Embracing and Redefining our Cultural Heritage

We upgrade this week from two brown girls to three when our friend, Felicia Dhanani, joins us. We chat about her cultural heritage, what traditions she is passing along to her daughter, her take on cultural appropriation (and what that means in places like the yoga studio), her journey to heal, and how she’s living her best life as a single Mom (you will want to check out her “Lioness Pride” community for single mothers).

In this episode, we discuss:

• Felicia’s quiet space (and cool floor desk!)
• Her cultural identity -- an Indian girl born in America with a Spanish name whose parents are from East Africa with a more progressive mindset
• Differences from traditional Indian culture and how she feels about it today
• Bringing an openness and freedom to raising her daughter when it comes to culture (rather than conflict)
• Code-switching and connection
• Meme culture
• When culture goes mainstream (yoga) -- intention matters
• “We are grasping for something more”
• Amy’s experience in yoga classes
• “Yoga instructors make beautiful, magical things happen (but be authentic)”
• First generation American experience as an Indian
• The mind-body connection
• Expectations vs. reality and authenticity
• Yoga, ayurveda, and asafoetida (and Amy’s childhood)
• Felicia's yoga practice
• Meditation can show up in different ways
• "Knowing something doesn’t make you better than anyone else"
• What Felicia is passing on to her daughter (cultural generational connection)
• A water break
• Conscious parenting - “having the love of family while ensuring the things she’s learning are the things I want her to keep”
• What motivated Felicia to start a community (“Lioness Pride”) for single mothers following her divorce
• “We worked on being divorced...how to get to a good place with ourselves, and with eachother”
• Getting clear so you can focus on what’s most important
• Creating a space for other women struggling with conflict and committed to healing

Find us at justchai.podbean.com

Friendly disclaimer: This podcast and its hosts are not endorsing any of brand names you may hear. Any product names mentioned are simply to add fun, lively color for the conversation. Opinions reflected are our own.