26 JUN 2024 · In this episode, https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitalsalia/, game therapist and founder of https://www.instagram.com/khel_khel_mein/ talks about how she prescribes games to teach life skills and for mental wellbeing. A counselling psychologist and educator, she started by curating game nights at home, which were a huge hit. Certain games, whether solo or multiplayer, teach dexterity, stimulate brain function and raise EQ, she informs.  Playing also releases feel good hormones dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin, while reducing cortisol, the stress hormone. Games, like physical sports, also teach children to deal with failure gracefully and bounce back for the next round, says Mital.  The Mumbai-based therapist talks about travelling through India, particularly villages in south India, coming across ancient games etched on temple floors. In one Madurai household, she discovered the mathematical game Pallanguzhi (an Indian version of Mancala) being played by generations of women.  Mital also pulled her son, now 21, out of school at the age of 14 as it was not giving him any real life skills. She talks about sending him to live on a Bengaluru farm to explore his interest in reptiles, besides pursuing scuba diving and snowboarding. Mital is the author of https://www.amazon.in/Game-Your-Mind-Emotions-Yourself-ebook/dp/B0974LJCW9 as well as https://www.amazon.in/Practical-Handbook-Brain-Fitness-Books-ebook/dp/B0987LZWF8.  Here are some of her all-time favourite games: Find it First or Spot It, Top That, Dr Eureka, Marble Solitaire, the Hide and Seek series, Traffic Hour or Rush Hour, Brainvita, Nine Men Morris, Splendour, Seven Wonders, Wingspan, Century: Spice Road and Coup. She recommends neuroscience-based online portals such as Lumosity, Brain HQ and Einstein Riddle. Listen in! Timestamps: 00:40 What is a game therapist? 03:25 From counselling psychologist to education and game therapy 07:43 Organising game nights at home 13:15 Getting to know people’s social and emotional intelligence through games 16:00 Happy hormones released through playing games 18:53 Games for families 22:50 Impact of game therapy workshops 27:00 Board games for strategizing, warfare, entrepreneurship 30:30 Pallanghuzhi, the mathematical game from the villages of Tamil Nadu 33:39 Travelling through south India to research ancient games 38:47 Pros and cons of video games 42:35 Decision to unschool her son 50:52 Message for adults and kids on board games Follow and share to grow the conversation. Follow Anuradha on https://www.linkedin.com/in/anuradhavarma/ | https://twitter.com/anuvee | https://www.instagram.com/anuradhavarma/?hl=en Email: swishingmindsets@gmail.com Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed are personal. Listener discretion is advised.

11 JUN 2024 · We make money everyday and not just at our jobs, according to https://www.instagram.com/nbkspeedster/ And we can create more of it using the power of her “https://themysticlotus.com/home/healer_profile/9/Nidhu-B-Kapoor/The-Decrees” (World of Retrograde Decrees Switchsentences), she assures. While the results, Nidhu promises, are instantaneous, attracting money has a lot to do with who we are. In this chat, she urges us to question our relationship and belief system regarding money. And yes, she also gives some powerful “switch sentences”, such as “What If”, to unleash the power of positive manifestation. Her decrees, says the WORD doctor, can be adapted to life issues, health problems or even to repair a geyser. It’s no wonder that actor Vidya Balan has her on a speed dial.  Listen in as Nidhu generously shows us how we can, well, attract money into our lives using her decrees! Time-stamps: 02:00 Making the shift 09:26 Speed as her USP; the two types of people who show up for a money workshop 18:10 Light medicine and Nidhu’s decrees 21:30 Safety is paramount in manifesting money 25:00 Work doesn’t always mean a job 31:20 Our associations with money 36:00 If a Rs 5 crore cheque arrives, what will you do? 42:50 The making of money is very different from getting it 45:25 Two-word medicine to attract money: “What if…” 53:50 The mind thinks in words; releasing blockages 1:01:16 The four-word medicine: “You can leave now” 01:08:10 The Vidya Balan association; what W.O.R.D Medicine means 01:13:30 How it works with Nidhu 01:15:50 Adapting decrees to life issues Follow and share to grow the conversation. Follow Anuradha on https://www.linkedin.com/in/anuradhavarma/ | https://twitter.com/anuvee | https://www.instagram.com/anuradhavarma/?hl=en Email: swishingmindsets@gmail.com Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed are personal. Listener discretion is advised.

30 MAY 2024 · “Mumbai is like a large open-air casino and we are all putting our stakes on something,” says author https://www.instagram.com/mahimkajerry/, whose 2018 novel https://www.amazon.in/Murder-Mahim-Jerry-Pinto/dp/9388326091 has been made into a series, playing on Jio Cinema. The action begins when a gay sex worker is found dead, his stomach ripped open, in a toilet at a Mumbai railway station. The plot thickens as good friends Peter Fernandes (played by Ashutosh Rana in the series), a retired journalist and Shiva Jende ((played by Vijay Raaz), a cop piece the clues together even as the body count keeps rising. It also leads Peter into uncharted territory, navigating “gay Mumbai” and coming to terms with the fact that his son may be queer. In some delightful cameos, we have Leslie, a flamboyant and ageing gay man and Unit, a young upwardly mobile sex worker. The book, he says, was born out of anger when the Supreme Court reversed the Delhi High Court ruling decriminalising gay sex in 2016. However, on September 6, 2018, the apex court partially struck down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, decriminalising same-sex relations between consenting adults. Listen in as Pinto talks about how we exist on the spectrum of possibilities and whether we can look forward to more peter-Jende thrillers! Chapters: 01:03 The book was born out of anger, before homosexual sex was decriminalised 04:00 Eating what he wrote as a child 05:17 Characters Peter Fernandes and Shiva Jende first appeared in the Mumbai Noir anthology; the author as an observer 09:10 “Would you welcome having an LGBTQI child?” 14:50 When a Dalit friend came home for dinner 21:30 The visual thrill of the human body 23:06 His own discovery of “gay Mumbai”: Research is other people 25:35 Many layers to gay sexuality 28:50 Mumbai is like a large open-air casino; physical vs abstract intelligence 34:10 “We are a parade of possibilities” 37:30 Jerry as “Jotin Perry”; writing an honest cop 41:50 More Peter-Jende mysteries? Follow and share to grow the conversation. Follow Anuradha on https://www.linkedin.com/in/anuradhavarma/ | https://twitter.com/anuvee | https://www.instagram.com/anuradhavarma/?hl=en Email: swishingmindsets@gmail.com Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed are personal. Listener discretion is advised.

21 MAY 2024 · https://www.instagram.com/travelrani/, a Bengaluru-based women’s motorcycle coach, is a Limca Book of Records holder for being the first Indian woman motorcyclist to reach Khardung La, the highest motorable pass in the world. You can have the biggest car in the world, but nothing beats the feeling of the wind in your hair when you ride a bike, she says. “When you ride a motorcycle, you know why a dog sticks their head out of the car,” she remarks.  For her 10-year-old daughter, it’s a surprise when she sees her father park the bike, “Oh, he knows how to ride too?” Begging her dad to teach her to start a scooter when she was barely a teen, Meghna’s story of the first bike she fell in love with — and later owned — is serendipitous with meeting her husband. While she goes with the flow, running Levitate, a craft store for 18 years, a preloved store for fashion finds and starting the “Bindi Project”, her passion lies in riding her 1994 Royal Enfield Bullet through dirt roads and forest trails. Listen in! Chapters: 01:00 Her love for bikes started at age 12 06:20 Her first bike – the Enfield 1994 Bullet — and meeting her husband 10:00 No fear when biking; driving as a new mom 13:20 The Khardung La journey, navigating hairpin bends 23:35 Motorcycling is a solo journey 29:20 Helping hand from bikers 34:10 Coaching across age groups 37:25 Driving responsibly; her dad’s advice 39:20 Stories of women riders 44:38 Wearing many hats 47:10 Moving from Mumbai and starting Levitate in Bangalore 53:43 How preloved works 57:15 Empowering women Follow and share to grow the conversation. Follow Anuradha on https://www.linkedin.com/in/anuradhavarma/ | https://twitter.com/anuvee | https://www.instagram.com/anuradhavarma/?hl=en Email: swishingmindsets@gmail.com Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed are personal. Listener discretion is advised.

23 APR 2024 · Living with a negative thought is like chasing a rodent in the house, according to https://www.linkedin.com/in/niteshbatra/, Mindfulness teacher and Certified Compassion Cultivation Trainer (CCT). He is founder of https://themindfulinitiative.com/ and also runs the Ashtanga Yoga Program in Bengaluru.  Mindfulness, he explains, is focussing on the task at hand, cherishing what you are doing and practising non-judgement. “When you are washing the dishes, wash the dishes,” he remarks. The mind, he says, is clear and knowing. If you sit in stillness, it’ll become calm and you can look through it.  For leaders, he recommends practising to be calm in the eye of the storm to give out the right energy. He also talks about practising compassion on the go, “Be kinder, more loving, more compassionate and it will reflect in the world around you; something subtle shifts in our mind and life is a lot more joyous.” He emphasises, “We need to put in the effort; without it, nothing will happen.” Simply start by sitting still for a minute in a day, setting a gentle intention. Follow and share to grow the conversation. Chapters: 01:00 Guided meditation 05:40 Explaining the concept of mindfulness 11:10 Accepting negative emotions in mindfulness – good stress vs bad stress 26:58 The Bhagavad Gita and the power of Om 29:02 We need to put in the effort 32:34: The neuroscience of mindfulness; prefrontal cortex vs the fear centre 36:30 Response vs reaction 38:40 Does mindfulness make us live in denial of problems? 44:45 On his mindfulness for effective leadership workshop with Prof Dinesh Kumar at IIM Bangalore 52:14 Compassion cultivation training and the Stanford course; how compassion works 58:16 Compassion vs empathy 01:04:54 Lojong teachings and the Tibetan Tonglen practice 01:10:35 We are lost in “maya”, we forget there is something beyond ourselves Reading references: * https://www.amazon.in/Miracle-Mindfulness-Classic-Meditation-Revered/dp/1846041066 by Thich Nhat Hanh * https://www.amazon.in/Mindfulness-Beginners-CD-Jon-Kabat-Zinn/dp/9386348810/ by Jon Kabat-Zinn * https://www.amazon.in/Patanjalis-Yoga-Sutras-Swami-Vivekananda/dp/9389567351/ by Swami Vivekananda * https://www.amazon.in/Start-Where-You-Are-yourself/dp/000719062X by Pema Chodron * https://www.amazon.in/Great-Path-Awakening-Cultivating-Compassion/dp/1590302141/ by Jamgon Kongtrul, translated by Ken McLeod * https://www.amazon.in/CUTNG-THRU-MATERLSM-Chogyam-Trungpa/dp/0394730232/ by Chögyam Trungpa (wrongly credited in the audio) Follow Anuradha on https://www.linkedin.com/in/anuradhavarma/ | https://twitter.com/anuvee | https://www.instagram.com/anuradhavarma/?hl=en Email: swishingmindsets@gmail.com Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed are personal. Listener discretion is advised.

16 APR 2024 · In this episode and a virtual masterclass on the entrepreneurial mindset, Games2Win co-founder and CEO https://www.linkedin.com/in/alokkejriwal/ talks about his latest book “https://www.amazon.in/Getting-Dressed-Parking-Cars-Building/dp/0143459171”, published by Penguin Random House India. Alok describes himself as a hands-on serial entrepreneur and someone who loves to help entrepreneurs, especially through his immensely popular https://twitter.com/rodinhood?lang=en. His last two books were “https://www.amazon.in/Why-Stopped-Wearing-My-Socks/dp/9387578704 and “https://www.amazon.in/Cave-Internet-Entrepreneurs-Spiritual-Journey/dp/9389648351”. He talks about growing up in south Mumbai apartments, surrounded by entrepreneurs and “just wanting to do business”. “Nobody was an employee; people seemed to be creating things out of magic. Somebody was selling cloth, someone else rubber…I remember thinking, ‘Why can’t I do something?’” He adds, “I am a student of life. Business is a great sport, dhande mein mazaa aata hai – money is a byproduct, to be in the flow is more important.” An Art of Living teacher, he talks about the value of accepting the inevitability of the present moment and moving on from setbacks, although he confesses that it can get tough. For would-be entrepreneurs, he recommends zeroing in on a skill, such as “engagement” that is his strong suit, which he channelled into gaming. Not a gaming enthusiast personally, he narrates how practising his own car games helped him navigate the tricky and unique challenges of navigating US roads. Success, for him, has gone beyond money, which he compares to a “scorecard”. It’s all about achieving happiness and equilibrium, describing the accumulation of assets such as private jets and luxury cars as just “toys”. “With great money comes great responsibility,” he remarks. And no, the serial entrepreneur, whose previous startup Mobile2win was acquired by The Walt Disney Company, does not own a private jet! Listen in!  Chapters: 01:35 What success means to him; Maslow’s hierarchy 05:28 His relationship with money – the more you can accumulate, the more you can give 08:40 Mega weddings vs frugal displays – just posturing 12:43 Is it easy to make money? 14:25 The importance of profit for a business; the role of venture capitalists 16:54 Opportunistic realism vs pessimism, conservatism and surrealism 18:27 “Neti, neti” and asking “why”; go deeper to go further 23:36 Staying true to himself; the idea of “getting dressed and parking cars” 25:47 Facing lows and betrayals; ownership vs operating a business 28:47 What keeps him going; entrepreneurs never retire 32:08 Bouncing back from setbacks; how meditation helps 35:20 Entrepreneurial mindset is wired to nothing working out 36:28 Where the work ethic comes from 38:00 Choosing a business: Skill vs passion 43:28 His parking games helping in real life situations 45:22 Why an Indian entrepreneur is catering to the US 47:27 On his meditation practice, becoming an Art of Living teacher 52:00 His love for teaching people 56:25 On the ‘knowledge industry’; wealth is a dated asset Follow and share to grow the conversation. Follow Anuradha on https://www.linkedin.com/in/anuradhavarma/ | https://twitter.com/anuvee | https://www.instagram.com/anuradhavarma/?hl=en Email: swishingmindsets@gmail.com Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed are personal. Listener discretion is advised.

8 APR 2024 · TRIGGER WARNING: The interview contains mentions of mental illness, anxiety, clinical depression and suicide. In this episode, https://www.instagram.com/aparnasanyalwrites/ talks about her new book https://www.amazon.in/Instruments-Torture-Aparna-Upadhyaya-Sanyal/dp/9356296839/, a collection of short stories published by HarperCollins India and how she has always been drawn to the “dark side”. She talks candidly about battling depression and anxiety, despite growing up as a seemingly happy, “jolly’ child. She shares a delightful anecdote about her friendship with an old man on the street, who kept a monkey for company. Her signature style, she remarks, is telling stories with a twist, exploring the character’s innermost demons. Aparna lets us in on her creative process, where she often draws from characters in real life and then lets them reach their natural conclusion. Each story seeks inspiration from a medieval instrument of torture, going deep into the dark recesses of the mind. While the execution and resolution may be chilling, there is immense beauty and even love that creeps into the otherwise unsettling narratives.  The full-time mom and writer has dabbled in diverse fields, including animation. Instruments of Torture is Aparna’s first foray into fiction. She debuted with https://www.amazon.in/Circus-Village-Freaks-Aparna-Upadhyaya/dp/9386455641 in 2018, a book of witty, narrative poems that explores the absurd and the bizarre. She holds an MA from Kings College, London and is a recipient of the 14th Beullah Rose Poetry Prize by Smartish Pace. and was shortlisted for the 2018 Third Coast Fiction Prize. She has been awarded a place in the Hongkong Proverse Poetry Prize Anthology, 2020.  Find her work at http://www.aparnasanyal.in  Some of Aparna’s poems: The Penn Review: https://www.pennreview.org/my-husband-eats-a-crocodile-at-the-bangkok-night-market Visitant: https://visitantlit.com/2018/01/09/midnight-in-my-garden/ Autumn Sky Poetry Daily: https://autumnskypoetrydaily.com/2017/08/16/you-my-love-by-aparna-sanyal/ Poetry breakfast: https://poetrybreakfast.com/2017/10/13/the-well-a-poem-by-aparna-sanyal/  Chapters: 02:20 Aparna’s vision for the book; fictionalised accounts of people she knows 04:24 Putting herself in a story; talking about her anxiety disorder, mental health 13:17 Need for mental health awareness 15:00 On social anxiety and how you feel 17:25 The story of the shallow beauty queen 20:00 Human trajectories of characters; love is at the core of the book 22:14 Excerpt from the book; drawing inspiration from agonising instruments of torture 25:20 How the stories came together 27:46 On her book of poems “Circus Folk and Village Freaks” 31:40 On her background; full-time parent and writer 35:30 Where the “dark side” and twisted humour comes from 39:20 A “strange friendship” — the “baba” and his monkey 43:14 Regular folk and the anguish within; family stories 46:00 Her next book – paranormal, feminist fiction Follow and share to grow the conversation. Follow Anuradha on https://www.linkedin.com/in/anuradhavarma/ | https://twitter.com/anuvee | https://www.instagram.com/anuradhavarma/?hl=en Email: swishingmindsets@gmail.com Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed are personal. Listener discretion is advised.

1 APR 2024 · “I’m blind, but so is love…get over it!” This is how disability activist and stand-up comic https://www.instagram.com/saysnidhigoyal/ disarms her audience during her performances. In this episode, the Founder-Executive Director of award-winning non-profit organisation https://risingflame.org/ talks about their anthology https://www.amazon.in/And-They-Lived-Ever-After/dp/9356996407, published by HarperCollins India and shifting mindsets around disability. The idea was sparked during the pandemic, with the heartwarming stories talking about an anxious Ugly Duckling, a deaf Snow White who finds her tribe, a wheelchair-bound Rapunzel, among others. In the magical world of fairytales, where there was no space for disability, the project helps them “reclaim their power and agency”. With her trademark humour and candour, Nidhi, who started losing her eyesight at the age of 15, makes a strong statement about living on her terms and not trying to prove a point to the world. She manages her house, travels for work and enjoys networking as meeting people gives her a rush. However, inaccessibility issues remind her of her disability, such as navigating touchscreens in the elevators of her housing society. She also relates annoying but hilarious instances of picking up the wrong blind person during a cab ride or “inspiring” people simply by the act of walking into a room. She mentions the importance of having a strong support system in her family and the community, with her father teaching her to take responsibility for her actions as “there are no discounts for being a woman or being disabled.” You can follow her work @saysnidhigoyal. Follow and share to grow the conversation. Chapters: 01:48 How she may not have sight, but still has “perfect vision”; on her disability 04:50 On her spiritual guru; deciding to start Rising Flame 06:50 Moving away from the “Why me?” question, drawing strength from family and community 11:00 Her parents being advised to get her married before she turned blind; fighting stigma 13:13 Rising Flame disability study during the pandemic 15:43 Mirroring her story in her book in the chapter “It’s Still Your Choice” 17:15 “Inspiring” others with just a “hello” 20:04 Turning to comedy because of “annoying and hilarious” situations 23:56 On enjoying dressing up; being independent 29:30 Panel discussion at the Purple Fest; disabled persons feeling the need to prove themselves 31:30 What a supportive environment looks like 34:34 On the role blindness plays in her day-to-day life; lack of accessibility and finding hacks 38:48 Apps and softwares, such as screen readers and “Be My Eyes”, that help the visually challenged 42:30 Rapunzel in a wheelchair 47:00 On the story around Cinderella’s “sister”, raising a larger gender question 48:05 Bollywood humour targeting disabilities 50:10 Stories from the book; an anxious Ugly Duckling, a deaf Snow White 52:56 Why a book around fairytales; how the writing project took shape 57:27 The intended audience for the book 59:00 The message of “Ask before you help”; picking up the wrong “blind person with a white cane” 1:03:30 Plans for Rising Flame and the book “And They lived…Ever After” Follow Anuradha on https://www.linkedin.com/in/anuradhavarma/ | https://twitter.com/anuvee |https://www.instagram.com/anuradhavarma/?hl=en Email: swishingmindsets@gmail.com Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed are personal. Listener discretion is advised.

24 MAR 2024 · https://www.linkedin.com/in/arundhuti-dasgupta-singhal-2683031/, journalist and co-founder of https://themythologyproject.com/ returns on the podcast to talk of the mystique of Radha, Krishna’s favourite gopi and consort on the occasion of Holi. Radha humanises Krishna, making him approachable and acceptable to everyone. Their playful companionship transcended gender roles as they dissolved into each other. Desire in ancient India, she says, was not distinct from love. A married woman by all accounts, the relationship between Radha and Krishna has been immortalised by 12th century poet Jayadev’s erotic poem https://www.amazon.in/Gita-Govinda-Sri-Jayadeva-Goswami/dp/8184030835. An unlikely goddess, as Arundhuti points out, her love for Krishna is unconditional and has inspired many folk tales, poetry, dance and even qawwali. Radha’s spiritual yearning for Krishna also shows that gods are not exempt from the pain of love, including Lord Ram whose heart ached for Sita. Listen in! Arundhuti Dasgupta co-hosts the podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/0dKF7mHujcCizhy14SaqgJ with Utkarsh Patel. She also runs online and offline classes on myth and folklore. She is the author ofhttps://www.amazon.in/Weretiger-Stories-Supernatural-Shaiontoni-Bose/dp/0143028669 and https://www.amazon.in/Spooked-Stories-Supernatural-Shaiontoni-Bose/dp/0143335944/. Follow and share to grow the conversation. References: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7Jdb940OhZQqcRoX9pojRN https://www.amazon.in/Finding-Radha-Quest-Gokhale-Namita/dp/0143441450 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEsuBrE4eLY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHAMyHerv90 Chapters: 01:00 Radha doesn’t fit into a mould, appeals across caste and class 05:36 A Radha story from Bengal 08:15 Gender fluidity in Radha-Krishna relationship 10:19 Acceptance of Radha as a goddess 14:25 Poetry around Radha 16:30 Desire interlinked with love in Jayadev’s Gita Govinda 19:56 When Radha gets jealous of Ganga 22:50 The idea of Radha as an older, married woman is liberating; an unconditional love 24:50 Chaitanya sings of Radha-Krishna; the Baul singers 27:00 The spiritual yearning for Krishna; gods are not exempt from the pain of love, including Lord Ram 29:00 Prof. Tracy Coleman compares Radha and Sita; Isis, a complex Greek goddess 32:19 The appearance of Radha in text post-Mahabharata and probable origin in an oral tradition 34:18 Krishna was humanised by his relationship with Radha 38:00 Love and desire in ancient India; patriarchy seeping into mythology 42:10 Radha qawwali in popular culture; allows men to be free 43:57 What Radha stands for as an independent spirit Follow Anuradha on https://www.linkedin.com/in/anuradhavarma/ | https://twitter.com/anuvee | https://www.instagram.com/anuradhavarma/?hl=en Email: swishingmindsets@gmail.com Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed are personal. Listener discretion is advised.

20 MAR 2024 · In a freewheeling chat, https://www.facebook.com/itsanandneel/, who is out with his new book https://www.amazon.in/Asura-Way-Contrarian-Path-Success/dp/8119153758, talks about how our ancient heritage taught us to believe in action and not just look inward for solutions. He busts the myths of the so-called six enemies of the mind — anger, passion, greed, infatuation, pride and competitive spirit. The author is clear — those who seek moksha and contentment can go to the Himalayas and contemplate. This is the Kali Yuga and we need the Asura Way to succeed at life. He talks about discovering his “Asura qualities” after “being humble and submissive made me miserable”, leading him to re-read and re-interpret the epics. The Puranas, according to Neelakantan, are “the most powerful materialistic literature available in the world”. He mentions ancient rationalists, such as Charvaka, who believed in the dictum “eat, drink, and make merry now, for tomorrow you may die.” The philosopher also had a term for those who forgo life’s pleasures in hopes of a better afterlife — he called them idiots, according to Neelakantan.  Whether it’s The Gita, the Panchatantra, Hitopadesha or the Mahabharata, they all ultimately preached the Asura Way. Listen in!  For corporate and individual training —  online and offline, send an email to https://asura.co.in (Check out Ep 11: Anand Neelakantan on Ravana as Sita’s daughter) About Anand Neelakantan: A bestselling author, columnist, screenwriter, television personality, cartoonist and motivational speaker, he is renowned for his contributions to mythological fiction and has authored 15 books in English and one in Malayalam. He debuted with Asura: Tale of the Vanquished in 2012 and his other bestsellers include the Ajaya series; Vanara: The Legend of Baali, Sugreeva and Tara; the Baahubali Trilogy; The Extremely Most Naughty Asura Tales for Kids; Valmiki’s Women; Nala Damayanti; The Tale of the Naughty Flying Mountains; Many Ramayanas, Many Lessons (in the audio format); Mahi: The Elephant Who Flew Over the Blue Mountains and Pen Ramayanam (in Malayalam). Follow and share to grow the conversation. Chapters: 01:18 India being wrongly branded as merely spiritual and not materialist 05:35 Stories from the Puranas 08:40 The challenge with positive thinking 10:40 Materialism, agnosticism is also our heritage - Charvaka, Ajivikas and Lokayata 13:35 No commandments in Hinduism; The Gita also offers choice 15:13 Premchand’s Godaan 16:11 Ancient philosophers questioning the concept of heaven and rituals 19:10 Caste system, tolerance and rationality; Europe takes the lead 22:14 Enlightened self-interest is key, even in The Gita 26:00 The Gita gained prominence during the British era; impractical for general folk 29:00 Mahabharata is a great demonstration of The Asura Way 31:50 The hilarious story of Narada and Tumburu, the celestial singer 34:32 On Swami Chinmayananda storytelling 36:00 Being drawn to Ravana over Harishchandra in childhood 41:40 Anger is a good thing, such as Gandhi, Shivaji and Chanakya 43:35 How the Bhakti era changed the definition from action to praying for results 45:45 Krishna preaches The Asura Way as Arjuna and Pandavas follow 47:20 Re-reading Panchatantra and Hitopadesha; all about winning in life 49:25 The ego war between Vishwamitra and Vashishta 50:37 Going beyond words to get the right message from mythological figures, who dealt with ego, lust and anger 55:45 Tips on corporate scenarios from The Asura Way 1:00:30 Manifestation; be audacious Follow Anuradha on https://www.linkedin.com/in/anuradhavarma/ | https://twitter.com/anuvee | https://www.instagram.com/anuradhavarma/?hl=en Email: swishingmindsets@gmail.com Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed are personal. Listener discretion is advised.