The first time we step onto a yoga mat is the first step on an unexpected journey towards transformation. As we immerse ourselves deeper, repeating movements and dedicating our energy, we witness a shift in our lives but more notably, we encounter the humanness of frustration, shame and blame. Yet, it is in these moments where yoga reveals its subtler spiritual layers offering us tools not just to perform but to persevere and transform. These reflections, often sparked by realizing our...

Without a doubt, yoga is an invitation for introspection and growth. It holds a mirror to who we truly are and generously serves as our unwavering support throughout the trials of life. But as we move through this journey, how often do we consider our contribution to the yoga community? Much like the unwavering support of our own practices guiding us through arduous human experiences, community parallels as the backbone of yoga’s presence in society. It’s truly in the embrace of a supportive...

Yoga does change your life if you tend to the practice every day. But is it compassionate enough to show up on the mat when your body is begging you for a break?  You get to choose: you could show up to your Ashtanga practice once a week giving your everything or you could show up every day with just 50% - even 10% - of what you’ve got. With this decision, you get the invitation to reflect upon what brought you to Ashtanga in the first place. Because if spiritual transformation is what you...

The belief that one metaphorical door closing is the chance for another one to open couldn’t speak to Katy Scherer’s story more. When pregnancy placed a sudden limitation on her running career, a redirection emerged that she never expected; she traded laces for bare feet and the gravel beneath them for a yoga mat. But this isn’t a conversation about life’s surprises, this is in fact an exploration of Katy’s wisdom of the breath.  Her initiation into yoga offered incredible gifts of...

From summer camp serendipity to university days solace, yoga can meet us in the most unsuspecting times. It plants tiny seeds of inspiration into our awareness so that our yogic journeys can fully bloom when the time is right. And it’s in these moments - where many of us find yoga’s healing qualities as a soothing balm to insomnia or back pain - that we meet the real essence of yoga. The deeper dimensions offer opportunities for self-compassion, introspection, and connection with the breath,...

Limitlessness and opportunity – the inertia of pacy modern life can serve as fuel for realising our purpose in this lifetime. But much like this two-month immersion in Mysore that serves as a grounding balance to our proactive compulsions, finding the right teacher will surely keep us all on the right track. At the very least, it will help us avoid complete burnout. Yet while living in a world of endless possibilities, this can also be a tricky endeavour in itself. When there are many gurus...

If we expect somehow to only show up for our practice when things are feeling good and do a good job from the external standards, then we'll lack the kind of spiritual fortitude that’s really required. And, in this modern age, it’s all too easy to lose our grip of patience when immediacy permiates our every chance to make a decision. We may be fortunate to live in a world of advancements that better our lives but, if our desire for convenience takes precedence, we risk weakening our...

As we journey on the spiritual path, we seek answers for our ever questioning minds. What is the meaning of life? What is my purpose? Can I really be bothered to do primary series today? Healthy questioning offers us meaningful personal growth but it is indeed part of the practice to remain the observer of thoughts. Once we step into the rabbit hole questioning ourselves, our yogi paths, and even our teachers, it is during those moments we must decide whether we are truly cultivating fertile...

What brought you to yoga? For many, the instant access to other people’s lives online fuels them to chase aspirational goals. But where does a path lit up by comparison lead? For instance, to be excitedly motivated by the idea of mastering a headstand or flexibility draws in so many people to yoga - this would be fine if our self-perception didn’t become so easily warped in the pursuit of perfection. The truth is, the perfect practice is the one where you show up. And the perfect body is...

This conversation with Maya Gross will leave us not surprised at how transformative Ashtanga yoga has been in her life’s journey but enamoured with how she transmutes her own learnings into soothing offerings for the world.  When discussing the current turmoil in the Middle East, her compassionate outlook and advice are met with global support. And then there’s all of this compressed for social media - a space that requires careful considerations at this time, or any time for that matter. ...

Openly, vulnerably and courageously, Dina Ghandour shares her experience as a Palestinian Yogi throughout this conversation. Her journey began with practising asanas with a VHS tape in her bedroom at 15 to now, a Jivamukti Yoga certified yoga teacher and bodyworker based in Duba leading community classes and worldwide retreats. Tapping into her belief that yoga is a practice of liberation and that liberation is about the elevation and healing of all beings, Dina’s mission for women’s...

No matter how much passion we have for our yoga practice, it’s our relationship to discipline that profoundly shapes our experience. And, even if two people had the same passion for yoga yet one was regimented and the other was averse to consistency, neither one of them will have a perfectly smooth journey. But isn’t finding balance the point? Isn’t an opportunity to dive deeper into our being the essence of the practice itself?  Along with Tim, in this episode we explore powerful tools...

Whether it is morally correct to pursue wealth, business, or even simply charging for services has perhaps been a question on many wellness practitioners mind. It's this question weaves its way throughout this episode as we explore both the philosophical and the practical side to running a spiritual business. It’s improtant to acknowledge that this inner conflict is deeply rooted yet we must remember that there are two types of yogis - the one that takes monastic vows and the one who follows...

At the heart of our yoga practice, we engage mindfully with asanas to awaken the whispers of our subconscious and dive into layers unseen. Yet what is central to the symphony of ashtanga is the tristana method – a trilogy of asana, breath, and gaze. While it may be a simple structure for the mind to understand, truly how many years does mastery take? Along with Tim, in this episode we explore how the interplay between conscious and subconscious worlds through tristana isn't a mere detail;...

In this conversation, we explore the type of yoga that almost all of us have thought “it looks so easy” but turns out to be one of the most challenging styles. World-renowned yoga trainer, Jo Phee, walks us through the world of yin yoga and how she went from corporate life to teaching this quietly powerful style. Yin yoga is stillness, reflective, and meditative. And if we’re all seeking more of that in our lives then doesn’t that mean yin is better than any other form of yoga? Jo...

Can you remember day 1 of your yoga journey? How compelling the practice was even when your body was exhausted? That’s dedication, right? In this episode, world-renowned and trailblazing yoga teacher, David Swenson, reminds us that the essential awareness of push and pull with yoga can be almost non-existent at the beginning, especially if you're like David who likens his younger yogi self as an overly-keen labrador… While it can be hard to distinguish the line between pushing on and pulling...

How often do we contemplate the profound connection between the practice of yoga and life itself? There’s an intricate reflection of our existence that unfolds as we delve into the depths of our yoga practice - a mirror that unveils the habits and patterns ingrained within us. Much like a session with a psychologist, we bear witness to whether they nurture positivity and bear fruitful outcomes or carry the potential for harm.  But gaining this sacred knowledge all depends on the attitude we...

In New Age teachings, there’s the idea that we can be our own gurus. But since life is not as simple as one step forward after another, yoga traditions teach us that we do in fact need someone further along the path to guide us along the way. But which guidance is right for us?  You may find that a true yoga teacher is someone who can sit with the vast knowledge of instructions and create a safe space for the spiritual journey. Whereas a guru is someone who removes the darkness from one's...

Yogic philosophy shows us that we’re born with imprints that affect the way we think and behave throughout our entire life–that is, of course, until we break free. In conversation with Swami Chidanadana, we explore what it means to awaken to our samskaras, the tumultuous journey it ensues, and the guiding light of the Bhagavad Gita. Because why wouldn’t we want to free ourselves from suffering? The negative shades of our personality so often hinder our path to peace so the chance to let go...

Life is a series of lessons and so we are met with countless teachers holding the mirror up or shining the light on something new. But what makes a teacher qualified? What makes us dedicated to one source? Walking through life, nature, friends, or even music can be our teachers. But when we dedicate ourselves to the spiritual path, gurus help us put one foot in front of the other. Whether that’s along the path or on the mat, it’s all the same. But their job is not just to keep our bodies...

Tapas, the sacred fire we build with our vinyasa, lights up our inner flame. Whether that be consciousness, aspiration or purification, we honour the harmonisation of breath, body and mind. While in this sense we offer a continuation of ancient vedic rituals, it’s hard to ignore the contrasting desire to fixate on our outer worlds. Will I ever reach the full embodiment of this pose? What time should I meditate each day? Should I change my diet? These are all questions that we find ourselves...

In conversation with Indu Arora, precious memories are shared about meeting her teachers for the first time. This moment not only changed her life because of the sacred knowledge she gained, but it marked the beginning of yoga. Yoga can be thirty minutes of asanas or it can be the feeling of synchronicity with the rhythms of nature. If anything is true, it’s that yoga is everlasting. Yoga is a state of awareness. As the discussion meanders between the modern misunderstanding of yoga and the...

Join this relaxed conversation with Harmony Slater and Russell Case who are the brilliant hosts of Finding Harmony podcast and my long-time friends. This catch up explores generational scars, the evolution of yoga teaching, and even dips into those hedonistic NYC days in the early 2000s. That was a time before either one of us had fully committed to a path of yoga and spirituality yet it marked a pivotal point as a 20-something who was on a vastly different path.  In this episode, I openly...

While not one of us is a stranger to ruminating about the way we think, act or behave, leaving these thoughts unattended allows negativity to seep into our sphere. It’s time to drop any frustrations or shortcomings you may be holding towards yourself.  By honoring the practice of mindfulness, you can catch these moments of negativity and plant seeds of positivity. Tending instead to self-compassion can not only improve the relationship you have towards yourself, but it offers the chance to...