Thought provoking, soul stirring, heart led - Zara Zulfi is a musician, teacher and poet from Lahore, the city of gardens. Her indie-pop music is forever protest against gay heartbreak, and she often lands herself in trouble with her performance art. In 2021, the State levied obscenity charges against Zulfi for her “Unity, Faith, Disco” photoshoot as part of her frontwoman stinty for punk-rock band Mystical Shayari.

We are loving the momentum in the movement to decolonize yoga, and are in respect and admiration for all who are leading this effort. This week’s guest, Melissa Shah, is a yoga therapist and founder of Find Your Breath, who skillfully adapts yoga and Ayurveda to the individual, and believes that yoga doesn’t need to be stripped of its culture and history in order for it to be palatable and beneficial to others. As a #heartivist Melissa is actively engaged in highlighting the intersection of yoga and social justice, and works to make feeling well accessible to all, but especially those who are often left out of the wellness conversation.

What a light this human being possesses, and emanates. In every aspect of the way she speaks, how she approaches her work, what she intends to be the outcome of her work... all of it! Not only is Parishae Adnan an amazing fashion designer and founder of @houseofparishae that focuses on circularity and sustainability in high end couture, she is also a climate change activist.

Be ready to be inspired by her vision, her reflective nature, and her awakened state of always striving to be happy.

Friidom is the epitome of visual storytelling. His ability to move, and to move you through his movements, is somewhat of a visceral experience for all who witness his work. In this conversation, we hear what moved him to be the creative genius that he is, and why his life’s mission is to spread this movement philosophy and raw expressive movement by creating worlds and bridging divides, or as he says, create “a true Willy Wonka of Movement.”

Zehra is a triple threat as a journalist, actor, AND director for film and theater! In addition to sharing about all the exciting projects she has been involved in, she highlights the dynamics and support system that every creative must strike in order to follow their path which is often less traversed.

What we know about Tejal:
- Yoga Teacher, Speaker, Social Justice Educator
- An advocate for yoga through a social justice lens AND educates and empowers individuals and groups around the world to do the same
- Creator of Tejal Yoga - a revolutionary, online studio, with an all South Asian teacher-led yoga community focused on social justice actions and authentic, culturally-rooted spiritual practices
- Podcast Host @yogaisdeadpodcast

And... think you know what “ABCD” is? Well Tejal is also the founder of @abcdyogi - a global community led by South Asian yoga and mindfulness teachers, where it stands for “AnyBornConscientousDesiYogi”

We touched on all of this, and so much more!

The art of the “pivot” is what led Anita Mithra to embracing her life’s calling. From Journalist / Communication Specialist to running her direct marketing agency over 25 years, all the while spending her evenings on stage, Anita realized it was time to shift gears.

At the age of 40, she decided to follow her heart and went on to open her own theatre production company - The Tortilla Entertainment Company which produces unique theatrical events and uses theatre in corporate training.

A rare combination (or is it?) of being a social scientist and theatre artist, Shatarupa Bhattacharyya’s artistic practice is focused on representing the lived experiences of women across time and space on stage, which she has done in almost 30 productions over the last 12 years, primarily as an actor, though recently as a director, producer, and soon, as a playwright as well.

Annika Sharma is an agented and published author of romcoms starring South Asians. Her debut, “Love, Chai, and Other Four-Letter Words,” has been named to Amazon’s Best Books, Apple Writers to Watch, and Library Journal’s Best Books of 2021. She is also the co-founder and co-host of @thatdesispark podcast, a show featured on Forbes, the BBC, a Spotify billboard campaign, and more. She is a lover of long conversations, superhero movies, coffee, pizza, and traveling.

Wajiha Ather Naqvi is a singer/song-writer and music researcher from Karachi, Pakistan. As a singer, she trains in Hindustani music under the apprenticeship of Ustad Naseeruddin Saami and his son Rauf Saami from the Qawwal Bachche-Delhi gharana. She is currently based in London and is pursuing her PhD in ethnomusicology from Kings College London researching on the performance histories and hereditary musical practices of the Qawwal Bacche- Delhi gharana.