Pooja Taneja shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Pooja, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What is a normal day like for you right now?
My day starts at 5.30am and the 1st thing I do is say a prayer of gratitude for all that I have and the things to come my way, after which I start my day with preparing a healthy meal for my family, packing their lunch and dropping my kids to school after which I meditate or workout for about 45 mins . I have been teaching for three years now so my mornings are busy with adult student classes and on days when I am not teaching , I head to my studio to create and give myself an hour or two before I get to my home chores. Afternoon kicks in and my pickups start, once I am settled back in with my kid’s schedule, I host my evening classes for kids. I then end up making dinner and retire to bed by 8.30-9.00pm watch something on tv or read a book, say my prayers and at times doze off listening to the sound of the tv.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hello beautiful people, I am Pooja Murgai Taneja an abstract realism artist originally from India Mumbai however Houston is home to me now. Growing up I dreamt about being in the fashion industry and I used to watch the models on fashion tv walk their perfect walk in their high heels. I guess growing up the circumstances around you change your perspective in life. I was always into some form of art since I was in elementary school, I won many accolades in school and was then added to the accelerated art program in high school, which was not only fun, but it helped me create better.
Creativity was always a part of me from writing poems to cooking meals and plating them in a fancy way, coloring /sketching and dancing became my passion.
I was 20 years old when I lost my mother to cancer where creativity took backstage and being responsible became my second nature. In 2018 I lost my younger brother which pushed me into depression and art came to rescue me.
My brand is about Empowering people to dig deep down to find the love they hold for themselves and the power they hold within to overcome the negative talks and see the beauty of things they are surrounded by.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
I am a true believer of people come into your life due to a connection you have had with the soul in your past life. Every person we meet was meant to be in your life and has a message for you; it is up to you to decode the message. We live in a very uncomplicated world that we have complicated for ourselves and others. Bonds break due to miscommunications, misunderstanding, negative though process, jealousy and pain. Feelings we all hold on to and keep fighting all our life to be in the right and to feel significant in someone’s life, the minute you let go of those negative emotions, unclutter your brain and open your heart, you restore the trust, positive vibes and love start to flow.
Our souls are intertwined deeply in some way or the other, our bodies do not understand the connection, but the soul yearns for the connection and that is what brings people back.
When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
In the summer of 2018, my little brother left for his heavenly journey which pushed me into the arms of depression. I still remember the last time that I saw him at the hospital I had to portray being ok when there was a whirlwind of emotions inside of me. His death not only put me in depression but it killed a part of me where I started to blame myself for moving away from the country he lived in and not spending more time with him after i got married, somehow my life and the meaning of life became useless and all i wanted to do was spend more time with my dad and my siblings . I signed up for therapy, medications and medications to feel complete, to change who I had become so my kids don’t watch their mother suffer every day in pain.
Meditation helped a lot so I took charge and decided to wean myself off medications I wanted to take care of myself in my own ways , during one of the mediation sessions I visualized myself creating a bold woman’s portrait and that not only felt like my calling but also made me realize that I was painting myself . Somewhere I had lost the power to move on, and the artwork helped me find my grounding. After years of creating I finally realized that it was my bother to connect me back to him through art. When we were young, we sat together, I painted while he read his book sitting close to me and no words were exchanged, our silence and exchange of smiles or expressing joy became a language between us.
Art became my medium to heal, and I started to create artwork that portrayed powerful beings. Art is my tool through which I create power and every person who has been to my shows or has read the description of my pieces somehow has related to them which helps me know that my path and my purpose is also helping others heal which is Powerful for me.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Is the public version of you the real you?
For me being fake is complicated, you cannot keep up with it for long, your true colors always show, and people can see through the fakeness easily.
Being authentically you is freedom, acceptance, love and respecting oneself. I do not believe in being someone I am not. I have always been my most authentic self. My post, videos every word I write are purely who I am.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. When do you feel most at peace?
I feel most at peace when I sit with my kids and soak all their laughter and talk in, being in that moment where there are no judgments, ego but pure love.
In my creative journey I feel most at peace when I am deeply immersed in my art, everything comes to a standstill and time fades away. My emotions start to flow, and it feels almost like meditation.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://poojamurgai.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/poojataneja9
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pooja-murgai-63685b4/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/artisticstreak9
