Episode no. 169 of The Naina Experience Podcast.
Deepika Jindal runs Circle of Calm out of Sydney – she is an empowerment coach and meditation teacher who works primarily with high-achieving professional women. She moved to Australia from India 21 years ago and has spent years in corporate and public service roles before building her coaching practice.
We got into so many things in this conversation. Deepika talked about how she experienced passive aggressiveness at a corporate job where she was performing well, and how it was during a meditation that she had the clarity to leave. That moment of inner strength became the foundation for her coaching work – she wanted to share that experience with other women who were going through similar things but did not have the tools or the awareness to advocate for themselves.
We talked a lot about the patterns women carry – people pleasing, not speaking up, not receiving, always giving. Deepika saw this firsthand in the workplaces she was in, which were heavily female. Talented women were being passed over because they were not advocating for themselves, while people who were less skilled but more vocal were getting the opportunities.
I was honest with Deepika about where I am right now. I have been through a breakup recently, and I shared that I have been chatting with Claude AI as a coping mechanism because I do not want to constantly burden my sister or my friends. Deepika was kind about it – she said it is fine as a supplement but nothing beats human connection, and that moving the body is essential because movement helps emotions process and release rather than getting stuck.
We talked about receiving – how difficult it is for women like us who were raised to give, give, give. I shared the story of a man in Adelaide who offered me a car for my photography work, and how uncomfortable it was to accept. Deepika said receiving was never taught to us, and that even sitting down for five minutes triggers guilt when you have been spinning 24/7.
Deepika’s coaching program takes clients on a journey from self-doubt to self-trust – working through emotional resilience, mindset, and then setting a vision. She also runs mindfulness programs for corporates and has worked with brands like Reuters and Capgemini. She has just launched monthly women’s circles in Sydney, starting 18th April, which include meditation, reflection, and guest facilitators. The April circle features Abhyanga – self-massage – guided by a yoga instructor and remedial massage therapist.
Two things that stayed with me from this conversation: honoring yourself, and belonging within yourself before trying to belong anywhere else.
Deepika Jindal –
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