Hosted by Kevin Young. Produced by J’aime Rothbard

Sanjog’s spiritual name means ‘connection.’ In this flowing, deeply connected conversation, Sanjog describes how ‘longing’ helped her heal her eating disorder. She also explains how heartfelt intentions (as opposed to external goals) helped her navigate obstacles in her addiction recovery. In addition to attuning to our innate ‘longings’ and ‘intentions’, Sanjog highlights the importance of trusting our own intuition, and accepting that we inherently know what we need.

Join us to hear Sanjog describe how: - A trip to the US, unspoken grief, and early bullying led to her develop Bulimia, at age 13 - She overcame her reluctance to seek help through Kundalini Yoga, her relationship, community and her own longing to free herself from a coping strategy that served her well…but at great cost. - Her professional focus shifted from anthropology to therapy - Her emerging personal and professional aspirations might evolve her life and work 

Sanjog also paints a beautiful picture of her upbringing in the Andes Mountains, the influences of her land’s unique geography, languages and cultures, and how, after initially dismissing what Ecuador offered, and wanting to leave, she has come to deeply appreciate its culture, land and diversity.  

About Sanjog Kaur:  Somatic Therapist & Eating Psychology Coach Born and raised in Ecuador’s Andes Mountains, Sanjog studied Anthropology at New York University and earned her Master’s Degree in Gender Studies at FLACSO-Ecuador. 

She was introduced to the field of mental health in 2008, when she began her recovery process from an eating disorder she had lived with since childhood. A few years later, she trained as a Kundalini Yoga Teacher, an Eating Psychology Coach and various therapeutic models, including Gestalt Therapy, Art Therapy, Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Brainspotting. 

In 2012, Sanjog met Dr. Gabor Maté and Sat Dharam Kaur through the Beyond Addiction Program and began practicing compassionate self-inquiry. As a Compassionate Inquiry® (CI) Practitioner, Founding Facilitator, Mentor, and Circles Leader, Sanjog led the translation of the CI programs into Spanish and is currently the Director of the CI Spanish Programs. 

Promotional Message: If you're a current Compassionate Inquiry® Professional Training Program participant or graduate, you're invited to CI's Experiential Intensive Retreat, in the north of Ireland, from September 8 - 12. Deepen your personal and community connections in the beautiful natural setting of Corrymeela, with beautiful views over the Irish sea. Rest, reflect, and partake in workshops,  Compassionate Inquiry®-, body- and nature-based  practice sessions, plus delightful evening community celebrations with home-cooked meals, Irish music and dancing. Tap this link to learn more. 

Resources:

Websites:

Sanjog’s Compassionate Inquiry Profile

Books:

My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and  Bodies, by Resmaa Menakem.

The Five People You Meet in Heaven, by Mitch Albom

Quotes:

“Our hunger to belong is the longing to bridge the gulf that exists between isolation and intimacy.” - John O'Donoghue 

“Can you be fearless and compassionate?” - Sanjog Kaur

“I really want to be thin and have this type of body. I wouldn't describe that as a longing that came from the connection with myself. I would say that’s someone else's voice telling me who I needed to be in order to be accepted or to belong or to be safe in the world. But the longing would have been, yes, I want to belong and I want to be safe in my body and I want to connect with people. And then, I want to be accepted and loved and live with dignity. That's what I really wanted for myself in my life. And the idea that thinness will bring you there was just a distraction.” - Sanjog Kaur

Training:

Compassionate Inquiry (English)

Compassionate Inquiry (Spanish)

Beyond Addiction

Kundalini Yoga

Social Media: 

IG: https://www.instagram.com/annapurna_conexion/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/natalia.sotomayor