Experiencing God vs. Following Doctrine - Priya Garg | Ep.31

Jason: Starting. Okay. All right, we're live.

Priya: Awesome.

Jason: All right, this is, uh, everyone welcome. This is our first studio recording podcast of Path of Purpose. I probably won't introduce all the, the in person ones like this, but I feel like this is a big milestone. So welcome. Priya. Thank you for, thank, uh, you for just being here, coming on the pod and uh, yeah, welcome.

Priya: Thank you. I'm happy to be here. I'm happy to be doing this first with you. This is actually my first podcast. So, um, really honored to be doing this very official first podcast for us both.

Jason: Yeah, let's do it.

Priya: Yeah.

Jason: All right, well, uh, I mean, let's just, let's just dig right in. What would you say? Uh, yeah. What has been your spiritual journey up until now? What has that been like?

Priya: Damn. Yeah, I love that question. You know, so my journey, it started in a way. I've always been on a spiritual journey, but it wasn't labeled that way. Um, I grew up in a Hindu family. I went to Catholic school. I was going to, you know, church every Friday and temple every Sunday, and, and I really could feel the depth of the conscious energy field in those spaces. You know, there's a purity, there's um, this desire by everybody in the space to really, um, become present, which I thought was really, I really loved. Um, and then, you know, I did the things that everybody does. You know, you focus on being a good student, or at least I did anyway focus on, you know, being a good student, fitting in, you know, friendships, kind of all those things. You know, teenage years. And I graduated from college. Um, I was very fortunate. You know, I did well. I went to a good school. I got a great job, investment banking. Um, and one day I overheard some friends just talking and they were talking about this thing that was like, I just like never heard anybody talk about anything that way. And so I was like, can I, can I go with you? Like, will you take me there? And it was this place, it was landmark education. And, um, it was this three and a half day, 9am to 10pm Experience, um, with a landmark forum leader and 200 strangers, where you were invited to look deeply at your inner world and really ask these questions, um, that we don't ask ourselves. We don't, you know, really stop long enough to ask ourselves. And even, even if we do touch it, it can be really tender and vulnerable and scary to look at. Um, and in these three days, three and a half days, you're really given the courage, you know, you' given the tools. You're, you Know, invited into this really safe space to look.

Jason: Yeah.

Priya: And I would say that felt like the real kickoff. The like, wait a minute.

Jason: Mhm.

Priya: There is something going on both internally and in the broader context that is, is worth continuing forward with. And I would that just set off this insatiable journey into spiritual world and into personal growth and development, uh, healing.

Jason: So what part about what, what, what was it about that experience that sparked this kind of curiosity?

Priya: Yeah.

Jason: For you?

Priya: Yeah. You know, I, I, um, think that the biggest thing was, is the message that I got throughout my childhood was that we do a whole lot of things in pursuit of this other thing. And when we, when we get that other thing, then we will feel happy, free, peaceful, safe, joyful. Right. And so I said, okay, I'm gonna go do all the things. Right. It's like, okay, well if you really want me to do well in school, mom and dad. And by the way, I was a terrible student through the fifth grade. Like truly bad students, like C and D students season these. And um, my parents were like, this is not gonna work. Like, you got, you know, it's like, okay, you know, like, you know, and I do well in school. And then it's like, then you're gonna go get, go get a really good job, you know, and go get married and have kids, you know. And so it was like, okay, so somewhere here, right, this is going to be, this is like, this is happiness and fulfillment. I'm gonna feel this, right? And here I was and I didn't. I was working in investment banking, graduated from Emory, top 10% of my class. Uh, 2003, which we had just come out of, financial crisis. It was really tough to get a job in 2003, especially in a field like investment banking. You know, I'm a woman. Investment banking is mainly male. You know, it was, you know, I was really, I got, I had it, I got it all, you know, And I was like, this is not it. I just, it was like, if this is it, then I've been tricked, you know, Just couldn't. And I looked around me, I looked at the adults around me. I looked at the people I worked with who had been the Investment bank for 20 years. And I was like, that's where I'm heading, you know. And I was like, but that's, you know, that doesn't reflect to me happiness or freedom or serenity or joy or anything. And when I did landmark, it was the very first time that I personally felt freedom. Yeah. Like from the inside. And I, and something like got Released. And I was like, oh, freedom isn't about having more of something from out there.

Jason: Yeah.

Priya: It's about letting go of something from in here.

Jason: Yeah. M. So it sounds like that experience was. That experience allowed you to kind of look outside of like, okay, this is what this would be like if I played the Same path out 10, 20 years down the line and provided you with, like, that sort of expanded awareness.

Priya: Yeah.

Jason: So was that. So when after that experience, you. You were. You were like, there's more to this. Like, what is. What is. What is this?

Priya: What is the this? Is that your question? Yeah, there's more to this.

Jason: And, um. Yeah, I guess. I guess that's. When I say that sounds really vague, but by this, I mean digging deeper into what is. What, um. Is. Yeah. What is worth living for?

Priya: Yeah. What is the. This. Big questions today, Jason. But there's. These are. These are the questions that I love to answer, and this is part of my life support, too. So this, um. Well, what you kind of realize is whether it's across socioeconomic classes or across genders or across age groups. Right? Um. Like, there's so much variety. You know, there's. There's people that have all the money in the world, and there are people that don't, and there are people that, um, you know, are really trapped in a female body. And in total, you know, it's a really bad situation. And there's people in a female body that are like, this is the most extraordinary life I could have ever imagined. And there are people who are really old and they, like, really don't want to be on this planet another day. And there are people who are really old and are like, I. Every last second I can have, here I am like, thank you, you know, for it. And so it was like, well, there's no one thing, right? Like, you can have a lot of something or a little of something, a lot of youth or very little youth or a lot of money. Very little money. And it seems like happiness doesn't, like, you know, happiness, freedom, joy doesn't seem to dis. Like, it's not the thing, right? And so I was like, well, this is, like, really a fuzzy picture here. Like, this picture is not right. Like, I can't. I can't seem to pin down. This is like a game of whack a mole, you know? Like, I'm like, I don't get it. You know, it's. It's not like, the. Like, rich and beautiful and famous are free. Like, that's not what's Happening, you know? And so I was like, well, the. Well, then how do. Like, how do you have that? It was the very first time I had any, like, like, freedom and joy. It felt like, really good. Like, really good and really good. Real and really anchored. Like, you know, like, I don't know, you have a fun night out with friends, and you're like, that was so great. Then the next morning it's like, over, you know, and you're like, oh, uh, got a lot of work to do, you know, or whatever it is that you have going on. And so, like, the next morning, that feeling gone, or that experience is gone, or whatever. But this wasn't like that. This was like I had received something that opened up space inside of me that I got to have for the rest of my life, you know, And I, I'm. I did that course over 20 years ago, and I have that, like, that lives on now. And it deepens, you know, you get more. It gets richer, and you're like, oh, my God, like, that experience enriched my life well beyond the moment inside of which it occurred.

Jason: Why do you think that is?

Priya: Why do I think that is? Um, You know, I think it's a lot about transformation and an openness, um, the spaces that create openness. So. And I think we've all had these experiences in our lives. We just. We just, um, relay them differently, relate to them differently. Right? It can be that time that somebody had that really fun experience or new experience that they never had before with a family member traveling somewhere new, or teacher who shared something with them, and it just was like, open their eyes and. Right. And they were like, I was never the same after that moment. I was. I never, you know, I'd never been to a country that was totally different from the United States. And for the very first time I saw xyz, right. And now you are a brand new person. You will never be the version of yourself that you were before. Um, so it was a lot like that, you know, um, Landmark and other courses like it are very intentionally designed to be transformative. Um, but I think what is unique about them is that they know that, you know, and they know that what they have to share is transformative. And the way they share it is transformative across every mindset, every, you know, physical quality that a person can have. Um, they can cut through that and really transform a person's life.

Jason: And so, yeah, so it sounds like it's almost something. It's. It's transformative because it's almost ingrained in how you Live your life each day.

Priya: Yeah.

Jason: So what, like what. To put your finger on it, like, what is it?

Priya: Yeah. We're gonna keep coming back here, aren't we? What is the it? Um, You know, I don't know if I have an answer exactly to what the it is. Um, but I would call it expansion. Yeah, I think maybe that's. That may be the word that it is. The expansion kind of. Um, I. Yeah, I think the it that came forward is that I am, um, more than what I perceive myself to be.

Jason: Yeah. More in a sense of. What do you mean?

Priya: Like, I'm not my body, I'm not my gender. I'm not a set of experiences. I'm not an identity. I'm not my race. I'm not. I'm not any of those things.

Jason: So, like. Yeah, so, like, not identifying with. Yeah. Set of identities.

Priya: Yeah.

Jason: So it sounds like, too, that would make one feel more interconnected to others and, like, see how others are connected as well. Is that. Is that something that you've experienced?

Priya: Definitely, yeah. There's a lot of that. Um, there's been a ton of that. You know, um, really this. And one of the things that's been a real joy and, um, a true expansion is for those that also have this capacity. I think people like yourselves and others that I've met that have this open space, you know, I can. I can sit with people like you for 30 minutes and just like. Like get connected. Right. Because we can transcend all the things that feel like, you know, they're gaps. Like, you know, oh, I just graduated college or I've been working, you know, or I grew up in this part of town. You grow up here, you know, like, can just transcend all of that because we're more than all those things, you know, that's just kind of.

Jason: Yeah, that's really interesting. So, like, not getting stuck on, um, the difference in identity. Like, oh, you're a woman, or you're a different race than me or whatever. You're a little bit older than me.

Priya: Yeah.

Jason: And. Yeah. Yeah. Because it's. Yeah, it's interesting. I've experienced that as one, I guess, as I think the most common one for me probably is. Probably is, like, a younger person. If I'm talking to an older person sometimes who's maybe in their 50s or 60s, it can be common to. I guess for them to just see me as like, oh, you're just the young person, you know, and it's like, then there's a script that they're almost playing off of. Because of that. Um, but yeah, that's, that's really interesting. I, I don't really like think about that every day, you know. Um, so it's, it's interesting to, to be aware of that and to also, uh, to like, also see. I'd be curious to see where like I fall into that with other people. You know, like, maybe it's. Maybe it's. Oh, you're, um. I don't know, maybe you're. Oh, you have been. I'm trying to think of an example off the top of my head, I guess, recently growing up Jewish and, and now becoming, I guess, quote unquote, a Christian saying, like, hey, I'm gonna, I have this thing that help you, you know, and seeing somebody and assuming, I guess what I think I know is going to help somebody, you know.

Priya: Yeah.

Jason: Um, and I, I guess that's kind of like a nuanced one because. Yeah, that's a nuanced one and I'd love to get into that if, if you're willing to, but, uh, I'm trying to think of an. Another one maybe, but I'd be. Anyway, the point I was trying to make is I would be curious to see where I'm like falling into that kind of subconscious behavior gap and thinking, um, yeah. Putting somebody into a box. Box, essentially.

Priya: Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I'm happy to comment even on, you know, what can feel like the touchy subject of like religious, you know, identity. Yeah, um, most certainly. Right. Not, not dinner conversation about religion or politics because that's kind of the, you know, the key subject of religious identity. Um, and I think, you know, I

Jason: love that you bring that up too, by the way, because I think it's such a problem. It's, it's such a. Even amongst I, I think every religion, but I think especially Christians, uh, that one is a real problem. Especially like people that have. Not everybody, you know. Um, but I've seen a lot of people that, that is their, that is their identity, you know, and it's, and it gets in the way of them really, like connecting with somebody and seeing them individual. Um. So. Yeah, but yeah, please, please get into that.

Priya: Yeah, yeah, no, um, yeah, I think religious identity is really interesting because, um, it's about something that transcends the three dimensional reality. Right. So we can all be like, well, you know, my favorite food is pizza, my favorite food is hot dogs. And we can all be fine with, you know, nobody's going to take offense one way or the other. It's like, well, fine you like hot dogs, I like pizza. Great. Right. But I think when it comes to religious identity, we're talking about something that, that many people don't have a three dimensional experience of. In general, you don't. Right. This idea of God, it's kind of this like uh, non 3D think. Um, and so I think the challenge with it is, is that non 3D things, um, non. Non 3D meaning non 3 dimensional. So when we start to talk about consciousness, the idea that there's a creator, there's something outside of.

Jason: So something that's not like physically right here that I can see.

Priya: Yes. So not five sense reality based. So you can't touch it, you can't taste it, you can't smell it, you can't hear it and you can't see it. Right. You can't do one of those five things with it. Then it's non three dimensional in um, nature. And so in general, God falls into this category of non three dimensional. And yet a m. Very large percentage of humanity has an experience of. There is something very, very, very real going on that is non three dimensional that has transformed my life. Yeah, right. And made me, whatever it is, feel safer, feel freer, feel more connected, feel more peaceful and like everybody's gotta have this, right. For, for some people. And my experience having, you know, having been through Catholic school and kind of seeing kind of the Christian faith in the United States, I think, um, at least the Christian faith's perspective is, um, we better make sure we tell everybody about this, you know, and, and I grew up Hindu and Hindus. That's not part of this. Eastern philosophies, Buddhism, Hinduism tend to not have. This is just not part of the religious structure that we kind of go and tell everyone.

Jason: Yeah, Jews are the same way. Yeah, it was, yeah. It was never like talk about this and share your faith. That.

Priya: Right, right. And I think the challenge with that is, is that everyone has a different experience of non three dimensional reality. Right. Um, there's really interesting conversations going on right now about the materialistic paradigm versus the consciousness paradigm. Right. And if you're a scientist that, you know, kind of built a career or grew up in the United States in an uh, allopathic medical world and really tradition, you know, real hard data kind of world. You're like a hardcore materialist, you know, you're like whatever, you know, consciousness, telepathy, you know, like uh, you know, um, none of these things are possible and, but it, but otherwise, you know, and so you got to know who you're talking To, I think that's a lot of it. And you have to really honor their experience inside of non three dimensional reality. Because I, you know, I think what I have found even with, with Christian faith is there, there's beauty, so much beauty to share inside of it. And ultimately it's really about like I see you as a human being and I love you because you two are a reflection of God. Right. And how do you build that and how do you really have that be the core of the focus? Um, as opposed to kind of a, hey, let me tell you about my version of God. Yeah. Having an agenda. That's right. Yeah. Being a gender. Yeah.

Jason: Uh, that's, yeah, that's really interesting and because uh, yeah, I think it goes back to what you were saying before of that. I like the adopting the identity of it versus, versus connecting on the experiential level of like, hey, this is what I experienced. Tell me about what you've experienced. What do you make of your experience? This is what I make of my experience and kind of going from there versus like, hey, you need to do this, otherwise this is gonna happen. And uh, I don't know, there's people that, that believe that there is a time and a place for that and look, there may be. I, I don't know, but I haven't, I don't personally. Yeah, for me, personally that doesn't feel right for me, you know.

Priya: Yeah.

Jason: Um, but I'm curious too. Like what. So what was this like growing up Hindu and going to Catholic school and by the way too, some background for me, I, I also, I've read the Bhagavad Gita. Before I became a Christian, I, um, was uh, doing a master's program in consciousness studies and spirituality and reading a bunch of different spiritual texts. So I'm a little bit familiar.

Priya: Yeah.

Jason: With the uh, with the Gita. But Yeah, please share.

Priya: That's great. Um, you know, you're young. I was a kid. Right. So I went to Catholic school from third through eighth grade. And um, the Catholic faith has a lot of ritual in it. Um, so, you know, you go to mass and you do, you know, there's communion and you, you know, read Our Father and there's the rosary and 10 on our 10 Hail Marys and in our Father 10 Hail Marys and Our Father. Like that's what I would do when we, you know, you kneel on the thing. On the thing and everybody's going to confession and. Well, I'm not, you know, I wasn't baptized, so I Was, like, very. And I was like, really? Like, I, like, did the thing. I was like, okay, well, I can't go.

Jason: So why were you in the school then? Who put you in the.

Priya: My parents put me in the school. So, you know, um, my parents grew up in India, and in India, um, Catholic schooling was considered a very good education. Those were, like, the good schools in India. So when they came here, both my parents went to Catholic school in India. And it. So it wasn't really about, um, the religious studies. Of course, there was a religious component. It was that you got to study,

Jason: got a great education, even at, uh, the point of. I guess, I don't know if sacrificing is the right word, but I guess, yeah. Making that sacrifice of, like, going and learning and practicing this religion that you don't believe.

Priya: Yeah. You know what's really interesting? At least children, but also adults, have a really incredible capacity to kind of tune a lot of things out. Like, you know, I've got two kids. They're almost nine years old, and so, like, I can try to relay to them, like, we're not just, like, singing a song. We're like, you know, this is important. And they're like, yeah, uh, mom, whatever, you know. And so. And so there was no reinforcement, I think, of any of those principles at home because the parents were not, you know, Christian, so they weren't going to mass on Christmas or Easter, and they weren't, you know, asking them about, what was your Bible study like at school? That, you know, there was no reinforcement. Um, and. And honestly, there may have been, frankly, clarity. Like, yeah, you just go to. Don't worry about that, uh, Christian stuff. We're Hindus. You're just going there for the math and language learning, and you're learning English. That's good.

Jason: Sounds like there is a real emphasis on education in your family.

Priya: There is. Yeah. There is real education.

Jason: So. So then were. What was your, I guess, relationship to your Hindu faith? And I guess, what is. What is that? What would that look like now, too?

Priya: Yeah. Yeah. That's a really good question. Um, I'd say I was like a. You know, I was devoted to the rituals. Like, I, you know, recited the prayers very earnestly and honestly, both in church and at the temple. Um, I liked all of it, you know, as a kid, I really liked all of it. I would say it made me feel connected to family, to the community that I was in, whether it was the school community or, you know, this family community and family friend community. It just, like, really helped me feel Connected. And so I. That felt really good, you know. And, um, and I was just like an earnest and honest kid. So I was like, absolutely. You know, when Sister Agnes is like, okay, Priya, you're going to sit here and do the rosary 10, you know, I did the whole, you know, okay. I said all the prayers. I really did it, you know, um, and so I just really liked the feeling of being connected. Connected to people, connected to something that felt important because all the adults treated it as important. You know, they all got quiet and I was like, okay, this is important. We're all doing this together. Um, so I liked that feeling. Um, I think as I got older, I held on to my Hindu faith. So I think my real, um, existential crisis as a child. I'll call this my mini existential crisis. As a child, I was a really good jump roper. And at my Catholic school they did this event and it was called Jump for Life. And you would jump rope however many times and you would get people to like, like a, um, like a marathon

Jason: style and separate than jump rope for heart.

Priya: Okay, Separate from. Yeah, know that one. This is called jump rope for Life. You get like the prizes and get prizes and. Yes. And so I was jump roping for life, which meant, um, pro life. Right. So this was supporting anti abortion causes.

Jason: Okay, different one.

Priya: Different one. Yeah. And I was a really good jump rope. So in my school at this event, I jump roped more than any, like, consecut jump rolling more than like 600, like something crazy. Right. And my parents let me do this, but my mom had a conversation with me and she said, you know, in our family, yeah, we don't agree with this point of view around abortion.

Jason: Yeah.

Priya: And that was my first existential crisis. M. And I was pretty young and I really didn't know what to do with it because. Because I trusted my parents fully. Uh, and I trusted my school fully. Yeah. And these things were like, in complete conflict with each other. And this was the first major conflict. Right. Because the positioning from the Catholic faith is we don't want babies to die. Uh, and the positioning from my parents was there's not a baby. Right. We're giving people the choice to make their own choice around what they want to do.

Jason: Yeah.

Priya: In the situation. And so it was like, I'm like, child, like I'm 10 years old and I'm like, you know, like, this is really complicated. Um, and so that was my first like, big existential crisis. And I think it started to become the point at which I started to have a little more of a critical eye towards what I was learning, especially in school, especially through the, you know, Catholicism, and be a little more questioning as opposed to just, uh. I'll call it a blind follower.

Jason: Yeah.

Priya: Um, and it made me more curious about the Hindu faith, but I also felt, I think maybe a little like none of this makes sense because it's all. Not, uh. Not because it didn't make sense, but because it's not a faith that has a very structured process of communicating how it works. You know, so there isn't, like, sermons and, you know, there wasn't any of that. It was kind of books written in dead languages, prayers being said in dead languages that nobody understands. So I'm repeating these prayers, but I don't actually understand any of them, you know, so it's kind of. It was just like. It was really interesting. Um, but through. So I. I would say I broke with Catholicism. By the time I went to high school, I was no longer in a Catholic school and didn't bother me one way or the other. Um, I continued to repeat Hindu prayers all through college. Every night I did very, you know, very. Every single night. Every single morning, I'd wake up, repeat Hindu prayers.

Jason: Wow.

Priya: Um, so I had it in my life. Um, but I wasn't, like, going to temple anymore, you know. Um, and then I think when I found Lamarck, that marked the beginning of a real dynamic shift and an expansion of. Wait a minute. There's something beyond religion. Right. And that was the beginning of spirituality.

Jason: So. And is this. This was a secular thing?

Priya: Secular landmark. Secular. Yeah.

Jason: And so it seems like.

Priya: Yeah.

Jason: Ah. At that point, it seems like now this is more of a. There's more of an emphasis on experience. And also. And if I may, it also sounds like more of, like a relationship with something rather than, um, just like following a set of rules or doctrines.

Priya: Yeah, I think that's exactly. Yeah, that's well said. I think that's exactly right.

Jason: So I guess then my question becomes, do you think there is still a. Do you think there's still a place for that, for rules and doctrines? M. And like, if. So, like, what is it?

Priya: Yeah. Yeah, that's really great question. Yes. But, you know, um. And you know. And you know a lot, you know something about this, which is I'm starting the nurturing place, and I'm starting the nurturing place because it's the place I want. You know, it's the place I want. Um, and the place that I want is I. I think rules and doctrines can be interesting. But I think rules and doctrines need to be presented in a very specific way.

Jason: Yeah.

Priya: And I think the way they need to pre presented is this is a role in doctrine that has enriched my life.

Jason: Yeah.

Priya: And I'm sharing it with you because I believe in sharing things that have enriched my life with others. Uh, because I look at that as my service, um, to others. And your job is not to believe me. Yeah, that is not your job.

Jason: Yeah.

Priya: Please don't do that. Please don't go and say, hey, Korea taught me X and now I believe this. Yeah, it is. Hey, this was something that Priya shared that enriched her life. And now my job is to be a scientist in my own experience of living and say, if I use this in my life, what happens? Uh, and expand the informational set. So if Jesus taught us X, and I really am a believer that Jesus is extraordinary enlightened being that came here and was unbelievable gift to humanity. We're so lucky to have had Jesus as a teacher and continue to have Jesus as a teacher. What I also believe is that Jesus was not trying to say, here's the information I have to share. Believe me. Yeah. I think what he was trying to say is here's the information I have to share as teacher and as any good teacher would do. They say, these are the foundations of math or these are the foundations of spirituality. Now, um, go take this and expand it. Go discover what math provides to the universe. Go build rocket ships and expand our understanding of physics and you know, science. Right. And I think that's actually the way doctrine, creed, rules, um, can be used really thoughtfully. Right. Is, here is what my experience. Now go take this and expand, expand our understanding of consciousness and of spirituality and of God. And then take what you learn in your lived experience and share that with the next generation to expand the foundation upon which they can then build.

Jason: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Um, it makes me think about too. Um, it makes me think of a lot of things, but I think the big thing is that like, like Christ says in, in the, in the, in the Bible. I forget which, where this is in the Bible, but he says, like, who are you to, who are you to point out the speck in your brother's eye when you fail to see the log in your own eye? And uh, what, like what he's getting at is that, like we're not here to, to judge and condemn others like that. That, that's not, that's not our purpose here, you know, and what, what I believe. And what I believe is that you know, there's only. There's only one judge in the end. And it's not my job to sit here and speculate who is going where or. Or who's doing right and who's doing wrong. You know, that's. That's above my pay grade. Um, that will never be my pay grade. But. And. And I think people take that as People sometimes forget. Forget that. And maybe sometimes Christians say, hey, um, this is. This is out of love. But they're. They're not doing it out of love. They say it's out of love, but then they're. They're being condemning or they're. Yeah. Or they're being condemning or they're being angry at somebody. And like, that. It's not. It's not loving to. To condemn somebody, you know? Um, so. Yeah, that's. And. And it's interesting, too, the other point you brought up, too, because Christ also says. He says, like, I did not come here to abolish the law, but, like, if you. If you love me, you'll follow the law. And that it's. The rules are. The rules are not meant to be, uh, followed as like, okay, checklist. Like, because that's. That's essentially the Pharisees. But it's. But it's okay if. If I' Putting my relationship with God first, then by doing so, I will. I will follow the laws. And I mean, there's. And I mean, there's times where, like, we mess up, you know, Like, I. I'm. I'm a sinner. You know, I'm a sinner. Like, I get. I get angry, I get prideful, I get impatient. Um, and like, there's times where I break those laws, you know, but then it's like, then it's about, okay, how can I. How can I then get. Get back in. Right. Relationship with God? And for. For me, what I do is. Is repenting and in prayer, um, just. Yeah. Repenting for. For what I've. What I've done wrong, you know? Um, but I think that people get a little carried away of, like, condemning others. And who are we to really judge somebody else when we're all. When. When we're doing things in our own life that are condemnable if. If you're using the same measure, you know.

Priya: Yeah.

Jason: Um, but I'm curious too. I'm curious too about, um. You talked about, like, Christ as a great teacher and an enlightened being. Like, tell me more about, like, what you believe to be true about him. I find that really interesting.

Priya: Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I think, you know, and I'll, I'll move beyond Christ because I think Christ is an enlightened teacher. But I think we've actually had so many enlightened teachers. I would say every major religion exists because there was an enlightened teacher here, right? Whether it was Muhammad or it was, you know, Ram and Krishna, or, you know, these were all enlightened teachers that were here on the planet that, you know, and I, you know, something I say a lot to others is I say, you know, if we got every single one of them in the room, every faith's most enlightened teachers, and um, asked them about reality, about heaven, about consciousness, about source, about God, about interdimensional travel, about, you know, everything we have questions about, right? All these things, are they real? What happens when we leave our bodies? They will all say the same thing. Because it is. Because, um, ultimately there is kind of a singular truth about what is happening. Right? And all of them are messengers of the same truth from every, every person that I have experienced as a teacher in this three dimensional reality. Like actual live humans that I've interacted with who have been spiritual teachers of mine who have believed in really many of these teachers, right? They are Christians, they are Hindus, they are Buddhists, they are Muslims, they are Jews, they are, um, they were like, all that exists in the universe is love. This m. Is the ultimate truth.

Jason: Yeah. That's interesting. And it makes sense too. I, I used to listen to a lot of like Ram Dass, and I remember there's a story. He was, he was. I don't know if he was telling it or Krishna Das was telling it and they were sitting around Maharaji. Are you familiar with who that is?

Priya: Ah, I have heard of Maharaj. I haven't.

Jason: A Hindu saint.

Priya: Yeah.

Jason: Or was. Um, and all the Westerners were kind of sitting around Maharaji and they're like, they're like, they're asking, they're like, how can we, like, what can we do? What sort of spiritual practices can we do? And he would just say, like, get out of here. Like, just go follow Christ. Like, get, go back. And he would say that to all the Westerners. And uh, yeah, what you said made me think of that because it was like, that's, that's, that's interesting that he, that he would say that and also recognize Christ to be this sort of figure that is, I guess, universal in a way.

Priya: Yeah.

Jason: Um, yeah, but, but then I guess a question too, because as, I guess as someone who reads the Bible Christ also says like I'm the way, I am the truth. I'm the. Yeah. I'm the way, I'm the truth. I'm the life, the way that. Yeah. And nobody can get to the Father, meaning God, except through me. Um, and then I, I guess my question to you would be like what do you, what does it, what does that mean then? Um.

Priya: Yeah, what does that mean?

Jason: Or what do, what do I do with that?

Priya: What do you do that? Yeah, yeah. Well I'll tell you what I've done with that. And then you know, your own path is your own. But I will share, share my perspective on that. So um, one of the things that's going on these days, so you know, the Bible was written by humans. Mhm. The Bible is also originally written in Hebrew, is not written in English, it was translated. And one of the things that's going on right now is actually, you know, Hebrew scholars are relooking at the translations and saying oh, this is, this is not what God. You know, this is not a translation. When you actually look between languages. Yeah. This is not reflective of the message. And um, I was recently, last year I had met with um, wonderful Christian priest and he said, you know, one of the things that Hebrew scholars are saying um, across the board and at least this is his perspective on it is that you know, kind of the positioning of women in a lot of what that um, a lot of the English translation of the Bible um, does not reflect what the Hebrew, you know, intention meaning of that language is. So, so I think we have to look at what um, maybe got lost in translation that we're unwilling to admit right back to this point of like we're all sinners, we're all fallible. That was a book that was written by and translated by humans and. Right. Nobody may want to hear this but sinners, um, you know, also really good human beings, but also sinners. Right. Yeah.

Jason: Which, which what, what did it say about those parts that were like translated wrong? Did they say?

Priya: Um, so what he said is that um, the translation of the Bible has been kind of uh, you know, and I'm just going to very, very pair. I'm going to very much paraphrase and I'm going to call what I'm about to say a very crude paraphrasing of it. Memory. Right. Of, of a conversation I had with priest. So not my own readings of these things. But you know, I think his, his perspective was that much of it had set much m. Of the English translation was that one That a woman is meant to in some way be subjugated to man. To men, you know, and, um. And to treat him as the word.

Jason: Um. Oh, I think. Are you thinking of. I think that's in one of Paul's letters, and he says, uh, like, wives, submit to your husbands.

Priya: Right?

Jason: Yeah.

Priya: This nature.

Jason: Yeah, Yeah. I think the verse is, wives, submit to your husbands, and. And husbands love your wives as Christ loved the church. And I'm curious what that would be too, but from. From what it says like, that. That part like, wives, submit to your husbands. People I like, I. I remember even our. My fiance and I are our first time hearing that. She heard that and she was like. She, like, looked at me and was like, all right, I didn't say anything. But. But what. Like, what I learned is that. That. That that verse is like, yes, it's. Yes, it's like, wives, submit to your husband, but on the condition that you are being loved unconditionally by your husband. And, um. Yeah, so I. I can see the, like, culturally, it's a very. I think that word. We hear that word submit M. And we're like, oh, like, we don't want to, like authority, you know, but it's. It's on the condition that we're, like, being loved with that same, like, universal love, then it's. It's would choose to do that, you know, and it's almost like that's just how it falls into place. And, um. Yeah. I'm curious what. What you. What you make of that too.

Priya: Yeah. Yeah. I mean, we have to also remember, right. What a word meant thousands of years ago. It probably doesn't mean today, but yet we're using a, uh, 2025. Yeah, we're applying a, uh, 2025 lens to it. Right. Like, we've probably invented literally millions of words since the Bible was create. You know, so just to even think about that aspect of it, you, uh, know, I think for me, it all just leads. It's still all. You know, the way I look at it is the Bible is a really interesting book, but it is one book of many written about God. Right. And so take what works and use it in your life and what doesn't take it off. You know, one of the things I loved about Landmark, I love this. They say this to you on the very first day that you get there. Within, like, the first. First hour, they say this. They were like, listen, you're going to hear a lot of things over the next three and a half days. And we're going to share a lot of tools and information with you. And this is how we want you to treat everything we say. We want you to treat it the way you go shopping for clothes. We m. Want you to look at it and say that, you know, I've never tried something like that on, but I'm willing to go into the dressing room, try it on, and just like, see how it fits. You know, how does this look on me? How does it fit on me? And they're like, and here's really good news. We're only asking you to try it on for three and a half days. If you don't like it, put it back on the ride and walk out. Right. Uh, you're out of here after that. And I loved that. Because what it gives a person is agency. Right. Ultimately, what there is not to do is give up the agency and sovereignty in our lives. This is what there is not to do. Right? We, we are not to say, oh, my God, the Bible said admit. And now I feel like a caged bird, you know, like, I am trapped, right? Like, because that's how that feels. We feel totally trapped. And so, you know, uh, my recommendation, you know, my, the way I choose to live is to say I'm open to hearing and listening and receiving and to trying on things. And I really don't like the way that fits. Yeah, uh, it's a free return policy. I can return it anytime I want.

Jason: That makes me think too, because, like, if something really is the truth, you know, and it, it really is that, like, that love, then it's, it's. There's a choice for us, you know, and it's a choice for us to, to ex accept that love. And it's not. Because if it's like, if it's forcing a relationship upon you, what kind of love is that? That, you know, that's abuse? Um, and yeah, so, yeah, that, that made me think of that. Um, also too, there's. Yeah, I, my. I think the agency part is really important as well. And I think people should be skeptical. You should, you should be skeptical. Whether you're, whether you're at a self help seminar or a church or whatever, you should always be skeptical. And, and especially when they start asking for your money, you should be skeptical. Um, because I don't think there's anything wrong with using our discernment and our wisdom of like, okay, this doesn't feel right.

Priya: Yeah.

Jason: And yeah, for me, kind of how I got here, a little bit about my story, um, when I was doing my master's program. A big part of that was looking at different spiritual traditions through the lens of Western psychology. And um, in, in looking at that for some reason like Jesus like just kept coming up. Um, for instance in that I, in that uh, Ram Dass story for Maharaj, uh, saying like go follow Christ or Buddhists referring to him as an incarnation of Buddha, um, he just, he kept coming up in different places. And for me like at the time I was, I didn't, I didn't like believe in God. I grew up Jewish and we celebrated holidays. Uh, but I, I didn't have like a relationship with God. I didn't, I didn't pray. Um, and for me it was always something like Jesus was always like this like cliche of oh, they're talking about Jesus or they're Jesus freaks. And it was just like kind of a buzzword. And in, in my studies when it came kept coming up, I was like, like why, why is that? Why are different traditions holding him in a, in a high regard? And ah, at that point I was curious to learn more about the teachings. Still as a skeptic and without like adopting okay this is the truth or he is the Son of God, but just looking at him as like okay, he's, at the very least he's a guy that knows some things. And I was like okay, um, I'm down to learn and look for some, some things to learn and started going to a church and honestly like skeptical, like still when I go to church now I'm skeptical, but going to church for, for a year and not as I didn't, I didn't consider myself a Christian but I just wanted to go into like to learn and to see like what are these teachings about? Why do different cultures hold them in a high regard? Why are there so many people that, that, that are, are Christian? And still as like I uh, very much as a academic and being curious from that perspective and, and then a year later I was sitting in the Good Friday service and they were talking about the resurrection. They were talking about the resurrection and they said uh, this was while Jesus was getting crucified. And right after he was crucified the, the, the the temple basically uh, gets split into two and there's a Roman centurion who's standing there and sees this all happening and some context. The Romans weren't, they weren't of the same faith. They weren't Jewish, they didn't believe in God. They were more of a polytheistic, uh, more. Had more of polytheistic beliefs and the Roman centurion is like, truly, that is the son of God. And hearing that and seeing that there was something in me that shifted where, where I was like, if this Roman centurion who is of a different tradition and faith can see and acknowledge Jesus as the son of God, like, why can't I as an individual who's of the same culture, the same, uh. The same. Yeah. Of the same culture, the same heritage. Like, why can't I see that? And yeah, so, so that was my kind of getting, uh. Yeah, I guess putting my, putting my faith in Christ. Um, but still, like, still skeptical, you know, like, I, I go to church and if we're going to a new church or something, I'm. I'm. I'm still skeptical. Even if, like I have. Even if my friends are telling me about their experiences, I'm still skeptical. I don't think that skepticism ever goes away, nor do I think it should go away. Because the second we lose that is the second we lose our agency of. Yeah. Is the second we lose our agency.

Priya: Yeah. Yeah. And I think, you know, I would say I think where we are now as, as, you know, we look to the future. So, you know, what has been happening is we have the rise of the nones N o N E s. Right. And this is, um, the religiously unaffiliated and they are now the largest group of people in the United States. Right. As of, you know, 1980, the vast major of Americans were religiously affiliated and now we have a. The largest percentage of people in our country have no religion at all. And I think that, um, I think, you know, and this is where, you know, I'm going to start to, I think, make leaps, but I think we're ready for this is we can move beyond skepticism. M. But the way to do it is experientially so, um, you know, you know, and this, you know, and I think this is where, you know, my perspective, both my work and, and what I think, you know, we need next is, um, spending our lives in churches and temples isn't. Isn't going to get us any further anymore, you know, uh, where we're. No, you know, I think we're. What? Well, what you say.

Jason: I said you don't think.

Priya: No, and I know that because we've been doing it for thousands and thousands of years and we continue to keep killing each other. Thousands and thousands of years later, right here we are killing each other. Deeply divided, deeply hateful. Thousands of years later.

Jason: Yeah. So you don't think moving forward in the Future. You don't think there's any place for. For a church?

Priya: Church. It's not that there's. Isn't a place, but we need. We need to expand, right? And so you know, why. Why I went on a. What I call a spiritual path, which is not. And it's not just landmark, right? So I took so many courses with so many different teachers. I did a program in spiritual psychology at the University of Santa Monica with Ron and Mary Holnick, who are like, extraordinary, actualized human beings. Um, I did body work. I've done, you know, therapy. I've done, you know, group work, you know, traditional Chinese medicine, ayurvedic medicine. Really, this very full range of experiences over 20 years is because churches and temples only take you so far. But you have to get in the pool, right? So here's the difference. Churches and temples are, uh, like, reading books about swimming, like, learning the mechanics of swimming. Like, kick your legs arm over arm, head down, head to the side, debris. Like, you know, all of that. That's what churches and temples can provide you for a lifetime. But until you jump into that pool, feel what it feels like to have freezing cold water in your body and like, not be able to breathe momentarily and, like, come sputtering up, you have not begun a journey with God. You just haven't.

Jason: Yeah.

Priya: You know, and the thing is, is that journey isn't like roses and butterflies, right? Like, the real journey is like, oh, my God, the pool is cold every single time, you know, like, every single time I jump in, I'm uncomfortable and I don't quite know what's going on. And I'm. There's days where I'm like, yes, like, God is out there like this. And there's days like. Like, it's all fake. None of it's real, you know, like, and it's all a part of it, right? And the real experience is like, really when you're like, fighting with your mom or your dad and you're like, really? Or your brother, your sister, and you're like, you never understood me. Don't understand me now. You only care about what you, you know, like, in that moment when it's the people that, like, are like, oh, no, but I know that you real you. Like, I've you all this stuff that you project yourself to be, forget it. I know the real. You know, you're funn with your spouse, right? Like, in that moment, can you shift who you are, right? Because, like, that's the moment where you get to say, I am a Reflection of God.

Jason: Yeah.

Priya: Like, I can stop this thought process, this way of being, this energy flow, you know, I can interrupt it. I can see my role, you know, in this clearly. Like, I have a role in this. It's not just them, you know, like, you know, know. And that requires a different set of tools than churches and temples provide.

Jason: Yes. Yeah. And I think what. You're correct. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems like what you're getting at too, is like the difference of a going to, like an establishment or a, I guess, like an organization versus like, having a relationship with God.

Priya: Yeah, I think those two things are totally different. Yeah. Uh, totally and completely different. Yeah, you can live out in the wilderness in nature and build and never even have heard of the idea of a church or temple and probably build an unbelievable relationship with God, a very deep one.

Jason: Yes, yes, absolutely. I completely agree. But I want to get back to Christ, too, if that's all right with you.

Priya: I'd love to also talk about some other things besides Christ. Investigate. Yeah, I love. Yeah, I mean, I'd love to talk a little bit also, just like, about the experiential nature. Yeah. So, yeah, let's do that. Um, Yeah, I mean, I think, you know, and maybe here's where I would say some of the tools and resources can be really valuable. Right. And so, you know, I shared a little bit earlier just like, you know, some of, like, now the work I'm doing, you know, is around how do we. How do we create places and spaces where people can find, uh.

Jason: Yeah.

Priya: Find more of themselves, more alignment with who they are. So they every, like their. Their next path, the next place that they go is really intentionally driven. Right. It's not like a, uh. Well, I guess this is what people do, so I'll just go do it. You know, it's really intentionally driven. Um, and so, yeah, that's where, you know, and. And I think the really, like. I think the best part of my own journey, like, if somebody were to say, well, what's the. What's the best part? Like, why. You know, like, what. What's been so great about it? You know, And I think you kind of were asking this question earlier, like, what's the it, you know, um. Or what's the that or the, you know, this. I don't know, um, is like, you get to make choices that you like. Each choice starts to feel in such deep alignment that you stop wondering like, well, should I do this now? You know, you're. You stop living life like Like a, um, leaf in the wind, you know, just like, hoping that the next step will work out. And so what it led me to was, was purpose, right, Kind of this Path to purpose podcast. Um, it led me to, to mine. And, um, which really is to expand the res to people, um, for their conscious evolution, for their healing, for their growth. Um, so I'm building a place called the Nurturing Place. And the goal of the Nurturing Place is really to provide people with these tools where they can both heal and grow, um, and really have agency and sovereignty inside of that process. And, and, and, you know, you know, I do, I do really think, like, I'm so grateful that we've had churches and temples. And what I know is that, um, no one's going to get fit by looking at people watch, you know, run on a treadmill. You're just not, you know, and so we really have to do the hard work, and that's the goal of the Nurturing Place.

Jason: So do you see the Nurturing Place helping people to have that experiential, uh, that experiential component?

Priya: Yes. And that's really the whole purpose of it. So, right, there's these five pieces in it. There's classes that are holistic in nature. Um, so things like yoga, tai chi, meditation, sound healing. There's body work, there's therapy, both individual and group. There's support groups for people that are going through challenges, addiction, grief, you know, depression, divorce. Um, there's a library resource center where there's curated set of books and articles and podcasts and an informed librarian that a person can talk to and say, hey, this is what's going on in my life, in my career, my relationship. And they can be guided. You know, they have resources there and they say, well, why don't you try reading these things or listening to these things? And then there's creative space, so I call it playground for adults, where people can really use, um, our creativity, artistic capacity as a channel for healing, um, and growing and expanding our consciousness. And, you know, I think to make the choice to say, I am going to release what's stuck in my body, and I'm going to do that intentionally through a set of practices like Tai chi or yoga or meditation, or I am going to sit down and really be with this emotional state that I have and allow that to be channeled through an artistic, uh, you know, modality, right? That is getting on the field, that is getting in the pool, that is saying, I am willing to be with my own life experience that has been really hard, you, uh, know, and I'm willing to look at what that has meant and what that means, and I'm willing to grapple with releasing it and not having it dictate my future, you know, not letting it become the thing I hold as a crutch, and allowing myself to be inside of the unknown. Because I know when I'm called to is X, but it's too scary, you know, and that takes. That takes real work. Um, to do that takes an enormous amount of work.

Jason: Uh, yeah. Is this something that you feel called to do?

Priya: Oh, a hundred percent. This is given to me by God. You know, this isn't. This is life purpose. This is calling. This is sacred purpose. Um, this is, um, a life of service, you know, Um, I think one of my favorite things of the Christian faith, and I think one of the things they do really well is, um, really, um, you know, share with others the importance of a life of service, you know, and one of the things I say about spirituality is that imagine spirituality is like a mountain, right? So we're all at this base of the mountain, and there's a whole bunch of people that eventually actually get to the base of the mountain. They're like, I'm on a spiritual journey. M. I know it now, you know, I know it. We're. And right, you're over here, Jason, I'm over here, and I can't see you. Like, I don't know that you're over there on the other side of the mountain, and I'm here on the side of the mountain. But we're both climbing, right? And the more as we climb, we will all meet at the top, right? And we may have different faiths and different life experiences and different backgrounds and genders, and so you're all the things, right? But eventually, all who climb the spiritual mountain arrive at the same place. M. And what I have found for myself after 20 years of spiritual work is there is a singular point upon which you arrive where God's voice starts booming. God's voice is always the same, and it is surrender unto me. Allow me to lead your life. Jump into the unknown. I promise it'll be amazing. It'll be beyond anything you can imagine. Just follow, follow me, you know, and this came like a siren. Like, you know, about five years ago, God was like, zen, ah, there's no more there. No more courses and classes in spiritual work. There's no more, you know, you've done it all. You. Now it's time. Let go. Let me lead your life. So. So yeah.

Jason: So now he's leading your life.

Priya: And now God is leading my life. I refer to God as an it, not a he or she, but an it. Yeah, I let the greater consciousness and I have many words for it. So it's, you know, m. Whether it's consciousness or source or um, you know, really whatever one wants to call it, that greater energy field from which we are all connected. Born to allow that. To allow, to allow my life to unfold into that. Yeah.

Jason: Yeah. So when is the, when is, is the first location going to be in Austin?

Priya: First location will be in Austin. Yeah. Yeah. So, you know, I'm in a building process. So, um, it's, it's physical space. It'll be kind of a membership based space. The idea is very similar to the ymca. So the goal is for there to be a sliding scale membership. Really anyone can participate. Right. So we don't. I don't want circumstances to be the reason that people can't get the support and guidance, um, they need, you know, and so really just as physical wellness. So YMCA makes physical wellness available to everyone. The intention of the nurturing place is to, to make mental, emotional, physical and spiritual wellness available to everyone. Um, and to really, to really shift the paradigm. Right. To begin to say our whole person wellness is more than just, you know, you know, maybe going to a doctor once a year and getting a checkup and then being like, well, all your bloods look good, you're good, you know, like, go on, everything's fine. Right? Like, for it takes for our whole person wellness to um, be expanded and for all of us to start to really treat it the same way we treat our, uh, get a little tree in your head to start to treat it the same way we treat, um, our physical wellness. You know, like, you know, we, we have jest. Like we have humor and jest inside of our physical wellness because we know like, we not like, I went to the gym for six months, I got my six pack, I never have to go back in there again. You know, like we, we know that, like, that's not like that. Right. Our physical wellness is a lifelong endeavor. We have to eat a certain way, we have to exercise. And if we make choices not to, we don't. Like some of us are beating ourselves up all the time about it, but we're also very clear, you know, we're very clear. Like, yeah, I don't exercise.

Jason: So how do you, how do you decide then who is who, like who's, who's working there, you know, because that's That's a big responsibility for.

Priya: Yeah.

Jason: For somebody to be almost shepherding those people in a way.

Priya: Yeah. Yeah. Well, um, most certainly the people who are working there will have to have alignment with the vision, um, really like foundationally have an experience of whole person wellness. Is the path one, two, that these four pieces, our mental, emotional, physical and spiritual well being, are all interconnected, all moving together. Right. And so we can't pull one piece out and be like, uh, we just will deal with the physical stuff, the rest. Or we'll just deal with the mental stuff, not the rest. Right. We can't do that. And so just, um, I think it's really important that whoever's working there really has this like integrated view. Um, and. And um, so those are two really important things. And then I think the third piece is just training. Right. Um, so these are the people who are the healers of our planet that probably have, um, expanded their mindset around spirituality, around holistic wellness, around trauma, informed therapy. Right. They, they have an expansive view. They've tried more than one thing. They are practitioners of more than one thing. Teachers of more than one thing. Um, um. So these would be the people who. Yeah. Who I'd want to be guiding. Right. And. And to really have a role, very strong perspective, as I said, of what is the job. Right. A guide's job is not to say, do this. A guide's job is to notice if somebody has a challenge to ask them, would you like to be supported? And to honor whatever answer comes out. And if it's a no, it's like, got it. I'm always here. You mean me. And if it's a yes, it's a, uh, how can I best support you given what you want to achieve? Mm. Right. And when we, when we guide from there. Right. And the tagline of the nurturing place is meeting you where you are. Right. So when we guide from meeting the person where they are, what is it you would like to achieve? How can I best support you in that? This, like, this is, this is really what, like humanity. Like, this is true nurturing, this is true support. This is true guidance. Um, so that, you know, that's the ethos as well, is really meeting people where they are based on how they'd like to be supported.

Jason: Yeah. Yeah. It seems like this is something that I, I said this to you before, but that like specifically the secular community really needs.

Priya: Yeah.

Jason: And people who, uh. Yeah. People who are maybe looking in the wrong places for, um, for that agency and um. Yeah. Their agency along Their path.

Priya: Yeah, yeah. And I think I, you know, secular and non secular community really, you know, um, I, I, this is for everyone. You know, you can absolutely be a Christian or a Hindu or a Jew or you know, Muslim or any religious faith and, and be there, you know, be in that space. You can be straight, you can be gay, you can be, you know, you can be any, uh, any sexual orientation, any culture, any. You know, this is like really designed for everyone. The go, come as you are. And in this space there is safety because the intention is to see you fully. Right. And not relate to you as this set of identities. Uh, right. That like all of that gets checked at the door. All of it. You know, I don't care what gender you are, I don't care how you identify, I don't care what your race is. I don't care how old you are. I don't care, you know, I don't care about any of that stuff. None of us do.

Jason: Yeah.

Priya: We care only that we serve your mental, emotional, physical and spiritual well being and that we are really supporting and guiding you inside of that journey in a way that really has you feel safe and seen. Um, and that we give you tools and resources to do that. That where you don't feel like you're giving up your agency or your sovereignty in any way. Like it's a gym, right? So like nobody's going to tell you to go to the, or go to the playground unless you ask. Unless you say, hey, I would like, like a plan. M, like right, just like a trainer. We'll provide you a plan and we'll do that. Right, we will do that. We'll absolutely, we'll take an intake history, we'll say, tell us about your mental, emotional, physical, spiritual background and what is it that's most important to you right now at this point in your life. And then we can give you a plan and share with you what to do next. Um, if you'd like that kind of support. But we're also not going to, to like hold your hand and be like, you're running on the treadmill now, you know, unless you like it. Right. Because you got to do that yourself. Like that experiential piece is so core to um, change.

Jason: Yeah.

Priya: To transformation.

Jason: So if, if somebody like comes in who has a specific set of beliefs, would it be the practitioner's responsibility to basically adopt um, their language framework when they're working with them or like how do you see the responsibility there?

Priya: Yeah, you know, um, so there's therapists, right? And I think therapists operate outside of. Right. You know, generally. Um, I would call it. Where I've seen, um, I've seen practitioners work. Work most effectively with others is when they really take, like a Socratic method of. And so they're really there in an inquiry based model.

Jason: To be like a mirror.

Priya: To be a mirror.

Jason: Got it. Okay.

Priya: Yeah, yeah. So it's just reflection. It's not, um, positioning.

Jason: Yeah, yeah. I. As. As this grows and becomes a, uh, thing that people go to, it seems that that would be a really important, uh, thing to hold on to as you grow.

Priya: Yeah.

Jason: Um. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I have a question too. When you felt that God called you to do this, did you feel that he called or it, in your words, called you to serve a specific, um, group of people?

Priya: Well, that's a really great question. Um, so it was really interesting because I was, um, like, okay, right, so you want me to go do this thing? This is, like, totally different from anything I did. Like, you know, my background is finance. Like, I worked for 20 years in the financial world. I started in investment banking, then moved to impact investing, then worked with nonprofit organizations, kind of in like a CFO capacity. Um, and so when this. And, you know, I knew, like, I was looking for work that was more in alignment with who I was, which is why I made all those moves. And, and so, you know, when I, um. But I Knew, like, in 2019, I was like, okay, it's time to let go of the finance. Right? And so I knew that this day was coming. And when I did that and I put this question out to the universe, and it was like, what would you have me do? This was the question.

Jason: Yeah.

Priya: And so I, you know, I put this question out to the universe, and, um, what came back was the nurturing place. And it was clear, like, got it. This is definitely, like, every part of me, every cell, my body was like, this is what I'm supposed to do, right? But it was. So I was like, wow, this is not, you know, who I've known myself to be. It was kind of this, like, impostor. Like, who am I to go build this thing and serve humanity? You know, just felt. But it was like, also everything I wanted to do. Like, I was, this is what I'm here for. And I knew that. And so then I was like, I'm in, like, deep dialogue with God, right? So, like, I. I'm like, okay, so, like, go build the one in Austin. And the universe's answer was like, no, no, your job is to Assist in raising the conscious awareness of all 8 billion people on the planet. I was like, okay, like, that's gigantic. Like, what do we. You know, and so I was just like, like. Right. Like, I, uh, you know, like the mission. I've been. Right. And so this will be like my life's work. Right. So just. So the YMCA is a multi billion dollar organization.

Jason: Yeah.

Priya: It's all over the world. There are over 2,500 of them just in the United States, um, doing extraordinary things, invented basketball and racquetball and, you know, for some of the creators of the swimming, you know, the idea of the swimming pool, you know. And so, um, so, like, this is my life's work and, you know, I'm in deep dialogue with God. And, you know, I got really clear message and it was, um, you are to do your job is singular, be the catalyst and hold the vision. Right? And right now, because I'm in the founding stage and, you know, fundraising stage, I have to. I'm doing a lot of other things, but, um, what has been very clearly, you know, like, very clearly transmitted to me and I am very clear, it's like, no, Priya, you're not meant to, like, be the CFO or technology officer or chief operating. You're not going to do any of that. You will give that away as quickly as that becomes feasible to give away. Because your job is to be the catalyst and hold the vision.

Jason: Right.

Priya: And really the vision is raising the conscious awareness of humanity of all 8 billion. And that. That's my job.

Jason: Yeah. So, yeah, day by day.

Priya: Day by day. I know. Well, yeah.

Jason: Uh, you must feel a overwhelming sense of purpose then in each day.

Priya: I do, I do. I, um. You know what's been really great for. I mean, for nearly 40 years of my life. Right. I'm 43 now. This song came forward when I was 38, so for nearly 30, nearly 40 years of my life, I just had this. I just kept looking around and being like, is this it? Is this all there is? Is this the whole point? And I just kept being like, this can't be all there is. I just kept feeling that, right? And I have kids. I really love my kids. I got two boys. They're amazing. They're huge loves of my life, right? And parts of me were like, can't I just want to just be a mom? Like, I was like, can't that just be, like, my life's work? And I'm like, right. But it was like there was something more. I was here for something more. And Ever since this came forward, that question went away. Hasn't been a single day. It's not even a single second of a day where I've asked that. It has come back to me. Well, there's got to be something more than life than this. I'm, I'm like so clear.

Jason: Yeah.

Priya: Yeah.

Jason: Well, let's see where we, uh, at

Priya: chatting for a while. It is. Oh my gosh, it's 11:20. Oh, we have time. Yeah.

Jason: Do you have to go?

Priya: No, no, we have time. I didn't realize. Yeah.

Jason: Okay. Um, all right. Can we get back to Jesus now?

Priya: Sure. We can get for a little more about Jesus. I know this is your favorite topic.

Jason: If, yeah. If you don't want to answer something. Yeah. Please feel free to just not answer or whatever. But. Yeah, yeah, I'm curious too. Just, just because you've said a lot of. Yeah, you've said a lot of things before about him, like being a teacher and I guess the other, um, traditions to having good teachers and um, holding him kind of like in that same regard. But I guess my question is more about like the resurrection. Like, do, do you, you, do you believe that that happened or, or.

Priya: No, Um, I don't believe in the translation of the information. So the real break that we have that we have a really big problem having. So I am like really deeply connected to angels and guides. I get a lot of guidance constantly. Took me long time to admit this because it lives in the world of woo, right? It lives in the world of people being like, that's just weird.

Jason: Former investment banker.

Priya: Former investment banker. Yes. And, and um, and the truth is, is like, I was also like, this stuff is weird. Like it was happening to me. And I was like, this stuff's weird, it's happening to me. It's weird, you know, and for a long time and I did like, um, I've done two past life regressions. So this is where you go back. You are with someone who can take you back into past lives. So I've done. They were two of the most impactful things I've ever done. And in one of my past life regressions, the person who's leading this, this woman here in Austin, it's amazing. Um, she said, you know, you could bring a question list. So before we go into the past life regression, we could just talk through what it is you want to achieve. Like, why are you here? So we sit, um, down to talk. And one of the questions, she had this stock list of questions on her website. Like, you want to ask These questions on the side. Yeah, this is a good list, the questions. So I just, like, copied a few of them down onto my own question. Listen. We go in there, and one of them is, how can I get more guidance and know when, like, angels and guys are talking to me and she reads this question, she is, like, so spiritually connected. It's crazy. Like, angels and guys are just talking to her, like, you know, real time, second by second. And she looks at this question, and she looks up at me, and she's, like, incredulous. And she's like, priya. And I was like, what? She's like, you are getting so much information from angels and guides, and you know it. And I was like, how'd she know that? Who told her? How'd she get in my brain? You know, like, because I've been having all these, like, really, like, I'm so guided, right? And I just felt, like, naked. Like, I was like, I'm getting all this stuff, you know, and so I'm really connected to God, and I get a lot of guidance and a lot messages from angels and guides. And, um. And when I admitted that, like, when I was willing to take on, like. Like to be able to say this out loud on a podcast, for example, um, what started to happen is it began to deepen. I begot. I started to get a lot more. Got a lot deeper. It got. It expanded. Like, I was being shown a lot more, and I was being shown a lot more about truth and the universe and consciousness and reality. And I. And, um, things started to open up. Like, I. Like. Like, um. Like I could. I can easily just, like, dunk myself, for lack of a better word, into, like, the consciousness framework. Like. Like, I can just dunk. Like, I can go inside and get dunked in there real quick. Yeah. I don't know to explain it. Um.

Jason: Um.

Priya: But what does that mean? What did I learn? So this. And I know this is a long answer to your short question, but what. What does this mean? So one of the learnings inside of getting dunked into consciousness is that, um, human words, like this thing we call language, is very rudimentary and very, very crude. M. It is insufficient and inadequate. Extremely inadequate at communication. Yeah, it just is. So the challenge with written word is, like, it's, like, really, really rudimentary and really, really crude. And when you get dunked in the, like, conscious energy fields, the nature of it, you actually learn the nature of information. And the nature of information is really m. Really complex. Way more. Has so much more complexity than Language has the capacity to communicate. So like, that's the problem with written words. Um, and what was the written word again that you had asked me about?

Jason: Oh, I said, do you believe that the resurrection happened?

Priya: Happened? Yes, so. Oh, yes. So did I believe the resurrection happened. So like what the resurrection is about, right, is this thing that like Jesus died and then three days later he like, I guess comes back alive and then like ascends to heaven. Right. And I don't know how Christians interpret this. If they could interpret this as like his physical body, like floats up.

Jason: Yeah.

Priya: Like, is that, uh, what they think? I don't really know. But this is kind of. These are the images I've seen. Right. Kind of this like floating angel that is Jesus. And I think that's kind of the perception is like this physical body came out of the ground. Right. Because I assume he was buried. He came out of the ground and then that physical body turned into some angelic form.

Jason: Was. The tomb was empty.

Priya: Empty. Yeah.

Jason: He had.

Priya: Yeah.

Jason: And then if. And then three days later had visited, uh, the disciples afterwards.

Priya: Oh, okay. He visited the disciples. His human physical form visited the disciples. And then what, it ascends or. Uh.

Jason: And um. Yeah. And then afterward. Then, yeah, he went to heaven.

Priya: Heaven, yeah. Yeah. So, um, I don't think that happened, but I don't think it's because there wasn't something really extraordinary that didn't happen. I think that it was translated. Translated using human language, which is rudimentary and in adequate for communicating what actually happened.

Jason: So you think something, something, let's say, I guess a word could be supernatural maybe.

Priya: Yeah. Or something, something based in consciousness. That is the structure of consciousness.

Jason: So like something, I guess. Would you, could you use the word miracle or No. I don't want to put words into your mouth.

Priya: Yeah, no, I appreciate that. Um, so miracles are totally real. So there's absolutely. Miracles are real. Um, they can be real in three dimensional reality. I know that too. So. Right. There are many, many mystics, saints, sages who currently walk our planet who can like for example, physically touch another person's body and heal ailments. This is like, this is going on like there's no. Right. This is. People can, you know, the scientific community can say, like, that's not possible and yet it is happening. Right. So you and I, I would put that in the miracle category. Um, um, I wouldn't put miracle. I would say again that a miracle is a label. It's not. Um, it actually does have a framework and it has a framework that is real and a framework that can be replicated. I think when people say the word miracle, they kind of view it as something totally irrevocable, you know, non replicable could never happen again.

Jason: So do you think something that was irreplicable happened and then some of that got lost in the language and that's what we're reading? That's what you think?

Priya: Yeah, um, I think something extraordinary happened that the disciples and many people around Jesus had never experienced before. Something extraordinary happened and they had never experienced before and they viewed it as non replicable. Yeah, um, but I think it's replicable and I think it has to do with the conscious energy field that one is inhibiting.

Jason: Wait, so you do think that what happened is replicable?

Priya: I do. I actually think it happens now a lot. If I were to guess what happened then I would actually say it's happened quite a lot over the course of humanity.

Jason: So what do you think happened?

Priya: So, um, have you heard of the telepathy tapes? Are you familiar with them? Um, I think you would enjoy them. I would take the time to listen to them. They're, they're podcast. Podcast. It was launched last year, Kai Dickens, um, beginning of 2024, um, very quickly blew up both in the US and the UK. And what it follows is non speaking autistic people. So people who are very far on the autistic spectru and don't have the capacity to speak. And the prevailing theory about them has been that they are incapable. They're like there's nothing in there. There's, there's no, there's nothing in there. You know, they're just kind of like vegetables. Has basically been the prevailing scientific perspective on them. And what Kai Dickens does is she follows, follows these people and learns about them. We're using very rigorous scientific kind of protocol and learns that not only are they in there, but they have unbelievable gifts, spiritual gifts. Right. Like it is really unbelievable. And so whether it's, you know, kind of the, what's shared in things like the telepathy tapes or um, things that are shared um, by people who had near death experiences, people who have shared the recent passing of loved ones. Right. I have heard this so many times from people who have had loved ones pass. Um, I think there's vast amounts of literature frankly on this, very reputable um, literature on this of um, when somebody passes away.

Jason: Yeah.

Priya: We can and do continue to experience them after their death and especially right after they die. Because we are not our bodies. Uh, our body is something that is designed for planetary inhabitants. Right. This is kind of like a shell or a suit, if you will. Right. The body, you know, composts back from where it came.

Jason: Yeah.

Priya: But the essence, the spirit of us ex. Exists indefinitely, forever. Right. And so, um, I think. And further. Um, so one of the things that's really interesting about the autistic community is the vast majority of them have the capacity to see spirits. People who have passed on people, you know, other beings, they, they literally can see them. Like if you ask them, is there an angel next to you? They can say, yes, they can describe what they look like. They can tell you, you know, what they're wearing. They can, you know, they can give you information. And this is not like great. They say it like, it's like you're asking them the weather, like, is it raining outside? Not right now, you know, like that's how they say it. Right. And this is so consistent across the non speaking autistic community all near. Like all of them can do this. Like they, they can share about this. Right. And they're not the only ones. So many people in the spiritual community, community can do this, can say, yeah, there's our, our eyes, three dimensional eyes only can see so much. There's a lot going on. We don't see the radio waves and the, you know, there's lots of stuff going on. We don't see it with our eyes. It doesn't mean it's not happening. Um, and so I think that, you know, the disciples, for instance, were probably given an opportunity to see Jesus, you know, because they loved him deeply, you know, like deeply. And upon his passing, ye. And they were given the opportunity three days later to sit with him again in three dimensional form, uh, and speak with him, you know, and he said, I'm gonna go now, but uh, you know, I'm not gonna be here. You're not gonna see my body anymore, but I'm here forever with you. Right? He weaved himself into their spirits.

Jason: And I'm kind of confused because it sounds like at first it said that you don't believe it happened, but then from the way that you described it, it like sounds, sounds like that's what that is.

Priya: That's what that is. Yeah. I mean, I would say I, I don't think his three dimensional body came out of there.

Jason: Okay.

Priya: Yeah, that's not what came out of there. His body stayed where? Wherever it was. Right. But his soul separated from the body the minute he died. And what happened is that his spirit form was made available to the disciples to see, which is in our 2025 world. There are many that walk amongst us now that um, easily are seeing those that have passed and are deceased and see their three dimensional, you know, see their form.

Jason: Yeah.

Priya: Um, but it's not three dimensional form.

Jason: All right, well, before we wrap up, do you want to ask me any questions or.

Priya: Yeah, do you want to ask you any questions? I love it. Um, yeah, well, what is. I guess maybe I should have asked you at the beginning what is, you know, what is your intention and goal with this kind of podcast, with this work? What do you. Yeah, yeah.

Jason: Um, I. So the, the vision that I got for this podcast is almost. Uh, yeah, the vision that I got for this podcast is going after the. And I don't want this to sound like derogatory in any way, but like going after almost like the, the, the lost sheep, the people that have been, um, the people that have either been hurt by the church or have never. Who have never believed and, and honestly just understanding their story and just sharing my experiences and, and that's, that's pretty much all it is, you know, so I guess, um, some form of ministry. Um, and uh, yeah, that's, that's kind of, that's kind of how I see it. And, and honestly meeting people where they're at too. Um, and yeah, ah, that's pretty much my vision for it.

Priya: No, no, no. Um, what do you look at as, as your path or your purpose?

Jason: Yeah, great question. Um, I've been wrestling with this a lot lately. Um, because the work that I'm doing now outside of this, like my business, I don't. I feel a calling to something deeper. And for me, I've been really struggling with patience and um. So yeah, I've had dreams of me ministry. Um, but at the same time, I, I don't know, I'm just trying to take it day by day and uh. But that's what I think. That's what I think and that's what, that's what I feel that God has called me to do.

Priya: Um, and yeah, and so when you say ministry, what do you tell me more?

Jason: Yeah, um, I don't really know at this point in time at least, but for right now I think like this is what I feel. Feel the most. This is what I feel the deepest sense of purpose in doing is having. Is what this podcast and also having these sorts of conversations. Um, whether it be with individuals or people who are. Who have just experienced loss or dying people. Um, so I would say. Sorry, what was the Question again.

Priya: Um, what does ministry mean to you? So what would that be like?

Jason: Yeah, I think it's about just. I think it's about meeting people where they're at with Christ's love and trying my best to do that, you know, or I guess trying is a bad word, but I think getting out of the way so that. So that can happen and just having honest conversations with people and really thoroughly, like, trying to. Trying to understand their story, you know, and, and then also presenting information to them about, um, Christ without, um. Without taking a position of authority. Um, because, like, I'm also. I got. Yeah. Like, this is just experience that I've had from my life that I'm. That I'm sharing with others. You know, I'm not, I'm not in a position to really be, um, teaching, you know, especially someone who's been. Who's so new in their faith. Like, I got baptized like last year, so.

Priya: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Um. Yeah. Do you. Do you? Well, I'd like to hear your perspective on, like, is there a right way? Is, Is. Is the Christian path the right way?

Jason: Yeah, that's a hard question.

Priya: Um.

Jason: Um. And this might get me into some controversy, but I don't really. For, for me, I believe it is and I see it. I see all I can do is really to. To ask people questions that. Well, I. Yeah, I. I guess. I guess I think. Yeah, I think having a relationship with Christ is, You know, I guess that that would be my bias. Um, but at the same time, I. My stance on ministry is that I only believe that people can make their own choices, you know, And I believe in what you're saying about, um, in promoting, uh, what was that word? Agency as well, you know. But so, yeah, I think as. Yeah, as a Christian, as a follower of Christ, I, I believe that it is the right way, but I don't think that makes me. That doesn't make me better than anybody else. If anything, I need to be more aware of how I get in my own way and how my bias of that can get in the way of me communicating with people. But, uh, it doesn't. It doesn't make me better than anybody else. You know, Like, I, I believe we're all, we're all equal in this. And even people who are sinners and have done awful things. Things, you know, even murders and rapists, like, they're still. They're still people. You know, they've done some heinous things, horrible things, but at the end of the day, they're still. They're still people. And uh, so, yeah, and I thank you for asking this question because it's, it's, it's uh, the truth is not always something that is easy to share. And especially for me, I've really struggled with, um, speaking up for what I believe in in the past. Um, so thank you for asking these questions.

Priya: Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think those are those my main questions. I think, um, my last question would be like, what is your perception of experience versus, you know, kind of the same question I, you uh, asked me of like experiential versus Inductive.

Jason: I think. Well, I think like Christ, like Christ is love, Christ is love. And to sacrifice for one, to sacrifice their life for others willingly, like that is, to me, that is like the, the cross and the crucifixion is the ultimate sacrifice of love. And I think, think that indoctrination and using fear and dogma, I, I don't think that that is, that's not love. And I think it's a side effect of humans getting their, their biases and their, their shadow on uh, the teachings of Christ and kind of like almost staining the, staining the brand of Christianity, if you will, you know. Um, so I think experience is, is really important and we, people should be encouraged to share their experiences like we're doing and to not feel like they're going to be condemned for sharing it. And I think we should encourage others to share and to be able to have open dialogues, especially when people have different faiths, because how else are we going to bridge that without having the conversation?

Priya: Yeah. Yeah. Do you think, um, faith is the only path?

Jason: Do I think faith is the only path? Do I think like having faith in Christ? Is that what you're asking? Or.

Priya: Yeah, even. Or faith having religion is the only path, Having a religion.

Jason: Well, I think I, like for me, I always look back to like what Christ has said or done. And for me that takes, um, that's kind of like, okay, if he did this, then this is how I should aim to live my life. And I slip up all the time, every day. But I think that. Sorry, um, you said is faith. Can you repeat the question one more time?

Priya: So like, um, I gotta get better. Is religion the path?

Jason: Yes. Oh, thank you.

Priya: You're used to being the question asker, not the.

Jason: I hope we don't get dement. Um, I think like even, even, even Christ pointed the dangers of religion and like his biggest, his biggest rivals were the Pharisees who were the people that were in these positions of power and Authority and misusing them and leading people astray. Um, so like, even how I see my Christianity is a relationship with God. It's. It's a relationship with God before. It's okay, this box, I need to go to this church and it needs to click this box. You know, like, I see the church, to me, according to Christ, the church is. The is. Is just the body of Christ. So it's like whenever people are getting together and talking about, about. Or talking about God, but the establishment of the church, I do not think that. I do not think that, uh, religion is the only path. If anything, I. That's why I, I encourage people to be skeptical. You should be skeptical. And if you feel like you. If someone is misusing a position of power, then you should. You should actively question and search for the truth. You know, like you should. Above anything else, you should search for the truth.

Priya: Yeah.

Jason: And I mean, that's why even if I have difficulty, different beliefs than somebody or if, uh, or on the surface level, right. If we talk, bring this back to our conversation about identities. Right. Like, even if I would identify on one level as a Christian, that's why I still encourage people. For instance, the last guest, he's a humanist chaplain. He's not a Christian. But the way that he was with a inmate on death row, he was with him, like, at his feet, telling him, you are loved, you are not, not alone, as he's getting put to death. Like, to me, like, I don't believe what you believe in terms of maybe your beliefs about God. But, like, to me, I know that that is like, that is love.

Priya: Yeah.

Jason: And to me, like, that is the truth.

Priya: That is the truth.

Jason: So, ah, I think we as believers and non believers, but like, I hold believers to a higher standard because your people's eyes are on you, you know, and you like, if you're gonna say you're representing Christ, like, you better like, with your heart, be trying it, you know? You bet. You better be like, really trying to. You can't just say you do it and like, and give it half effort.

Priya: Yeah.

Jason: Like your heart needs to be in it. And uh, like, we have to encourage people for doing things well and doing things that are. Are loving. And, um. So I think we could do a lot, a much better job of that.

Priya: Now, um, do you think there is opportunity to. To. So Rumi, who, um, comes from the Sufi faith, which, um, there's this whole branch, they're called the mystics. So they're the people that come off of any one of these Faiths, right? Who look for, you know, the Christian faith has the mystics. So um, so Sufi was a. Is a, um. M. Sufism is off of the Muslim faith, the mystic, one of the mystics and he, he has this beautiful quote that I ponder a lot. Like it really deepens in my life. And he says, um, out beyond ideas of right doing and wrongdoing, there is a field. I'll meet you there. Yeah, right. And this is just this, like, this really informs my like minute by minute life. Like out beyond ideas of right doing and wrongdoing, there is a field. I'll meet you there. And so m. You know, my question to you is, is there an opportunity for someone to believe in Christ consciousness, in Allah consciousness, in. In Krishna consciousness, for each. For these varieties of people to come together and really let like, like be in roomies field, like out beyond ideas of right, you know, like, like. And I think what my question is for you is like as a steward of 2025 Christianity and beyond, right, which I view you as a steward of, you know, you know, Jesus passed away. He's gone. He's still here in many ways, but also gone. As a steward of 2025 Christianity beyond, um. Do you. What is your perspective on Rumi's field? You know, are, are. Do you perceive yourself as a steward

Jason: of Ruby, like in terms of people getting together and having open dialogues? Is that what you mean?

Priya: And you know, even beyond ideas of right doing and wrongdoing, right, like maybe I'm a sinner, maybe I'm not, you know, because that's a part of the, the. The Christian structuring, but inside of the Hindu structuring, there's karma. There's really no right doing and wrongdoing. There is, but it looks very different, right? It, it's. There's. I'll come back again. Because that's what you have to do when you haven't sorted out those areas of yourself that need sorting, right? To how. How do you be a loving steward of humanity, of yourself, of you know, as mother, as a, you know, child, as a parent, you know, and so um. And it's just a different lane, right? And. And it lives beyond the field of right doing and wrongdoing, right? I'm not coming together with the Christian to say, ah, I don't know about sinners and non sinners, right? I'm living in roomy's field to say out beyond these ideas of right doing and wrongdoing, there's a field and that is where I will meet you. Right. And. And, uh, I, I think as I ask this question, also sharing probably my own perspective on it, which is my belief of what the opportunity is for faith. The opportunity for faith right now is to say that structure is a structure. Uh, and my structure is a structure, and the Judaism structure is a structure, and there's a field inside of which we can all meet together.

Jason: Yeah.

Priya: And it lives beyond right doing and wrongdoing. Right. And this. And so. So I. My question to you is, is, do you. And you may not have an answer to this, but do you know, as a steward of the future of Christianity potentially, you know, it kind of sounds like you may. You may be in some ways that, you know, um, I think you are a Christian, you are a saying you're the steward of this. Um, how do you view yourself inside of that? What is the opportunity?

Jason: So I'm still not entirely understanding the questions. You're saying, according to this concept, what does it. What is the opportunity for Christianity within this concept? Is that what you're asking?

Priya: Yeah, maybe within that concept. Or, um, if you were to. If there was expansion, right. If we were, if we were to say Jesus taught us, taught me. X. Right. And he said, here, here's the treasure I have to give you. Now go be a good steward of this and expand it. Right. Like, you, Jason, are not meant to go be like, well, Jesus said this, Jesus said this. Jesus said, been. No, you're supposed to go be Jason on the planet. Uh, right. And just like I was, if I'm a good teacher, you're going to go take this and, like, go create the rocket.

Jason: Sh.

Priya: You know, you're going to go, so, like, what does that feel like for you? You know, like, what is that? And is there an opportunity? And for me, the question is, is there an opportunity to have that coexist better than it does now with those who aren't believers?

Jason: Um. Um. I think the opportunity is for us to be better listeners. I think to be a better listener. I think to be more humble. Um, I think to really, like, live out your faith and to. Yeah, to like, focus on, like, loving people around you. Loving people and serving people and being in community as well, and learning to, like, rely on people when, when you're going through hard times.

Priya: Um.

Jason: Um. So I, I would say that for me, at least, that's where I see. I see, like, my work being, um. And trying to focus on doing that and trying to get out of my own way, trying to be, like, less greedy, less angry, less impatient, and that's for me, that's, that's where I see my work to be. I, I, I don't know. I don't. Does that answer your question or.

Priya: I don't want to know. I am. I'm asking a difficult question. Yeah, no. Uh, and I think to some extent, it does, probably based on where you are now. You know, um, I'm probably, You know, I think my own answer to this question that I'm asking is, um, my own experience of life, and I think yours potentially also, is that there is really only the one thing, and that is like, like love. Right. And so ultimately, what we are stewards of is love. Uh, you know, there is nothing else to be a steward of. The question more is what is a path that resonates with. With you, inside of which you can become a better steward of that, deepen your stewardship of that, et cetera.

Jason: Yeah. Yeah. I think the only thing that I would add to that then is, like, for me, like, if my, like, faith is a big part of my identity, you know, it's a big part of, um. Yeah, it's a big part of my identity and my, My life. So I think I will, like, I will continue to share it. Um, but I think the work for me is to. How can I not only get better at sharing it, but because, like, yeah, not just getting better at sharing it, but how can I. How can I embody what it means more? How. How can I embody what it means to. To actually follow Christ and have faith in Christ? And to me, that means, like, dying to yourself and, like, picking up your own cross and being better at serving and being more selfless.

Priya: So.

Jason: Yeah.

Priya: Yeah. Well, great. Well, thanks for letting me do the cross interview. Yeah, I know it's time we're attacking.

Jason: All right, well, uh, thank you for coming on. I. I really enjoyed this conversation. This was. And it really made me think a lot about what I believe in and why. And, yeah, I really appreciated this episode.

Priya: Yeah. Well, thank you, Jason, for.

Jason: Thank you for being the first.

Priya: I know.

Jason: Studio, so.

Priya: Oh, awesome. Cool.

Jason: Yeah.

Priya: Ah.

Jason: All right.

Priya: Awesome. Thank all of you for listening.

Jason: Yes, thank you, guys for listening.