Suneel Gupta, tech entrepreneur and author of Everyday Dharma, shares his journey of embracing his Indian and American identities. He discusses the challenges of hiding his true self, experiences of discrimination, and his determination to challenge the status quo. The podcast also explores the concepts of mindfulness, collapsing boundaries, and embracing the unity of body and mind.
Embracing all parts of yourself, including cultural identities, leads to fulfillment and strength.
Choosing safety over passion can lead to hiding and running away from your true calling.
Deep dives
Embracing All Parts of Myself
Sunil Gupta, author of Everyday Dharma, shares his experience growing up as an Indian boy in suburban Michigan and feeling divided between two realities. He shares how he pursued a career in politics, but eventually realized that he had been running away from his true identity. Sunil learns the importance of embracing all parts of himself, both his Indian and American identities, and finds strength and fulfillment when he embraces his Dharma, his inner calling.
Choosing Between Dreams
Sunil reflects on a key decision in his life while studying for finals in law school. He grapples with choosing between pursuing a career in politics or joining his friend in Silicon Valley to work in the tech industry. Sunil decides to run away from his childhood dream and chooses the perceived safety and success of Silicon Valley. However, he eventually realizes that he had been hiding and running away from his true passion for speechwriting and engaging with his own culture.
Running for Office and Embracing Identity
Sunil shares his experience running for the US House of Representatives and facing questions about his skin color and the possibility of winning in a district that had never elected someone who isn't white. He chooses to be honest and vulnerable, acknowledging the challenges but also affirming his determination to bring about change. Sunil understands that his race and identity are on people's minds, and he uses this opportunity to fully share his story, embracing all parts of himself and realizing the beauty of collapsing the divisions between his identities.
Tech entrepreneur and author of Everyday Dharma, Suneel Gupta spends much of his life feeling divided between his Indian and American identities. His desire to fit in with his peers forces him to hide parts of himself and turn away from his true purpose. In this episode, Suneel tells the story of how he finally learned to welcome all parts of himself and stand proud in everything that he is.
Everyday Dharma is available in print and audio wherever you find your books.
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Each episode of Meditative Story combines the emotional pull of first-person storytelling with immersive music and gentle mindfulness prompts. Read the transcript for this story: meditativestory.com