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:
On Top of The Mountain with Elizabeth Kadetsky
Today we explore the epic yoga battle between the Iyengar school and the Ashtanga school, as we sit down with author, yoga practitioner, three-time Fullbright fellow to India, researcher, editor, and Professor of English and Creative Writing at Penn State University, Elizabeth Kadetsky!
You may have hear of her very popular book, “First There Is a Mountain” published in 2004? If you haven’t read it — You must.
Today, we’re learning about her research around the authenticity of the origin stories of our yoga practice, looking at the connection between yoga and art, looking at how yoga is being weaponized by the Right-Wing politics of India, and the complicated dance between East and West.
Dancing In My Dreams with Ralph Craig III
When Tina Turner, often dubbed the “Queen of Rock ‘N’ Roll,” died at her home in Küsnacht, Switzerland, on May 24, 2023, what many did not know is that Ms. Turner had practiced Soka Gakkai International Nichiren Buddhism for the last 50 years.
What does this have to do with our guest today? We’re talking Ashtanga yoga, philosophy, and the importance of discipline in attaining true wisdom from your spiritual practice.
This is basically a class in history, philosophy, Sanskrit and culture all wrapped up into one delicious conversation that we know will enrich your lives!
Our guest, Dr. Ralph H. Craig III received his Ph.D. in Religious Studies from Stanford University, where he specialized in Buddhist Studies and in American Religions. He’s also the author of “Dancing In My Dreams: A Spiritual Biography of Tina Turner,” which will be released in November 7, 2023!
Love Your Body, Love Your Life with Anna Surrey
Today we’re diving deep into the secret feelings of guilt and shame we often carry — but don’t dare to speak about or admit… not even to ourselves.
We're sitting down with Anna Surrey, an Intuitive Eating & Positive Body Image Coach to openly explore some of the very deep patterns we carry around eating, dieting, and food.
If you’ve been struggling with your relationship to your body, food, or exercise obsession, then this is one conversation you won’t want to avoid. We’re exploring how these sneaky, self-destructive patterns can show up in unconscious ways that slowly erode our confidence and sense of worthiness, stealing joy from all areas of our lives, and some specific things you can do to free yourself from this trap!
Nourished Evolution with Lia Huber
If you've ever felt overwhelmed by having to come up with yet another idea for dinner… Feeling a lack of time and physically exhausted at the end of a long day; But, you still want to eat delicious, healthy food… This episode is for you!
We're going to discuss a few practical strategies to help you overcome some of the common obstacles we face when we think about how to feed ourselves in a nourishing way.
Creating a Sustainable Spiritual Wellness Practice
If you've ever felt overwhelmed by a lack of time or physical fatigue, this episode is for you.
We're going to discuss a few practical strategies to help you overcome some of these obstacles and create a sustainable spiritual wellness practice.
Whether you're feeling pressed for time, exhausted, or over-committed, I'm giving you some helpful ways to slow down and create a practice that both nourishes your spirit and gives you energy!
Awaken with Susan Klein-Holman
Susan Klein-Holmen is a multi-passionate entrepreneur. The Founder and Creative Director STELLdesign, and Yoga Teacher and Mentor at her own school: Kosha Yoga Shala. Susan shares with us a very intense and terrifying experience that changed her life forever.
It happened to her while at a yoga retreat. Her story is one that maybe you can relate to?
A Stroke of Insight with Meghan Marshall
This conversation with Meghan had all of us laughing about something that's no laughing matter! In August of 2019, Meghan had a stroke, right in the middle of her Ashtanga yoga practice! This random event changed her perspective on life completely. She realized, time is short. And that the peripheral community drama wasn't important to her personal practice. She decided to boldly step forward on her path, recognizing she didn't have time to wait for permission to teach. Instead, she made the resolve that if she recovered, she would claim her own authority. And we're so glad she did.
When Love Beckons You with Delara Tiv
Delara Tiv grew up with Sufi traditions throughout her family. However, it wasn't until she turned 22 that she became drunk with love and fell headfirst into the Sufi Mystic path as a disciple of Sufi Master Javad Nurbakhsh. Her spiritual practice is graced by his guidance and this Mystic teaching is a parallel path to her practice of Yoga.
Waiting for Grace with Nina Rao
What Nina Rao enchants us with is an opportunity to reflect more deeply on what it means to cultivate a spiritual practice. For those of us not born into a specific lineage, we have the gift and freedom to resonate and choose different spiritual paths and practices.
However, there is something to be said about digging a single well and going deep. Discovering what insight lays buried within the repetition. True learning. And, in the end, we touch something beyond this behavioral reality — we begin to transcend our ego-selves
All of You is Welcome
This is a solo episode where I'm reflecting on spiritual practice and meditation.
Spiritual practice is about welcoming all of you. It's touching life exactly where life is touching you.
If you have more questions or want more episodes like this please comment on this post!
¡Hala Madrid! ...y nada más
During the course of this interview a smile started to slowly etch itself into our very souls. Some people are built different. Some people hide themselves away, only revealing who they are little by little. Then, over the desert course, possibly after uncorking another bottle of wine, they mention the unmentionable and blow your fucking mind.
That’s our guest today, Carmen Yagüe.
Journey to Mysore Tenerife with Viviane Simon
When Ashtanga yoga found Viviane Simon she was going through a difficult period of depression, ending a seriously toxic relationship, and struggling with her weight, being 130kg (286 pounds). Viviane started to prioritize her practice as a way of prioritizing her self-care. This simple act changed everything. Her first teacher, Griselda, always encouraged her to practice, telling her it wasn’t necessary to change anything about her physicality, she never suggested that her body size, shape, or weight would be an impediment to any asana.
Being, Nothingness & Suchness with Jivana Heyman
What a beautiful podcast to kick off Pride month!
This is an important month to celebrate our common humanity, diversity, and unconditional love and acceptance of one another.
Jivana coined the phrase, “Accessible Yoga,” over ten years ago, and it has now become the standard appellation for a large cross section of the immense yoga world.
Russell’s tendency of over-relating to our guests has been noted. And this episode is no exception. It might seem he’s attempting to “out gay the gays,” so to speak. But it opens this conversation into an incredibly intimate and deep portrait of a young man stepping into a cultural identity during a particularly traumatic time in our collective history, the HIV/AIDS crisis.
Sally Parkes Yoga School For Life
We start off this episode with a cautionary tale about what happens when you experience debilitating back pain and don’t listen to your body, but try to work through the pain. We dive deep into the troubling beginnings of what brought Sally to the this path of yoga in the first place. A path which she believes wholeheartedly saved her life.
Spiritual Emergence with Dr. Emma Bragdon
Introducing our new friend, the eminent Dr. Emma Bragdon. Emma has been a pioneer in body-mind-spirit wellness for 50 years. She has written 7 books and co-produced two documentary films on topics related to mental health and healing. In fact, she’s been a teacher in experiential learning for adults since 1985. Her advanced training in breathwork, bodywork and energy work became central in her understanding of how to support personal growth and wellness.
Lady Lucinda on Solsbury Hill
We have to say that this wild episode is one of our personal favorites.
The drugs and name dropping is one thing… Twee references to the Royal family compound our glee!
But, what gets us the most is when someone has a sincere relationship to the healing power of practice. And Lucinda Leachman is the first to attest to how it’s helped her immensely. Using it as a somatic therapy, it’s helped her to process the past, let go of shame, and move confidently into an unknown future.
Kyra Weinberger: Burlesque Queen of Kansas City
Kyra Weinberger grew up with dance, music, and yoga filling her home. She took the path of musical theater and ballet performing with professional companies from the age of 8. It was her first love and career, but it was not a forever love.
Today we’re talking about identity, hidden wounds, and how sometimes, even with the best upbringing and family, we struggle with our own darkness. The good news is, there’s freedom when we compassionately embrace our shadows, find the courage to bring it into the light, and invite them to dance!
Life After Death with Nadia Stinga Rihani
Nadia Stinga Rihani is a mother of two, a yoga teacher (ashtanga level 2 authorised in 2014), a former gymnast, and a qualified strategic psychotherapist and clinical hypnotherapist.
In 2019 Nadia was hit by a car, which left her unable to walk for many months, and she had to learn to start again completely.
Spiral Journey of Spirit
This is a solo episode where I'm reflecting on some important questions:
What is the spiritual path and how does it change us?
How best can you honour this spiritual quest of life?
What makes you come alive and feeds your soul?
These are a few thoughts and reflections on what it means to have a spiritual practice and discipline.
Inspired by reading from the book: "Ritual As Remedy" by Mara Branscombe, a guest from back in January, episode 148.
I speak to how my own practice has shifted and changed over the years.
If you have more questions or want more episodes like this please comment on this post!
Paloma: No Woman, No Cry
Youthfulness. What a beautiful blessing. Here we are met today by such openness to life, and all that her future has to offer, Palmoa Tamayo, graces us with her purity of spirit and sublime optimism.
From her early years, being introduced to the Ashtanga yoga practice, to studying in Mysore, and then being called upon as Eddie Stern’s assistant, Paloma has crossed a chasm to touch into the depth of her yoga practice.