Swishing Mindsets with Anuradha Varma

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Anuradha Varma

60 episodes

21 hours ago

Listen in to conversations that "swish" or shift your perspective! Journalist and Mindset Coach Anuradha Varma interviews a diverse cast of people who share their expertise and experiences on a range of themes, across spirituality, inclusivity, entrepreneurship, mythology, and popular culture. Follow and share to stay updated and grow the conversation.

Anuradha is a journalist with nearly three decades of experience, having worked as head of Parenting for Indian Express Online, editor of interiors magazine Casaviva, as well as with publications such as The Times of India, The Pioneer, etc. She is also a certified Mindset Coach with expertise in Mindfulness, EFT and NLP.

Follow her on LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
Email: swishingmindsets@gmail.com

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed are personal. Listener discretion is advised.

Self-Improvement

Education,

Religion & Spirituality,

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Self-Improvement

Education,

Religion & Spirituality,

Spirituality,

Health & Fitness,

Mental Health

Episodes (20/60)

Swishing Mindsets with Anuradha Varma

Ep 60: Russell Van Brocklen, the Dyslexia Professor: Writing is the key to reading

At 21, Russell Van Brocklen struggled with learning, at a reading ability of a six-year-old. However, an epiphany during a college class helped him work through his challenges and develop a system that has helped several others. The American believes that dyslexia is not a reading problem, but merely a symptom. A dyslexia researcher, whose initial project was New York State Senate‑funded, he believes the key to increase reading speed lies in writing and building vocabulary, while focusing on the child’s specific interests.

Listen in as he shares his own experiences and tips for parents to flip the script for their children.

Check out his website | Instagram

Timestamps:
01:20 His journey with dyslexia, being diagnosed with the reading and writing skill of a six-year-old at 21
04:35 Solving his reading and writing challenges
08:23 His model for kids in general as well as those with ADHD and dyslexia
12:15 How to learn something from the general to the specific
23:05 How to use context to simplify learning; Romeo and Juliet
33:00 Using universal themes as a hook
40:53 Fixing his issues; getting the epiphany
45:00 A case study of his dyslexic student who aced her reading assignments
48:47 Getting a child to read

Follow Anuradha on LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
Email: swishingmindsets@gmail.com
Disclaimer: Views and opinions expressed are personal. Listener discretion is advised.

21 hours ago

57 minutes

Swishing Mindsets with Anuradha Varma

Ep 59: Robin Singh, Peepal Farm: ‘Animals are people too’

Happiness is a consequence of doing the right thing, says Robin Singh, author of Happiness Happens: Happiness for Those Who Have Everything Else. He returned from a successful tech career in the US with a mission to not have a job dictate his hours and found purpose after a chance encounter at Auroville. This led him to set up Peepal Farm, an animal rescue centre at Dhanotu village, near Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh, in 2014.

He chats about living a life of purpose, in a mud house surrounded by mulberry, guava, apricot and palm trees. For company, he has nearly 50 adopted animal friends that include a blind bull, orphaned cow, a puppy with neurological issues and others. Listen in!

Follow Peepal Farm Toons on YouTube | Instagram
Check out Peepal Farm merchandise

Follow and share to grow the conversation.

Timestamps:
01:05 About the title of his book “Happiness Happens”
02:56 Coming back to India
08:16 Living a life of purpose
11:06 Lifestyle withdrawal
12:26 Life in the US, working at a job
13:47 What a day at Peepal Farm looks like
16:15 Animals at the farm — dogs, cows, sheep, chickens, etc
20:06 Brewmaster of Peepal Farm’s Kombucha
22:00 How the organisation is funded
23:10 Finding twin purpose as a couple
25:10 On choosing not to have a child
27:48 The problem with “thinking big”
29:30 Living a grounded life at the farm
30:40 Living in a mud house, amidst nature
34:00 His book as his legacy
36:00 On finding happiness
39:40 Visiting and volunteering at Peepal Farm

Follow Anuradha on LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
Email: swishingmindsets@gmail.com

Disclaimer: Views and opinions expressed are personal. Listener discretion is advised.

2 weeks ago

40 minutes

Swishing Mindsets with Anuradha Varma

Ep 58: Mehbs Remtulla, What's neXT 50: Finding purpose after 50

The longevity strategy is the growth strategy for companies, believes Mehbs Remtulla, the Founder & CEO of What's neXT 50, which is on a mission to empower "builders" or mid-late career individuals and self-described retirees to lead an engaged life full of vigour, intent and purpose.

Based in Canada, he talks about finding purpose as a “transitioner”, rather than a retiree, finding something that gets one out of bed in the morning and cultivating a growth mindset. He also stresses on the value of cultivating multigenerational teams and friendships. Listen in!

Timestamps:
01:00 Losing a sense of purpose after “retiring”
06:47 The start of What's neXT 50
09:30 Leveraging experience for the greater good
15:42 Looking for purpose, how to create enquiry
21:29 Cultivating a growth mindset, learning from experiences
23:46 An extra 30 years of productivity
31:45 The multi-generational advantage
39:00 The Stanford centre of longevity
45:00 Goals of What's neXT 50

Follow Anuradha on LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
Email: swishingmindsets@gmail.com

Disclaimer: Views and opinions expressed are personal. Listener discretion is advised.

2 weeks ago

53 minutes

Swishing Mindsets with Anuradha Varma

Ep 57: ‘Nautch Boy’ Manish Gaekwad: On growing up in a ‘kotha’

Life outside the kotha is really quite drab, remarks Manish Gaekwad, son of Rekha bai, the subject of his book “The Last Courtesan: Writing My Mother's Memoir”. Here, he chats about its sequel “Nautch Boy: A Memoir of My Life in the Kothas”, giving flashes of a life that sounds straight out of a Bollywood potboiler.

The radio, according to the journalist-author-scriptwriter, never stopped playing at the kotha, with strains of Lata Mangeshkar and Mohammad Rafi songs filling the air. As a child, he recalls learning to move his hips like his legendary mother, with the other tawaifs cheering him on. He was also named Monty after Rishi Kapoor’s character in “Karz”, where his mother saw the name lit up in disco lights as an extra on the film sets in Mumbai.

He describes life at an elite boarding school, while spending vacations at Kolkata's infamous Bandook Gully, and living part-time with relatives in the slums, feeling like an outsider everywhere but in the kotha. He also talks about his “illegitimate” father, how he got his surname, and not coming out as queer to his mother in her lifetime.

Listen in!

Timestamps:
02:00 Dispelling myths about “kothas” and how they’re not brothels
05:16 His mother Rekha bai’s signature acrobatic dance move
11:44 How moving was dancing for him; music was in his blood
15:50 The radio never stopped playing in the kotha
18:00 Tawaifs don’t teach their children to be a girl or a boy
21:10 His mother didn’t know how to raise a boy
25:20 The Bandook Gully connection; living in the slums
31:37 How he got the name “Gaekwad”; when his mother and his father’s wife crossed paths
38:00 How he introduces himself to people; his “illegitimate” father
43:30 Mothering his mother through her illness; his relationship with his mother
46:55 On not coming out as queer to his mother
49:10 On being surrounded by sex in his adolescent years, “like a warm embrace”
53:30 On leading a solitary life, how it has shaped him
01:00:00 Being named Monty after Rishi Kapoor in the movie “Karz”
01:03:00 Growing up away from Mumbai’s glamour
01:07:23 Life as an author

Follow Anuradha on LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
Email: swishingmindsets@gmail.com

Disclaimer: Views and opinions expressed are personal. Listener discretion is advised.

2 months ago

1 hour 10 minutes

Swishing Mindsets with Anuradha Varma

EP 56: Michael Bach: Creating safe, inclusive workplaces

Queer, trans or gender fabulous, there should be a safe space for everyone at the workplace, says Canadian Michael Bach, an internationally recognised thought leader in diversity, inclusion, equity, and accessibility.

Here, he talks about his own journey of coming out as queer, and decodes the ever expanding “alphabet soup” of gender and orientation — “LGBTIQCAPGNGFNBA”, while advocating for using language mindfully. He gives recommendations for creating safe spaces, such as companies offering a gender neutral “parental” leave instead of “maternal leave”.

With nearly 20 years of professional experience, he is also the founder of the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI) and Pride at Work Canada. He has previously served as the National Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at KPMG Canada, along with being the Deputy Chief Diversity Officer for KPMG International.

Michael Bach is the author of Alphabet Soup: The Essential Guide to LGBTQ2+ Inclusion at Work and Birds of All Feathers: Doing Diversity and Inclusion Right.

Listen in!

Timestamps
02:00 Talking about the alphabet soup – LGBTIQCAPGNGFNBA
04:15 LGBTQ2+, Two-Spirit, Gender Fabulous, SOGI (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity)
09:40 His journey of coming out; not a stereotypical masculine child growing up
13:40 Homophobia remains a reality
15:55 Creating safe spaces at work though policies
19:47 Questions companies must ask themselves
23:27: The Five Fs Continuum for change management, converting “fence-sitters” to “friends” and “family”
32:15 Witnessing monumental positive change in the past decades
35:00 Importance of using language mindfully

Follow Anuradha on LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
Email: swishingmindsets@gmail.com

Disclaimer: Views and opinions expressed are personal. Listener discretion is advised.

2 months ago

38 minutes

Swishing Mindsets with Anuradha Varma

Ep 55: Shalini Singh: 'Indians don't know how to date'

One can find their partner in six months if they’re doing it right, assures Shalini Singh, founder of andwemet, building a community for Indian singles over 28 to find serious relationships.

First, however, Indians must learn how to date and not look for that elusive instant connection or finding that “perfect” partner. Instead, look for shared goals and compatibility, she says. And while marriage may still be the goal for many, those over 40 are open to other forms of commitment, such as live-ins or companionship while living separately.

Shalini is also doing it differently from ubiquitous dating apps, as hers has now moved onto building a community over WhatsApp and minus any pics, which is proving to be a gamechanger.

Listen in!

Follow andwemet on: YouTube | Threads | X (Twitter) / X (Twitter-Shalini) | Spotify | instagram | Linkedin / LinkedIn (Shalini) | Reddit

Timestamps
00:48 About andwemet and how it began; getting rejected for having a dusky complexion
05:15 From an app to a WhatsApp community
08:50 Why andwemet doesn’t ask for photos
13:52 Building andwemet for adults who have experienced life
17:20 Internal checks and balances
20:00 Age is still a factor for some
21:20 What are people looking for?
22:30 Indians don’t know how to date
26:00 Are relationships transactional?
30:40 Singles aged 28 to 65 on andwemet; goals for 40+ goes beyond marriage
34:24 Enjoy dating and have fun; six months to find your person
36:26 Marriage is here to stay
37:00 Juggling work and relationships
40:40 Testing compatibility with a shared activity
42:00 Relationship trend – talking about one’s toxic past; seeking meaningful conversations

Follow Anuradha on LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
Email: swishingmindsets@gmail.com

Disclaimer: Views and opinions expressed are personal. Listener discretion is advised.

2 months ago

47 minutes

Swishing Mindsets with Anuradha Varma

EP 54: The Blind Blogger Maxwell Ivey: Why accessibility matters

Maxwell Ivey, better known as The Blind Blogger, grew up in a large extended family, which managed carnival rides. Now a serial online entrepreneur, he is an American accessibility expert advocating for more inclusion of people with disabilities. Here, the 59-year-old talks about how a small button being relocated on a screen can throw off his screen-reader and send his day into chaos, the importance of “alt text” for images and why companies must make accessibility a priority. The aim, he says, is to go from “accessibility to usability to enjoyability for all abilities”.

Maxwell also hosts the podcasts What's Your Excuse and The Accessibility Advantage.

Follow Maxwell Ivey: LinkedIn | Instagram | Website

Timestamps
01:15 On being called The Blind Blogger
05:08 On losing his sight at the age of 12; growing up in a large extended family
12:30 Resilience is a habit
13:42 How website design changes affect him
15:42 No longer a big user of Twitter (now X)
21:20 Accessibility in design improves the overall user experience
23:15 Conversations in accessibility with businesses
28:20 On social platforms such as LinkedIn and Instagram
33:35 Impact of AI; positive review for JC Penny
44:34 Determined positivity

Follow Anuradha on LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
Email: swishingmindsets@gmail.com

Disclaimer: Views and opinions expressed are personal. Listener discretion is advised.

3 months ago

53 minutes

Swishing Mindsets with Anuradha Varma

Ep 53: Maya Raichoora: Visualisation for mental fitness

At 27, Maya Raichoora is one of UK’s top mental fitness and visualisation experts and the author of VISUALISE: Think, Feel, Perform Like the Top 1%. When she was younger, a debilitating encounter with ulcerative colitis left her bed-ridden and with zero confidence. The turning point came when a nurse asked her what she would rather do if she wasn’t confined to a hospital bed. Despite finding the question insensitive at first, it set her mind to visualise taking her first steps and start walking, which eventually became a reality.

This set her on a path to finding her passion for visualisation and mental fitness. Listen in as Maya decodes terms like limiting beliefs and manifestation, while talking about empowering techniques like The Batman Effect, and why hibernation is as important as hustle.

Follow Maya on Insta

Timestamps:
01:10 The difference between visualisation and manifestation
04:05 What is mental fitness?
06:00 Overcoming her health crisis
11:58 Your brain can’t tell fake from real; training your brain
16:33 Who is visualisation for? Taking high performers from good to great
18:30 Emotional agility; controlling our responses to primary emotions
23:35 Explaining limiting beliefs; the brain on repeat mode
26:18 Negative visualisation or future proofing
28:29 Building hope and opening up to possibilities
31:20 The Batman Effect, creating a bolder character
34:40 The Seasons Method; importance of hibernation over hustle
37:57 Keeping a journal of small wins
39:55 Visualisation for the ‘Top 1 percent’, to be the best you can be

Follow Anuradha on LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
Email: swishingmindsets@gmail.com
Disclaimer: Views and opinions expressed are personal. Listener discretion is advised.

4 months ago

43 minutes

Swishing Mindsets with Anuradha Varma

Ep 52: Leigh Branham: 'The best leaders had bad bosses'

“I’m on a mission to put pressure on companies to be better places to work,” says Leigh Branham, international bestselling author of four books including The 7 Hidden Reasons Employees Leave: How to Recognize the Subtle Signs and Act Before It’s Too Late and Re-Engage: How America’s Best Places to Work Inspire Extra Effort in Extraordinary Times. Here, he talks about how the “burn and churn” philosophy is not helping companies and why they should focus on re-engaging burnt out and disengaged employees. Communication is key, he says, and the best leaders possess empathy.

The US-based employee retention expert also talks about the generational differences between Gen X, millennials and Gen Z-ers and the need for conversation for smooth intergenerational functioning. Listen in to know the top reasons employees leave and how one can start asking the right questions before joining a new organisation. The latter is also the subject of his latest book Don't Take That Job ‘til You Read This Book: Nine Lenses to Look Before You Leap, coauthored with Mark Hirschfeld.

Leigh is also a career transition coach and organisational consultant and helps companies better understand the root causes of employee turnover and disengagement. He is the founder and Managing Principal of Keeping the People, a talent management consulting firm.

Timestamps:
01:03 Focus on wellbeing at workplaces after the pandemic
03:58 Toxic workplaces and quiet quitting by Gen Z
06:30 The reason behind disengagement—burn and churn philosophy
09:03 The direct manager is the top reason for employees leaving
11:54 Gaps in leadership and empathy
16:10 To become an employer of choice, you have to show people you care
24:05 Difference between baby boomers, Gen X, millennials and Gen Z
29:33 The perception of Gen Z
30:52 The reasons employees leave
37:00 "Don't take that job till you read this book”--how to assess their new employer
40:37 What to ask interviewers before you take that next job; use LinkedIn to network with those in target companies

Follow Anuradha on LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
Email: swishingmindsets@gmail.com

Disclaimer: Views and opinions expressed are personal. Listener discretion is advised.

4 months ago

45 minutes

Swishing Mindsets with Anuradha Varma

Ep 51: Neeraj Sagar, WisdomCircle: ‘Don’t retire, find a purpose’

We’re all living longer, but how do we constructively utilise these extra years? Neeraj Sagar, Founder & CEO of WisdomCircle, which is building a post-retirement work marketplace, talks about creating space for retirees in corporate systems, the value of intergenerational teams, and the “price per unit of wisdom”.

Currently at over 100,000 registrations, with 2,500 white-collar jobs from nearly 300 companies on his portal, he believes it has barely scratched the surface. The idea for WisdomCircle came to Neeraj during the pandemic after he quit his corporate job as he turned 50. He is now an active part of a thriving community that is creating solutions for the senior segment, where the 60+ population is poised to grow to a staggering 300 million by 2050.

Organisations, he believes, must tap into the wisdom of an experienced talent pool that wants to give back and can help youngsters grow faster. In return, they need to feel respected and relevant. Companies can also help their retiring workforce ease into becoming mentors from doers, taking on the role of educators or specialists.

He is also a Global Ambassador for the Stanford Center on Longevity. Listen in!

Resources:
(This is purely for information and not an endorsement)
Research
* The Stanford Center on Longevity: The New Map of Life
* ABCEL (Aditya Birla Centre for Enriching Lives): Designing pathways for collective wellbeing
* The Gerontechnologist: A media platform that covers agetech globally
* Human Edge: Longevity health programmes
* Ashoka New Longevity: Exploring new narratives in ageing
* Live Ivory: Neuroscience for a sharper brain
Health & Community
* Priya Living: Active, purposeful intergenerational living
* Athulya Senior Care: Assisted living for seniors
* 25YearsMore: Services for an active retirement
* GetSetUp: Curated events, activities & travel for older events
* GenSxtyTribe: Changing the age-old narratives of ageing
* Khyaal: Club for senior citizens
* GenWise: Club for senior citizens

Timestamps:
02:40 Coming up with the idea during the pandemic
04:30 Agetech as a concept, building the community
09:16 Agetech companies solving for senior issues
12:05 On how WisdomCircle is providing post-career opportunities
16:15 Fighting existing narrative around ageing in the system
19:45...

Show more...

5 months ago

57 minutes

Swishing Mindsets with Anuradha Varma

Ep 50: Shobha Viswanath, Karadi Tales: The soundtrack of Indian childhood
When Shobha Viswanath returned to India from the US in 1995, she couldn’t find audiobooks for her young daughter, something that her son had enjoyed growing up. That prompted her to start Karadi Tales and its signature audio cassettes that accompanied illustrated books. Children could read along as they listened to the story, encouraging "sight vocabulary" as Shobha calls it and, more importantly, have fun in the process!

Married into a family of Carnatic classical musicians, Shoba tells us, the family band ‘3 Brothers & a Violin’ provided the score for the books, narrated first by actor Naseeruddin Shah and his theatre troupe, and later Gulzar, Girish Karnad, Saeed Jaffrey, among others. Usha Uthup lent her voice to some very Indian-themed nursery rhymes written by Shobha and set to classical ragas.

In a journey spanning nearly three decades, Karadi Tales also set up Karadi Path, an education company that teaches English to learners of all ages and backgrounds using an immersion method, inspired by how we pick up our mother-tongue. They also collaborated with P. Sainath, founder-editor of the People's Archive of Rural India, to create chapter books around grim realities faced by children, such as migration and climate crisis, tinged with hope.

The goal, however, remains to inspire and empower children and adults with the magic of storytelling and the joy of reading, says Shobha. Listen in!

Timestamps:
00:45 The start of Karadi Tales, nearly 30 years ago
05:09 Naseeruddin Shah as their first narrator for the book
07:50 Launching the first audio books as the pioneers
12:00 Moving into picture books
14:40 Songs that became popular, such as from Monkey King
15:00 Writing English rhymes for Indian kids, set on classical ragas
19:45 Recording with Rahul Dravid
20:50 Challenges of packaging the book and audio together
21:48 Her experience as a special educator for visually-impaired kids
25:25 Starting Karadi Path education, to support language labs
31:36 Drawing stories from rural India, with P. Sainath
38:44 Reaching a larger audience through schools
41:58 Message for parents and educators
45:05 What’s next for Karadi?
46:00 The financial challenge of recording audio books

Follow Anuradha on LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
Email: swishingmindsets@gmail.com

Disclaimer: Views and opinions expressed are personal. Listener discretion is advised.
Show more...
5 months ago
49 minutes

Swishing Mindsets with Anuradha Varma

Ep 49: Leadership coach Dr Marcia Reynolds: Reflective inquiry & neuroplasticity
From being in jail at barely 20-years-old, facing prison time on a drug charge and feeling, “My whole life, one stupid mess after another,” international leadership coach Dr Marcia Reynolds has come a long way. Nearly 50 years later, she counts among the top voices in coaching.

Here, she talks about the power of reflective inquiry and how it forces one to look deep within and take hard life decisions. She also debunks the “crazy belief” that the coach must ask only open-ended, not closed questions. A coach or thinking partner, she says, gives people the courage to step into the decision they know they want to take. She also warns one against the “shoulds”—”Ask yourself, who made that rule?”

Based in the US, Dr. Marcia Reynolds, Master Certified Coach and president of Covisioning LLC, is a pioneer in the coaching profession and was the 5th global president of the International Coaching Federation and inducted into their Circle of Distinction for her many years of service to the global coaching community. She is recognised by Global Gurus as one of the top five coaches in the world.

She has provided coaching and training in 47 countries, to thousands of coaches and leaders online, is on faculty for coaching schools in the US, Asia, and Eastern Europe. She holds a doctorate in organisational psychology, besides two master’s degrees in learning psychology and communications.

Listen in!

Dr. Marcia Reynolds’ books include:
Coach the Person, Not the Problem: A Guide to Using Reflective Inquiry
Outsmart Your Brain: How to Master Your Mind When Emotions Take the Wheel
Unexpected Angels: A Six Month Journey Into Light
Wander Woman: How High-Achieving Women Find Contentment and Direction
Breakthrough Coaching: Creating Lightbulb Moments in Your Coaching Conversations
The Discomfort Zone: How Leaders Turn Difficult Conversations Into Breakthroughs
Timestamps:
01:40 Starting 50 years ago, from jail to leadership coaching
09:00 Walked through a dark tunnel to learn lessons
10:20 From a corporate career to becoming a founding member of the ICF
15:00 What is coaching? Becoming a thinking partner for clients
20:42 Reflective statements combined with enquiry
26:03 An outcome is not an action; finding purpose for a client
29:43 Reflective enquiry taps into the middle brain and long-term memories
31:50 Open-ended vs closed questions, forming connections
37:42 Common threads in client issues
41:25 Giving space to feel the emotion

Follow Anuradha on LinkedIn | Twitter | Show more...
6 months ago
44 minutes

Swishing Mindsets with Anuradha Varma

Ep 48: Polyamorist Arundhati Ghosh: All love is messy & beautiful
For Arundhati Ghosh, polyamory means “the desire, the ability and the practice of loving more than one person simultaneously, with or without sexual intimacy, and with the consent of all.” A practising polyamorist, cultural practitioner and social activist, the 53-year-old is the author of All Our Loves: Journeys with Polyamory in India, published by Aleph.

In her earlier years, she felt her feelings resonated with Ghalib’s couplet, Hazaron khwahishen aisi ki har khwahish pe dam nikle; Bahut nikle mere armaan lekin phir bhi kam nikle.” Here, she talks about how polyamory is not shallow, but a deep exploration of love, her dislike of the overarching concept of “one true love”, dealing with jealousy and the idea of commitment.

In this candid talk, Arundhati talks about exploring relationships minus the “relationship escalator” or conventional stops of marriage and dating, living a life that is “more honest and truthful to myself and others”. She quotes late author John Berger: "Never again shall a single story be told as though it were the only one." Listen in!

Timestamps:
01:00 What is polyamory and how is it different from a “situationship”?
08:30 One true love and the monogamy as a majoritarian trend
16:36 The relationship escalator…what’s next?
20:40 On her experience of monogamy
22:25 Her journey with polyamory
27:27 Polyamory historically in cultures
28:47 Navigating social openness as a polyamorist
33:53 Being a solo polyamorist and living with loneliness
35:45 Nesting partners and dealing with jealousy
45:11 What commitment means in polyamory
50:47 Managing multiple relationships; setting boundaries
56:00 The Indian legal system and polyamory
01:00:05 Red flags in polyamory; gaslighting
01:06:20 Who is it for?
01:09:10 Why polyamory works for her

Follow Anuradha on LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
Email: swishingmindsets@gmail.com

Disclaimer: Views and opinions expressed are personal. Listener discretion is advised.
Show more...
6 months ago
1 hour 12 minutes

Swishing Mindsets with Anuradha Varma

Ep 47: Sabita Radhakrishna, 82: Mismatched blouses & networking
At 82, Sabita Radhakrishna, founder chairperson of Udhavi, provides a networking platform to elderly people, with retro karaoke evenings, social visits at home, and more. She talks about facing loss, the importance of family, the joys of reconnecting with old friends, and pushing forward at all times.

Sabita has several firsts to her credit, such as starting Chennai’s first boutique where she introduced the then “daring” trend of wearing mismatched blouses with saris, in the early Eighties. Her saris, with unique prints, were modelled by Hema Malini in women’s magazines of the time, she tells us. Her “Rekha blouses” with printed motifs on a high back were also a hit!

She shares some delightful reminiscences of impromptu picnics in the old days and male classmates pinning paper tails on her as a prank in school. A food columnist, broadcaster and active member of the Crafts Council of India, she has six cookbooks to her credit, including Paachakam on Kerala cuisine and Annapurni, containing heritage recipes from Tamil Nadu. Her next one is called Amma’s Kitchen. Listen in!

Follow and share to grow the conversation.

Follow Sabita on Instagram | Facebook

Timestamps:
01:34 What is Udhavi? Loneliness, the empty nest syndrome and living alone
09:10 Annual get-together & retro karaoke courtesy patron Nina Reddy of Savera Hotels
14:38 Why assisted living for seniors is practical
17:53 Studying in a co-educational school with boys, who pinned tails on them
20:44 How she and her husband remained connected to classmates
23:57 Idyllic weekends in the old days, dancing and going on picnics
28:00 Introducing mismatched blouses in her boutique, helping weavers during the pandemic
31:44 On her passion for cooking and her six cookbooks
37:48 Mismatched sari blouses were considered “daring”, in the early Eighties
43:10 On social media48:05 Advice for seniors who feel isolated

Follow Anuradha on LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
Email: swishingmindsets@gmail.com

Disclaimer: Views and opinions expressed are personal. Listener discretion is advised.
Show more...
7 months ago
51 minutes

Swishing Mindsets with Anuradha Varma

Ep 46: PS Srikumar: Why India’s seniors can’t be ignored
From travel to tourism, real estate and beyond, the silver economy is seeing a boom, says PS Srikumar, a senior care expert and the founder of Care Finder. Besides grappling with issues such as loneliness, senior citizens are a fun, vibrant community and want to live the good life, with products and services already recognising and catering to this demand.

Srikumar has helped over 9,000 families navigate the complexities of elder care, creating personalised solutions that enhance their quality of life. He mentions trends in senior living – assisted living and managed residences, innovative home solutions, etc. He also talks about curating unique gifting solutions such as an emotional grandmother using technology to reconnect with her grandson. Listen in!

Resources:
(These are purely informational and do not signify an endorsement.)

Elderline: National helpline for senior citizens: 14567

Senior care providers:
* Athulya Senior Care
* KITES

Senior travel:
* Kare Voyage
* Silver Wings from Senior World
* Alaska Tours
* Bliss by Club Mahindra

Online communities:
* Sukoon Unlimited
* Silver Talkies

Services:
* Goodfellows: Providing companionship for “grandpals”
* Wisdom Circle: Post-retirement jobs
* Udhavi: Networking for the elderly

Timestamps:
00:56: How his mother’s illness led him into senior care
06:32 The senior sector is booming like the IT industry
09:22 Seniors enjoy the good life
12:03 What seniors want; forming connections
15:25 Senior living comes in many forms
20:54 What are needs they approach him for
24:24 Seniors enjoy travelling
26:00 Senior-proofing your home
31:50 Pet therapy for seniors
32:36 Swivel seats for cars
34:06 Customised classes for ironing, Google Maps, making salads, etc
38:12 How a grandmother reconnected with her grandson through tech
45:24 Today’s seniors want to express themselves
48:35 When to enter a senior living community–buy or rent?
49:43 Seniors and loneliness, building intergenerational connections
01:02:13 Buy a car from your doorstep and other possibilities

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7 months ago
1 hour 14 minutes

Swishing Mindsets with Anuradha Varma

Ep 45: Rhythm Malhotra: What is 'Heart Activation Cacao Ceremony'?
Most of us lead lives where we feel stuck, not allowing ourselves to feel our emotions fully. Business and embodiment coach Rhythm Malhotra talks about the transformative Heart Activation Cacao Ceremony, which brings together ceremonial-grade cacao, breathwork, and sound therapy for an emotional catharsis.

Cacao, which contains theobromine that increases blood flow to the heart, gently enhances mental clarity, presence and emotional agency, according to Rhythm. She talks about the role of conscious circular breathwork in preventive care to release trauma that is stored in our bodies.

Rhythm is part of FindYourFit’s Wellness Carnival 2025 being held at Gurugram’s DLF Cyber Hub on March 8th and 9th, 2025.

Listen in!

Cacao recipes, courtesy Rhythm Malhotra
(Check with your doctor if you are on BP or anti-anxiety medication)

Want to try making your own cacao at home? Whether you prefer it hot or cold, here’s asimple way to prepare it with intention:

Warm Heart-Opening Cacao
A cosy, grounding drink for reflection and relaxation.
Ingredients:
● 1 cup warm water or plant-based milk (almond, oat, or coconut work well)
● 1.5 tbsp ceremonial-grade cacao (finely chopped or in paste form)
● 1 tsp maple syrup, honey, or coconut sugar (optional)
● A pinch of cinnamon or cayenne (for extra warmth and activation)
● A dash of sea salt (enhances flavor and grounding)

Method:
1. Heat the water or milk until warm but not boiling.
2. Add the cacao and stir continuously with a spoon or whisk until fully melted.
3. Stir in the sweetener, cinnamon, and salt.
4. Pour into a cup, take a deep breath, and set an intention before sipping.

Refreshing Iced Cacao Elixir
A cooling, energising version for warmer days.
Ingredients:
● 1 cup cold water or plant-based milk
● 1.5 tbsp ceremonial-grade cacao
● 1 tsp maple syrup, honey, or coconut sugar (optional)
● ½ tsp vanilla extract (for a smooth, aromatic flavor)
● A pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg● Ice cubes

Method:
1. Blend the cacao with cold water or milk until smooth. (You can also shake it in a jar if you don’t have a blender.)
2. Add the sweetener, vanilla, and cinnamon, then mix well.
3. Pour over ice cubes and enjoy mindfully.

Pro Tip: Sip slowly, breathe deeply, and notice how your body feels as you drink.Make it a ritual.

Timestamps
00:44 How Rhythm found alternate healing during Covid, post-MBA
07:49 Conscious breathwork and circular breathing to bring out stored trauma
12:46 Essential to do circular breathing with a practitioner
17:12 How the sessions work
21:19 What is heart activation?
26:39 Cacao as plant medicine
32:18 Sound as part of the therapy
33:47 Experiences during the Heart Activation Cacao Ceremony
35:30 Daily ritual for charity: 10 deep breaths
38:06 Who can have cacao and who cannot? How to consume cacao

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8 months ago
42 minutes

Swishing Mindsets with Anuradha Varma

Ep 44: Sopan Joshi: ‘The mango is all that is India’
Sopan Joshi, in his book Mangifera Indica: A Biography of the Mango, which took eight years to write and research, accomplishes a historic, cultural, religious and economic exploration of India’s favourite fruit.

Did you know that India is home to over 1,000 varieties of mangoes, besides the much loved Alphonso, Kesar and Dashehri? And whenever a major battle took place, such as the Battle of Plassey, it was usually near a mango grove, which was ubiquitous in ancient India. Once a place for social joy, “free therapy”, and the food of the poor, we now depend on store-bought mangoes, he points out.

He links the mango to colonial history, Jesuit priests—the “Google search engines of their time”—who brought modern grafting techniques of the 16th century to India, and the Mughals’ fascination for the fruit. He also ties the mango and other fruits with our deepest cravings, associating it with alcohol and sugar addiction, which begins with mother’s milk.

Listen in!

Timestamps
01:38 How the book happened
06:20 On the three parts of the book; seed-grown vs grafted mangoes
08:13 The culture of the mango grove or “amrai”
10:30 All empires and kings were invested in the mango
14:00 In earlier India, you were never very far from a mango grove
20:00 Akbar onwards, Mughal emperors were obsessed with mangoes
23:00 An obsession with the mango flower; the Kamadeva connection
31:50 Modern grafting techniques began in Goa with the Jesuit priests
35:36 The end of mango groves started with zamindari in the late 18th century
40:50 The “Habitat Selection” theory and why green belts are essential
42:25 The mango’s association with alcohol
46:04 How our ability to see red is rewarded by the colour of fruits
49:00 Whether the mango originated in India
54:46 Over a thousand varieties of the mango in India
58:20 Mango diplomacy down the ages, starting with Buddhism and the Mauryan empire
01:00:45 His relationship with the mango; memories of his uncle

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Email: swishingmindsets@gmail.com

Disclaimer: Views and opinions expressed are personal. Listener discretion is advised.
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8 months ago
1 hour 3 minutes

Swishing Mindsets with Anuradha Varma

Ep 43: K. Hari Kumar: ‘Writing horror takes a piece of you’
When K. Hari Kumar was young, an oracle or soothsayer in Kerala prophesied that his work would revolve around the “undead”. Now, known fittingly as “Horror Kumar”, he talks about his latest novel Dakini, published by HarperCollins India, born out of personal tragedy and drawing on news reports of witch-hunting.

He touches upon his affinity for an all-pervading mother goddess, creating strong women characters as opposed to the “damsel-in-distress” Western trope. Through his story, he also explores deeper questions around the existence of a God and the concept of “Shoonyata” or a “profound, eternal void”. He also mentions his passion for keeping traditional folklore alive, sprinkling mythological references throughout his book, and his love for “rain” to keep a narrative going.

And the Dakini, he says, will be back, as part of his "horror universe" or even as a film. Listen in!

Book recommendations:
* Rosemary’s Baby by Ira Levine
* The Shining by Stephen King
* Markandeya Purana
* Devi Bhagavatam by Ramesh Menon

About the book “Dakini”:
While investigating a spate of unexplained deaths in a remote village, Mumbai-based journalist Mamta learns of the dakini: a bloodthirsty entity that haunts the surrounding forests, leaving mutilated corpses in her wake. As the villagers’ terror grows, so does their dangerous suspicion of women. With lives on the line, including her own, Mamta is dragged into a race against time-all whilst trying to escape her traumatic past, which threatens to turn her own mind against her.

About the author:
Gurgaon-based K. Hari Kumar is an author of eight books, including the bestseller Daiva: Discovering the Extraordinary World of Spirit Worship and the popular horror anthology India’s Most Haunted. His narratives are rooted in Indian folklore and mythology. He is also an international award nominated photographer and screenwriter.

Timestamps
02:20 The conception of Dakini; coming across news of witch-hunting
07:05 On the feminist energy of the book, his affinity for goddess Durga
14:30 Growing up on stories of yakshas, dakinis, brahma rakshasas, etc
20:35 Mythological symbolism in the book; Dakini as a yogini in Tibetan mythology
22:48 On his non-fiction Daiva; oral tradition of storytelling
27:00 “Surprising” rituals encountered during research for Daiva
39:44 His personal view of the rational vs supernatural
46:15 Interpretation of God
49:50 Using horror tropes; why he loves rain
55:10 How he started writing horror; the oracle’s prophecy
1:00:26 Book recommendationsShow more...
9 months ago
1 hour 10 minutes

Swishing Mindsets with Anuradha Varma

Ep 42: Bhavana Nissima: What is mental space psychology?
Everything that exists in the physical universe is located in space. “We carry a village in our heads. All our people, our senses and feelings are literally directed and mapped out in the space around us,” says Bhavana Nissima, a Hyderabad-based mental spece psychologist.

Or to put loosely, we live in a 3D world, inside our heads and outside of it. Mental Space Psychology “works with our individual constructs to overcome obstacles, stop limiting beliefs and achieve goals.”

In this episode, Bhavana talks about using space as a therapeutic tool, playing with language, frames, feelings and through other cognitive methods. Whether it’s a bad boss or a tough relationship, there are tools to create a shift towards feeling hopeful once again. She generously demonstrates how to prepare ourselves for difficult conversations using the “Negotiation Panorama” technique.

Bhavana, who calls herself the "Lightweaver", has a PhD in Communication from University of New Mexico, USA and is the pioneer of Mental Space Psychology in India and Founder Director of Mental Space Academy India.

To get in touch, email her at thelightweaver1@gmail.com or visit www.thelightweavers.in
To know more, visit: Mental Space Academy India
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@mentalspaceacademyindia4404

Timestamps:
01:25: Understanding spatial cognition
07:42: An exercise: Think of a problem, feel the feelings and its location
15:55: Mental space psychology is anchored around presence
18:22: Anxiety is about anticipation; work stress
27:46: Language complements spatial movement
30:06: The background of Mental Space Psychology; Alfred Korzybski’s book Science & Sanity; spatial medicine
40:22: Picking a physical location for a session; clean language coaching
44:19: Lucas Derks’ “social panorama”; feeling “lost”
50:12: Negotiation panorama; asking for a salary increase or feeling less or power-less in a partnership
56:00: An exercise: Negotiation panorama, preparing for a difficult conversation, creating a level playing field
01:06:14 How to get in touch with Bhavana

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Email: swishingmindsets@gmail.com

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed are personal. Listener discretion is advised.

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9 months ago
1 hour 8 minutes

Swishing Mindsets with Anuradha Varma

Ep 41: Moms Gopika Kapoor & Moneisha Gandhi: On Buddy Up, a friendship app for people with disabilities
When Mumbai-based Gopika Kapoor and Moneisha Gandhi, moms of Vir Kapoor and Mihaan Dhall, witnessed how life-changing friendship proved to be for their neurodivergent young sons, they decided to launch Buddy Up – A Friendship App for People with Disabilities & their Caregivers. While Vir, who is on the autism spectrum, is quiet, Mihaan, who has Down Syndrome, loves to talk non-stop, the two clicked and now “buddy up” for concerts, sleepovers, board games and dance parties. Listen in as Gopika and Moneisha talk about their app and how friendship is the best therapy.

While Gopika is a neurodiversity consultant and an author, who also wrote the book Beyond the Blue: Love, Life & Autism on her parenting experience, Moneisha formerly ran an embroidery export company and volunteers at the Ummeed Parent Resource Centre. Both are advocates of diversity and inclusion.

Download the app on Google Play
Download on the Mac App Store
Follow Buddy Up on Instagram
Follow Buddy Up on YouTube
Follow Buddy Up on Facebook

Timestamps
00:54 Gopika’s introduction and meeting Moneisha
05:08 Moneisha’s introduction, finding friends for Mihaan
15:13 An uncomplicated friendship
16:16 Navigating siblings
21:17 About Buddy Up
24:50 Support for newly diagnosed parents of neurodivergent kids
26:00 Gopika’s book and five stages of grief after diagnosis
29:30 Spreading the word about Buddy Up
32:40 Learnings from neurodivergent focus groups
37:00 How the Buddy Up app works
43:00 How parents can make social connections
46:15 Moneisha on meeting the parent of an older Down Syndrome child
48:00 Stimming and what it means
56:25 Moneisha’s son’s experience in an inclusive school

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Follow Anuradha on LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
Email: swishingmindsets@gmail.com

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed are personal. Listener discretion is advised.
Show more...
11 months ago
58 minutes