Are You There, Universe?

Jaimie and Sunny discuss how their conceptions of healthy and unhealthy relationships have evolved over time and how those changes affect their relationships now. They meditate on the labor and skills that come with loving another person and how they reflect the complexity and sheer wonder of connection. 

In this episode, Jaimie and Sunny reference the insights of Sheleana Aiyana, founder of @RisingWoman, and Virgilio G. Enriquez, author of From colonial to liberation psychology: the Philippine experience.

Donate to Black Lives Matter: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ms_blm_homepage_2019

Donate to The Okra Project: https://www.theokraproject.com/

Donate to Dream Defenders: https://dreamdefenders.org/donate/ 

For more information about hate crimes committed against Asians and Asian Americans, and to report an incident, visit https://www.standagainsthatred.org/ and @stopaapihate.

You can find more resources, readings, and places to donate regarding anti-Asian violence here:

• Vice: Asian Americans Are Calling on Allies in Response to a Wave of Violence: https://www.vice.com/en/article/pkdw4z/attacks-on-elders-asian-american-community-racism-covid

What does it mean to feel grateful in the midst of loss? Jaimie and Sunny discuss the transformative power of gratitude and how it builds the capacity to feel contradictory feelings at once. Join their last episode of Season 1, as they discuss the things they are most grateful for… and discover it’s not what you may think.

Jaimie and Sunny discuss their experiences of imposter syndrome and how it can be delicately embedded in structures of racism and sexism. What does it mean to acknowledge the depth of pain that is feeling like an imposter? What does it mean to cultivate a sense of belonging and heal from that pain? 

Also referenced in this episode is Steph Teodocio Fajardo’s YouTube video on imposter syndrome. 

In this special bonus guided meditation episode, Sunny guides you through a visualization practice for moving through the feeling of exhaustion and allowing that feeling to transform into feelings of hope and opportunity. 

What does it mean to embrace a love ethic? To use it to heal from collective histories of betrayal? Jaimie and Sunny explore the cycles of pain and shame that inform both American history and their individual personal identities. They discuss the wisdom of Black feminist sage bell hooks and how those cycles might be broken. 

In this episode, we reference the following texts and spiritual leaders:

All About Love by bell hooks

The Cultural Politics of Emotion by Sara Ahmed

Ingratitude: The Debt-Bound Daughter in Asian American Literature by erin Khuê Ninh

Betrayal and Other Acts of Subversion by Leslie Bow

Jaimie and Sunny interview Dr. Anita Vasudevan, a registered yoga teacher and resident physician interested in Integrative Medicine that's focused on underserved populations, with a specific emphasis on nutrition, physical activity, and mind-body practices. Tune in to gain scientific and spiritual perspectives on the meaning of health and wellness and how it relates to matters of social justice.

Works cited in this episode:

Why Religion and Spirituality Matter for Public Health: Evidence, Implications, & Resources, edited by Doug Oman (book)

Protective and Damaging Effects of Stress Mediators, by Bruce McEwen, Ph.D. (review article)

Jaimie and Sunny answer questions submitted by listeners (you!) ranging in topics from understanding the difference between mindfulness and spirituality, meditating and practicing mindfulness for beginners, finding perspective during the pandemic, and exploring magical moments through synchrodestiny.  

In addition to touching upon some of the themes discussed in The Law of Attraction & Aligning with the Universe (Part 1), Jaimie and Sunny examine what it takes to heal their wounds around love and friendship, especially as it relates to their personal identities and collective upbringings as Asian American daughters. 

In this episode, Jaimie and Sunny give their takes on the concept of the “Law of Attraction,” and discuss the tension between materialistic survival and emotional fulfillment. They explore the blockages we experience as we rediscover our own worthiness of love, forgiveness, and compassion, and consider what it means to surrender to a benevolent universe.

What company do you keep in your mind? 

In this episode, Jaimie and Sunny unpack the internal stories our mind creates, both consciously and sub-consciously. They explore how we can shift our perspective so that we’re no longer giving in to fear nor accepting how others view us, as our reality. As we reclaim power over our own stories, we can begin to heal and transform.