FINDING HARMONY PODCAST
What is a spiritual practice? How does it work? How will it improve my life? How will deepening my self-care transform me? What strategies can I use to improve my life, increase my health, and create wellness? How can craft a life that I love?
The Finding Harmony Podcast gets to the root of all these questions. Each episode is full of inspiration, humour, honest observations, and actionable steps that you can integrate to enhance your experience of self-love, develop a connection to Spirit, and create a life you truly love.
Show Notes Below:
Turning It All Upside Down with Lotta Sebzda
We have such a joyous person to share with you today! We have the Handstanding Grandma!! Surprised to find out she’s almost the same age as us tho. Weird.
Lotta Sebzda has been practicing Ashtanga Vinyasa since 1999 and is a 56 year old grandmother as well an inspiring teacher both in person as well as on her online platforms!
The secret to Lotta’s continued love for the physical and spiritual practice… CURIOSITY!
Honouring The Wisdom of The Divine Feminine with Mariela Cruz
It is with great pleasure that I got to sit down and connect with my dear friend Mariela Cruz. Mariela is one of those phenomenal human who’s devotion and dedication is palpable. We’re diving into the power of the feminine energy, how the different Ashtanga yoga series embody different types of energy, and calling upon the goddess archetypes as a guide during different phases of life.
With International Women’s Day approaching on March 8th, this is the perfect way to reflect on the powerful experience of being born as female and what it means to embody this energy.
Kayoko Mitsumatsu: Yoga Gives Back
In the beginning it started off as simply an idea of offering one yoga class to help raise money to support women and children in India. At the time, Kayoko had no idea that this tiny calling of her heart would expand and grow into a global movement that is now called “Yoga Gives Back.”
Her passion to give voice to the voiceless has changed the lives of so many women and children, and birthed the mantra — “For the cost of one yoga class, you can change a life.”
Sophia French: SanĀtana Yoga
Born in India, growing up in Dubai, and then returning to India for college, our guest today might have a name that sounds like she’s from Europe, but she deeply connected in mind, body, and spirit to her native roots as a Christian-Muslim Indian.
Zeena Kalisperides: A Greek Warrior Princess?
During the course of this morning’s conversation we touched on the subject of authenticity. How does someone become real we asked? We spoke with Zeena on some surprisingly hot topics. We went looking for answers to some difficult questions regarding appropriation and appreciation? What is the difference? Does appropriation have to do with breaking ahimsa (non-harming)?
We talked about privilege, racism, and defining our present understanding of past experiences — as uncomfortable as that new understanding might be… like our work with the transgressions of Pattabhi Jois.
On Tour with Jens Bache
Jens Bache is not your ordinary Ashtanga yoga practitioner or teacher. He came to yoga as a highly celebrated Engineer, in the middle of a very normal career trajectory, yet he was looking for more… and he most certainly found it!
Laura's Dharma
We caught up with her in Porto Alegre and asked her about how she came to be an Ashtanga Yoga teacher. Its a wild and incredibly cute story the way she tells it; but, actually, she’s quite serious. She gave up her life, legal career, and car when she decided to move to India to study. Her father disowned her, but then took her back, after she founded an orphanage in Nepal, and put an abuser of young children in prison.
John Bultman: Captain America
There is something about John that strikes a person as wholesome. In a different age, we might've described him as an "All American." Of course, that’s before some of us were awakened to nativism and privilege. Still, watch Captain America and you can understand what allows him to hold Mjölnir. He has something pure and true about him that allows him to wield Thor’s hammer. He is selfless and leads through example. He brings all of us in the room together, which is essentially beautiful.
Come With Me To the Sea of Love
Isa’s story is shaped by her affection for depth, song, movement, water, wildness, and her love for family and children. She adores Pattabhi Jois and is not embarrassed by it. She loved him dearly and he continues to hold a place in her heart.
As a practitioner and mother of three Isa shares with us how her experience of practicing through pregnancy was very different with each of her children. Arjuna was born 2004 when Isa was in her twenties, her daughter Kailani was born 20014 when Isa was in her thirties, and baby Koa was born last year in 2020 at age 42. Isa shares with us her different approaches to practice that naturally took place with each pregnancy, as well as her different approaches to giving birth.
Deepika Rebel Rebel
Despite her extravagant appearance, party-girl reputation, and naturally rebellious nature, Deepika Mehta is deeply devoted and one of the most sincere practitioners we know.
In 1997, Deepika Mehta’s life was forever changed by a near-death rock climbing accident. Doctors told her she would never walk again. Not one to allow obstacles to deter her spirit and enthusiasm for life, Deepika sought alternative approaches and methods of physical and emotional healing including meditation, pranayama, dance, and yoga. She began her yoga journey with Sivananda Yoga, which eventually led her to Ashtanga Yoga and her future Guru, Sri. K. Pattabhi Jois in 2002.
Into The Mystic
In this episode Russell and I explore what the mystic experience is, how it is conceptualized in different religions, environments, and cultures. We discuss our human condition and the tendency to get caught up in the traps of duality, always needing to name, categorize, and create hierarchies with our minds… especially with in-laws!