This week we have coach, organizational trainer, and international speaker Anahita Moghaddam on the podcast. Anahita is a fellow student of contemplative science and we first connected when I attended a talk of hers titled “The Neuroscience of Joy” at a Buddhist center in my hometown of Redding, Connecticut. Anahita has traveled extensively through the world and through the inner workings of the mind and in this episode she offers listeners invaluable glimpses into the contemplative path and all that entails. She brings this lightheartedness and humor when diving into domains of spiritual bypassing and the intoxicating space of spiritual materialism, which left me laughing out loud when preparing this episode for release. She also brings her wisdom and analytical skill to hot topics like leadership, romantic partnership, and resilience. At the end of the episode Anahita mentions that she was releasing an online course which is open for registration, so you can find the link in the show notes to check that out.

In this episode we discuss: 

• Anahita's upbringing in Iran and Germany
• When we question if the ways in which we're living are true to who we are
• Her father's influence in terms of arriving on the contemplative path
• Hitting rock bottom and this initiating Anahita's journey to India
• When books, resources, and teachers show up in moments of despair and confusion—plus what it means to have the openness to receive them at the time
• Spiritual bypassing and the "intoxicating" space of spiritual materialism
• The upward spiral of progress on the path
• Compassion, patience, and resilience—why you shouldn't give up in the face of challenges
• A definition of love and how it can be applied to partnership
• What it really means to love one another with generosity and spaciousness
• Taking radical responsibility for oneself and how that correlates with accessing the power to transform your life and world
• Coaching leaders and emerging leaders
• How to cultivate leadership in your own life

Resources: 

• Anahita on Instagram: @anahita.moghaddam
• Anahita's website
• Anahita's online course: Towards a New You
• May You Live Well on Instagram: @mayyoulivewell