Mind Full of Everything

Why is it crucial that we open up the individualised clinical model of therapy so that it incorporates the multidimensionality of intergenerational trauma healing? In what ways can we begin to shift therapy narratives to ancestral joy and resilience to restore balance and hope in community efforts of system resistance and reimagination? Today we are joined by Katya Lovejoy, a clinical hypnotherapist, trauma coach, and mental health educator who supports highly sensitive people to reclaim a sense of wholeness and empowerment after trauma. Katya holds degrees in neuroscience and social work, as well as esoteric trainings from lineages around the world. She approaches trauma healing from an individual, ancestral, and collective lens, and utilises subconscious, somatic, and spiritual approaches to finding release and resolution. Katya is committed to the liberation and empowerment of all people, and is on a mission to end the transmission of intergenerational trauma in families and communities by sharing the most effective modalities for sustainable transformation.  In this beautifully inspiring episode, Katya explores with us the power of tapping into our ancestral bodies and lineages to draw out deep inspiration and joy from the rituals and ways of being of previous generations, human and more-than-human. Katya steps out of the linearity of the conventional therapy model to invite opportunities to open up the therapy space for stories and nostalgic remembering of a time which preserved the dynamism and animacy of connected living, whilst also holding space for accountability and remediation of ancestral practices which no longer serve our time. Biggest thank you to Katya for holding space for Agrita during this difficult period of mourning for her and her family after the recent passing away of her grandfather. We hope this conversation reaches the hearts of everyone who has, or currently is experiencing, grief over the passing of a loved one, particularly elders who have taken position as ancestors, and that the compassion and love that is tied to intergenerational trauma healing holds space for you to process your emotions and move forward. Visit mindfullofeverything.com to connect with Katya and access full episode resources. Connect with the podcast on Instagram (@mindfullofeverything_pod) and Facebook (@mindfullofeverything).

How can we begin to disembody the system of capitalism as individuals and communities after having been collectively entrapped in generational cycles of constant growth and burnout? In what ways can we listen, and attend, to our body’s need for safety, rest and movement as we birth a liberated world in community? Today we are joined by Laura Hartley, an activist, writer & founder of an online school for changemakers.  The school’s mission is to empower changemakers across the globe to live their most meaningful lives, while creating their deepest impact.  Programs can be found on healing burnout culture, ethical business & the inner work of dismantling capitalism and supremacy culture.  Laura is currently based in Sydney, Australia but can often be found around the world. In this conversation, Laura guides us through the systemic issue of burnout through the lens of capitalism, how capitalism has taken over our bodies and communities as systems and the ways in which we can disempower this oppressive system by listening to our personal/collective needs, harmonising ourselves with Nature’s cycles of growth and rest and actively challenging capitalistic conditionings. Visit mindfullofeverything.com for Laura's website/work and episode resources. Follow the podcast on Instagram (@mindfullofeverything_pod) and Facebook (@mindfullofeverything).

How can re-embodying the philosophy and mindset of multi-passionism aid us to preserve our fluidity, authenticity and dynamism as individuals and the collective? In what ways do these embodiment practices serve us in our collective liberation from radical structuralism and institutionalised restriction of imagination? Today we are joined by Dr Egypt Iredia, a holistic medical doctor, naturopathic physician, multi-passionate creative, healer, poet, metaphysician, and non-linear creative. She believes that minimalism, slow living, and living a spiritual and intentional life are powerful healing forces. She believes in using all of our wonderful gifts to show up authentically in our lives. Her mission is to empower people to live calmer, connected, healthier, conscious, and creative lives. In this conversation, Agrita and Egypt delve deeper into what it means for them to live multipassionate, non-linear and creatively fluid lives, antidotal to the violence of oppressive systems on the human experience. Visit mindfullofeverything.com for Egypt's website/resources.

How can we relearn practices of self/community nourishment, taking up space and boundary-setting through serving the needs of our inner children? In what ways can inner child work aid us to co-create safer environments for both children and adults, as well as the relationships between both? In this episode, we are joined by Tiffany Trieu (Triệu Thanh Nguyệt), an inner child advocate, community cultivator, and human connector. As a child of refugees, specifically of the Vietnamese diaspora in the 1970s, Tiffany has spent the last five years of her adulthood exploring how family trauma from surviving a war has shaped how she relates to herself and those around her. She believes our inside and outside worlds are much more connected than we’re given space to acknowledge. And currently loves exploring how personal and collective rituals allow us to bridge our inside to our outside, from meditative visualisations to communal celebrations. In this open, emotional and deeply inspiring conversation, Agrita and Tiffany explore what it means to heal the inner child through embodiment practices, tending to, and balancing, our inner child and parent needs, and being there for ourselves in order to mend damaged relationships with loved ones, the wider community and place. Visit mindfullofeverything.com for this episode's resources and ways to connect with Tiffany and her work.

Why is the reintegration of spirituality into scientific theory and practice essential for our collective liberation from social, cultural, political, biological and economic confinements? How can the coming together of spirituality and science help us to collectively rebirth a world which is free from borders between nations, cultures, communities and species? In this episode, we are joined by Vi Vi Thai, an author, truth seeker and healer, fearlessly determined to live in a liberated way, through the alchemical and nomadic pathway to true freedom. Vi Vi believes that we must rediscover our inner freedom, on an individual scale, to be able to collectively birth a new world which is free from institutional violence of fragmentation and division of a united Earth, within a connected Universe. This conversation offers us the opportunity to explore nuances in our journeys to heal and attain true freedom, in order to open minds and hearts to the limitless ways of becoming your true self, rather than following a "one size fits all" healing approach. Visit mindfullofeverything.com for episode show notes, resources and transcripts. Read Vi Vi's book, Living Through Alchemy, here. Connect with Vi Vi on Instagram and YouTube.

How can we re-imagine community re-building through the intimacy lens to preserve the emotion and spiritualism in the process of reconnecting to community? In what ways can intimacy revolutionise collective healing and our current understanding of what community means? For the final episode of this year, Agrita brings to us a Reflection episode where she shares her awakening about, and gifted opportunities to relearn, Indigenous teachings on optimising community functionality through respecting and valuing all individuals and relationships which connect together to form the system of community. Agrita emphasises the need for intimacy to be contexualised as the foundation for all relationships, not just romantic/sexual ones, to re-centre love and openness in our collective effort to re-build a culture of community and relationality. Visit mindfullofeverything.com for access to the episode archives, resources and transcripts.

What role does storytelling play in revolutionising our work to heal our current selves and natural world, as well as our future? How can we re-establish a culture of relatedness and reciprocity through reclaiming our wisdom and positions as storytellers and communicators? We are joined today by Sanjana Sekhar, a filmmaker, climate activist, & Ayurvedic wellness communicator who uses her work in ethical filmmaking to amplify character-driven stories that heal our human relationships to ourselves, each other, and our planet, with a specific interest in socioecological justice, ancestral knowledge, and systems of re-nourishment. In this heart-warming and insightful conversation, Agrita and Sanjana explore the medicine of storytelling in relation to the ancient practice catalysing our healing work, within community and Earth, to revive lost and damaged connections to who we really are in this interconnected world. Visit mindfullofeverything.com to access all episode resources, show notes and transcripts. Follow the podcast on Instagram (@mindfullofeverything_pod) and Facebook (@mindfullofeverything).

Living within oppressive systems, built to benefit Western colonial social structures, land and society through the racial hierarchy established by white supremacy, is a traumatising experience for people of colour, particularly those aware of what is happening to their bodies. Coupled with systemic sexism perpetuated through the gender binary, women of colour, often at very young ages, face the traumas of racial and sexual violence which can leave us feeling detached from our entire being - far from human. Where do we begin to unpack these traumas to our bodies which have left us subject to objectification and exotification as a function by the white gaze? Can tending to the disconnects in our bodies be done on colonised land? In this episode, we are joined by Kelsey Blackwell, who uses her wisdom within the field of somatics to support women of colour in their journeys to decolonise the entirety of their being through abolitionist practices such as Interplay and Pleasure Activism. Kelsey believes that collective liberation must bring joy, and as important as it is to tend to traumas, often times passed on from generations, liberatory practices also must involve what the body finds pleasurable and comfortable. Visit mindfullofeverything.com for episode resources, show notes and transcripts. Connect with the podcast on Instagram (@mindfullofeverything_pod) and Facebook (@mindfullofeverything). Connect with Kelsey on Instagram (@decolonizingthebody).

Navigating our fast evolving world as a young adult can seem extremely daunting. As we transition into adulthood, our capacities to healthily manage work-life commitments and choices, leaving us youth to question: who am I and where do I stand in this broken culture of community? Join the host, Agrita Dandriyal, on her journey of self-discovery, self-acceptance and reimagining a restored and abundant world. In each monthly episode, pertinent environmental and social issues will be discussed, with an emphasis on preserving self within community, as a step forward in collective healing and re-creation of a world that values all walks of life and all states of being, beginning with the re-adoption of our pre-colonial standpoints in the world as interconnected and relational beings. Visit mindfullofeverything.com to access all episode resources, show notes and transcripts. Connect to the podcast on Instagram (@mindfullofeverything_pod), Facebook (@mindfullofeverything) and Twitter (@mindfull_agrita).

We live in an interconnected world, full of beings, spaces and life that are connected through an intricate web of interdependence which sustains the health of Earth. Yet we are increasingly seeing a disconnection between humanity and the wider world, which has been exacerbated by the human-nature dualism adopted by Western and urban spaces, but this disconnection runs deeper into the flawed notion of humanity's domination of Earth and rejection of our positions in the world as relational beings.  In this Reflection episode, Agrita explores the social crisis of community fragmentation within modern and Westernised societies, with a particular focus on the cultural divide caused by the individualism-collectivism approach for cross-cultural/national studies between/within Western and non-Western cultures. Agrita calls for a rejection of defined categories to represent individuals and society and instead emphasises the need for us to rebuild a culture of relatedness and understanding for every individual and every community to be valued. *** To listen to other episodes in the Reflection series, and access episode show notes, transcripts and resources, visit mindfullofeverything.com. Follow the podcast on Instagram (@mindfullofeverything_pod) and Facebook (@mindfullofeverything).

Our modern dominant cultures for too long have trivialised motherhood experiences and practices, jeopardising the wellbeing and safety of mothers as they undergo various emotional, physical, social and mental challenges that come with transitioning to motherhood. As like any other social figure, and individual, mothers deserve respect, support and care by systems of power and society, but since most cultures assign the role of the primary care giver to mothers, the urgency to provide holistic maternal support is strengthening for a world which is becoming increasingly volatile. In this episode, we are joined by Dr Allison Davis to share with us her deepened understanding of the role that mothers play as environmental stewards, due to their standpoint in the world, and the need for mothers to reimagine motherhood for themselves for sustained personal and planetary health. Dr. Allison Davis is a researcher, writer, counselor, and educator of maternal mental health. With an ecofeminist-informed, strength-based developmental framework she helps mothers challenge and reenvision motherhood norms and practices in pursuit of personal and planetary wellness. Her upcoming book The 6 Initiations of Earth-Honoring Motherhood: A Nature-Guided Rite-of-Passage for New Mothers weaves together modern research and ancient wisdom to help new mothers root into who they are and who they are becoming. Allison is in private practice in New Mexico where she specializes in trauma resolution through nature-centered expressive therapies. She’s also affiliate faculty at Alliant University where she teaches in the Masters of Clinical Counseling Program. As a writer Allison explores “mother praxis” the possibility of a dynamic interplay between the theory and practice of mothering as mothers can reflect on harmful structures while also finding liberatory ways to work with and through them. As a researcher she focuses on bringing an applied psychoecological lens to maternal mental health, investigating how mothering in a time where we’re increasingly aware of humanity’s ecocidal behavior has profound implications for maternal mental health andhow we can create structures to support mothers within this experience. Mothers outside of New Mexico can work with Allison through her support sessions to explore the growth and growing pains within motherhood as an ecological awakening. She also offers consultation to mother-supporting professionals and organizations who want to attune to ecological interactions in understanding maternal mental health as well as health care delivery. You can learn more by visiting her at www.motherpraxis.com and following her Instagram page @motherpraxis. Find the episode show notes, transcripts and resources at mindfullofeverything.com.

Centuries ago, the idea that humans could even be a separate entity to the rest of the natural world would be too alien to believe by ancient societies. Fast track to the modern world, and people are starting to realise that spiritualism and science can indeed go hand in hand and that the dualistic relationship humanity has with Nature is only a recent phenomenon. Being part of a culture and religion which still has traces of ancient Indigenous spiritual and environmental wisdom present, Agrita has always felt drawn to the knowledge of the past which helped preserve the very landscapes that are now rapidly degrading. It's this strong sense of historical nostalgia which has urged Agrita to delve deeper into the history of the Indian culture she so proudly embraces to see where India went wrong with environmental stewardship and justice and how ancient eco-spiritual values can be revived to help solve India's ecological and waste crises. This episode discusses the importance of spiritual ecology in rebuilding our broken relationship with Nature on the basis of compassion, altruism and stewardship, giving an in-depth example of the evolution of spiritual ecology within India and how the abandonment of the concept, through colonisation and the urge to become developed, has resulted in major environmental problems the nation is facing now. Agrita argues that spiritual ecology can help in reimagining environmentalism in India, for both religious and secular communities, by decolonising conservation practices and protecting Indigenous communities and environmental practices.

As the environmental movement has evolved over the years, concerns have been raised about the intersectionality of environmentalism, especially since decision making for environmental policies has been led by white middle and upper class men. Whilst extensive work has been, and is being, done for the intersections of race and class with environmental issues, not enough research has been done on the gendered impacts of climate change. Despite the fact women and girls are disproportionately affected by the changing climate, women, particularly women of colour and Indigenous women, are constantly left out of decision making for the management/protection of their land. In this episode, Agrita argues that ecofeminism poses as not just a lens for the effects of the climate crisis on women (as well as transgender and non-binary people) but also challenges the role of patriarchy and toxic masculinity in exacerbating anthropogenic climate change by bringing women to the centre of modern environmentalism.

Culture is a part of history that holds great importance to those who are part of the communities that have carried forward ancient traditions. The feeling of embracing your culture through practicing ancient customs is what keeps community members attached to their cultural heritage. However, as time calls for change in perspectives and actions, the fear of losing even the smallest part of your culture with our evolving world can feel daunting and confusing. For Agrita, becoming a vegan meant that she had to give up dairy, honey and other animal products (except meat) that hold great cultural and religious significance but were also substances that she didn't feel comfortable in consuming/using anymore because of the reality of their production. Similarly, silk, a material that is still revered in India, was a natural fibre that Agrita had to move away from because of the abuses of human rights and silk moth rights that occur to produce conventional, and even ahinsa/ahimsa (peace), silk. Despite not using silk herself, Agrita knew that just like dairy and honey, silk would also need to be omitted from the list of potential natural materials she could use because the production of silk went against the morals that were given to her by her Indian culture and Hinduism. In this episode, Agrita explores the origins of silk from China and India, the unsustainable and unethical practices of producing the luxury material and how allowing cultures to evolve over time to meet the needs of contemporary society is not only important for community members but also for the rest of the living world.

TW: This episode mentions (doesn't go into detail) pedophilia, attempted rape/sexual molestation, murder and emotional/physical traumas (particularly childhood traumas). In this self-reflectance episode, Agrita discusses the nuances in the concept of forgiveness, the need for the definition of the concept to be unique and shaped by the experiences of each individual and the importance of self-forgiveness as the first step to long-term healing. Whilst this episode reflects the personal choices of Agrita, the listener is encouraged to replicate and/or adapt her thought processes to the definition of forgiveness they are most comfortable and happy with.

Mind Full of Everything is back from hiatus with this conversation on lessons learned from animal spirituality with Dr Linda Bender, an advocate and educator of animal rights protection and reconnecting conventional science to spiritualism. In this episode, Agrita and Linda discuss prominent issues associated to animal rights violations but also emphasise on the need for humans to reconnect to their spiritual selves in order to begin to value their connections to every being and entity on this planet. By unlearning colonial teachings of human dominion over nature, we can actively relearn indigenous teachings on interconnectivity of all beings to help create a safer space for everyone. Visit https://mindfullofeverything.com for additional resources for this episode, including Linda's book and website. All other resources for previous episodes can also be accessed on the website. 

NB: This is the final episode before Mind Full of Everything goes on hiatus until 12th May due to the host's education commitments.  In light of the outcry of women on their safety and issues around sexual exploitation of women across the world, this episode emphasises on the importance of establishing a sex positive culture, where women's sexual rights and freedoms are celebrated, not oppressed. Leah is a sex and intimacy coach, and also the host of the Good Girls Talk About Sex podcast, where women anonymously share their sexual journeys and experiences in an effort to encourage other women to embrace their sexualities and denounce misogyny around women's sexual exploration. In this episode, Leah and Agrita discuss a wide array of prominent sex issues and topics that directly affect the sexual happiness of women including: stigma around sexual exploration as a woman, birth control/abortion rights, validity of asexuality, motherhood and sexuality and shifting away from zero-sum relationships. Although this conversation is revolved around sex issues that most heterosexual women experience, as the misogyny often found in heterosexual relationships needs to be urgently addressed, issues/topics discussed here are applicable to all women in all sexual/romantic relationships. 

To celebrate International Women's Day, Agrita explores trauma cycles and patterns within South Asian communities with Aparna Sagaram, a licenced marriage and family therapist who has worked with many South Asian individuals, couples and families to help normalise trauma therapy within the community. Being of Indian origin themselves, both Agrita and Aparna discuss some of the toxic cultural patterns in South Asian households that result in traumatic events, the ways in which immigration can exacerbate or trigger trauma and the ways in which South Asian women can try to break out of trauma cycles and unhealthy mindsets in order to prioritise their mental health alongside supporting their loved ones. Head over to www.mindfullofeverything.com to find out more about Aparna's work and access additional resources. 

TW: mentions of genocide, suicide, abuse and rape.  This episode is in response to the ongoing farmer protest in India where farmers, and everyone in support, are protesting against the new agricultural bills proposed by the Indian government which seeks to privatise the sector in a bid to boost income from agriculture. The protests are important because they depict two issues: 1) the economy and profits constantly being put before farmer livelihoods and 2) the usage of undemocratic measures by the Indian government in response to public backlash, highly ironic to India's title of being the "largest democracy in the world". However, these series of events are not just about farmers and the Indian agrarian crisis, these events have shone a light on the prolonged oppression and marginalisation of the Sikh community, particularly because Sikhs have been leading the protests that are now becoming nationwide. It's evident that the Indian government is still bigoted to the Sikh community, despite the dark history of Sikh genocide that the Indian government fails to be held accountable to. Therefore, it's crucial that every Indian and non-Indian helps support Indian farmers, particularly Sikh farmers, by raising awareness, supporting farmer/Sikh organisations and doing their own research to understand the history of conflict between people and bodies of power in India. 

Sustainability is multifaceted, and Zero Waste makes up one of these facets, gaining rapid popularity within the past decade. Whilst achieving zero waste in our highly urbanised and (generally) wasteful society may seem like a great achievement, we should really be worried over how we could abandoned such an environmentally and socially just ancient practice in the first place. This episode discusses the importance of Zero Waste, the need for us to decolonise the concept to decarbonise our economies and the key ways in which we can shift to a circular economy, with real life examples of how Zero Waste is carried out successfully.