TSM Season 3 Episode 38: Bridging Cultures, Yoga, Violence Prevention & Healing Of Generations
Welcome to Episode 38, Season 3 of “Triggers and Spiritual Medicine” with your host, Laura Bonetzky Joseph, and our Everlutionary guest, Hawah Kasat.
In this episode, Laura and Hawah engaged in a rich discussion on personal experiences, cultural identities, spiritual practices, and what it takes to be truly “Everlutionary”. They emphasized the importance of creating safe spaces and addressing global challenges with love, empathy, and cooperation.
Hawah shared stories of his upbringing in New Jersey and summers in India, which shaped his views on racism, xenophobia, and the need for healing. He discussed navigating cultural identities, founding the nonprofit One Common Unity, and becoming a UN delegate. Hawah highlighted the importance of expanding perspectives, finding joy in service, and the mental attitude necessary for spiritual growth.
Both Laura and Hawah discussed the challenges of translating spiritual practices like Reiki and yoga across cultures and spoke about the need for fostering belonging and redefining success.
We conclude with Hawah sharing 3 tips that emphasize the importance of creating safe spaces, fostering understanding, and addressing global challenges through love, empathy, and cooperation.
As always, please share, like, and support if you found this episode helpful.
About Hawah:
An award-winning author, educator, non-profit leader, TEDx speaker, poet, and yogi. For over 20 years, Hawah has been teaching violence prevention, social-emotional literacy, conflict transformation, the healing arts, trauma-informed care, mindfulness, and yoga to all types of students, from diverse demographics, around the globe.
Since childhood, Hawah has been exposed to the living traditions, culture, philosophy, and practices of his ancestral homeland of India, and offers a rare perspective on Eastern and Western dichotomies.
Hawah is co-founder and former Executive Director of One Common Unity (OCU), an award-winning non-profit organization that has impacted the lives of over 40,000 youth and families.
In 2018, OCU was awarded the National SHIFT Award for its pioneering work in integrating the healing arts with environmental stewardship. In 2019, Hawah was honored to receive Georgetown University’s “Legacy Of A Dream” Award at the Kennedy Center. The University presents the award annually to an inspirational emerging leader whose work embodies the values and spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
In the years prior, Hawah worked as an Americorps community organizer and mentor in Washington, D.C.’s most under-resourced neighborhood.
After graduating from American University, he was awarded a fellowship with the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Foundation to work as a special representative to the United Nations and the World Conference Against Racism.
Hawah has made appearances on XM National Satellite Radio, BBC, Fox News, NBC, ABC, CNN, The Washington Post, NPR, and Al Jazeera. He has also been a guest speaker at Yale University, George Washington University, U.C.L.A., University of Colorado, Rollins College, University of Maryland, Georgetown University, Brown University, and many others.
Most recently, he helped launch Roots to Sky Sanctuary, a 125-acre BIPOC led regenerative farm and healing arts center situated in northern Appalachia where he serves as a Managing Partner. Over the years he has authored 4 books and produced 3 documentary films, including the widely acclaimed, “Fly By Light.”
Hawah Links
- www.HawahKasat.com
- Everlutionary Podcast on Spotify – https://spoti.fi/3yxTpXD
- https://linktr.ee/everlutionary
- IG & FB – @hawahkasat
