Woo, or preordering her book on Amazon. You can also connect with her on Instagram. Connect with Nikhil to learn more about Untether Your Life and other projects: Instagram Website LinkedIn Twitter GIOSTAR Chicago

Robert Pardi is the founder of Possibility in Action™, "a powerful personal growth philosophy that can help unlock a world of limitless possibilities and potential." Robert embodies the tenets of Untether Your Life: after his young wife passed away of metastatic breast cancer, Robert re-imagined his life and left his comfort zone to achieve new dreams. He now shares the many life lessons he's learned through his work and fashioned his life as an example of Possibility in Action™. Prior to his dramatic life change, the New York City native had spent several years in the Middle East, as Senior Portfolio Manager in Abu Dhabi, and Co-Founder of the Dubai-based Private Equity firm Evolvence Capital. He now spends the majority of his time in Abruzzo, Italy. Outside of traditional coaching, Robert hosts personal growth retreats and workshops in Italy, creates micro video mindset modules and hosts the Possibility in Action podcast. In this week's episode host Nikhil Torsekar and Robert touch on many topics, including: The origin of Possibility in Action, and how this platform can liberate us from the "land of regret." Robert's circuitous journey from an abusive upbringing in The Bronx, to a promising career in private equity and idyllic married life in Abu Dhabi and Dubai (cut far too short when his wife Desiree passed from cancer at 41), to his current vocation in Abruzzo, Italy How taking care of Desiree informed his decision to become a life coach and write three best-selling books What the imperfections in the pieces of ancient mosaics and Michelangelo's David can teach us about self actualization How daydreaming - an activity that we're dissuaded from as children - can serve as a powerful catalyst to help us realize a major life shift. Philosophies and authors who have resonated with Robert, including Richard Bach, Rumi, and stoicism - along with the Eastern notion of impermanence To learn more about Robert and Possibility in Action, please visit his Website - robertpardi.com, or reach out to him on LinkedIn, Instagram, or Facebook. Connect with Nikhil to learn more about Untether Your Life and other projects: Instagram Website LinkedIn Twitter GIOSTAR Chicago

The term “polymath” gets thrown around quite a bit these days, with many people positioning themselves as experts in X, Y, or Z. However, a lot of times it's, as they say, "all hat, no cattle." And then there's Erwin B. Valencia who despite wearing many hats - both literally and figuratively, truly embodies the term. Erwin – (aka “E,” or the “Godfather of Gratitude”) is a professional polymath: Wellness Expert/High-Performance Sports Clinician/ Life Coach / Community Nurturer / Non-Profit Founder / Mentor / Dance Ninja. He is the Team Physical Therapist & Wellness Lead for the New York Knicks, the first Filipino to be hired on medical staff of any major US sports team (both the NBA and MLB), founder of Grasshopper Project and Gratitude Gang, and has emerged as a Web3 thought leader on a mission to inspire 1 million Filipinos in the next 5 years. He was recently named one of the 75 Most Influential Filipino Americans, alongside celebrities such as comedian Jo Koy and singer Olivia Rodrigo Join Untether Your Life host Nikhil Torsekar as he sits down with Erwin to discuss numerous topics, including: How martial arts can teach us to strike a balance between aggressiveness and stillness and, as Bruce Lee once stated, “flow like water.” How Erwin has brought the practice of breathwork and meditation to bring mindfulness to the NBA, which is typically a very adrenaline and fight-or-flight driven environment How can starting each day with gratitude, intentionality, and meditation enables Erwin to maximize The 4 P's – positivity, peace, passion, and purpose – and helped him to manage his mental health even during unforeseen setbacks in initiatives he'd launched Erwin's pride in being Filipino, and serving as a mentor, role model, and kuya (Tagalog for "elder brother") to countless future leaders from this region The Filipino concept of atat, or extreme urgency, and how it can often lead to the exact opposite outcome of what we'd hoped for Erwin's experience with Mindvalley, the world's leading personal growth platform, along with The Silva Method, which he'd learned about in the Philippines as a 14-year old To connect with E and learn more about Grasshopper Project, Gratitude Gang, his work with the Knicks, and his thoughts on gratitude (and much more), follow him on Instagram, Twitter, or LinkedIn. Connect with Nikhil to learn more about Untether Your Life and other projects: Instagram Website LinkedIn Twitter GIOSTAR Chicago

Jenny Thrasher is on a mission to "shift the mental health narrative from a fear-based, crisis mentality to one of wellness and empowerment." Through her companies All That We Are and Growing Out of Darkness, as well as her writings, she was able to untether herself from the traditionally dire and hopeless approach to navigating the gut-wrenching journey of loss. This is a topic the tireless mental health advocate is all too familiar with, as her father died by suicide, her own daughter nearly took her life, and she herself struggled with suicidal ideation following pregnancy. In this episode of Untether Your Life, host Nikhil Torsekar and Jenny touch on many topics, including: The vital importance of practicing safe messaging and exercising caution with our choices of words when discussing difficult concepts such as suicide How the tragic loss or near loss of a loved one can teach us to shift from simply staying alive to truly living a life we love The actual stigma around suicide (most likely different from what you'd think) The background and mission of All That We Are and Growing Out of Darkness The story behind her published book Growing Through Grief, as well as her upcoming work The merits of acupuncture, reiki, reflexology, emotional freedom technique (EFT) and other holistic healing modalities To learn more about Jenny and request a copy of her book, please visit All That We Are or Growing Out of Darkness, or connect with her on Instagram at jennythrasher.allthatweare. Connect with Nikhil to learn more about Untether Your Life and other projects: Instagram Website LinkedIn Twitter GIOSTAR Chicago

Untether Your Life has taken a deep dive into mental health in the South Asian diaspora, inspired by the lived experiences of host Nikhil Torsekar and his wife Shelly Sood. One facet of this that merits further exploration is how it impacts South Asian males, a topic near and dear to Ankur Varma's heart. Along with serving as Program Director at Northeast Family Services of Illinois, Ankur launched a valuable Instagram-based resource called Brown Man Therapy which is “on a mission to engage more men and normalize conversations about mental health and South Asian cultures outside of work.” Nikhil touched on many topics with Ankur, including: Ankur's upbringing in the homogenous suburbs of Cincinnati, where he was brought up in the “Indian at home and American at school” ethos The transition of psychiatry from a consultative model to a more transactional, efficiency-based one over the years The manifestation of concepts in South Asian diaspora mental health, including the model minority myth (where South Asians are encouraged to “stay in their lane”) and patriarchy as reflected by tropes such as comic Russell Peters' angry Indian father (“Somebody gonna get hurt”) The pros (understanding) and cons (the “echo chamber”) of seeking therapists with a similar cultural background How the reticence of South Asian males in discussing mental health informed Ankur's launch of the Brown Man Therapy Instagram feed Ankur's views on breathwork, Ayurveda, meditation, and other South Asian practices discussed frequently on Untether Your Life The implication of "untethering your life" for his journey into therapy, social media, as well as for clients seeking help for depression, bipolar disorder, and other mental health issues You can connect with Ankur through his brownmantherapy page on Instagram, as well as on LinkedIn. Connect with Nikhil to learn more about Untether Your Life and other projects: Instagram Website LinkedIn Twitter GIOSTAR Chicago

This podcast is all about breaking free of traditional templates and barriers placed upon us by society. Today's guest exemplifies this in spades. Shermin Kruse is a first generation immigrant from Iran, Northwestern University law school professor, Global Transactions Expert, former law firm partner, TEDx Producer, author, and mother of 4. Nikhil Torsekar had a wonderful discussion with Shermin about a broad range of topics, including: Shermin's interest in Star Trek (dating back to college), and how the Vulcan philosophies of Dr. Spock partly informed her love of stoicism Tactical empathy - a framework that Shermin has developed, that can help us become more skilled negotiators and leaders Shermin's multi-faceted involvement with TEDx: Founder, producer, and CEO of TEDx Wrigleyville, home to more than 60 talks on neurodegenerative diseases, gender binary distinction, and other topics that “Rethink the Hypothesis” A speaker who has delivered two talks – one on cognitive empathy, and another on “how to change the world” The ways in which failure can make us stronger – specifically drawing on Shermin's unrealized ambition of becoming the first Iranian-American federal judge in the US What we can learn from concentration camp survivor and world renowned thought leader Victor Frankl about controlling our lives Shermin's involvement in the arts, including hosting art exhibitions, and her critically acclaimed novel Butterfly Stitching, based on the stories of the women of her family before and after the Iranian revolution To connect with Shermin, please visit her LinkedIn profile, or Website. To learn more about TEDx Wrigleyville, please visit the Website, or check them out on Instagram. Connect with Nikhil to learn more about Untether Your Life and other projects: Instagram Website LinkedIn Twitter GIOSTAR Chicago

Benoit Kim could be seen as the poster boy for the mission of Untether Your Life, as he has broken free of the traditional templates of success for Asian Americans. Further, he's gone above and beyond in owning his health, exploring the benefits of psychedelic therapies for managing mental illness both in a personal and professional capacity. Benoit is a former policymaker turned therapist, US army veteran, and host of the Discover More Podcast - a show for introspective thinkers with growth mindsets seeking authentic life stories. On this week's episode of Untether Your Life, Benoit and Nikhil touch on numerous topics, including: Benoit's journey in launching Discover More – a top 2% globally ranked podcast - 3 years ago, and some of the incredible guests he's spoken with How podcasters and content creators can leverage social media for benefit, and overcome its destructive elements, which some scholars have equated to a casino. Insights from thought leaders such as Naval Ravikant, James Clear, and Dr. David Rudd Benoit and Nikhil's struggles and successes in navigating the journey of the Asian diaspora, characterized by a sometimes toxic combo of pressures and prosperity How schools of meditation like The Silva Method can help to tune down the static in the "radios" of our brains. The ramifications of psychedelic therapies such psilocybin, which was shown to eradicate complex PTSD and treatment-resistant depression for more than 80% of participants in a study published in the prestigious research publication Nature To learn more about Benoit, please visit discovermorepodcast.com, or search for Discover More on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also connect with him on Instagram or LinkedIn. Connect with Nikhil to learn more about Untether Your Life and other projects: Instagram Website LinkedIn Twitter GIOSTAR Chicago

Today marks the 50th episode of Untether Your Life. We're commemorating this important milestone by rebroadcasting one of our favorite discussions, with Jason Goldberg. Enjoy! And...enjoy some more! Do personal growth books and podcasts make you roll your eyes? Are you tired of hearing the same story of “infinite inspiration” rehashed again and again? Then the guest on this episode of Untether Your Life may be the perfect alternative solution to the dry and heavy content that you're used to. On today's episode we speak with an award-winning entrepreneur, TEDx Speaker, bacon-atarian (that's a vegetarian who still eats bacon), funky sock lover, a former rapper (who opened for the Wu-Tang Clan - YES, really!), and previously a 332lb man (who has since lost over 130lbs despite his affinity for bacon). The legendary person just described (in his own humble words) is Jason “JG” Goldberg, host of The Jason Goldberg is Ruining Podcasting Podcast, who is also a best-selling author of Prison Break, and celebrity mental performance coach. He is also a content creator and active contributor to MindValley, a transformational personal growth platform that is a personal favorite of our host Nikhil Torsekar, and his wife Shelly Sood. With a desire to do things his own fun way, Jason has applied his passion for storytelling and witty sense of humor to help others find their happiness. He believes our resistance to experiences is what causes unhappiness or discontent, and he's talking with host Nikhil today about how he reframes his thoughts on the daily to find joy. Listen to this episode for lots of laughs, Jason's thoughts on identity and ego, and to learn more about why Nikhil and Jason both love MindValley! Topics discussed in this episode: Jason's background and career The story behind Jason's book, Prison Break How Jason changed his life and mindset Jason's weight loss and the impact on his life Resistance and its role in happiness The concept of play in your self-improvement Jason's inspiration for his podcast Working as a mental performance coach Jason's definition of and thoughts on intuition Jason's current focus on identity Using Batman to explain the importance of identity Nikhil and Jason's experience with MindValley What's next for Jason? Check out JG's book and listen to his podcast here: http://TheJasonGoldberg.com/ Connect with Jason: Instagram Facebook TikTok YouTube Connect with Nikhil to learn more about Untether Your Life: Website Instagram LinkedIn Twitter Facebook GIOSTAR Chicago

Mike and Teresa Florence have been married for 24 years and have 3 sons and 1 daughter. Mike spent over 25 years in the global financial services and management consulting industry. Teresa earned a degree in early childhood development and spent 15 years working with children before leaving the workforce to focus on their family. Mike and Teresa always had a passion for mental health and through their own experiences have begun a journey to create a community focused on providing support to caregivers of individuals struggling with mental health. Mike and Teresa faced great challenges when their teenage son began struggling with addiction and depression. These were exacerbated by the complex and unwieldy process of navigating addiction treatment centers. They found the power of conversation and connection to be extremely therapeutic in navigating this harrowing journey. Seeing that there were few resources that catered to this need for community and connection for caregivers, they developed an app called Motth, whose tagline is "Find your Light." To learn more about Mike and Theresa's journey, and Motth, please visit motth.com, or connect with them on Instagram or Facebook. Connect with Nikhil to learn more about Untether Your Life and other projects: Instagram Website LinkedIn Twitter GIOSTAR Chicago

Happy New Year! With the start of a new year, kids are likely back to the grind - whether it's at high school, college, or other insitutions of higher learning. So this week's discussion is timely: host Nikhil Torsekar speaks with Jonaed Iqbal, the Founder of NoDegree.com and host of The NoDegree Podcast where he interviews people without college degrees and has them share their stories so others can follow in their path. Jonaed is also a YouMap® certified career coach who has helped hundreds of candidates land jobs and promotions at Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Meta, Spotify, and other top firms. Nikhil and Jonaed touch on numerous topics in this interview, including: The humble origins of NoDegree.com - the Website and podcast - in a response to a Reddit thread in 2014 about career paths for candidates without college degrees How Jonaed's perspectives were shaped by his time at Bronx Science, Queens College, and Columbia University The incredible value Jonaed has gotten from the podcast, and lessons from noteworthy guests of the NoDegree podcast such as MMA Champion Demetrious Johnson and Scribe Media CEO JT McCormack How NoDegree seeks to address deficiencies with Indeed, Monster, and other job posting sites The turning tide of the limited traditional "doctor / engineer / failure" menu of career options in the South Asian diaspora, which places undue emphasis on college rankings To learn more about Jonaed, please visit nodegree.com and nodegree.fm, or connect with him on Twitter, LinkedIn, or Instagram. Connect with Nikhil to learn more about Untether Your Life and other projects: Instagram Website LinkedIn Twitter GIOSTAR Chicago

JD Murgolo, aka JD the Jedi, is an author, ACE Certified Health Coach and Personal Trainer, speaker on anxiety and depression, and founder of the mental health community platform Fragile Moments. Host Nikhil Torsekar connected with him to dicuss several topics, including: How JD's background as a middle school Montessori teacher informed his love of helping adults "navigate their emotions" The dubious promise of health and wellness coaches "guaranteeing" elimination of anxiety, or loss of specific amounts of weight The role of social media in shaping community around mental health, including Fragile Moments Distinctions between active and passive meditation The origins and meaning of "Dark Days, Bright Nights," a platform that JD launched, which evolved into the Fragile Moments blog, podcast, and community How a humble bag of Funyuns can serve as a litmus test for attending to physical and mental health To learn more about JD, please visit fragilemoments.org or connect with his jd_thejedi handle on Twitter and Instagram. Connect with Nikhil to learn more about Untether Your Life and other projects: Instagram Website LinkedIn Twitter GIOSTAR Chicago

Spirituality is something that seems quite elusive in a hyper-notified, always-on world where we're glued to our screens, engaged in FOMO, doom-scrolling, or curating our Instagram feed to portray a perfect social and professional life. Justin S. Grant, however, has found a way to artfully blend these two worlds in his book Spirituality for Busy People (an abbreviation of his earlier work Business and Spirituality). In this episode, the Los Angeles, California-based author, entrepreneur, singer, and mentor speaks with Untether Your Life host Nikhil Torsekar about many topics, including: The distinctions between the views of psychology in eastern and western views, and how some consider Buddha (not Freud) to be the father of modern psychology The roots of FOMO, doom scrolling and other modern technology-driven behaviors, in our primal "reptilian brain-based" need for survival A deep dive into the concepts of transformational psychology, and Justin's lifelong passion for the wisdom traditions and Eastern and Western spirituality The destructive impact of poor diet (i.e., refined sugar) on physical and mental health Nikhil and wife Shelly Sood's work on advancing the mantra of "owning your own health" and embracing holistic treatment modalities beyond just surgery, medication, and cognitive behavioral therapy The evolution of Spirituality for Busy People into an highly impactful online platform with visualization meditation videos, worksheets, one-on-one Zoom calls and much more To learn more about Justin, please visit his Website or connect with him on Instagram at @spiritualityforbusypeople or @justinsgrant Connect with Nikhil to learn more about Untether Your Life and other projects: Instagram Website LinkedIn Twitter GIOSTAR Chicago

Today's episode features a guest appearance by Nikhil Torsekar on an Instagram Live hosted by Shani, a coach based near Lisbon, Portugal who practices breathwork and cold water exposure therapy. After these tools pulled him out of a major depression, he made it his mission to share them with others and help them discover their own power. They touch on numerous topics geared to help you untether your life and break free of "templates," including: The mechanics of methodologies such as SOMA breathwork, and how they can help manage mental health The stigma against mental health in South Asian diaspora, and the irony that many effective stress management tools (i.e., yoga, Ayurveda, breathwork) originated in South Asia The concept of addiction as applied to "bad" (drugs, alcohol), and "good" things (productivity, professional success) The impact of careers like management consulting on mental health Nikhil's long and winding road with bipolar disorder, from denial, to diagnosis, to treatment, and management The double-edged sword of technology / social media for community building, but also "FOMO" and the insatiable need for validation Shani's initiatives, including a mobile app and community around breathwork, mindfulness and meditation The philosophy behind the new name of the podcast (Untether Your Life) To connect with Shani, please visit him on Instagram or YouTube. Connect with Nikhil to learn more about Untether Your Life and other projects: Instagram Website LinkedIn Twitter GIOSTAR Chicago

Today marks a new chapter for this podcast: we launched this initiative a year ago alongside our blog, the book we'd co-authored, as well as an upcoming movie. The core themes are owning your own health - i.e., looking beyond surgery, medication, and cognitive therapy to manage your mental and physical wellness. More broadly, our mission is to help you as the listener "untether your life:" break free of "templates" - professional, cultural, and health-related - that you may have accepted as being written in stone. We do this by speaking with experts in meditation, folks who have struggled with mental illness, clinicians with insights on the South Asian experience and other incredible guests. To better reflect this motivation, and serve you as the listener and continue attracting high-caliber guests on the show, we will be rebranding the podcast as "Untether Your Life." You can find us online at https://untetheryourlife.co, on Spotify, Apple, and other podcast platforms at Untether Your Life, as well as untetheryourlife on Instagram, and other social media platforms.

Niraj Naik has a highly effective prescription to optimize the health of your mind, body, and soul. He is a certified UK pharmacist, turned holistic wellness, brain training and breath work expert who launched SOMA Breath. Through SOMA, Niraj has trained thousands of coaches in the powerful, scientifically-backed benefits of breathwork, music, dance, and community. Niraj developed a course called Breathwork for Life that is among the most popular on Mindvalley, a personal transformation platform with more than 12 million members. His journey is a fascinating one that demonstrates the power of "owning your health" and "untethering your life" - the key tenets of The Shelly Story podcast. In this episode, podcast host Nikhil Torsekar and Niraj touch on the following topics: Niraj's time as a highly successful DJ, hosting some of the UK's largest raves, followed by returning to a his "fall back career" as a community pharmacist How a Tony Robbins event opened his eyes to the power of nutrition, breathing, and other nascent forms of biohacking to optimize health Niraj's application of these holistic health management principles as a pharmacist to rave reviews, which then ended and sent him into a deep depression combined with nearly fatal ulcerative colitis Niraj's "dark night of the soul," which led to a discovery of Ayurveda, meditation, music, "brain training," colostrum, and other alternatives to invasive surgery and dangerous medication Niraj's reinvention as "the renegade pharmacist," creation of content on YouTube, development of a music therapy business, and collaboration with Marisa Peer and Wim Hof How SOMA Breath has won over skeptics in the Indian medical community through the stamp of approval from Cambridge University The "inner pharmacy" paradigm of SOMA Breath, as a more personalized, fun alternative to the one-size-fits-all "pill for every ill" pharmaceutical model How community be beneficial in the healing process, but also lead to rigid, dogmatic indoctrination Reflections on Mindvalley, where Niraj and Nikhil had met, and how a trip to the company's "AFest" led to a very fruitful partnership Nikhil's reflections on teaching SOMA Breath box breathing to a classroom of 3rd graders, and the myriad benefits of teaching the next generation breathwork and meditation The science behind breathwork, leveraging studies by Dr. Prakash Chintamani Malshe, and the benefits on generation of stem cells for healing To learn more about SOMA Breath, visit the Website, or sign up for a free masterclass. You can also connect with Niraj on his Instagram channels (@nirajnaikofficial and @somabreath) and his Facebook group. Connect with Nikhil to learn more about The Shelly Story: Website LinkedIn Instagram Twitter GIOSTAR Chicago