The Indian Standard | Summer Solstice 2022

the INDIAN

STANDARD SUMMER SOLSTICE 2022

WITH

NATIJA CAVE

ON HER PATH, ENDEAVORS & SPIRITUAL JOURNEY

the

CHOICE

ISSUE

PERCEPTION, IMPRESSION, CHOICE, THOUGHT, HEAL, CREATE & GROW

BY JANANI

IN

THIS

ISSUE

SUMMER SOLSTICE 2022

5

THEME EXPLANATION Choice

By Janani

9

REDEFINING ABCD

54

Works by Sneha Ameya & Keerthi Sekar

ASHLEY R. SINGH

77

Content Creator, Comedian & Fashion Inspiration

UPAL PATEL

NATIJA CAVE Spiritual Counselor, Author, Actress, Model & Influencer An Interview

An Interview

46

Founder & CEO of AAVRANI, an ayurvedic skincare brand An Interview

Tamil literature, From Your Diary

36

ROOSHY ROY

91

ZENAB KASHIF

Photographer & Filmmaker based in Los Angeles, CA

Freelance Photographer & Designer based in Minneapolis, MN

Photo Gallery

An Interview

101

SPECIAL THANKS Thank you for being here, reading, understanding & showing care Statement from the Founder

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the INDIAN STANDARD TRIGGER

WARNING

&

DISCLAIMER

This magazine may contain detailed information regarding anxiety, depression and suicide. Please read with caution.

The interviews, stories and entries in this magazine are included with the approval of the respective creators. All correspondence and interaction occurred prior to the publication of this issue.

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THEME

EXPLANATION

CHOICE Dear Reader, You are accepted. You are loved. You are worthy of love.

Just wondering, did a thought arise when you read those words? Was it, “yes that is true” or more along of the lines of “great, another ‘love yourself’ sentiment” or “no, that is not true, and here is why”? Has the thought process that you are currently operating in allowed you to feel fulfilled? Of course, our “whys” and sense of fulfillment can fluctuate, however, there can be a glaringly loud thought that we know pulls us down.

You have a choice in this instance to modify your thoughts and feelings. The pathway to peace is perhaps only as complicated as we believe it is. The hoops we perceive we have to jump are constructs of our mind; we can tell ourselves that we are farther from our goal based on how we view success and our own fortitude. The pathway to [insert desire here] is confirming its existence here and now. The journey is honestly, what we think of it.

To take steps into believing this mechanism is by simply asking a question.

Questions like, "what is this teaching me?", "what is this trying to show me?", "what can I learn from this?" can open up communication to yourself, thereby your truth.

It really just all comes down to a choice because getting "I don't know" to any of the above questions is more favorable than not asking at all.

The ability to choose is one of the greatest gifts of all and we can show gratitude to this privilege by exercising our gifts. At the end of the day, how we think and feel about our circumstances, past, future, self can be changed. If there is something that is difficult to come to terms with, simply ask yourself for guidance – ask your mind to show a path.

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MIND approval

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THEME

EXPLANATION

CHOICE

approval

I honestly think my teenage years affected me more than my childhood.

Then again, belief systems are rooted in how we were raised and retrospectively, I can see that people and events manifested accordingly.

Let me tell you though, approval was the first thing I sought. My very first desire. No wonder it's the hardest thing to let go of.

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REDEFINING ABCD SNEHA AMEYA & KEERTHI SEKAR

@REDEFININGABCD

REDEFINING ABCD: TAMIL LITERATURE

Translation: Guard your tongue, if nothing else for words unguarded cause distress.

Translation: Be born, if you must, for fame; or else better not be born at all.

Keerthi Commentary: Once you speak, it can’t be unwritten. So why do people speak without thinking?

Keerthi Commentary: A lot of people just go on by, following what other people share as expectations for them. We were put on this earth for a reason, so why not make the most out of it? After all, success is what you make of it.

Sneha Commentary: I’ve noticed a tendency in me to cut people off mid-sentence. It happens the most when I’m excited about what they have to say and eager to contribute to the conversation. It’s like the thoughts in my mind are zipping past at a 100 miles per hour and I’m at the bottom, frantically grasping at them and spitting them out into the world as fast as possible so as not to let go and lose the thought forever. I don’t mean any harm by it. But I’ve come to realize that it can come off as rude. It’s something that I’m actively working to be cognizant of during conversations, for “words unguarded cause distress”.

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Sneha Commentary: I interpret the ‘fame’ referred to in this Thirukkural as a call to action. A motivation to make your mark and have your voice heard. The size of the crowd or how loud you speak, don’t matter as much as the strength you feel as you speak them to life.

REDEFINING ABCD: TAMIL LITERATURE

Translation: Purity of the thought and deed Comes from good company indeed.

Translation: Good and evil in man weigh well Judge him by virtues which prevail.

Keerthi Commentary: Surround yourself with people who make you want to be better. That’s when you have good thoughts and intentions to grow yourself.

I’ve noticed how energy is contagious.

Keerthi Commentary: Even good people can make mistakes, it's the weight of the mistakes and decisions in which we should judge someone. Can a bad person be good?

Sneha Commentary: As someone who is very susceptible to other people’s opinions (which is really just a fancy way of saying that I’m embarrassingly gullible and tend to make excuses for people who don’t deserve to be excused), the people you surround yourself with make all the difference in the world. Laughter is contagious, but so is negativity.

Sneha Commentary: I interpret this thirukkural to mean that the intentions behind the action speak louder than the actions themselves. It relieves the burden of having to label people as either ‘good’ or ‘bad’ and instead focuses on their mindset and beliefs. It emphasizes the ‘why’ rather than the ‘what’.

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REDEFINING A

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FROM YOUR DIARY | VOLUME 3

ON HEALING & GROWTH SNEHA AMEYA

I have always been drawn to the idea of personal growth and healing - almost to a fault. I only say this because I interpret healing and growth as an act of balancing one’ s body, mind, and soul. But for me and my hyperactive brain, I tend to dwell too hard on the mind and forget about my body and soul. In fact, I overindulge my brain so much that it has become a crutch or a shield that I can use to hide from the real problems and personal hurdles that I must overcome. For example, I know I struggle to make and keep long-lasting friends because I either share too much of myself all at once or don’ t share anything at all. I also know that this probably stems from some sort of trust issues or past trauma or something of the other. Having said all that, the point is, If something happens in my life that triggers that train of thought, my mind will go in circles for days or even weeks trying to pin-point why I’ m having this issue, but will do nothing to come up with solutions on how to fix it.

Through the self care routines that I listed earlier (1. Timers, Timers, Timers, 2.Take a Break, 3. Music & Games, 4. A Method to the Madness), I’ m hoping that I can engage the body and soul and find solutions in areas of my life that my brain struggles to logic it’ s way out. I have to practice reaching out to friends instead of waiting for them to reach out first. I have to learn to laugh once in a while and unclench my jaw. I have to practice taking deep breaths when I get frustrated or things aren’ t going exactly as I so precariously planned in my head. I have to indulge myself with new experiences and people instead of getting sucked up into my own world. And most importantly I have to practice forgiving myself.

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There are so many people and so many chapters in my life that I skipped through on auto-pilot, because I was so caught up in my head. Now, all I have are the small, fleeting memories that come back to me in passing. I’ m not quite sure what to do with them at this point, but they’ re there as a reminder of how much I’ ve grown; A source of nostalgia and guilt and regret all wrapped up in one. Through my self-care routines, I practice every day not to keep blaming myself for not appreciating the things I had when I had them. I' m learning to understand that I was still reconciling with a lot of past trauma during that time, and there was no way I could’ ve juggled everything all at once.

Something had to give, in the end. And unfortunately it was the ones I cherished the most that bit the dust. And ultimately, everything happens for a reason and what was meant to stay in my life would have, if it was meant to.

I’ ve also learned to forgive myself for the tinier missteps in my life. I have a really hard time focusing on tasks as I do them.

I’ m very distractible and therefore very flexible with my daily routine. I have to be, because I never know what is going to distract me next. Sometimes I brush my teeth and go straight away to take a shower. Sometimes I brush my teeth and then remember to do my dishes, but run out of time to take a shower. And even still, sometimes I’ ll have one leg in my pants and remember something that I have to finish at work and hobble over to my desk to write it down before putting on the rest of my pants.

I used to beat myself up so much for not being able to have a cutesy and tailored daily routine, like the ones I would see on TV or on social media. Why can’ t I be as organized as them? If I just work hard enough, I should be able to be like them. My friends can do it, why can’ t I? I’ ve since come to realize that this is impossible for me to achieve, and rather than blaming myself and my brain for functioning as it naturally does, I’ m learning to adapt to it. To work with the flow of my brain instead of against it; let it do as it pleases, and work myself around its schedule. And most importantly forgive, forgive, forgive.

"I overindulge my brain so much that it has become a crutch or a shield that I can use to hide from the real problems and personal hurdles that I must overcome."

I have a long journey ahead of me for my healing, but I hope with the daily routines that I am incorporating to heal my body and soul, I will slowly be able to build myself up and balance my mind.

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Why can’t I be as organized as them? If I just work hard enough, I should be able to be like them. My friends can do it, why can’t I?

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SNEHA'S SELF CARE CHECKLIST 01.

Timers, Timers, Timers.

I have a weird relationship to time and time-keeping, in that my brain cannot comprehend it. What I think will take me 3 hrs to finish could easily take me 3 days.

But it could also only take me a half hour. It really just depends on a lot of external factors as well as how wavering my brain is on any given day. It is a real challenge for me to get stuff done on time. And more times than not it’s not because I’m lazy or don’t care. I just struggle to discern which of the various tasks I have to complete, take priority over the other. And I get so busy trying to figure out which one takes priority that I get overwhelmed and complete none of them. Or I task-hop and only complete a portion of each task.

This is where I’ve found that timers help. Part of the problem is that I will jump from one task to the other without completing the first one. To stop myself from doing this I set timers for myself counting down from either 30 or 20 minutes. In that time, I must complete one full task so that I can move onto the next one. If I don’t get it done in time, I keep extending it until I do.

02.

Take a break

I have a tendency to get caught up in whatever I’m doing, so much so that I forget to eat or forget that I need to use the bathroom or forget to keep up with my friends and hang out with them (Yet another example where time has no meaning to my brain). To counteract this tendency I’ve started to incorporate 15-20 minute breaks every 4 or so resets on my task Timer. That way I can use that time to make a lap around the office or studio and talk to friends. Or I can go grab myself coffee or tea from the breakroom. And once my brain has cooled down for a bit I can settle back in and start up work again. This has helped me so much in the past couple of weeks, and has definitely helped regulate whatever frustration I might feel towards the work itself. The last thing I want to do is burn the CPU in my brain and corrupt the very few memory files I have.

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03.

Music & Games.

Sometimes I can get overwhelmed by the various events going on in my life or the many people I have to attend to or even the various sounds and lights flashing before me. My chest begins to hurt and the world starts to spin and muddle together and tears start to fall with no prompt. I’d always thought this was a normal occurrence and part of the growing pains that everyone goes through as they transition to their Adult years. The tax that must be paid in order for growth to happen.

If it wasn’t that, I convinced myself that it was because of where I live. I mean, New York City is not known for slowing down. New York City, where – for the first time in my life– my environment is sprinting just as fast as my brain is. One misstep, and I’ll fall (or that’s how my brain perceives it). This is where music comes to play. After I moved here and had one too many anxiety attacks at work or on the subway heading home, I bought myself some nice, noise canceling headphones. Works like a charm. Now, everytime I get on the subway I throw on some calming, low-fi music or a podcast with a rhythmic ABBAB banter and peacefully zone out. The music provides a loose barrier or dimmer switch for my mind and keeps the intrusive thoughts at bay until I can simmer down from the long work day. I also struggle to sit still on the subway, so having some casual, puzzle games downloaded has also helped distract me from my thoughts while keeping my fingers active.

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These are just a few routines that I’ve started to incorporate in my life. I’m also hoping to include more water breaks and prioritizing my meal prep into my routine, but that will happen in due time. Right now, I’m just working towards taking small, impactful steps in the right direction; it’s a journey not a race.

A Method to the Madness

I am very susceptible to my physical environment. How I up-keep my home can sometimes be the make or break of how well I can manage the first three of my self-care routines (listed above). This doesn’t necessarily mean that everything has to be pristine and spotless. It just needs to be organized according to my terms. For example, my room is definitely ‘not clean’ by regular standards. In fact, on first glance, it wouldn’t look ‘clean’ at all.

There’s piles of clothes stacked in various corners of the room, stacks of paper on my desk, shelves filled with little knickknacks that don’t quite fit with each other, post-its scattering the wall, my notebook filled with lists and to-dos with half finished tasks. But, for me, this is organized.

The clothes are all piled according to how often they’ve been worn and whether I can afford to wear them out again before a wash. The papers are sorted by priority from loan and health insurance information (very important) to clothing catalogs and random discounts (not that important).

The knick-knacks have no methodology, but they all represent different memories from years prior. The post-its are at eye level where my desk is, so as soon as I sit down I can be reminded of tasks that are too small to put on a list, but big enough that they shouldn’t be forgotten. Everything in my room has a purpose and as long as I can keep it visually organized and tidy enough, my brain can relax and stay focused on tasks easier.

SNEHA'S SELF CARE CHECKLIST

04.

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FROM YOUR DIARY | VOLUME 3

AUTHENTICTY KEERTHI SEKAR

A s c l i c h e a s t h i s i s , f i n d i n g c o m f o r t i n g r o w i n g yo u r se lf , sp en di n g ti m e wi th y o u r s e l f i s s u c h a p o w e r f u l t h i n g w h e n tr yi n g to b e c o m e c o m f o r ta b l e i n yo u r o wn s k i n . I t d e v e l o p s y o u r m i n d , b o d y, a n d th e e n e r g y th a t f lo w s o u t o f yo u .

W e w e r e a l w a y s t o l d t o s h o w o n ly a sp e c i f i c si d e o f o u r se lv e s to the wo r l d, so i t f e e l s l i k e a f a c a d e w h e n y o u w e r e u n a b le to sh a r e h o w yo u tr u ly f el t. W i th thi s, fo r a l o n g t i m e I f e l t l i k e I h a d t o b e c a te g o r i z e d i n to a sp e c i f i c b o x du e the p a ssi o n s I wanted to pursue. “ C a n ’ t y o u b e d i f f e r e n t ? W h y d o y o u h a v e to d o th i n g s th a t e v e r yo n e el se do es? ” A u t o m a t i c a l l y , p e o p l e a s k t h i s q u e sti o n w h e n I te ll th e m m y i n ter ests o r wha t I h o p e t o s e e m y s e l f b e c o m e . S o w h a t i t’ s S T E M . S o w h a t th a t i t’ s B ha r a ta n a tya m . So I h a v e a 9 - 5 j o b . E v e n w i t h t h e se “ typ i c a l p a th s” e v e r yo n e ha s v er y di ffer en t e x p e r i e n c e s a n d o p i n i o n s o n i t . H o w c a n e v e r yo n e b e d i f f e r e n t? D o esn ’ t tha t c ha n g e t h e d e f i n i t i o n o f u n i q u e ? I t ’ s i n th e h u m a n te n d e n c y to se e k c o m fo r t b y g r o u p i n g i n f o r m a t i o n i n t o k n o w n a r e a s , ste r e o typ e s. I e v e n f o u n d m yse lf fa l l i n g i n to thi s t r a p a n d s t o p p i n g m y s e l f f r o m t r y i n g n e w th i n g s.

Small things like: “ I ’ m w o r k i n g t o b e a n e n g i n e e r , I d o n ’ t h a v e w h a t i t ta k e s to b e a rti sti c . ” “ I h a v e t o b e a c a d e m i c a l l y s m a r t , ste e r a w a y f r o m m y sp o r ts i n te r ests. ” “ B e i n g i n S T E M , I c a n ’ t w e a r c o lo r f u l, e x p r e ss- f u l c lo th e s. I w o n ’ t b e ta ken s e r i o u s l y . P e o p l e w i l l t h i n k I a m n o t q u a li f i e d . ” B u t w h y i s t h e r e a n e e d t o a u t o m a ti c a lly p u t a b o x o r la b e l o n o u r sel v es? A l l I feel f r o m t h e s e c o m m e n t s a n d j u d g e m e n ts i s a b lo c k i n m y p a th , sel f- do u b t. I feel s m a l l e r t h a n t h e h o p e s I h a d f o r m yse lf .

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As someone who used to constantly say “Am I good enough” in every situation I was handed, I often got carried away with how people felt about me and lost myself along the way.

Once the pandemic hit and I had to live alone, I found myself thinking in a different way.

Forcing myself to gain new experiences alone allowed me to figure out what it means to be comfortable in my own skin.

Loneliness is seen as a sad, negative feeling in many situations. Self Isolation has a negative connotation at first glance. Eating alone at a restaurant, taking a walk, being single, or even just staying at home by yourself are all situations that people look at with pity.

Why does being alone correlate with serious, negative emotions? It’ s not always the case.

I think being comfortable spending time for yourself, nurturing yourself, or even just being happy with all those experiences I just mentioned can change that perspective.

I found myself understanding what it means to be authentic, to be myself without any filter.

It allowed me to break away from channeling what I wanted to do through other people' s expectations or through what I felt other people expected of me and made me feel okay with who I end up to be. It took away all the bottled up pressure and doubt that comes with it. I think that is what it means to be authentic. Doing things for yourself and not feeling like you need to share it with the world.

To be able to be comfortable in your own skin, be okay with making mistakes, and not feeling embarrassed by who you are and what you believe in. Looking back at times that were difficult, I think the reason why I was able to get through them was because I was able to encourage myself. Pick myself up and say, “It’ s alright that you reacted that way.”

At the end of the day, I realized that I am going to be the person that will get myself through those tough times. It' s not pessimistic, it' s realistic. Our culture stresses on being with your communities or surrounding yourself constantly around other people but oftentimes going through things as an individual is a lot more powerful when it comes to being able to truly understand what you' re comfortable with and what you believe in. We can have faith and hope in others, but we shouldn’ t let that control how you want to live your life. I liked gaining a sense of comfort as I' ve noticed myself growing in different ways. I have seen that the new energy around me attracts people with a similar mindset and it led me to have deep connections with other people. I value that more than going through experiences gaining many relationships or friendships. Being able to reflect and grow your own confidence allows you to be seen in that same way with others. As I go through the rest of my twenties and continue on to my 30’ s, I am going to come across new and different experiences. It’ s guaranteed. I just have to be faithful in myself, hopeful in myself that I can confidently say, it’ s okay to be me.

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Redefining ABCD - Keerthi Sekar

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KEERTHI'S SELF CARE CHECKLIST

01.

Dancing (Bharatanatyam)

I often just go into the studio and practice my favorite pieces. Abhinaya pieces allow me to enter into a character (hindu god/goddesses, bhakti, nayika) and allow me to connect to the story, emotion. Oftentimes, critical emotions like fear, anger, or sadness the characters feel helps me to connect to my personal experiences. Dancing allows me to be free from my body and just feel my thoughts.

02.

Painting + Watching Classic Disney Movies

Painting helps me take a break from the fast life and just pause my thoughts. With the added Disney movies running in the background, it allows me to revisit my childhood emotions of when I first watched those movies. The power of movies!

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Cleaning

Surprisingly, cleaning is soothing! It makes me feel like I have a clean slate mentally as well. It’s interesting how touch or physical objects can make you feel strong emotions. The other day, when I went back home to visit my parents, I cleaned my childhood room and I found myself becoming nostalgic. Finding old clothes, tokens to memories, and books that I read as a kid, allowed me to see how I grew as a person and the people I cherished along the way.

04.

Listening to Music

Just like movies and TV shows, music brings those same feelings for me.

Language doesn’t give me a barrier but opens me to a whole new world.

One particular artist I enjoy listening to talks about their struggles with mental health, the struggles of living in a competitive society, and topics about finding ways to love yourself, even your flaws. I am able to resonate with their struggles with my own and connect without even needing to physically see them. Taking in the vulnerability of an artist through their work of music can be uplifting. Connecting to another individual through sound (music) is an interesting thing but can be very powerful when going through difficult times.

Abhinaya pieces allow me to enter into a character (hindu god/goddesses, bhakti, nayika) and allow me to connect to the story, emotion.

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KEERTHI'S SELF CARE CHECKLIST

03.

MIND - APPROVAL

"Rather than blaming myself and my brain for functioning as it naturally does, I’m learning to adapt to it."

What void can be filled when you gain acceptance?

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VINCENT VAN GOGH

WHEATFIELD WITH CYPRESSES

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BODY acceptance

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THEME

EXPLANATION

CHOICE

acceptance

can we accept that we are all living in our own manifested reality? that our life is just based on who we are and what we think? that the lenses we choose to see the world in, we can remove? now how many of us have manifested some crazy things? all of us right? we have all had bad and good things happen? so let's take it one step further, can we extend the benefit of the doubt to others who just may be living in their own manifested era, and just let that be? can we challenge ourselves to step out of our own lens? can we break out, understand, replace, upgrade, reinvent our lens? what will that take?

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BODY - ACCEPTANCE

Can we accept that we are all living in our own manifested reality? That our life is just based on who we are and what we think?

What void can be filled when you gain acceptance?

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INTRODUCING

ASHLEY R. SINGH

@ASHLEYSR19

Comedy - Fashion - Content Creator

ASHLEY R. SINGH "Recently, self-love to me means to be proud of the person you are and also recognizing where you still need to grow. A lot of it comes down to affirming and reinforcing things you like about yourself. It helps you transform into the better and enlightened version of yourself."

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HOW IT STARTED...

I'm an industrial engineering student at UW Madison and I was always super fascinated by content creation and TikTok. However, I was always so scared about what other people had to say. I think as brown people it's one of our major concerns. What will others say about us? How we will be judged? How we are viewed? I remember how I would be scrolling on Tik Tok for hours each day - I was obsessed with this app. It was winter break before COVID hit, I had come back home, and my sister was witnessing this obsession. She sat me down and said, “you have so many talents, like singing and comedy - you should give it a try!” I thought she was nuts because I never thought I could post on Tik Tok and go back to campus the next day - I thought people would laugh at me and say, "what are you trying to do? Are you trying to pop off and be the next Charli D'amelio?" I went back to school and continued with my engineering major, so I could get my degree and go from there. Singing and comedy was always a passion of mine but I never really dove deep into it. When COVID hit and I was home in isolation, what really resonated was, "who gives a shit if people laugh at me?" I realized that I was in control of my thoughts, feelings, and emotions pertaining to social media. So what if they laugh at me? They all continue on their day and what they have to say about me won’t determine my self-worth. I think on a surface level we all know that, but you can't execute on those actions unless you truly believe it. So my sister again told me “Ashley, you literally do your homework and then you just sit in your room and scroll, you should just try and create”.

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So I thought I would give it a shot.

Singing was a huge passion of mine so I started off with a singing video and it did well, and I thought that I could keep going. I took it and ran with it. I started doing fashion, skits, and then finally comedy videos. I enjoyed doing comedy the most and I felt that people responded the best to those videos. I didn't just want to think about the performance of the video - I wanted to do something that I genuinely enjoyed.

At that time, brown Tik Tok was very new and in its early stages. I noticed a lack of comedy content and thought that maybe I could try to satisfy that lack. If you told me I would be at the level I am today, I would have thought, "you're nuts" because this was just supposed to be for fun. Now, thankfully, it's become a second job. I'm doing sponsorships, meeting new people and getting awesome opportunities. So that's how I really got into content creation.

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In the beginning, when I was first creating, I got a bunch of hate comments. It was the first time I ever experienced that in my life. On Instagram there was maybe some girl from another school calling me ugly, but no one had made flat out comments directly to me. One time, I was at Target with my brother-in-law and sister and I saw some hateful comments and literally could not get out of the car. I was bawling because they hit on all the insecurities that I had growing up. Whether it was my body type, my unibrow, facial hair, my buggy eyes, they pinpointed it. It really destroyed me; I was so sad and I thought, “whatever, I’m done.” After some time, I started talking to other creators and as it turns out, I'm not alone. Other people go through this and I'm not the only one facing this problem. I think for every hundred positive comments I got, I saw two to three negative ones, but those comments would just roll over the positive ones! I didn’t want to post, but I had ideas in my planner so I thought “why not?” I needed to focus on the positive aspects of content creation. Slowly after that I noticed that I had a growing number of supporters and a family on the platform. I realized that people just want to see you thrive and laugh at your content. I started to see the community that I created and that it truly was a family - I was on a roll and I wasn’t going to stop now.

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06.04.22 Manny Photography @mannyaphotographer

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INTRODUCING

UPAL PATEL

@UPALPATEL

UPAL PATEL

@UPALPATEL

UPAL PATEL

@UPALPATEL

UPAL PATEL

@UPALPATEL

UPAL PATEL

@UPALPATEL

UPAL PATEL

@UPALPATEL

UPAL PATEL

@UPALPATEL

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INTRODUCING

AAVRANI

@AAVRANI

AAVRANI Glow Activating Exfoliator Mask: Infused with turmeric, this exfoliant leaves your skin healthy, glowing and stain-free! Formulated with purifying, anti-inflammatory ingredients like neem, organic turmeric, jojoba and raw honey. Made without mineral oil, parabens, sulfates, irritants, synthetic fragrances or animal cruelty.

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BODY - ACCEPTANCE

Connecting back to yourself will always bring you to inner peace.

Question yourself, "what is it that I actually like to do?"

What void can be filled when you gain acceptance?

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Founder of AAVRANI

ROOSHY ROY "I think I am in the pursuit of balance. I definitely have crazy weeks & I give myself the grace of just being proactively conscious. I have to make sure that I reward myself at the end of busy weeks so as to not get addicted to the amount of work I can do."

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MY JOURNEY WITH SPIRITUALITY... almost happened without my permission.

My life finally got to a point where I felt like I was backed into a corner and that it was time to figure my shit out. Almost without knowing the words manifestation or spiritual awakening, I realized that I had no choice but to lean on myself to actually understand my circumstances. I think I have always known that there was something bigger my whole life, so that faith I suppose lended me well.

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I'm uniquely positioned to contribute. And the only thing in my way was myself. Between Justin and my savings, we could bootstrap the business. I was in a safe environment with a lot of resources in business school. If I failed, I had another option for a career, so at that point, I had really nothing to lose except for my own fear and insecurity around feeling ready.

I REALIZED THAT IF I COULD WORK FOR SOMEONE ELSE AND PUT IN 90 HOURS A WEEK, IMAGINE WHAT I COULD ACCOMPLISH WITH AAVRANI...

I've always been a grinder. I realized in finance, if I have to do something or I care about something, I will do anything to figure it out. I realized that if I could work for someone else and put in 90 hours a week, imagine what I could accomplish with AAVRANI. After I was all in, I couldn't even have conversations that weren't about AAVRANI - it would agitate me and would feel like a waste of time. Then, we graduated from school, moved back to New York, and now we have this company… We were out of money and it was time to raise external capital.

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I HAD AN OPTION TO CONTINUE PURSUING AAVRANI, OR I COULD GO BACK TO MY SAFE PATH - I MEAN, NO ONE WAS FORCING ME TO DO THIS! At this point, I was a full time entrepreneur. It’s not like I had the safety of business school anymore where I was just “trying something out” - no, this was my life now. I was shaking people’s hands saying “I am a CEO” - this was just a completely different landscape and honestly what started my inner journey. I had an option to continue pursuing AAVRANI, or I could go back to my safe path - I mean, no one was forcing me to do this! There were a few months where I was reassessing and not feeling very connected to the brand I had built. I didn’t know where it was going and I just felt like I was the last person anyone would expect to start a beauty brand. So after much internal deliberation, I got started with just recrafting the brand because I just had to make sure that it was in line with my life and my beliefs for an Indian skincare brand. The only thing I kept the same was the logo and the four formulations themselves. But in terms of the visual esthetic, the color palette, the voice, the meaning, like I had to come up with all of that on my own. And in order to do that in a way that was authentic to me, I had to figure out who I was. For the first time, I started feeling like, "I am not a beauty girl!" and instead of trying to fit in to this world, I tried to create a brand that fit me and my lifestyle.

This gentle, alcohol-free toning serum clarifies your skin, removes toxins, and minimizes the appearance of pores and dark spots, while restoring your natural moisture barrier.

Formulated with clarifying, calming ingredients like tea tree oil, cucumber extract, chamomile flowers and witch hazel. Made without mineral oil, parabens, sulfates, irritants, synthetic fragrances or animal cruelty.

BODY - ACCEPTANCE

"In order to do rebrand and create for AAVRANI in a way that was authentic to me, I had to figure out who I was" What void can be filled when you gain acceptance?

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When I was younger, I don't think I really appreciated what mental health meant or what it was even. Growing up, I just remember depression being pretty stigmatized and even if it was what I was experiencing, I don't think I had proper references to understand what I was going through.

IT WAS NOT UNTIL I WAS 24 WHERE I HAD MY FIRST THERAPY SESSION... the first question was as innocuous as, "how have you been feeling?" but I felt like I was going to receive a grade or something. It was the first time I recognized that maybe this was unfamiliar territory and there were things that I needed to examine. After these sessions, I still wasn't really comfortable with the fact that I needed therapy or that I was the "type of person" that needed therapy. Later on, near the end of my second year in school, I had another therapy experience and because I think I was more in a position to receive it, I started to begin to really invest in my mental health. I remember thinking, "okay, this is a part of my entrepreneurship journey and I owe it to myself to understand who I am and how I feel". After I moved to New York, therapy became a recurring thing that is a part of my life now.

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IN THE PURSUIT OF MY TRUEST, HIGHEST, MOST CREATIVE SELF, I AM CURRENTLY VIEWING MY BUSINESS MORE AS A MANIFESTATION OF MY PERSONAL JOURNEY. I guess my overall mindset has shifted and now my mission and life's purpose is no longer, first AAVRANI in the sense where that is what I'm optimizing for because it just does not work, frankly, long term. I am still trying to figure out what my personal purpose is but I am trying to allow for that to be my current inspiration - it's a work in progress for sure! In the pursuit of my truest, highest, most creative self - which everyone has access to - I am currently viewing my business more as a manifestation of my personal journey. So if I keep myself as a priority, and the business second, I think I will be able to create from a clear, more intuitively-led mind.

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SOUL question

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THEME

EXPLANATION

CHOICE

question

Who am I? A question that has haunted the greatest of leaders, poets, artists, and thinkers of the world. One could even argue that in the plight of answering this question emerges the meaning of life. Life which is filled with highs, mediums and lows and then allowing for each to be, for you to be, is half the battle. So maybe breaking it down to "what do I need?" can be more digestible. Perhaps leaning into the day to day allows for the answer to be accessed, as life is meant to be lived moment by moment. So what is it that you need? What would you like? How would you like to feel today? Maybe, just maybe, it's about learning you. For others cannot be nourished if you are parched, a life without your thoughts is not life at all. So perhaps it's about finally thinking about "how we are" instead of "who". Maybe it's allowing for the resistance behind the great question, "who am I?" to be released.

Awareness of thought is an awareness of life and once you start to create the life that you think will allow you to function best, maybe you can begin to answer the great question.

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SOUL - QUESTION

Perhaps it's about finally thinking about "how we are" instead of "who".

Maybe it's allowing for the resistance behind the great question, "who am I?" to be released.

What void can be filled when you gain acceptance?

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INTRODUCING

NATIJA CAVE

@OH.NATI

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Intuitive Guidance

NATIJA CAVE

The name just came to me and it felt right. The reason why I use Intuitive Guidance is because I never wanted to label myself as a psychic - my work is about guiding people in their current realities to get them on the path where they have control over their decisions. I think intuition is something that we all have, not just something special to me, I mean I am not trying to read people's minds here. I think using intuition is constantly acknowledging that there is either a higher power or there is something else at work entirely. So much of this knowledge came from being angry all the time when you live in darkness for so long, it's almost similar to an addiction. I now acknowledge that the best path for me and everyone is unconditional love. You just have to keep reminding yourself that there is more to your journey and that you have to continue forward.

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I GREW UP IN A HEALER ROLE...

One of my first experiences with the healing journey was to understand and help my parents' relationship - truth be told I grew up in a one bedroom apartment in Brooklyn, New York with parents that didn't have the most balanced relationship. I experienced Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and had been mute. In fact, my mom was running around trying to find a speech therapist.

I had a Caribbean accent but I never really discussed it since so much was happening with the culture. It was normalized to stay silent when parents fought so I really never had a safe space. I shut down because I felt like no one heard me. I guess this is how my spiritual journey began... I found comfort in knowing that there were concepts bigger than I was and I started to experience past life regressions.

Through channeling this energy into acting, an activity that I went into later in my life, I finally learned to integrate in normal society.

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My mental health was never really "fixed", just pushed under the rug. It worsened as I got into a relationship in high school; I faced a lot of racism because we were in an interracial relationship. I was 14 and I just felt more secluded than ever before. In a weird way, it was kind of the Universe's way of inducing spiritual awakenings as these traumatic events just perpetuated my tendency to shut out. I went into a deep depression in high school and started picking up addictive behaviors.

My relationship with food changed, and I had severe anxiety and PTSD but no one really noticed. I think being a black woman had a lot to do with it - I think that if I were a different race, people would have been more receptive of me at the time.

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I loved hearing people's stories and I really became passionate about certain resources.

I started being able to see people’s inner child whenever I talked to them; I started to question what the effects would be if people’s inner child got to expand.

The truth of being a healer is that you do go through trauma, I mean I wouldn't have a relatable story to really tell someone or even have the insight to give the lesson. I was really empathetic and then when I hit rock bottom with my traumatic sexual experience and partying all the time, I think I just got a wake up call that it was not normal for me to be that high. It was a double-edged sword because it was unjustified and I recognized that it was a position that I had put myself in. I was really angry and thought, "hey, you have a choice. You can keep going down this road or we can start this healing." And I chose to start healing.

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SOUL - QUESTION

I was really angry and thought, "hey, you have a choice. You can keep going down this road or we can start this healing." And I chose to start healing.

What void can be filled when you gain acceptance?

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oh.nati

intuitive guidance

oh.nati

intuitive guidance

oh.nati

oh.nati

intuitive guidance

oh.nati

oh.nati

intuitive guidance

I do think we have to be wary of that, because I think that is what got me into codependency therapy in the first place - I can recognize these wounds in people easily. Although the validation aspect of healing is there, I think it has always been easy to provide guidance for me. The most important responsibility was healing myself.

KIDS WHO LEAN INTO PSYCHOLOGY & ASTROLOGY, IS THERE A VOID BEING FILLED? It's kind of weird because, when you do have experiences that make you grow up so fast, it is hard to connect with people that are your age. It does come to a point where you know how to heal yourself the best, where even a therapist is only going to drive you back to yourself. That's what I try to do with people in my sessions, but the onus is always on you. It does come to a point where astrology and spirituality is absolutely for the kids who I think felt very misunderstood and needed something larger. I do think it's a very selective journey to help other people understand themselves... but it does come with sacrifices.

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DO YOU BELIEVE THAT MANIFESTING FAME CAN SHOW UP IN YOUR PHYSICAL REALITY? Everything is about intention - the problem is that because so many people are conditioned by what they think they are supposed to be, a lot of aspirations come out of a place of wanting to be seen and heard. I do believe that everyone has their path and timing. Let's use this slightly controversial example, The Kardashians. That family, regardless of what they did or happened, had been divinely guided because it was perfectly orchestrated. If Kim's father was never a lawyer to OJ and that case wasn't so big, it probably wouldn't have been so crazy that she made her tape. Same thing with the exposure of an Olympic athlete in Kris' life... it was one after the other.

I think they really do show the Divine Feminine healing that needs to happen in the collective, but that's a whole other conversation.

WHAT HAS IT BEEN LIKE DEALING WITH FAME YOURSELF?

HOW DO YOU RECOVER & BALANCE YOURSELF?

Everything has duality. It is more about authenticity and doing what is more natural for you. As much as I love being on set and allowing for these opportunities to come through, I do think that you need to have grit and be okay with anything that you have to do.

I also think anything that is given to you, is within your capacity and capability. However, there are people that have warned me to be prepared since the industry is more about business rather than art and creativity.

My work is definitely very deep and involved - it takes a lot of energy, I won't lie. On the client side, people need to understand that even though it's a business, the work is very spiritual and things have to be flexible. I never want to project what I am dealing with onto my clients. Boundaries and listening to your intuition is so important and if Spirit tells me to do shadow work that day instead, that is what I have to do. I used to feel guilty that I couldn't talk to everyone the way I used to - I was an open vessel and it just drained me over time.

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NATIJA CAVE'S ROUTINE I first learned how to balance my chakras, and I learned that it was affecting my reality. I also learned about manifestation and the basics of Law of Attraction. At the end of the day, I think people need to understand that a spiritual awakening is just an awakening to your authentic self, because your gifts are already there. If you're feeling drawn to this world, it's an awakening to who you are. I am not going to lie, I meditate for a LONG time. I sit here for about an hour or so and overall, my routine completely depends on the day.

Sometimes I meditate for 15 minutes...

The rest is just starting to get yourself into habits. It's less about your routine and more about how you see life. I just see everything as a spiritual reason and understand the lesson through journaling.

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INTRODUCING

ZENAB KASHIF

@ZK.CAPTURES

If you do something you love, the textbook definition says that you will never work a day in your life. If you feel like you're working, then you may be doing something wrong. When I start feeling overwhelmed, it typically boils down to overworking myself. I've done my due diligence in terms of organization to facilitate taking care of myself by seeing the people I love and forcing myself to take a break.

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Freelance Photographer - Designer

ZENAB KASHIF

"I'm realizing that I have more to offer beyond just my work. I am still guilty of deriving my self-worth from my work but I am becoming more secure in myself as time goes on - my thought process becomes evident when I have nothing on the todo list!"

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I GRADUATED IN THE PANDEMIC... so there were a lot of changes that were already going to happen in life. I wish I had a normal graduation to compare mine to where I could be like, "this is how it should be and this is how mine was". I think from a personality standpoint, I'd say I've realized how much less I need to rely on other people for fulfillment. I used to seek validation from others a lot. I feel like a lot of the reason I even took up photography at a younger age was because I liked the subtle validation that it gave me. It gave me an identity beyond just another person in the hallway because I wasn't popular and I wasn't anything cool, nor did I really have much of a self esteem where I even thought I was cool.

But photography gave me that. So I quickly became attached to the work and I still have the tendency to attach my personal opinion of myself to my efficiency. I have very high standards for my work and it's two fold right - I can create better now.

However, when I am not working I feel useless, I just feel like I'm not doing my business justice. I'm not doing myself justice.

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One of the things I learned during the pandemic was that as people, we are more than “the things we do”.

I never had the opportunity to host people growing up in a traditional Indian household, because 1. I didn't live in a lavish home and didn't have the space where I could have friends over and 2. I just didn't have the biggest friend group.

So when I got to college, people started calling me “the hostess with the mostest” because I just loved the feeling of company in my home. I finally felt authentic and free, and I think that was the hardest aspect of graduating - coming back home where your persona is just vastly different.

Over the past two years, I have realized that we have more to offer as people beyond just how much we provide for others. Whether it's through my work or through physically providing, like hosting people, I have become more open to myself and my true form without anyone else in the equation. I think it's apparent now that I am not as extroverted as I thought and I need my alone space and time to be with myself.

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Throughout my childhood, my parents instilled in me to show gratitude daily. They always preached that "blessings come in spades when one is thankful for the life they currently have", and this mentality has helped me tremendously when it comes to my passions. In the back of my mind, I have always been aware of the fact that designing was what I was meant to do. I mean I am lucky - I have parents that support me through and through and I definitely am privileged in that regard. I think with my parents' support, the gratitude I feel for every client and the kindness I have received from new and old friends throughout the years, lends to my success. I believe that if I wasn’t someone who was thankful for every client, every win I get, I wouldn’t have a successful business.

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How do you stay grounded?

I mean, on a grounding standpoint, I think my family helps. At the end of the day, I know that they don't see me as just a designer, they see me as a daughter, a human. And they like to celebrate my wins with me. I also heavily lean on my community for support. I have met so many amazing people on this journey through social media that they have become a sort of backbone for me as I navigate this side of the world. Additionally. because I keep the conversations between myself and my clients informal, we end up feeling like friends by the end of the project. Our energies feed off each other. My support system and the network I have built helps me stay grounded and I credit them because it is very easy to have a sense of arrogance in this social media world.

What is one thing about your day to day practice that has changed that you think is what made you successful?

I think the key to success is one, of course, being thankful for what I have, but also realizing that work is not my whole life. I've integrated a work-life balance and started doing things just for the sake of personal life fulfillment. Starting the podcast, The Ordinaries has been fulfilling as we just talk about whatever it is we are feeling in that moment. Taking on projects that make me happy has been more important recently. Of course taking breaks and seeing my friends has been happening more since I've been consciously working less; I didn't have time for myself, friends or family last year because I worked so much. Last year did help me to be this successful now, but I think I would have taken more time to build my business rather than exerting so much energy in the beginning. I wished the growth was more steady rather than a sharp incline, but you have to pick what you need to work on.

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SOUL - QUESTION

"I think it's apparent now that I am not as extroverted as I thought & I need my alone space and time to be with myself."

What void can be filled when you gain acceptance?

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SPECIAL

THANKS

Thank you to the Divine for all that is in this world. Sincerest thank you to my teachers, gurus, parents, sister, fiance & friends. I learn from you everyday and I thank you for being my support.

I love you.

the INDIAN STANDARD

credits

SUMMER SOLSTICE 2022

COVER MIND Redefining ABCD Sneha Ameya Keerthi Sekar Wheatfield with Cypresses BODY Ashley R. Singh Upal Patel AAVRANI Rooshy Roy SOUL Natija Cave Zenab Kashif BACK COVER Water Lilies

@oh.nati @by.janani @redefiningabcd @sneha_ameya.redefiningabcd @keerthi.sekar Vincent Van Gogh @by.janani @ashleysr19 @upalpatel @aavrani @rooshyroy @by.janani @oh.nati @zk.captures @oh.nati Claude Monet

SOCIAL MEDIA Instagram Tik Tok

@theindianstandard @theindianstandard

www.theindianstandard.co

the INDIAN STANDARD

With love & gratitude,