Cancer survivor heals people through stories

Inderjit Paintal (53) is a truly multi-talented personality, donning many hats. He is an engineer, businessman, author, radio anchor, podcaster and, more recently, a therapist.

Having recently recovered from thyroid cancer himself, Paintal believes that most chronic ailments can be mitigated by cleansing the inner selves, letting go of emotional baggage, cultivating a positive outlook and dedicating time to personal growth. With this agenda in mind, he started weekly sessions at his SCO in Urban Estate, Phase-2 market, called ‘The Space’. According to Paintal, the name signifies creating space within oneself for inner peace, calm and creativity.

Every Tuesday or Friday, depending on attendees’ convenience, Paintal conducts a 90-minute session attended by around 100 participants, including doctors, psychiatrists, policemen and others. During these sessions, he writes a story himself, distributes copies to everyone present, reads it aloud paragraph by paragraph and engages the group in discussions to understand how everyone comprehends it.

“When I contracted cancer, I became more spiritual and immersed in self-discovery. I believe it happened because the Almighty had a mission for me based on my experiences,” Paintal says. “I mentor people, guide them and teach them how to overcome personal traumas and fears. We also spend time meditating during the sessions. Attendees often tell me that the sessions have become addictive and that they make it a point to attend despite their busy schedules. Some mothers even say the sessions have helped them remain calm in their daily routines, to the point where they don’t get upset even if their homes are in complete disarray.”

Despite embracing this new role, Paintal has not left what he used to do earlier. “I begin my day with meditation, followed by a walk with my dog, some rest and a healthy breakfast. I spend 5-6 hours in my business, after which I shift to my creative pursuits. I do story writing and podcasting. After receiving feedback from listeners abroad that my voice is soothing and helps with meditation, I even launched my Spotify channel, ‘Healspa’.”

Paintal is not the only one in his family who is a good orator and communicator. “My better half, Simran Paintal, is my co-conspirator in everything that I do. If I author a book, she is my editor. If I pen a story, she fine tunes it. She sits through the session helping me with everything. The session ends with a tea/coffee round and a slice of cake baked by her,” he says.