There’s a calm, steady presence some people naturally bring into the world, and Payal Parekh is one of those people. Her life has been shaped by movement, art, and a deep belief that rest is not a luxury, but a birthright. From her early days studying ballet and modern dance to her influential work in the contemporary art world, she’s spent years learning how creativity can open the door to healing. My guest today is Payal Parekh, a New York–based wellness curator, nationally certified yoga teacher, art advisor, and founder of Payal Arts International. Her work spans embodied art meditation, restorative yoga, Reiki, Akashic Record readings, and a beautifully crafted 53-card deck called Blessed Rest. Payal has brought meditation and contemplative practices into spaces like Christie’s, David Zwirner Gallery, The Armory Show, and the Baltimore Museum of Art. All with the intention of helping people slow down, soften, and reconnect with themselves. We talk about the threads that have shaped her path: movement as early embodiment, the anxiety that led her deeper into yoga, how art can shift our consciousness, and the creation of Blessed Rest during the isolation of 2020. Payal shares how she guides people through trust, intention, and presence, and what it means to create healing-centered spaces in a world that rarely slows down. Episode Highlights: [01:17] Payal Parekh is a wellness curator and art advisor whose work weaves creativity with healing.[02:28] A look into her early career reveals how studying art history and building an advisory practice shaped her path.[03:24] Movement comes into focus as her first doorway into embodiment, long before she had language for it.[04:29] Returning to ballet decades later becomes an anchor, helping regulate anxiety and reconnect with inner steadiness.[05:34] Early interests like poetry, prayer, and quiet rituals emerge as the foundation for her emotional landscape.[06:26] Memories of resting with music and candlelight hint at the restorative practices she now teaches.[07:22] The meaning of her name “anklet” sparks a conversation about identity, ancestry, and movement.[08:32] Embodying the spirit of her name becomes more meaningful than wearing anklets themselves.[09:44] Curiosity about contemporary art leads her into galleries, collectors’ worlds, and creative communities.[10:24] A powerful museum exhibition challenges her ideas of what art can communicate.[11:31] Persistence pays off as cold-calling New York galleries lead to her first position in the art world.[12:47] The discussion shifts toward the anxiety and overwhelm that eventually brought yoga into her life.[13:33] Caring for a mother navigating cancer treatments brings deep emotional complexity to her thirties.[14:29] A subway panic attack becomes the moment she realizes anxiety has gone unnamed for years.[15:08] Yoga evolves from a coping tool into a long-term path of healing, study, and self-understanding.[16:15] Meditative sessions in galleries begin as experiments, blending art and mindfulness in unexpected ways.[17:16] Participants consistently leave these sessions feeling more grounded, open, and attuned.[18:03] Embodied art viewing encourages people to explore color, breath, memory, and sensation.[19:27] Certain artworks have the power to shift consciousness, mood, and emotional state in subtle ways.[20:28] Not every piece resonates and having permission to disengage becomes part of the experience.[21:37] The definition of art expands to include movement, music, and anything that evokes feeling.[22:25] Attention turns to the origins of Blessed Rest and how affirmation writing began during lockdown.[23:36] Life in New York during the pandemic brings stillness, isolation, and a dramatic change in rhythm.[24:25] A sudden anaphylactic reaction becomes one of the most frightening moments of the year.[25:19] Restorative yoga, meditation, and writing become essential supports for stress and uncertainty.[26:39] Those weekly affirmations eventually take shape as a 53-card deck centered on rest and healing.[27:12] Restorative yoga is described as a practice that shifts the body into parasympathetic calm.[28:41] True rest is shown to create real physiological changes including slower heart rate, easier breath, and ease in the tissues.[29:25] Trust becomes a major theme to trust in a higher power, in the unfolding of life, and in oneself.[30:53] Different people draw strength from different sources of faith, from ancestors to nature.[31:57] Akashic Record readings are introduced as access points to the soul’s past, present, and future.[32:55] These sessions often become warm, meaningful conversations rather than silent energetic work.[33:48] Many use the records to gain clarity on challenges, emotions, and next steps.[34:29] Modalities like mindfulness, aromatherapy, Reiki, and movement are chosen based on each person’s needs.[35:50] Healing work takes place in diverse environments like hospitals, galleries, spas, and corporate offices.[36:37] After sessions, the atmosphere consistently softens, becoming lighter and more connected.[37:54] Creating healing-centered spaces inside non-healing environments becomes part of her mission.[38:30] A vision emerges of wellness tools becoming accessible across schools, museums, and workplaces.[39:33] Even simple moments like pulling a card together before a meeting could shift group energy.[40:29] Meditation and Reiki offered to cancer patients during infusion treatments bring comfort and presence.[41:02] Practical guidance is offered on using the Blessed Rest deck for weekly reflection and grounding.[42:26] Rest cards serve as invitations to slow down and step out of constant doing.[43:50] Many people use the deck for journaling, drawing, or giving encouragement to others.[44:09] The conversation explores how art, healing, and creativity might evolve together in the future.[45:10] With so many healing modalities available, the focus becomes choosing what truly resonates.[46:00] A reminder that feeling resourced creates more joy, generosity, and connection.Resources & Links: Seekers Field GuideSeekers Field Guide CommunityPayal Arts InternationalPayal S Parekh - InstagramBlessed Rest Card Deck
