Rishikesh Calling: Emily's Early Spiritual Turn

What if your purpose isn’t something you need to find, but something you remember by letting go of who you thought you were supposed to be?

In this episode of Why Isn’t Everyone Doing This?, Emily sits down with Sadhvi Bhagawati, spiritual leader, humanitarian, and longtime resident of Rishikesh, India, for a conversation that spans identity, dharma, devotion, service, and the quiet joy of surrender. Sadhviji shares her journey from a successful Western life to answering an inner call that led her to the banks of the Ganges more than three decades ago, not as an escape from the world, but as a deeper way of being in it. Together, they explore what dharma really means beyond career or calling, why success so often leaves people feeling empty, and how purpose emerges naturally when we stop striving and start listening. The conversation moves into the profound collective experience of the Maha Kumbh Mela, where hundreds of millions of people gather not around identity, politics, or achievement, but shared remembrance. Sadhviji explains how these ancient gatherings dissolve the illusion of separation and offer a lived experience of unity that can’t be understood intellectually, only felt. Emily and Sadhviji also explore the Vedic understanding of immortality, not as something physical, but as the wisdom of knowing yourself beyond the body, the story, and the personal narrative. They talk about releasing identity without abandoning responsibility, how service becomes effortless when it’s aligned, and why happiness isn’t something we earn, it’s what remains when we stop resisting life.

This episode is not about becoming someone new. It’s about remembering who you already are.

In This Episode, We Explore: • What dharma really means beyond career or productivity • Why success often fails to deliver fulfillment • Surrender as strength, not passivity • The Maha Kumbh Mela and collective remembrance • Identity, ego, and the freedom of letting go • Immortality as consciousness, not the body • Service as a natural expression of alignment • Finding peace without bypassing responsibility

About Sadhvi Bhagawati: Sadhvi Bhagawati is a spiritual leader, author, and humanitarian based in Rishikesh, India. She is President of the Divine Shakti Foundation, Secretary-General of the Global Interfaith WASH Alliance, and a key organizer of the Kumbh Mela. She is the author of Hollywood to the Himalayas and Come Home to Yourself, and is known worldwide for bridging Eastern wisdom with modern life through service, devotion, and interfaith leadership.

Where This Work Continues The themes in this episode — dharma, embodiment, service, and lived wisdom — are central to the work we do inside Level 3, an advanced mastermind designed to support deep integration, regulation, and spiritual leadership, with initiatory experiences that include pilgrimage in Greece.

👉 Explore Level 3: https://zivameditation.com/pages/nextlevel
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