Flourishing Edge Podcast with Ashish Kothari How Self-Awareness, Intuition & Breathwork Unlock Human Flourishing with Emma Seppälä
In a world of constant noise, speed, and digital overwhelm, how do we reclaim our inner stability and thrive?
This week on The Flourishing Edge, Ashish Kothari welcomes Emma Seppala, Yale School of Management faculty member, bestselling author of Sovereign and The Happiness Track, and pioneering researcher in well-being science.
Together they explore what it truly means to be sovereign—to live with awareness, agency, and mastery over one’s mind and emotions—even amid the chaos of technology, AI, and nonstop change. Emma shares groundbreaking research on breathing, intuition, and emotional regulation, revealing how ancient contemplative wisdom meets modern neuroscience to help us flourish in work and life.
💫 Key Topics & Insights
What “Sovereign” Really Means:
Reclaiming inner mastery in an age of distraction, self-criticism, and external noise.
Why self-awareness—not self-judgment—is the foundation for resilience and performance.
The Science of Self-Compassion:
How harsh self-talk lowers creativity, problem-solving, and emotional intelligence—and how awareness and kindness to self reverse it.
Technology, AI & the Age of Uncertainty:
Why constant stimulation erodes intuition, and how stillness, silence, and mindful discernment safeguard our humanity.
→ “AI can inform us, but only intuition can guide us.”
The Power of Intuition & Alpha States:
Neuroscience behind gut wisdom and creativity: relaxed minds in alpha-wave mode generate breakthrough ideas.
How to train intuition through rest, presence, and trust in your inner knowing.
Sovereign Relationships:
Why the most loyal teams and cultures are built on care, not control.
The two simple leadership moves:
1️⃣ Make people feel seen, heard, valued, appreciated.
2️⃣ Model calm self-awareness through your own meditation or reflective practice.
Sovereign Emotions & Healing Trauma:
Adults suppress; children feel and release. Emma explains how emotional endurance and courage transform leadership presence.
→ “Feeling is not weakness—it’s wisdom.”
The SKY Breath Meditation Breakthrough:
Emma’s landmark research at Yale and Stanford showing that the SKY (Sudarshan Kriya Yoga) breathing practice:
Rapidly reduces PTSD symptoms in veterans
Normalizes anxiety responses for up to a year
Outperforms standard therapy for emotion regulation
Prevents burnout in college students
Proven pathways to emotional sovereignty and nervous-system healing.
Daily Practices for Sovereignty:
🌞 Morning: Yoga + SKY Breath + Meditation (≈ 1 hr)
🌅 Evening: 30 min silent meditation
🌳 Nature immersion & walking daily
🙏 Gratitude for life’s simple privileges
💻 Strict boundaries with technology & news
💞 Service mindset—leave everyone feeling better than before they met you
💬 Memorable Quotes:
“Self-awareness, not self-criticism, is the key to unlocking your potential.” — Emma Seppala
“We can’t stop the waves of change, but we can learn to master the inner ocean.” — Ashish Kothari
“Feeling is not weakness—it’s wisdom. Sovereignty begins when you allow yourself to feel.” — Emma Seppala
🪷 About the Guest:
Emma Seppala is a psychologist, researcher, and faculty member at Yale School of Management. She is the author of Sovereign and The Happiness Track, and Science Director of Stanford’s Center for Compassion and Altruism Research. Her work has been featured in Harvard Business Review, The Atlantic, and TIME. Emma’s research bridges neuroscience, psychology, and ancient contemplative practices to help individuals and organizations thrive.
🔗 Connect with Emma on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmaseppala/
🌻 About the Host:
Ashish Kothari is the founder of Happiness Squad, author of Hardwired for Happiness, and creator of the Flourishing Edge Podcast, where science-based practices meet soulful leadership to help people live, work, and lead with joy, health, love, and meaning.
If this conversation sparked your curiosity about reclaiming your own sovereignty, share the episode with a friend or teammate who’s ready to flourish too.
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Happiness Squad Website: https://happinesssquad.com/
Ashish Kothari: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashishkothari1/
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