Today we’d like to introduce you to Pooja Bakhai.
Hi Pooja, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hello! Yes, here I go!
I grew up in Buffalo, NY in a pretty “traditional” Indian family. I noticed that in my home and in society, there was a strong pressure to be a certain way. I observed that this “way” was not necessarily making people happy, it actually seemed quite toxic. There was also generational trauma and abuse present in the home which shaped me deeply. Like with any darkness, there was also light present. Underneath the surface level religiosity and rigid culture lived beautiful gifts of lineage like dance, song, prayer, art and a reverence for the earth.
I was always a curious and gifted child, with interests in math, music, art, science, and philosophy. I had a lot of questions, and I tried to explore where I could. Like a lot of children, I lost my wildness for a bit along the way, and molded myself to someone who would be seen as “successful” and “acceptable.” For the first quarter of my life (assuming I’ll live to a 100!) I did a great job pleasing the adults around me – graduated valedictorian, graduated from Stanford and Harvard, and stuck to jobs that were stable and relatively interesting to me.
Everything changed when I was diagnosed with a life threatening illness. That’s when I began to choose to follow the whispers of my heart in a rather uncompromising fashion. I turned off many folks with my choices and decisions, but the one person that I committed to never disappointing was myself. I knew this would pay off for my body, my spirit and future generations. Over time, the strength I built from going “against the grain,” trusting myself and living my dreams is what helped me birth a successful business and a happy life. It also helped me cure stage four cancer and many other chronic illnesses that I struggled with undiagnosed throughout my childhood.
Today, I run a successful coaching and healing business called “Lakshmi Sacred Arts.” Lakshmi is an Indian goddess who bridges the material and spiritual worlds. She guides us to embrace true wealth – inner wealth. What do I mean by inner wealth? It’s wealth that is felt in the heart, like health, happiness, gratitude, service, loving relationships and a fulfilling life. Don’t get me wrong! Money is important and also a part of wealth. But without true fulfillment, presence, joy, health and connection, money means nothing. This is the embodiment of spirituality through the human vessel on earth.
In my work, I help ambitious and curious leaders create deeper fulfillment in their careers, relationships, love lives, and more. Like me, they have a calling to go deeper into their wild nature, and follow their own inner callings in a unique way that only they can manifest. I deeply believe that we all have this uniquely brilliant potential, should we choose to live it.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The process of following my inner voice, trusting myself, and stepping into the wild and beautiful journey I always imagined life to be was – and is – absolutely incredible. And, it has absolutely NOT been smooth. Ha! I say that to be clear in the experience of what I believe to be true growth and expansion actually is. It’s messy, it’s non-linear, it’s wild and that is what makes it beautiful and worth the ride.
One struggle I had was learning how to work with the darker aspects of myself like my trauma. I experienced a lot of childhood sexual abuse from people who were supposed to protect me, so I had to learn how to confront and heal from this so I could be in my true power and share my gifts from a strong, clear place.
Another struggle I had was unlearning all of the societal programming about how you’re supposed to run a business! A lot of business people say business is one thing, but I had to create my own definition and relationship to business. This was super hard in the beginning! Being a woman of color and also someone who just cares about kindness, I noticed a lot of business felt extractive, greedy, surface-level and disconnected from the reciprocity that the earth shows us is needed. So, I had to learn how to say “no,” stop comparing myself to others in my field, and stay true to my values. It’s funny because that’s exactly what I coach others on – authenticity.
I learned one of my biggest values has to do with quality and depth of the work I offer. I also learned that another value is integrity, which is staying in alignment and in honesty with myself and my capabilities, my strengths and weaknesses, while I help others.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Lakshmi Sacred Arts?
Yay! Thank you for asking.
I am the founder of Lakshmi Sacred Arts, a coaching and healing business dedicated to supporting ambitious professionals and leaders to live authentically. I offer long-term, in depth, coaching programs to support clients to live out their values both personally and professionally. I also offer healing retreats for my clients to deepen their spiritual awareness and work.
To date, these programs have a 100% success rate. That means that so far, 100% of my clients achieve the goals they set out to meet when we begin our work together! I think that’s really cool and I do believe this sets me apart.
Brand wise, I’m just proud of staying authentic and true to myself. I don’t look much into what I present at the surface, but rather the energy and intention behind what I present. I’m proud that my brand truly helps and empowers amazing people in a way that heals people, families, and this planet. I’m proud that it’s a brand that builds trust through the work itself and the deep transformation & joy that clients experience in their lives as a result of it.
Hmmmm. What else sets me apart? Well first off I don’t really see myself in competition with others. I see other coaches and healers who do good work as a part of a tapestry where all of our gifts are needed to make this world a better place. There is no shortage of support needed on this planet. I do think my work is unique and special, though. My life experiences as an Indian woman, wife, future mom, dog mom, “high-achiever,” survivor of childhood abuse, relationship with nature, art, and my spiritual sensitivities and gifts ultimately drive the type of unique support I can offer. A lot of my clients are also high-achievers and ambitious leaders who want to impact the world in a positive way but not in the way that they’re necessarily taught to. Others are multi-passionate individuals who are seeking a space to dive into all of their gifts, not compartmentalize them into boxes like society or institutions often ask of us. Others are brilliant souls who are seeking a less controlled, more wild way of living and breathing, while also having traditional things like families, kids, a 9-5 job etc. Others are healers or coaches themselves who are seeking training in understanding and practicing their own gifts.
I’m able to support a lot of different kinds of people to create their own unique path because I understand from my own experience that living authentically is a deeply personal, messy, difficult, enlightening, rewarding and intimate process. I trust that my clients know what they really need. I just provide the mirror, tools and support to help them express and actualize it.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Yes. Trust yourself, trust the whispers and the voices you hear within urging you to take risks that feel aligned with your heart. Find good people or a relationship with nature or an animal companion that truly inspires you. Consult these trustworthy beings for guidance & support when you need it. Invest in good support and the things that truly nourish you.
Know, remember and re-remember your values in your body. Know what a true yes feels like, and don’t compromise on your values. Otherwise you’ll lose your sense of self. Which is totally okay too: if you’re willing to shed, say no to that stuff, and find yourself again.
Living authentically takes major guts. It’s a windy path. If you’re someone who feels the call to do this more, know that you’re not alone and that you’re super brave. My hats off to you. Give yourself credit where credit is due.
Ignore the noise and stay clear of the distractions and stay on your path. There are many distractions here now. Pay attention to what’s drawing you away from your work and your joy. Say no and focus on what brings you that deeper sense of peace and fulfillment.
Be kind to yourself in the process because it is hard! Otherwise everyone would be happy, healthy and fulfilled and we wouldn’t see the imbalances that we see today in this world.
Learn to love yourself along the way and you’ll undoubtedly spread that love wherever you go. I can’t wait to see all the amazing things you do!!!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://poojabakhai.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lakshmisacredarts/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lakshmisacredarts
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lakshmisacredarts/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/pooja-bakhai-coaching-raleigh-2
- Other: https://g.co/kgs/7AK4A7A
