Untether Your Life

Nikhil Torsekar & Shelly Sood
Untether Your Life

Untether Your Life empowers listeners to own their own health and break free of "templates" for managing physical and mental wellness, along with key issues impacting the South Asian diaspora. Nikhil Torsekar and Shelly Sood speak with experts in meditation, folks who have struggled with mental illness, clinicians with insights on the South Asian experience and other incredible guests. Untether Your Life is part of The Shelly Story platform, which captures Nikhil and Shelly’s journey in a blog, book, and movie. For more info visit shellysood.com or untetheryourlife on social media.

  1. 90: Mitul Desai, The Care Hack - A Powerful Champion for Caregivers of Adults with Serious Mental Illness (SMI)

    3 DAYS AGO

    90: Mitul Desai, The Care Hack - A Powerful Champion for Caregivers of Adults with Serious Mental Illness (SMI)

    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

    40 min
  2. 89: Amy Green Smith - Hypnotherapist, Life Coach, Keynote Speaker on Being "Enough"

    SEP 18

    89: Amy Green Smith - Hypnotherapist, Life Coach, Keynote Speaker on Being "Enough"

    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

    50 min
  3. 88: Sam Kabert - Overcoming the Overwhelm through BREATH to Achieve SOUL/Life Balance

    AUG 21

    88: Sam Kabert - Overcoming the Overwhelm through BREATH to Achieve SOUL/Life Balance

    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

    57 min
  4. 87: Dr. Supriya Rao (aka Gutsy Girl MD) on the Essentials of Gut Health and Her Multifaceted Journey as a GI Physician

    AUG 7

    87: Dr. Supriya Rao (aka Gutsy Girl MD) on the Essentials of Gut Health and Her Multifaceted Journey as a GI Physician

    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

    45 min
  5. 86: Camilia Berrada - Mastering the Waves of Global, Elevated, Conscious Leadership, "From Shamans to Boardrooms"

    JUN 26

    86: Camilia Berrada - Mastering the Waves of Global, Elevated, Conscious Leadership, "From Shamans to Boardrooms"

    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

    47 min
  6. 85: Dr. Seema Desai - Transformational Success Coach on Gratitude, Finding Calm in the Chaos, and All Things Happy and Human

    JUN 12

    85: Dr. Seema Desai - Transformational Success Coach on Gratitude, Finding Calm in the Chaos, and All Things Happy and Human

    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

    53 min
  7. 84: Mas Vidal Maheshananda, Dancing Shiva Founder, on Yoga, Ayurveda, "Soft Power" and Much More

    MAY 22

    84: Mas Vidal Maheshananda, Dancing Shiva Founder, on Yoga, Ayurveda, "Soft Power" and Much More

    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

    1h 5m
  8. 83: Sharanya Rao - When Passion Meets Purpose: Global Coaching Works, Anklets in the Boardroom, Svadharma, and much more

    MAY 8

    83: Sharanya Rao - When Passion Meets Purpose: Global Coaching Works, Anklets in the Boardroom, Svadharma, and much more

    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

    40 min
5
out of 5
29 Ratings

About

Untether Your Life empowers listeners to own their own health and break free of "templates" for managing physical and mental wellness, along with key issues impacting the South Asian diaspora. Nikhil Torsekar and Shelly Sood speak with experts in meditation, folks who have struggled with mental illness, clinicians with insights on the South Asian experience and other incredible guests. Untether Your Life is part of The Shelly Story platform, which captures Nikhil and Shelly’s journey in a blog, book, and movie. For more info visit shellysood.com or untetheryourlife on social media.

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