Chai Across Generations

Have we really gotten better at talking about mental health in the South Asian community, or just better at using the language? Abhijith Ravinutala joins us again to pick up where we left off in Episode 35, when he first shared his journey with mental health and the loss that led him to create MannMukti.We get honest about what doesn't help, like being told "have you tried this?" or the toxic positivity that keeps people from being vulnerable. Mental health isn't a math problem to solve in the moment. Therapy can help, not just to manage it, but to see blind spots someone may be too close to notice on their own.We also talk about Abhijith's own journey, leaving corporate America to write full time, and the ease that comes when your work finally matches what you love. We share what it took to find the right therapist and to finally open up, including the value of working with one who understood our culture.Come for the honest conversation, and stay for the ideas that might change how you think about yourself.

We welcome Ravi Ram and Sujit Nair, two friends who joined Nikil for a weekly book club over four weeks to read through Shankar's book, "The Seven Steps to Bliss: A Modern Upanishad." Shankar joined partway through our book club meetings to hear our reactions and answer our questions himself, a rare chance to talk directly with an author about his own book.When we ask Ravi and Sujit what stood out to them, their answer is simple: the whole book! We also dig into some of the bigger themes the book raises for us: the pull between head and heart on the spiritual path, what non-duality and samadhi actually feel like beyond the page, and how the book's paradoxes echo the ones we live with every day. We can't resist gushing about Shankar's voice acting in Chapter 4, where he plays a character representing the inner critic. It's a wonderful, sensational performance, unlike anything any of us had heard from him before.This conversation is a reminder that a book can feel richer in community, especially with the person who wrote it in the room, drawing out new questions and meaning as the conversation unfolds.You can purchase your copy of "The Seven To Steps: A Modern Upanishad" audiobook here: https://www.drshankarcoach.com/product-page/audiobook-the-seven-steps-to-bliss-a-modern-upanishad

We welcome Tim Bruster, a retired United Methodist pastor, who met Shankar by chance after a delayed flight turned into friendly conversation and, eventually, a real friendship. Tim read Shankar's book, "The Seven Steps to Bliss: A Modern Upanishad," and we wanted to hear what he took from it.Tim shares how the book gave him a deeper understanding of Hinduism, and the three of us dig into what resonated with him. He talks about how the book's core message, about moving forward on your own spiritual path, is a value that matters to everybody, regardless of what you believe, and how relatable that makes it.It's a conversation about spiritual growth as something universal, not confined to any one tradition, and about the quiet joy of realizing that different faiths might be pointing at the same underlying truth.You can purchase your copy of "The Seven To Steps: A Modern Upanishad" audiobook here: https://www.drshankarcoach.com/product-page/audiobook-the-seven-steps-to-bliss-a-modern-upanishad

We talk about the five great elements: earth, water, fire, air, and space, and how Nikil has come to see them not just as forces in nature, but as elements that live within all of us, forming an Elemental Leadership Framework for understanding our own mindsets and behavior. Nikil shares how he started noticing these patterns in himself, especially in high pressure and high leverage moments.We dig into how each element can show up out of purpose or out of fear. Nikil’s core elemental strength, and his natural default, is water, which can look like adaptability and flow, or just as easily fear-based people-pleasing. We talk about how these elements show up for each of us, and how understanding them has helped us both make better sense of ourselves.It’s a conversation about self awareness, about how even though every element lives in us, we each tend to lean on one by default, and about how naming that default is what makes it possible to choose a different response instead of falling into it automatically.

We return to the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender to explore one of the most beloved dynamics in all of animated storytelling: the relationship between Prince Zuko and his Uncle Iroh.We trace Zuko's arc from a prince desperately seeking his father's approval to a young man who learns to define honor on his own terms. And we follow Iroh's quieter transformation: from celebrated Fire Nation general to a man who chose love, wisdom, and compassion over conquest, and who never stopped believing in Zuko even through exile, betrayal, and rock bottom.Along the way, we dig into one of the show's most fascinating details: how Iroh studied the Waterbenders to master the redirection of lightning, and what that teaches us about the power of learning from cultures outside our own and making those lessons truly ours.

We talk about one of our favorite TV shows of all time, Avatar: The Last Airbender. A Nickelodeon series from almost 20 years ago, Avatar has captivated and inspired both of us with its brilliant world-building, structural plot, and deep character arcs.In this episode, we dive into the show's incredible cultural depth and explore the fascinating, unique dynamic of seeing your own culture beautifully reflected through someone else's lens. It’s a conversation about why Avatar has lasted, why it still matters, and why it continues to mean so much to us today.

Join us as we celebrate the official release of Shankar's new book, "The Seven Steps To Bliss: A Modern Upanishad!" We delve into Shankar's experience of getting this book out into the world and how this book can help readers in seven different ways. You can buy a copy of the book here: https://drshankarauthor.com/.

We explore the essence of excellence and how to unlock it in our lives, guided by Shankar's transformative course, "Unlocking Excellence." We delve into the unexpected but pivotal role of levity and how it enhances personal growth. Nikil shares his insights and takeaways from the course, highlighting what he plans to carry forward in his journey. We also discuss the profound impact of community in supporting personal and professional development.

We delve into the world of work, focusing on South Asian and minority professionals. We explore the often misleading corporate messaging of being a family and how it reinforces deference rather than decisiveness, mirroring cultural or familial scripts. The contrast between Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft highlights different perspectives on work and our relationship to it. We also discuss how to transition from deference to decisiveness and why embracing authenticity and agency are crucial for bridging this gap.

Join us as we dive into Shankar's new book, "The Seven Steps to Bliss: A Modern Upanishad," (https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/252311323-the-seven-steps-to-bliss) now available for advance review. Explore the inspiration behind the book, its unique blend of spirituality and practicality, and why it deeply resonated with Nikil. Don't miss your chance to get a free advance copy by contacting [email protected] over the next few weeks!

We are back after having been away from the podcast for more than two years! This episode marks the start of a new generation of conversations, building on the first. Find out why we're back, what has changed since the last episode, and how we'll explore more topics on culture and generations in this new phase of the podcast. Discover how art inspires life and fuels transformation! Plus, we share exciting news about Shankar's new book "The Seven Steps to Bliss: A Modern Upanishad". You won't want to miss it!

In honor of MLK Day, we chat about our personal experiences of the holiday and discuss similarities and differences between the histories of African-Americans and South Asians in the US. We also talk about discrimination - especially in the form of colorism - and how it’s important to learn about the histories of other communities.🍿 WHERE TO WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/GGzSRrTxNiY🔗 HELPFUL RESOURCES🌐Zinn Education Project - https://www.zinnedproject.org/👋🏽 CONNECT WITH US📷 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/chaiacrossgenerations📧 Email - [email protected]🙋🏽‍♂️WHO ARE WE?Hi! We are friends a generation apart who explore a new topic each week to better understand - and maybe even bridge - the gap between generations. We want to help people feel seen and heard in their experiences and to create greater understanding between our listeners and their loved ones.⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:0:00 Intro and personal reflections on MLK Day 08:50 Colorism11:05 Similarities and differences in the history of black and South Asian communities in the US 15:57 Learning and listening to the histories of other communities22:03 Closing thoughts

Happy New Year! We chat about our personal impressions of New Year, how we think about New Year’s Resolutions and goal-setting, and questions to ask other generations to better understand their hopes and goals for the year.🍿 WHERE TO WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/LKAphYpu3X4🔗 HELPFUL RESOURCES🎥 How To Make 2024 The Best Year Of Your Life by Ali Abdaal - https://youtu.be/c_DOG_mXz5w?si=1L8T-vrQCGG6ydUI👋🏽 CONNECT WITH US📷 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/chaiacrossgenerations📧 Email - [email protected]🙋🏽‍♂️WHO ARE WE?Hi! We are friends a generation apart who explore a new topic each week to better understand - and maybe even bridge - the gap between generations. We want to help people feel seen and heard in their experiences and to create greater understanding between our listeners and their loved ones.⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:0:00 Intro and personal impressions of New Year08:39 New Year’s Resolutions and goal-setting16:56 New Year’s and climate change21:30 Questions to ask other generations about New Year23:07 Closing thoughts

We recap our funniest moments from the first 39 episodes in this year-end special! From Shankar sharing hilarious stories with his daughter to Nikil playing a South Asian-inspired version of "Would You Rather?" with Mukhunth, this year had several moments that made us laugh. Thank you all for watching or listening to our show in 2023!  If you want to see more, check out the full episodes below.🍿 WHERE TO WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/7M-_NMoJaQo🍿 LINKS TO EPISODES MENTIONED🎧 Episode 20: Father's Day - Father And Daughter https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/episode-20-fathers-day-father-and-daughter/id1670792621?i=1000617507446🎧 Episode 13: Cousins Across Continents https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/episode-13-cousins-across-continents/id1670792621?i=1000611266783🎧 Episode 14: Mother's Day https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/episode-14-mothers-day/id1670792621?i=1000612125383🎧 Episode 36: Chills, Thrills, and Immigration - A Halloween Special https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/episode-14-mothers-day/id1670792621?i=1000612125383 👋🏽 CONNECT WITH US📷 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/chaiacrossgenerations📧 Email - [email protected]🙋🏽‍♂️WHO ARE WE?Hi! We are friends a generation apart who explore a new topic each week to better understand - and maybe even bridge - the gap between generations. We want to help people feel seen and heard in their experiences and to create greater understanding between our listeners and their loved ones.⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:00:00 Intro01:13 Shankar's funny stories with his daughter07:07 What Nikil and his cousin find funny and confusing about one another11:13 Stories about Nikil in conversation with his mother15:28 A game of South Asian "Would You Rather?" with Mukhunth22:52 Closing thoughts

We recap the four biggest lessons we learned in 2023 from our conversations on the podcast. From mental health to communicating with other generations and raising multicultural kids, this year has taught us a lot that continues to be relevant in our lives. Thank you all for watching or listening to our show in 2023! 🍿 WHERE TO WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/MFl4NKnmCyE🍿 LINKS TO EPISODES MENTIONED 🎧 Lesson 1: Mental Health - Opportunity Or Pathology? https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/episode-6-mental-health-opportunity-or-pathology/id1670792621?i=1000603891227🎧 Lesson 2: Mental Health Stories That Inspire Hope And Healing https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/episode-35-mental-health-stories-that-inspire-hope/id1670792621?i=1000631443455🎧 Lesson 3: Communication - What's The Endgame? https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/episode-11-communication-whats-the-endgame/id1670792621?i=1000609242977🎧 Lesson 4: Raising Multicultural Kids And Diwali https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/episode-37-raising-multicultural-kids-and-diwali/id1670792621?i=1000634350241👋🏽 CONNECT WITH US📷 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/chaiacrossgenerations📧 Email - [email protected]🙋🏽‍♂️WHO ARE WE?Hi! We are friends a generation apart who explore a new topic each week to better understand - and maybe even bridge - the gap between generations. We want to help people feel seen and heard in their experiences and to create greater understanding between our listeners and their loved ones.⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:00:00 Intro01:51 Lesson 1: A creative, new way to think about mental health10:46 Lesson 2: Talking to family and friends about mental health 18:11 Lesson 3: Understanding what kids need in a conversation with their parents26:14 Lesson 4: Tips for raising multicultural kids29:28 Closing thoughts

We’re back! We share some life updates that have kept us from the podcast in recent weeks. With the holidays right around the corner, we also talk about the top 3 things we love and hate about the holidays including music, expectations, and the act of giving.  🍿 WHERE TO WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/evQ5XnrpI10🔗 NONPROFITS MENTIONED BY PREVIOUS GUESTS👩🏽‍💻 MannMukti - https://www.mannmukti.org/👩🏽‍💻 Turpentine Creek Wildlife Reserve - https://www.turpentinecreek.org/👩🏽‍💻 Apna Ghar - https://www.apnaghar.org/🎊 HOLIDAY SONGS🎵 "White Christmas" by Otis Redding - https://youtu.be/x_k5skKLwb8?si=pY6CnOUWs6VRLFdM🎵 "Merry Christmas, Baby" by Otis Redding - https://youtu.be/rEyV8gnC4aQ?si=6B4QIWGl9P23TUkO👋🏽 CONNECT WITH US📷 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/chaiacrossgenerations📧 Email - [email protected]🙋🏽‍♂️WHO ARE WE?Hi! We are friends a generation apart who explore a new topic each week to better understand - and maybe even bridge - the gap between generations. We want to help people feel seen and heard in their experiences and to create greater understanding between our listeners and their loved ones.⏱️ TIMESTAMPS00:00 Life updates10:20 Things we like and don’t like about the holidays preview11:25 Holiday-themed drinks and media13:40 Giving14:57 Early shopping prompts16:18 Travel and bad weather18:12 Quality time with loved ones21:57 Good music22:53 Societal expectations about where we should be, especially for women25:59 Endless, smooth elevator music in stores27:07 Generosity of spirit28:31 Holiday get-togethers29:23 Expectations from others on how you’re spending your time 33:00 Holiday displacement of things we like35:34 Closing thoughts

Raising kids in a foreign land can be challenging, especially around times of celebration back home. On today's episode, we talk to Ajanta Chakraborty and Vivek Kumar about tips for raising multicultural children, the power of stories, and the upcoming festival of Diwali. Ajanta and Vivek are a married couple and co-authors of Maya & Neel's India Adventure Series, a series of 15 children's books that make South Asian culture more accessible and fun for them. Their book "Let's Celebrate 5 Days of Diwali!" is a great gift for kids of all backgrounds as we head into Diwali season.🍿 WHERE TO WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/MCgDVtk_4QM🔗 HELPFUL RESOURCES📚 Full series of Maya & Neel’s India Adventure Series books: https://www.bollygroove.com/books/🌐 Free cultural resources: https://bollygroove.com/free 🧒🏾 Raising multicultural kids Facebook group including free monthly workshops: https://www.facebook.com/groups/RaiseMulticulturalKids👩🏽‍💻 Apna Ghar organization fighting to end gender violence: https://www.apnaghar.org/📚 AJANTA'S RECOMMENDED STARTER BOOKS (IN ORDER)📕 Let’s Celebrate 5 Days of Diwali! https://a.co/d/asaQG47📙 Let’s Celebrate Holi! https://a.co/d/4yFJfdC📘 Diwali 50 Activity Book: https://a.co/d/8ctkl3F📗 Let’s Learn About Ramayana: The Story of Diwali: https://a.co/d/9r2lc0u👋🏽 CONNECT WITH US:📷 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/chaiacrossgenerations📧 Email - [email protected]🙋🏽‍♂️WHO ARE WE?:Hi! We are friends a generation apart who explore a new topic each week to better understand - and maybe even bridge - the gap between generations. We want to help people feel seen and heard in their experiences and to create greater understanding between our listeners and their loved ones.⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:00:00 Opening thoughts02:24 Journey to begin writing the book series for kids05:52 What inspired you to start writing these books?10:05 Reception from kids and parents to the books12:56 What have you learned about raising multicultural kids?17:15 Tips for parents raising multicultural kids20:48 Becoming curious about other cultures23:24 What has it been like raising a multicultural kid?26:36 Describing Diwali to someone who hasn’t heard about it before29:39 Audience reception to the Diwali book and the importance of representation36:27 What’s the biggest thing you’ve learned from another generation?38:50 Supporting Apna Gar and closing thoughts

Many young South Asians leave their home countries to pursue their dreams in other countries like America. As they build their lives, they face an interesting question about whether to stay or to return to their home countries to be closer to family. We chat with Mukhunth Raghavan, a PhD student at the University of South Florida, about his journey as a young professional working abroad. We also play a fun game of South Asian “Would you rather?” in honor of the upcoming Halloween holiday.🍿 WATCH NEXT: https://youtu.be/CRPVARK_Md4🔗 HELPFUL RESOURCES🎥 Tales Of A Reluctant Immigrant episode (Shankar's experience)  - https://youtu.be/wyqDAGydI1Q👩🏽‍💻 Turpentine Creek Wildlife Reserve - https://www.turpentinecreek.org/👋🏽 CONNECT WITH US:📷 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/chaiacrossgenerations📧 Email - [email protected]🙋🏽‍♂️WHO ARE WE?:Hi! We are friends a generation apart who explore a new topic each week to better understand - and maybe even bridge - the gap between generations. We want to help people feel seen and heard in their experiences and to create greater understanding between our listeners and their loved ones.🎥 WHERE TO WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/3uWefvgvENk⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:00:00 Opening thoughts02:39 Something fun and something unexpected about Mukhunth03:45 What has it been like to navigate three different worlds between Chennai, Dubai, and the US?05:21 Leaving India and working abroad as a young professional11:55 Why Mukhunth likes horror movies and Halloween13:24 What really scares us20:14 Is Chandramukhi the scariest Tamil horror movie? Plus other South Asian horror movies23:20 South Asian “Would you rather?”30:24 What’s the biggest thing you’ve learned about another generation?32:14 A token of thanks and closing thoughts

We all have things that affects our mental health, and it can feel very vulnerable to share them with others. In this episode, Abhjith Ravinutala joins the show for an inspiring, vulnerable, and courageous conversation about mental health. He shares his personal experiences with mental health, how the loss of a loved one led him to create MannMukti, and how the perception of mental health has changed over the years within the South Asian community. We also explore Abhjith's love for writing and his passion for creating or understanding a modern version of Hinduism. Join us for a deeply authentic and meaningful episode of the show!🍿 WATCH NEXT: https://youtu.be/QzvohWZ9M1g🔗 HELPFUL RESOURCES👩🏽‍💻 Abhijith's personal website - https://www.AbhjithR.com👩🏽‍💻 MannMukti's website  - https://www.mannmukti.org/🎥 MedCircle YouTube account with videos on personality disorders - https://www.youtube.com/@MedCircle🎥 Dr. Tracey Marks: What social isolation does to your brain - https://youtu.be/c7_qmkmP-JM?si=cNyePnOMSR_2ihIq📰 Nicolas Kristof's article on loneliness - https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/06/opinion/loneliness-epidemic-solutions.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare👋🏽 CONNECT WITH US:📷 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/chaiacrossgenerations📧 Email - [email protected]🙋🏽‍♂️WHO ARE WE?:Hi! We are friends a generation apart who explore a new topic each week to better understand - and maybe even bridge - the gap between generations. We want to help people feel seen and heard in their experiences and to create greater understanding between our listeners and their loved ones.🎥 WHERE TO WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/CRPVARK_Md4⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:00:00 Opening thoughts04:24 Experiencing culture shock as a kid moving to America 06:50 History as a study of what makes people tick 09:22 How the loss of a loved one inspired the birth of MannMukti 14:01 The power of storytelling to highlight mental health challenges in MannMukti 17:54 How the perception of mental health in the South Asian community has changed 24:12 A powerful, personal experience of sharing mental health challenges with family and friends 33:58 Feeling the despair of depression and the struggle to talk about it 37:57 Balance between parents wanting to help and a child not knowing why they’re feeling depressed42:48 How to improve the conversation generationally around mental health 47:44 Nikil’s experience with mental health over the years 51:37 Why is mental health a bigger focus now than in previous generations?58:32 Accepting our gifts of sensitivity in a society that may not always value it 1:04:30 Creating or understanding a modern version of Hinduism 1:17:48 Understanding Hinduism inside and outside of South Asia1:25:11 A token of thanks and how to find Abhijith’s work 1:26:49 Takeaways from the conversation 1:32:57 Closing thoughts

Healing from grief after losing a loved one can be incredibly challenging. How do we move forward, and how do we make peace with their absence? How do we heal when our communities aren't as supportive or understanding about grief as we would like them to be? We explore these questions and much more in this heartfelt episode during Pitru Paksha, a time of reflection in the Hindu calendar to honor those who have passed and those who came before us.🔗 HELPFUL RESOURCES🔬 Huberman Labs podcast on grief -  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzOvi0Aa2EA&ab_channel=AndrewHuberman  👋🏽 CONNECT WITH US:📷 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/chaiacrossgenerations/📧 Email - [email protected]🙋🏽‍♂️WHO ARE WE?:Hi! We are friends a generation apart who explore a new topic each week to better understand - and maybe even bridge - the gap between generations. We want to help people feel seen and heard in their experiences and to create greater understanding between our listeners and their loved ones.👂 WHERE TO WATCH THIS EPISODE:🎥 YouTube - https://youtu.be/QzvohWZ9M1g?si=Af10UO7r1DDgWI1T⏱️TIMESTAMP⏱️00:00 Opening thoughts06:43 Shankar’s personal experience with loss and grief13:27 Spiritual wisdom that helped Shankar through grief16:08 Nikil’s personal experience with loss and grief18:28 How different cultures honor the dead21:55 Overview of Pitru Paksha24:21 Pitru Paksha as a way to honor and forgive the deceased 27:05 Examining our connection and link to past generations31:47 Policing emotions within the community and what can be done39:26 How to process unfinished conversations with those who have passed43:49 Recommendations for younger generations who want to observe Pitru Paksha47:58 Recommendations for those working through grief 53:36 Closing thoughts

The ICC 2023 Cricket World Cup starts later this week, the biggest event in the cricketing calendar. India is hosting the tournament and hopes to win its third World Cup title. We bring on special guest Balaji Narasimhan to chat about the history and memorable moments of Indian cricket, what it means to be an Indian cricket fan, and preview the upcoming World Cup. We also share an overview of the World Cup schedule, the competing teams, and predict the winner.If you're new to cricket and want to learn more about the sport, check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWpbtLIxYBk&ab_channel=SportsExplainedYou can also watch this episode on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/GUOuhASZQy4?si=-cwf6YEqd85FH604⏱️TIMESTAMP⏱️00:00 - Opening thoughts02:55 - How did you find and sustain your passion for cricket? 07:00 - History and evolution of cricket in India09:35 - What cricket means to us and personal memories13:35 - Favorite cricket memories as a fan19:55 - Cricket fan superstitions22:48 - Favorite cricket players and what we admire about them28:05 - History and importance of the World Cup 30:15 - World Cup tournament contenders32:40 - Can India’s bowling keep up with the batting this time?35:40 - Should bowlers be more popular than batsmen?37:50 - Things to to watch for in this World Cup39:50 - Who’s going to win the tournament?43:05 - What’s the biggest thing you’ve learned from another generation?44:47 - Closing thoughts

If you've ever been to a South Asian dinner party, you've probably gotten these questions from all of the aunties and uncles: "What are you studying? What are you doing?" Education and and career are highly valued in the South Asian community. On this episode, we explore a range of topics including our own educational journeys and how our community can alleviate the high academic pressure placed on students.

We reflect on the life and story of Jaahnavi Kandula, a 23-year-old graduate student who tragically lost her life when a police officer in Seattle accidentally hit her with his car. Her story became a big news story this week after body camera footage captured another cop making comments about the value of her life. We also talk about the  American Dream and how Jaahnvi's case shows that we as a society have more work to do to make this dream a reality.

Nikil just got back from a trip to India and we chat about all of the things on his trip, including the beauty of a blended Hindu/Sikh wedding, the joys and challenges of visiting relatives back home, and all of the food he ate along the way. Plus, we talk about why the South Asian breakfast buffet is one of the best in the whole world.

We finish our Me Or We series by exploring how individualism or collectivism show up for individual people as and how South Asia and Western societies differ on these dimensions. We also chat about the longstanding South Asian tradition of morning showers and the role that rebellion plays to shape our cultural and family traditions.

We continue our Me or We series this week and explore the topic of family vs. friends. We chat about a number of themes including  the challenges of navigating emotional space with parents, the generational differences in how we think about spending  time with family vs. friends, and the benefit of building guilt-free relationships.

We continue our Me or We series exploring how individualism and collectivism show up in South Asian and Western countries. On this episode, we dive into the idea of private space and how to navigate privacy between generations, especially between parents and children. While privacy is relevant in physical spaces, it's also relevant in digital spaces. Is it okay for parents to follow their children on social media? Listen on for our answer to this question and many others.

We kick off a new series called Me or We: examining individualism vs. collectivism in the South Asian community. The research and our experience shows that South Asian countries tend to be more collectivist while America and other Western countries focus more on the individual. How does this show up in our lives and influence who we are? We share some fun and hopefully relatable stories about growing up in these two different environments in part one of the conversation.

We're 25 episodes in and take a look back at how the podcast has grown and changed in that time. What did we set out to do initially, how have done against those goals, and what's next? We also chat about what we've learned about ourselves, how we work together, and share something funny that we've learned about the other person along the way!

Traveling to a new country opens our hearts and minds to new ways of thinking and being in the world. While Shankar travels to a new country, we exchange stories and ideas about yoga, meditation, and spirituality as tools that help us "level up" as people as we grow up. 

Immigration marks the start of a personal journey for each person as they learn to relate to both their home culture and their host culture. On this episode, we chat about what it looks like to integrate between two cultures as an immigrant, the cultural elements that really endure over multiple generations, and the differences between cultural appreciation and cultural appropriation. We also reflect on our biggest takeaways from this three-part series on immigration.

Immigration affects both those immigrating and their children, who make up a second generation that may find themselves caught in-between two different worlds or cultures. In the second part of our immigration series, we focus more on the second generation experience, including how these immigrants learn to make sense of their identity from guilt to growth, what first generation parents dream of for their children, and how we can all learn to appreciate immigrant stories of all flavors without getting caught up in comparative suffering.

Immigration is an incredibly important force in the lives of South Asians as well as others who have moved away from their home countries. What is immigration? Why does Shankar consider himself a reluctant immigrant? How do we honor the stories of immigrants even after we have immigrated ourselves? We explore these questions and more in the first part of our immigration series.

With Father's Day coming to a close,  we've got another special father-child conversation this week between Shankar and his daughter Shivani. The roles are reversed as Shivani interviews Shankar on a range of topics including Shankar's experience as a single father, his advice to new dads, and some funny and memorable stories from Shivani's childhood.You can also listen to Shankar on the latest episode of The Northgate Cafe podcast this week. He joins host David Tracy in an insightful conversation about identity, culture, and coaching. You won't want to miss this one! Check out the episode here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3vbjzF0fzPetVb5UYBJfdG?si=apTixyjXQHmKKuHzjq-HuQ.

Father's Day is this Sunday, and the father-son relationship is very unique. On this episode, we share a conversation between Nikil and his dad about a number of topics including his dad's immigration story to America, what it means to be a father, why it can be so hard for fathers and sons to connect, and how parents evolve as their kids evolve. 

Cousins play a special role in the lives of South Asians, even when they live continents apart. This week we have a special, heartfelt conversation between Shankar and his cousin Hema filled with bits of wisdom as they talk about how their relationship has evolved over decades, how they've found ways to laugh and support one another throughout the years, and how they can empower the next generation of cousins to stay in touch in an increasingly global world.

Marriage is such an important milestone in South Asian culture, and it can feel like everyone has an opinion about when or how you should get married. On this episode, we discuss the pros and cons of marrying early vs. later in life and explore the idea of premarital prep as a way to help young couples. We also reflect on our biggest takeaways from this series on marriage and share a listener story featuring an interesting blend of arranged and love marriage. 

Arranged vs. love marriage sits at the very heart of how we understand marriage across South Asian generations. In the second part of our marriage series, we explore a number of topics  including the differences between these two types of marriage, the role that astrology plays in the marriage process, and tips for young people who receive well-meaning but unsolicited advice from elders on when and how to marry.

Marriage is one of the biggest events in South Asian culture and it’s a huge topic that’s as big as our wedding celebrations are long. What is marriage? How does our society relate to it? How has our notion of marriage evolved across generations? We explore these questions and more on this first part of our series on marriage.

Mother's Day is this Sunday, and mothers play a huge role in so many of our lives. But how well do we actually know our moms as people? On this episode, we share a conversation between Nikil and his mom about her life story, what it means to be a mother, and what she’s learned along the way. Plus you'll hear a couple of embarrassing stories about Nikil that only a mother can share. Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there!

Cousins are important in South Asian culture. For many South Asians growing up in the diaspora, cousins are safe harbors and cultural translators to a world back home. On this episode, we share a conversation between Nikil and one of his closest cousins Bharath about what it's like to grow up as cousins in different continents, how their relationship has evolved, and what confuses them about one another.

We’re excited to share a very special episode with you! For the first time, you’ll hear an audio montage of a diverse set of our listeners from different backgrounds, generations, and locations. We asked our listeners to answer the question “What’s your favorite episode and why?” as a look back on our first 11 episodes. Our listeners amazed us with thoughtful and thought-provoking answers about the moments, ideas, and stories that resonated most with them. 

Conversations can take vastly different directions, and they're not always easy. On this episode, we share some personal stories to illustrate how we've dealt with communication challenges. We also talk about the different ways that communication can turn out, the difference between understanding vs. agreement, and the benefit of not ascribing intention prematurely when we disagree with someone. 

Listening is an incredibly powerful tool that can help us have better conversations across generations. In the second part of our communication series, we explore a number of potent ideas and examples including the importance of parental communication as a role model for children, the three levels of listening, and a type of role reversal between parents and children in recent times.

Intergenerational communication within families can be incredibly challenging sometimes. What is this type of communication, and why is it so important within families? We explore these questions and more on the first part of our series on communication. 

Every generation faces its own unique pressures and mental health challenges. We have to understand these challenges in order to improve mental health for all. In the concluding episode of this mental health series, we discuss what some of these challenges are and share ideas for families to support one another along the way.

We continue our series of episodes on mental health with a look back at the top 5 takeaways from last week's episode. We then dive into the stigma around mental health within the South Asian community, the influence of nature vs. nurture as well as family, and begin to share some ideas around self-care. 

Mental health is an important aspect of our well-being that is often overlooked within the South Asian community. What is it, and why is it so important? We explore these questions and offer up a new, creative way to view mental health in the first of this multi-part series.

Chai is a sweet milk tea that holds a special place in the hearts and households of many South Asian families. We explore what chai means to each of us and discuss how it can be a powerful tool for having meaningful conversations across generations. We also bring in two seasoned chai drinkers - Nikil's parents - to share their stories and experiences with chai.

We continue our conversation about the good life with a focus on how to navigate the generational differences on this topic and why mental health is so important in this discussion. If you missed Part One, check out last week's episode before listening to this one!