180. Heather Grzych on the Tragic History of the Swastika

Author and Ayurvedic practitioner Heather Grzych explores the tragic and complex history of the swastika — a sacred symbol of well-being and auspiciousness in Indian traditions that was later twisted by the Nazis into one of the most feared emblems of hatred in modern history. Heather traces how the symbol's meaning shifted as it crossed cultural and historical boundaries, reflecting on how words and images can be deliberately or unconsciously transformed over time. Drawing from her background in Ayurveda, as a writer, and her personal experience as an American mother of child from a Jewish lineage, she asks whether a symbol can ever be healed, and how awareness, empathy, and communication might help us reconnect to the body of meaning beneath the wounds of history. Heather Grzych, ADLC is an American author and expert in Ayurvedic medicine who was formerly the president of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association and the head of product development for a multi-billion-dollar health insurance company. Heather's first book, The Ayurvedic Guide to Fertility, has sold thousands of copies worldwide, and her writing has been featured in Sports Illustrated, Yoga Journal, and the Sunday Independent. Her podcast, Wisdom of the Body, holds an average rating of 5 stars on Apple Podcasts and is in the top 2.5% of podcasts globally.  Connect with Heather: Learn more at www.heathergrzych.com   Instagram.com/heathergrzych Facebook.com/grzychheather   Read the first six pages of The Ayurvedic Guide to Fertility for FREE: https://www.heathergrzych.com   Connect with Heather to balance your health with Ayurveda: https://www.heathergrzych.com/book-online