Can You Relate?

What if selfless service — Seva — was the most powerful spiritual practice you've been overlooking?In this deeply moving conversation, celebrity stylist and humanitarian Ambika shares how years of chasing recognition in Hollywood left her searching for something deeper — until she found it in the most unexpected place: Skid Row, every single Sunday.Ambika opens up about:- How Seva (selfless service) transformed her relationship with ego, rejection, and comparison- Growing up in a home where Hindu devotion and Buddhist chanting coexisted — and how both still anchor her today- Why she believes karma isn't just a concept — it's the operating system behind every door that opened (and closed) for her- How wearing her bindi unapologetically became a spiritual and cultural act of resistance- The moment at the Oscars that became a full-circle spiritual reckoning with her father — the man who believed in the "land of dreams"- Why she personally cooked 42,000 meals for unhoused people — and how that act of service became her weekly reset from the noise of ego- How spirituality gave her the courage to trust rejection as redirection — and why she says "if you love what you're doing, rejection won't make you quit"This episode is for you if you're a South Asian woman, a first-generation immigrant, or anyone walking a spiritual path in a world obsessed with fame, followers, and material success. Ambika's story is a masterclass in what it truly means to live from the inside out.🙏 CHAPTERS00:00 – Welcome & Introduction01:11 – Attending the Oscars with Her Father01:46 – Her Father's Sacrifice & The Land of Dreams03:23 – The Ancestry of Dreaming Big05:07 – Why Hollywood, Not Bollywood06:00 – Coming to America at 1709:41 – "Dear Me" — The Letter She Wrote to Herself11:02 – Experiencing Racism for the First Time12:03 – The Journey from Invisible to Seen13:10 – Perspective Shift: The Truck PA at the Oscars15:41 – The Spiritual Reset of Going to Skid Row Every Sunday24:57 – Core Memories: Cyndi Lauper, Cher & the Prince Tribute28:12 – Why Gratitude, Not Achievement, Keeps Her Grounded35:32 – How Save a Sphere Was Born37:45 – The Dignity She Wanted to Give to the Unhoused41:30 – Indian Food as a Love Language & Spiritual Act43:30 – Staying Connected to Your Culture in the West46:21 – Seva as a Spiritual Practice: Making Service Cool Again59:21 – Wearing Her Bindi Unapologetically — Always01:07:07 – Hinduism, Buddhism & the Spirituality She Lives01:20:37 – How Spirituality Propelled Her When Nothing Else Could01:38:03 – Rejection Is Redirection: A Spiritual Reframe01:40:00 – Final Question: How Has Spirituality Shaped Your Journey?🔔 Don’t forget to:Like 👍 | Share 📤 | Subscribe 🔔 for more conversations on spirituality, health & conscious living✨ New episodes of Desi Wisdom drop every Tuesday.Watch Next : https://youtu.be/5LvPRB-BdxwDesi Wisdom SocialsInstagram → @desiwisdomwithkavita YouTube → ⁨ @desiwisdomwithkavita #Seva #SouthAsianSpirituality #Dharma #Karma #IndianSpirituality #SpiritualJourney #HinduSpirituality #SpiritualGrowth #SevaSphere #SouthAsianWomen #IndianDiaspora #FindYourPurpose #GratitudePractice

In this powerful conversation, we explore the real reason people fail at veganism and why Jain ahimsa (non-violence) creates a level of conviction that actually lasts.Most people try veganism for health or trends…But why do they keep going back?In this episode, we uncover:- The hidden truth about dairy production most people ignore- Why health-based veganism often fails- The role of ahimsa (non-violence) in creating real change- How conditioning and disconnection keep us stuck- The psychological shift that makes veganism sustainableThis is not just about diet…It’s about awareness, compassion, and the way you see life itself.✨ New episodes of Desi Wisdom drop every Tuesday.Watch Next : https://youtu.be/5LvPRB-BdxwDesi Wisdom SocialsInstagram → @desiwisdomwithkavita YouTube → ⁨ @desiwisdomwithkavita Subscribe if you care about wisdom that actually changes how you live.✨ New episodes of Desi Wisdom drop every Tuesday.

Why do so many families struggle with communication, expectations, and emotional connection?In this episode of Desi Wisdom, we sit down with Rahul Kapoor, a globally respected family mindset coach who has spent over two decades helping families understand emotions, relationships, and the deeper psychology behind conflict.Rahul shares powerful insights from his experience working with families around the world and explains why many of the problems we see in relationships are not about love being absent, but about awareness, assumptions, and emotional patterns we carry from childhood.We explore topics like parenting, family dynamics, marriage, spirituality, and how self-awareness can transform the way we connect with the people closest to us.

Are you starting to merge your life with your partner’s life? Are there kids involved? Is there moving involved? Is it scary because it feels like you’re leaving your old life behind, and you don’t want to lose yourself? These are all very legit fears and worries. In this episode, I talk with my client Karimi, who has met someone that is her “pinch me” is this my partner kind of person. They are talking about marriage, moving in together where he lives, and having a baby, and although this is everything she has been wanting, she's scared that she will lose herself in the process. We talk through what’s actually at the heart of this worry. Hint: it has to do with her parents' relationship. Listen to this episode now to coach yourself through your own fears in your relationship right now, as I coach Karimi through hers.

For some, conversations that create connection out in the world can feel really hard. Most people feel like they have to be pleasing, performative, or perfect, or some mix of all of those. And that pressure can stop you right in your tracks from actually creating connection with others. This is how Bridget feels, watch me coach her through how she can get past that freeze moment before connecting with someone, and find the ROOT to why the freeze is happening in the first place. Without getting to the root, we are flying blind. Take a listen, especially if social interactions feel crunchy to you, and there’s some avoidance that shows up.

I sat down with my younger brother, Anand, to have a conversation about our relationship as siblings. If you’ve ever had a hard relationship with your sibling, this is a must watch episode. We haven’t always liked each other, we used to fight all the time, and now he is one of my besties. We can share almost (some things he doesn’t want to hear;) anything with one another. In this episode I shared a realization I had, through a self development course I took 12 years ago, that completely transformed our relationship.. I give you steps you can take to have what I call a “Clearing Conversation” with your sibling, which can help you both reconnect, and stay connected. Take a listen.

This episode felt really personal, and enlightening for me. My husband, Hemal and I share with you how over the last 16 years of our marriage, we have had many necessary up levels. Recently we went through one this past year. Through it there’s been a lot of conflict. I truly believe no real up level, evolution, or change can occur without conflict, it’s just a part of it. Hemal and I share with you the behind the scenes of our conflict, and what has helped us breakthrough into way more understanding for one another. This level of connection, intimacy, and understanding is profound. Even while creating this podcast with Hemal, I realized so much. Real, raw conversations with our partners create so much progress, when you know how to have them. Take a listen.