Geeta Girl: Evolving Through the Bhagavad Geeta

Caring for a loved one who is ill is a role no one prepares you for. I’m Shaila, co-host of the Geeta Girl podcast, and that was my experience through the three years of my cousin’s battle with cancer – and in the grief that followed after she passed. During the time of her illness, lessons from the Bhagavad Geeta like equanimity, gratitude, and “do your best, leave the rest” became more than philosophy—they became something I leaned on. They helped me navigate the ups and downs of caregiving – the competing emotions of hope and fear; the exhaustion; the decisions you never expected to make; the stress; and the meaningful moments you come to treasure. This season, I’m sharing my story so we can explore those Geeta teachings together—what they can offer when we’re caring for someone we love, and in later episodes, how they can help us navigate grief. Whether you are in the middle of caregiving, have been through it, or are trying to support a caregiver in your life, we hope this podcast can offer practical insights on coping and sense of not feeling alone. Please note this podcast contains conversations about grief, loss, and the experience of caring for someone with cancer. Please listen at your own pace and take care of yourself while engaging with this content. Check out this latest episode, “Geeta Girl Discusses Navigating the Ups and Downs of Caregiving” on our website geetagirl.com, Apple Podcast/iTunes, Spotify, and everywhere you listen to podcasts. Don’t forget to subscribe to, rate, and review the Geeta Girl Podcast! Check out our website at www.GeetaGirl.com Follow us on Instagram @GeetaGirlPodcast or on Facebook at Geeta Girl Podcast Verses referred to in this episode: Ch 2 V 31-32 Ch 2 V 47 Ch 2 V41 Ch 4 V 22

In our final episode on setting boundaries, we discuss the most important person you need to set boundaries with - YOU! What do we mean? Setting boundaries with yourself may sounds like new age gobbledy gook but it is really about self-care. And what does an ancient text like the Bhagavad Geeta have to say about self-care in today’s crazy world? A lot more than you might think. In this podcast, we explore timeless lessons from the Geeta that remind us self-care is about creating balance. Through the Geeta, we learn the importance of nourishing the body and calming the mind, so that we can live optimally with clarity and purpose. Because when you nurture your inner world, you’re better equipped to meet the outer world with strength, calm, and resilience. Check out this latest episode, “Geeta Girl Discusses Krishna, the OG Self Care Guru” on our website geetagirl.com, Apple Podcast/iTunes, Spotify, and everywhere you listen to podcasts. Don’t forget to subscribe to, rate, and review the Geeta Girl Podcast! Check out our website at www.GeetaGirl.com Follow us on Instagram @GeetaGirlPodcast or on Facebook at Geeta Girl Podcast Bhagavad Geeta verses referenced in this podcast: Chapter 15 verse 8 Chapter 16 verse 16 and 17 Chapter 2, verse 55 and 56 Chapter 2 verses 31 and 32 Chapter 2 verses 49 and 50 Chapter 2 verse 58 Chapter 18 verse 47 Chapter 17 verse 19 Chapter 18 verse 18

We know setting boundaries can be tough. In this podcast, we go through a few more listener questions. Raise your hand if any of these scenarios resonate with you: Are you a fixer? Does everyone come to you to fix their problems? Are you wondering when they will learn to solve their own issues? It may be time to draw that boundary. Are you a people pleaser? Are people always asking you for favors? If you are feeling stretched thin, you guessed it – it’s time to draw that boundary. And how do you draw that boundary with calm and compassion? In this latest podcast, we discuss what the Geeta says to do about these issues and a few others. Check out this latest episode, “Geeta Girl Discusses Sorry not Sorry: Saying No Without Guilt” on our website geetagirl.com, Apple Podcast/iTunes, Spotify, and everywhere you listen to podcasts. Don’t forget to subscribe to, rate, and review the Geeta Girl Podcast! Check out our website at www.GeetaGirl.com Follow us on Instagram @GeetaGirlPodcast or on Facebook at Geeta Girl Podcast Chapters and Verses referred to in this podcast: Chapter 7 verse 27 Chapter 3 verse 35 Chapter 2, verse 31 Chapter 3, verse 26 chapter 13 verse 28 Chapter 18 verse 47 Chapter 3, verse 17 Chapter 3, verse 21 Chapter 2 verses 13 and 14

What do you think would have happened if Arjuna had set some boundaries with his cousins a lot earlier? Well, his inability to set them gave us the Geeta so we won’t judge him too much but YOU, dear listener have the power to prevent a war! As we learned from Arjuna, the more you procrastinate expressing your boundaries, the more people will expect that you don’t have them. In this episode, we go over a few listener questions to illustrate how to do your duty by standing up for yourself and building strong boundaries. Check out this latest episode, “Geeta Girl Discusses Building the Strength to Build Strong Boundaries” on our website geetagirl.com, Apple Podcast/iTunes, Spotify, and everywhere you listen to podcasts. Don’t forget to subscribe to, rate, and review the Geeta Girl Podcast! Check out our website at www.GeetaGirl.com Follow us on Instagram @GeetaGirlPodcast or on Facebook at Geeta Girl Podcast Chapters and Verses referred to in this podcast: Chapter 3 verse 34 Chapter 18 verse 48 Chapter 2 verse 47 Chapter 3 verse 20

Setting boundaries is essential for healthy relationships, but knowing how to communicate them effectively can be challenging. In this episode, we explore the art of communicating personal boundaries with clarity, confidence, and compassion. Whether it’s with family, friends, or colleagues, we’ll explore practical strategies for communicating your limits without feeling guilt and sticking to boundaries despite pushback. Tune in and learn how to express your limits without losing friends—or your sanity. Check out this latest episode, “Geeta Girl Discusses You’ve Got To Express Yourself” on our website geetagirl.com, Apple Podcast/iTunes, Spotify, and everywhere you listen to podcasts. Don’t forget to subscribe to, rate, and review the Geeta Girl Podcast! Check out our website at www.GeetaGirl.com Follow us on Instagram @GeetaGirlPodcast or on Facebook at Geeta Girl Podcast Chapters and Verses referred to in this podcast: Ch3 V8 Ch3 V34 Ch9 V29 Ch18 V48 Ch7 V7 Ch3 V26 Ch13 V28

In this podcast, we continue the conversation about boundaries. Where and when do we draw that line? Your first clue is whenever you feel agitated (a direct quote from Krishna!). Madonna said it best when she sang about the challenges of crossing Borderlines— “feels like I’m going to lose my mind”. When you get that feeling, it’s time to draw that strict boundary. And as she also said, “Nobody should keep on pushing your love over the borderline”. We discuss this and other situations where you should draw the line and create a boundary. Don’t forget to subscribe to, rate, and review the Geeta Girl Podcast! Check out our website at www.GeetaGirl.com Follow us on Instagram @GeetaGirlPodcast or on Facebook at Geeta Girl Podcast Chapters and Verses referred to in this podcast: Ch. 12V15 Ch. 2V58 Ch. 17V19 Ch. 3V8 Ch. 3V33 Ch. 3V26 Ch. 3V35 Ch. 18V47 Ch. 12V2

You set them. Some people respect them. Others ignore them. A few push them. We are talking about boundaries. We know we need them but sometimes they are hard to make and even harder to maintain. In this new season, we will focus on establishing and maintaining boundaries in all areas of our lives– family, work, friends, and with ourselves. In this podcast, we discuss what the Geeta says about why we need boundaries and how to establish them. Remember that creating boundaries means creating space for you to thrive. Don’t forget to subscribe to, rate, and review the Geeta Girl Podcast! Check out our website at www.GeetaGirl.com Follow us on Instagram @GeetaGirlPodcast or on Facebook at Geeta Girl Podcast

Do your best and leave the rest. Live each day with a feeling of equanimity. Meditate. We know all the things we need to do but how do we start? And what if we start but one day we don’t quite do our best (and definitely don’t leave the rest). How do we push through the frustration of not getting it perfect each day? First off, stop being so hard on yourself! Change is not linear and we all take a stumble or two (or ten) backwards on our journey of growth. In this episode, we share tips from the Geeta on how to start incorporating good habits in your life and how to get back on that path when you veer off. Don’t forget to subscribe to, rate, and review the Geeta Girl Podcast! Check out our website at www.GeetaGirl.com Follow us on Instagram @GeetaGirlPodcast or on Facebook at Geeta Girl Podcast

It can be a do-over, a second chance. It’s a mystery. An incentive to do better. It can make you fearful or hopeful. It can bring a sense of peace. In this podcast, we discuss reincarnation. Does our behavior in this lifetime impact the next? Do our souls reunite with the souls of loved ones in our next life? Join us as we discuss this cycle of birth and death. Don’t forget to subscribe to, rate, and review the Geeta Girl Podcast! Check out our website at www.GeetaGirl.com Follow us on Instagram @GeetaGirlPodcast or on Facebook at Geeta Girl Podcast

I deserve it! We have all had that thought before. I worked hard therefore I deserve the promotion. I studied hard so I deserve to get into that college. Maybe you thought, I messed up, so I deserve the punishment. But what do we really deserve? In the Geeta, Krishna reminds us that we only have a right to the effort and no right to the result. No one deserves anything – not the good fortune or the bad. The only thing you have a “right” to is the effort itself and not the outcome. If you can't impact the outcome, you may wonder why bother trying? Krishna says that no effort is ever wasted. No matter the outcome, you always learn, grow, and evolve from doing your best. And you deserve that. Don’t forget to subscribe to, rate, and review the Geeta Girl Podcast! Check out our website at www.GeetaGirl.com Follow us on Instagram @GeetaGirlPodcast or on Facebook at Geeta Girl Podcast

Oh, that trickly little tempter Anger. Anger has the power to make us lose reason. Say things we don’t mean. Lash out. Even make us feel temporarily powerful. Anger is a feeling familiar to most of us and sometimes hard to avoid. In our latest podcast we share the Geeta’s guidance on how to control our anger and not allow our anger to control us. Listen to this episode and then tell Anger who’s boss. Don’t forget to subscribe to, rate, and review the Geeta Girl Podcast! Check out our website at www.GeetaGirl.com Follow us on Instagram @GeetaGirlPodcast or on Facebook at Geeta Girl Podcast

A good part of Chapter 1 in the Bhagavad Geeta is Arjun making excuses for why he doesn’t want to engage in battle with his ne’er-do-well cousins. He makes excuse after excuse for why he can’t do what he knows he has to do. Will it really do any good? They are my family- I can’t stand up to them! It will be bad for my karma if I do something! Sound familiar? In this podcast, we break down all the excuses we make to not do our duty. We discuss how we can stop making excuses and just do the right thing. Arjun had to take on his battles, and so do we. Check out this episode, “Geeta Girl Discusses Excuses Excuses Excuses!” on our website geetagirl.com, Apple Podcast/iTunes, Spotify, and everywhere you listen to podcasts. Don’t forget to subscribe to, rate, and review the Geeta Girl Podcast! Check out our website at www.GeetaGirl.com Follow us on Instagram @GeetaGirlPodcast or on Facebook at Geeta Girl Podcast

We all know the negative tendencies we need to change. Control your anger? Sure. Stop judging others? Okay, fine. Meditate more and eat healthier? Definitely. But why is it so hard to change? The Geeta shares with us ways to make our good habits stick. Check out our first podcast of Season 5, “Geeta Girl Discusses Practicing What You Preach” on our website geetagirl.com, Apple Podcast/iTunes, Spotify, and everywhere you listen to podcasts. Don’t forget to subscribe to, rate, and review the Geeta Girl Podcast! Check out our website at www.GeetaGirl.com Follow us on Instagram @GeetaGirlPodcast or on Facebook at Geeta Girl Podcast

What is your duty or your dharma when it comes to dealing with the complainers, the hostile, the rude, the passive aggressive, or just downright aggressive people in your life? The not so great news? You will likely always have people who frustrate and disappoint you. But the Bhagavad Geeta’s gift to you is advice about when and how to deal with them and when and how to walk away. Check out our latest and last podcast of Season 4, “Geeta Girl Discusses Dealing with You When the Problem is Them” on our website geetagirl.com, Apple Podcast/iTunes, Spotify, and everywhere you listen to podcasts. Don’t forget to subscribe to, rate, and review the Geeta Girl Podcast! Check out our website at www.GeetaGirl.com Follow us on Instagram @GeetaGirlPodcast or on Facebook at Geeta Girl Podcast

You’ve heard parents complain that kids don’t come with an instruction manual (despite shelves of books at your local bookstore that try to fill that gap). In this podcast, we break down the ultimate parenting guidebook. The Bhagavad Geeta may not break down the healthiest snacks for kids or the best video games for your teen but all the advice you need to raise kids without pulling your hair out? Yup, it’s full of that. Check out our latest podcast, “Geeta Girl Discusses Finally! An Instruction Manual for Parenting” on our website geetagirl.com, Apple Podcast/iTunes, Spotify, and everywhere you listen to podcasts. Don’t forget to subscribe to, rate, and review the Geeta Girl Podcast! Check out our website at www.GeetaGirl.com Follow us on Instagram @GeetaGirlPodcast or on Facebook at Geeta Girl Podcast

Are you teen? Do you have a teen? Were you a teen (though you may want to forget)? If so, you’re going to want to listen to this podcast. We discuss balancing competing priorities, dealing with peer pressure, managing growing responsibilities, and, of course, why does everyone’s social media life look better than mine? (Hmmm, maybe this podcast isn’t just for teens). And to no one’s surprise, the Geeta holds some answers. Sharmila and Shaila take a backseat in this podcast and invited some very special young people to lead the discussion and share questions and examples from their own lives. If you have a teen in your life, we encourage you to listen to this podcast together. Check out our latest podcast, “Geeta Girl Discusses #WWKD: What would Krishna Do: A Conversation about Dharma for Teens (and Adults!)” on our website geetagirl.com, Apple Podcast/iTunes, Spotify, and everywhere you listen to podcasts. Don’t forget to subscribe to, rate, and review the Geeta Girl Podcast! Check out our website at www.GeetaGirl.com Follow us on Instagram @GeetaGirlPodcast or on Facebook at Geeta Girl Podcast Don’t forget to subscribe to, rate, and review the Geeta Girl Podcast!

In this podcast, we discuss defining and following through with your own unique dharma or responsibility. That means doing the hard stuff even if you don’t want to. Standing up for what is the right (despite the naysaying). And following through with your responsibilities without worrying about the outcome. So focus on taking action and not on the results- like canvassing, writing postcards, phone banking, talking to friends, voting! And if things don’t go the way you hoped, you know what you have to do. Your dharma. Again (and again). Check out our podcast, “Geeta Girl Discusses You Do You: Choosing and Doing Your Own Unique Dharma” on our website geetagirl.com, Apple Podcast/iTunes, Spotify, and everywhere you listen to podcasts. Check out our website at www.GeetaGirl.com Follow us on Instagram @GeetaGirlPodcast or on Facebook at Geeta Girl Podcast Don’t forget to subscribe to, rate, and review the Geeta Girl Podcast!

On this next season of the Geeta Girl Podcast, we focus on Dharma. Dharma in its most simplest definition is your duty. However, it is far more complex. It is doing the right thing at the right time given the context of your situation. In the first episode of this season, we talk about the complexities of doing your dharma and help answer the question, how do I know what my dharma is and how do I know if I am doing the right thing? Here’s the good news- Krishna wrote you a cheat sheet in the Bhagavad Geeta and we’re going to help break it down. Check out our first podcast of the season, “Geeta Girl Discusses Dharma Decisions Decisions Decisions!” Check out our website at www.GeetaGirl.com Follow us on Instagram @GeetaGirlPodcast or on Facebook at Geeta Girl Podcast Don’t forget to subscribe to, rate, and review the Geeta Girl Podcast!

Is this your inner dialogue while you are meditating? “OMMM…OMMM….oooh, I think I’ll order Thai tonight…okay, back to the breathing…OMMM…OMMM…oh, and I need to remember to set a reminder to buy dog food…FOCUS!”. If this sounds familiar to you, don’t worry, you are not alone. From the unique perspective of the Geeta, we discuss why meditation is tough for many of us, and why you need to stick to it anyway. We discuss why it’s an essential tool in combatting your anxiety and perhaps, most importantly, in soaking up every bit of that Geeta knowledge. Check out the last podcast in this latest season’s focus on combatting anxiety “Geeta Girl Discusses Free Your Mind and the Rest will Follow”. Check out our website at www.GeetaGirl.com Follow us on Instagram @GeetaGirlPodcast or on Facebook at Geeta Girl Podcast Don’t forget to subscribe to, rate, and review the Geeta Girl Podcast!

Picture the person with whom you have the most challenging relationship. Do you have their image in your mind? (No judgment if you pictured them before you even finished reading the sentence.) Now what if you were able to make that relationship less difficult? Would your life be less stressful? In this podcast, we discuss Compassion Cultivation Training (CCT). Lavina Shamdasani, a student and teacher of CCT shares how to utilize this technique to see God in everyone. CCT is based on the belief that we are all born with innate compassion and tapping into that compassion for ourselves and others can take us one step closer to a life of happiness and less suffering. And who doesn’t want more of that. Listen to this podcast for practical tips on how to live a life with more compassion, empathy, and kindness - towards yourself and others. Check out our latest podcast “Geeta Girl Discusses Cultivating Compassion” on our website geetagirl.com, Apple Podcast/iTunes, Spotify, and everywhere you listen to podcasts. Don’t forget to subscribe to, rate, and review the Geeta Girl Podcast! Check out our website at www.GeetaGirl.com Follow us on Instagram @GeetaGirlPodcast or on Facebook at Geeta Girl Podcast Don’t forget to subscribe to, rate, and review the Geeta Girl Podcast!