Blog posts
Ahimsa before satyam: speaking truth without causing pain
“Ahimsa before Satyam.”Kindness before truth.Compassion before correctness. This happened 22 years ago and I still haven’t forgotten it, I said something to my friend that I can’t take back.She walked into the room, excited to show us her new look.And without thinking, I blurted, “God, what happened to your skin?” Silence. Then a quiet smile.But I knew I’d hurt her.I thought I was being honest. But I was just unaware.That I was “just saying it like it is.” But here’s what I didn’t know back then,Truth is never an excuse to cause pain.There is a way to be honest without being hurtful.And that’s what I didn’t choose in that moment. Later, she told me how she’d been going through a lot. Hormones. Stress. Grief. And my words, that were spoken without sparing her feelings a single thought which was meant to be “truthful”—only deepened her shame. 💬 “You made me feel like I had to hide again,” she said.And my heart broke. We live in a culture that glorifies “telling it like it is.” A culture that is unaware of the impact it causes. When truth lacks tenderness, it turns into violence.Words don’t just inform.They shape self-image. They become memories. They linger. But years of practicing the principles and philosophy of yoga has taught me, ✨ Ahimsa before Satyam. ✨ Kindness before correctness. ✨ Grace before “feedback.”It’s not about sugarcoating. It’s about asking:- “Is it worth saying?”- “Is this helpful?”- “If yes, what’s the gentlest way it can be said?” Because yes—truth matters.But so does the heart that receives it. Let’s build a world where truth doesn’t come at the cost of compassion.Where we practise honesty with kindness. Where our words don’t just reveal—but also heal.💬 Have you ever said something that was “true” but left someone hurt? What would you say differently now? Let’s reflect together.
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The 45-minute call that revealed a lifetime of boundaries
It wasn’t just about a 45-minute call.It was about a lifelong pattern. He told me,“I didn’t get anything done today. My whole afternoon just… slipped away.” Why?Because when his uncle called “just to say hi,”He didn’t know how to end the conversation. He wanted to.He had things to do.He felt the clock ticking, frustration rising.But he stayed on. Listened. Smiled politely. Not because he cared.But because he was afraid to disappoint. Because somewhere deep down,he still believed that saying no = being rude.That if he didn’t please them, he wouldn’t be loved.That setting a boundary meant pushing someone away. So instead?He pushed himself aside.And by the end of the call, he wasn’t just behind on work.He was emotionally drained. Disconnected. Angry at himself. ✨ That’s what people don’t talk about enough:We don’t struggle to say no because we’re bad at time management.We struggle because we confuse “no” with rejection.Because we were never taught that we could choose ourselves—and still be loved. 🌿 So here’s your reminder:“No” isn’t conflict.It’s clarity.It’s care.It’s an act of self-preservation—not selfishness. Try these instead:🗣 “Hey. Struggling for time… maybe later?”🗣 “Don’t have the bandwidth today, I’m sorry.”🗣 “I’d love to, but I’ve got to finish my report.”🗣 “Let me get back to you.”🗣 Or simply Lakshman Rekha—let your energy speak the boundary, even when words don’t. 💬 What if your worth didn’t depend on being endlessly available?
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She Said, ‘I Kissed a Boy.’ Here’s how her mother responded differently.
“I kissed a boy.” That’s what her daughter told her nervously, hesitantly, guilt flooding her words.- She wasn’t trying to confess.- She was trying to breathe.- Because the weight of keeping it in felt heavier than the fear of being punished. This was a mother who had grown up in a small village.Where topics like sex, dating, even feelings were buried beneath silence and shame.She was raised to believe that obedience meant love. That rebellion meant failure.But that night, she didn’t react the way she was taught to. 🤍 She didn’t shout. 🤍 She didn’t punish. 🤍 She didn’t say “How could you?” Instead, she paused. Listened. Asked: “How did you feel?” “Are you being kind to yourself?” Her daughter cried. Not out of fear,But relief.Because she was ready to take the consequence,She just couldn’t carry the guilt anymore. The mother realised, “She was going to kiss someone whether I knew or not. I’d rather she tell me, than hide it. I want to grow with her.” 🌿 That’s what a growth mindset in parenting looks like. It’s not about being the cool parent. It’s about being the calm parent. One who knows that when we build trust and how to.Risky behaviour reduces.Secrets lessen.And kids self-regulate, not out of fear but awareness. 🩷 Because if they feel safe telling you the truth,They’re far less likely to sneak around it.This isn’t about condoning.It’s about connecting.Holding boundaries without shutting the door. ✨ You weren’t raised to talk about these things. But maybe… you get to raise someone who can.💬 What’s one parenting moment where you chose curiosity over control? Let’s reflect on how we’re growing, not just our kids, but ourselves.
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Every body carries a story. Yoga helps you listen.
Not all pain shows up on X-rays.But your body remembers and yoga can help release it. - Some arrive on the mat with back pain.- Some with grief.- Some with an anxious mind that won’t let their breath settle. Here’s what we can remember: 🧘🏽♀ Every body moves differently. 🧘🏽♂ Every heart carries its own rhythm. 🧘🏽♀ Every nervous system deserves a pace that feels safe. That’s why at Soulkatha, we don’t follow a one-sequence-fits-all approach. We offer curated yoga. Therapeutic yoga. A space where your practice meets you where you are.✨ Healing doesn’t come from the perfect pose. ✨ It begins when your body feels safe. ✨ When your breath is honoured. ✨ When your emotions are allowed to flow — not masked under a smile in savasana. Whether you’re recovering from trauma, building strength again, or just relearning how to be with yourself.Your yoga practice should support your journey. Not judge it. 💬 Wondering how yoga therapy can help with what you’re holding — physically, emotionally, or energetically?Let’s talk.Because your body deserves a practice as unique and wise as your story.
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When my words became her mirror
I was getting ready for a party and I broke my daughter’s heart without knowing it. I was doing my makeup while she played in the corner. Hair done. Heels on. And then, just like every other time, I stood in front of the mirror… and sighed. “Does this make me look too bloated?” The words slipped out without thinking. Then came the second outfit. Then the third. Till I finally muttered, “Ugh, I hate how I look today.” I thought she wasn’t paying attention But a week later, she stood in front of her mirror. Getting ready for her best friend’s birthday. And I heard her whisper: “My face looks weird. I need to change.” That moment broke something inside me Because I realised: She wasn’t born hating her body. She watched me do it again and again. Our kids learn body image by watching us. How we talk about our bloated days. How we tug at our clothes. How we frown at our reflections. How we compliment other women or don’t. I want to raise a daughter who smiles at the mirror So now, I make sure she hears: 🌼 “I love how this colour looks on me” 🌼 “My body feels strong today” 🌼 “I’m wearing this because I feel good in it” Because I am her first mirror. And her body image won’t start in adolescence. It starts in our bedroom. With my words, 💬 What words did you grow up hearing about your body?
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From hurtful words to kinder worlds: A parent’s role in empathy
Remember playing pass the parcel? Remember being scared of when the music will stop and how fast you wanted to pass on the handkerchief? Or am I just old, and pass the parcel is out of fashion? There are other games, though, that never go out of style. In the playground, there’s often a narrative: The skinny kid laughs at the dark kid. The dark kid mocks the fat kid. The fat kid teases the short kid. And everyone forgets how it feels to be the one being laughed at. It’s easy to call it “kids being kids”. But what it really is — Is pain being passed around like a hot potato, the handkerchief passed around in pass-the-parcel? No one wants to hold it for too long. So they toss it to the next child. And somewhere in the middle of this exchange, A new kid walks in. Hopeful. Nervous. Eager to belong. But before a single word is spoken — they’re judged. Not for their kindness. Not for their humour. Not for who they are. But for how they look. 💔 Too dark. Too thin. Too short. Too tall. Teeth too big or small. A smile too cute, perhaps. How do we break the cycle? We don’t wait for school. We begin at home. Because empathy isn’t a subject — it’s a language. And it’s spoken first at the dinner table. 🧠 When we speak about others, do we mention their character or how they look? 💬 When someone looks different, do we gossip or welcome? 👂🏽 When our kids come to us with questions, do we hush them or guide them? Children mirror the world they see. So if we want them to stop laughing at others — We have to show them how to laugh with kindness. To compliment without comparing. To welcome without judging. To see people — not packaging. Let’s raise kids who don’t need to shrink others to feel seen. Let’s model conversations that celebrate difference — not ridicule it. 💬 Have you ever overheard your child say something that made you pause? What did you say next? If you want to learn how to talk and act with your kids, explore our parenting book Talk to Them — your guide to raising kind kids in a kinder world.
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“Love isn’t limited: helping kids reframe jealousy”
“I just get jealous, okay?”That’s what he finally said.12 years old. Arms crossed. Voice shaky. His parents thought he was being difficult.Snapping, sulking, storming off whenever they praised another child. But in our sessions, we discovered something quieter beneath the anger.Something more vulnerable.“I feel like no one’s paying attention to me,” he whispered. That’s what jealousy often is.Not arrogance. Not attitude.Just the fear of being left out.Of not mattering. Of not being seen. So we didn’t try to fix him.We met him where he was. 🌱 We helped him reframe appreciation. That someone else’s win isn’t his loss. 🌱 We created a circle of positivity, Where everyone could be celebrated. Including him. 🌱 And we gave him new words, “I want to be seen too.” “I need some appreciation today.” And guess what?The next time his cousin won a medal, he clapped first.Because kids don’t need to compete for love when they know there’s enough of it. 🤍 Jealousy doesn’t need judgement. It needs understanding. 💬 So if your child ever struggles with this, try appreciation.Catch them doing something right. Say it out loud.Make praise feel safe. Not scarce.Because a child who feels seen…Doesn’t need to seek attention in all the wrong ways.
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Standing up for youself doesn't hace to look like a fight.
Is standing up for yourself a volume game? “Maybe I’m just not built for the workplace.” That’s what she said to me. My client was talking about a recent experience at work where her colleagues told her that she needed to be more assertive. More loud. More… confrontational. She works in Delhi, where people expect you to be sharp, aggressive and dominant. And for a while, she believed them. She started questioning herself. ❓ “Am I being too soft?” ❓ “Am I letting people walk over me?” ❓ “Am I not standing up for myself the way I should?” She wasn’t screaming in meetings. She wasn’t threatening to escalate. She wasn’t choosing conflict as her first tool. She wasn’t trying to dominate. And so she thought she was doing it wrong. That she wasn’t doing enough. But in our session together, I reminded her of something simple and powerful: 🌱 Just because your voice isn’t loud doesn’t mean it isn’t strong. 🌱 Just because your style is calm doesn’t mean it isn’t clear. 🌱 And just because you don’t match their energy doesn’t mean you’re not standing your ground. We often associate “standing up for ourselves” with volume. But sometimes, standing up for yourself looks like: – Holding a boundary without raising your tone – Walking away without engaging in chaos – Choosing peace without guilt – Saying less, but meaning every word She didn’t need to become someone else. She just needed to see herself more clearly. To stand strong - her way. To own her rhythm, her softness, her power. ✨ You don’t need to become louder to be heard. ✨ You just need to trust the strength of your own voice — however it chooses to show up. Want to build that inner steadiness — not through force, but presence? Explore our Vedic Chanting Course — where calm is your power, breath is your ally, and silence teaches strength. The practice isn’t just ancient. It’s deeply modern, too.
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