Awake Awhile with Priya Jain
Ever feel a "hole" in your heart? a disconnect from others, life, purpose? The mind feels the pain of disconnection to one's own heart. It gives us many reasons not to seek, be, and stay connected to it, and even more reasons not to feel it, not to hear it speak. But the heart is the space of complete acceptance of what is. It offers refuge from the mind, and all its chains and bonds we often attempt to escape, in various forms and ways. The heart gently offers us a home.
In this episode, Nadia and Priya Jain, Founder of Seventh Chakra Institute of Spiritual Sciences, explore the journey of waking one's sleeping heart, sharing their insights and lessons learned along their personal paths to wholeness, freedom, and finding a source of infinite love within, as described in poem titled "Awake Awhile," written by Hafiz.
Episode Summary
[00:00–02:30] Opening & Introduction
Nadia welcomes Priya Jain, founder of the Seventh Chakra Institute of Spiritual Sciences, and introduces the theme of awakening the heart. She invites listeners to explore the connection between Hafiz’s poem “Awake Awhile” and the journey of returning home to one’s inner self.
[02:30–06:30] Reading the Poem “Awake Awhile”
Nadia reads the poem aloud, reflecting on its message of tenderness, stillness, and love. Together, she and Priya discuss how the poem speaks to those who have felt disconnected from their own hearts — and how this disconnection often begins quietly and innocently.
[06:30–13:00] The Sleeping Heart and the Mind’s Role
Priya shares how the mind often overrides the heart in daily life. She explains that while the mind seeks validation, success, and control, the heart speaks in acceptance and presence. The two explore how living only through the mind can create feelings of isolation and emptiness.
[13:00–20:00] Why the Heart Closes
They explore what causes the heart to “fall asleep”: inauthenticity, fear, survival mode, and lack of safety. Priya explains that the heart closes not out of rejection but protection — it retreats when authenticity is missing or when the environment feels unsafe.
[20:00–27:00] Returning to Innocence and Authenticity
Nadia reflects on her own process of reconnecting with her heart, including how stillness, breathwork, and mindfulness help her return to the innocence that’s always within. Priya reminds listeners that this journey is not linear—it is daily, tender work that begins with awareness.
[27:00–34:00] The Daily Journey of Awakening
Priya shares how she balanced motherhood, business, and her spiritual path as a single mom. She explains how conscious presence and “energetic editing” — letting go of relationships and commitments that drained her — created space for inner peace and authentic living.
[34:00–42:00] The Relationship Between the Mind and the Heart
They discuss how true alignment comes when the mind and heart work together, rather than compete. Priya describes the mind as a vital tool for creation and survival, and the heart as the source of meaning and depth. Harmony arises when both honor each other’s purpose.
[42:00–48:00] Stillness, Safety, and the Courage to Feel
Nadia and Priya talk about how silence and breath open the doorway to the heart. Priya emphasizes that the heart thrives in safety and authenticity, not in effort or willpower. They reflect on how emotional safety—within ourselves and in community—is essential for healing.
[48:00–54:00] Writing, Recovery, and Building Inner Refuge
Nadia shares how writing her memoir Home Is Within You became a practice of reclaiming safety and self-trust. Both discuss how creative expression can unlock emotions long buried and serve as a bridge between mind and heart.
[54:00–59:00] Self-Permission and Spiritual Growth
Priya explains that no one outside of us can give permission to change or heal—that power rests within. She encourages daily self-inquiry, courage, and softness as the foundation for transformation.
[59:00–1:04:00] Closing Reflections
Together, Nadia and Priya close with gratitude, reminding listeners that awakening the heart is not about perfection, but presence. The conversation ends with an invitation to be gentle, breathe, and remember: you are never truly disconnected from love—it is always within you.