This conversation explores the lived experience of practicing and teaching Ashtanga as a visible minority, and what it takes to evolve a lineage without losing its heart. We examine how unspoken norms, lack of clear standards, and performance-driven culture can exclude people, and what a more inclusive, structured, and compassionate approach looks like in real rooms.

What You’ll Hear

• Identity, visibility, and belonging in traditional Ashtanga spaces
• Why standards matter, and how “no structure” quietly creates inequity
• Mixed messaging around asana achievement vs yoga as healing
• Practical inclusion: bodies, props, pacing, and permission
• Decolonizing the mat and having necessary, uncomfortable conversations
• Teachers’ responsibility around food, body image, and modeling care
• Reframing progress when life, injury, or anatomy write the rules
• Community dynamics after leadership changes in Mysore
• Privilege, access, and taking practice to underserved communities

Key Takeaways

• Clear standards protect students and teachers and reduce bias.
• Inclusion is practical: adapt sequence, use props, cue options, honor cycles.
• Your value is not your vinyasa. The practice is a lab for self-knowledge.
• Community health > cults of personality. Build learning organizations, not pedestals.

About Our Guest

Jamaica-born and South Africa–based, Shakira Bouwer is an Ashtanga yoga teacher authorized in Mysore. She began yoga in 1999 while working in corporate finance, later earned an MBA, and ultimately followed dharma into full-time teaching. Her work centers on accessibility, decolonizing the mat, and creating spaces where every body can practice with dignity.

Connect + Resources

As shared in the episode:

• Instagram and Threads: @kirasadhana
• Email shared in-episode: kirasadhana@gmail.com

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This week’s episode is a special replay of a 2021 conversation between Harmony Slater and Kelsey Murphy, originally aired on the Whiskey & Work podcast. At the height of pandemic-era stress and life juggling, Harmony joined Kelsey to talk about the power of breathwork—why it works, how it affects the nervous system, and simple practices you can start using today. Whether you’re a high performer, busy parent, or someone simply trying to navigate daily overwhelm, Harmony offers gentle, science-backed breathing techniques that make a real difference.

In This Episode, You’ll Hear About:

• Why breathwork is the simplest, most powerful productivity hack
• The connection between irregular breathing patterns and chronic stress
• How the vagus nerve plays a key role in your emotional and physical health
• Micro-practices for busy mornings, chaotic afternoons, and restless evenings
• How to shift your nervous system out of fight-or-flight and into rest-and-digest
• The unexpected benefits of humming and gratitude
• Why not all breathwork is created equal—and how to avoid making things worse
• The brainwave states that affect creativity, focus, and sleep
• Harmony’s journey from yoga studio owner to global teacher to online coach
• Easy ways to bring your kids into your practice

Guest Bio (Kelsey Murphy):

Kelsey Murphy is a former advertising director turned Fortune 500 coach, host of the Whiskey & Work podcast, and creator of the Coach’s Mastermind. Known for her straight-talking warmth, Kelsey helps entrepreneurs and creatives build aligned, purpose-filled lives without sacrificing joy or sanity. She’s worked with powerhouse brands like Facebook and Twitter and has helped thousands of women reconnect to their purpose.

Call to Action:

If this episode resonates with you, try the 2-minute practice Harmony created just for podcast listeners and let us know what you think! Screenshot the episode, tag @findingharmonypodcast, and share your favorite moment or breath tip.

Check out Harmony's upcoming events: https://harmonyslater.com/events FREE Manifestation Activation: https://harmonyslater.kit.com/manifestation-activation FIND Harmony: https://harmonyslater.com/

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FOLLOW the Finding Harmony Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/findingharmonypodcast/ FREE AUDIO GUIDE - Download your 2 min breathwork practice: https://harmonyslater.com/morning-breathwork-optin JOIN ANCIENT BREATHING 2.0 and Live Classes with Harmony: https://harmonyslater.com/ancient-breathing-2-0

Have you ever felt like your story wasn’t really yours?

In today’s powerful conversation, Harmony speaks with transformational coach and Akashic Records teacher Bhavya Gaur about the process of reclaiming your story—and your worth—from the ashes of trauma.

Bhavya shares her journey from growing up in India under the weight of cultural conditioning, through the unraveling of a toxic marriage, to creating a new life of sovereignty and spiritual alignment in Canada. Along the way, she discovered deep healing through Reiki, somatic work, and the Akashic Records—tools that helped her reconnect to her voice and her value.

This episode is an invitation to consider: What are the stories you’ve inherited, and what truth is waiting for you underneath them?

▸ What it really means to claim your worth—not as a concept, but as a lived experience

▸ The impact of growing up in a culture that values obedience and silence

▸ Learning to recognize the trauma of “being good” and the roles we’re conditioned to perform

▸ The moment of awakening that led Bhavya to leave her marriage and country with her daughters

▸ How Reiki opened the door to body-led healing

▸ Understanding the Akashic Records as a space of energetic remembrance—not fortune telling

▸ The role of service, intuition, and channeling in ethical spiritual work

▸ Why spiritual reclamation isn’t about bypassing—but about finally witnessing your truth

Bhavya Gaur is a transformational leadership coach, energy healer, breathwork facilitator, and internationally certified Akashic Records teacher. After leaving an abusive marriage and immigrating to Canada as a single mother, Bhavya rebuilt her life by reconnecting with her inner wisdom and reclaiming her sense of self-worth. She is the founder of Kindred Soulzs Academy and the author of Worthy to Be Me, where she guides others through the path of soul remembrance and embodied leadership.

• Explore Bhavya’s offerings athttps://www.kindredsoulzs.com/
• Follow Bhavya on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bhavyagaurofficial/
• Learn more about her book Worthy to Be Me

Join Harmony inside the Inner Circle, her private mentorship community where you can explore yoga, breathwork, and spiritual practice at a deeper level. Head over to https://community-harmonyslater.com/ to learn more and apply.

Check out Harmony's upcoming events: https://harmonyslater.com/events FREE Manifestation Activation: https://harmonyslater.kit.com/manifestation-activation FIND Harmony: https://harmonyslater.com/

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FOLLOW the Finding Harmony Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/findingharmonypodcast/ FREE AUDIO GUIDE - Download your 2 min breathwork practice: https://harmonyslater.com/morning-breathwork-optin JOIN ANCIENT BREATHING 2.0 and Live Classes with Harmony: https://harmonyslater.com/ancient-breathing-2-0

What happens when you chant a mantra 900,000 times in solitude? Dr. Vigneshwar Bhat knows. This week on the Finding Harmony Podcast, Harmony sits down with one of her beloved teachers to explore the deep wisdom of the Vedas, the science behind mantra, and the importance of ritual precision in spiritual life. Dr. Bhat, a Vedic priest and PhD in Mimamsa Philosophy, shares his journey from a remote village in Karnataka to founding the Rishikulam International Center for Vedic Studies and Research.

We talk about how mantra works on a physiological and energetic level, what most people get wrong about chanting, and how fatherhood has become his greatest teacher. Whether you’re a seasoned yoga practitioner or someone who’s just beginning to explore the sacred roots of yoga, this episode is filled with insight, humility, and a call to deepen your practice.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• What the “limbs” of ritual are—and why they matter
• The role of breath, vibration, and precision in mantra
• Why modern yoga sometimes misses the point
• The spiritual significance of fire rituals
• The importance of selfless practice and collective benefit
• What Dr. Bhat learned from a 900,000-repetition mantra practice
• Parenting as spiritual practice

Guest Bio:

Dr. Vigneshwar Bhat is a distinguished Vedic priest and scholar with a PhD in Mimamsa Philosophy from Tirupati Sanskrit University. He has authored more than 200 papers and books on Indian philosophy, temple architecture, ritual psychology, and Vedic chanting. His institute, the Rishikulam International Center for Vedic Studies and Research, serves as a hub for deep spiritual inquiry rooted in tradition and lived wisdom.

Relevant Links:

• Dr. Bhat’s Book The Splendor of Mantra: Amazon India |US Amazon
• Learn about the Rishikulam International Center for Vedic Studies and Research: https://rushikulam.com/
• Harmony’s Inner Circle Mentorship: harmonyslater.com/mentorship

Call to Action:

Want to go deeper into your yoga practice? Join Harmony’s Inner Circle mentorship to study pranayama, Vedic mantra, and yoga philosophy in community. Learn more at harmonyslater.com/mentorship.

Check out Harmony's upcoming events: https://harmonyslater.com/events FREE Manifestation Activation: https://harmonyslater.kit.com/manifestation-activation FIND Harmony: https://harmonyslater.com/

 JOIN the Finding Harmony Community: https://community-harmonyslater.com/

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FOLLOW the Finding Harmony Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/findingharmonypodcast/ FREE AUDIO GUIDE - Download your 2 min breathwork practice: https://harmonyslater.com/morning-breathwork-optin JOIN ANCIENT BREATHING 2.0 and Live Classes with Harmony: https://harmonyslater.com/ancient-breathing-2-0

What if your biggest problem… isn’t actually a problem at all? In this enlightening conversation, Harmony and Russell welcome back longtime friend, acupuncturist, and author Dr. Jagdeep Johal. Together, they explore how unresolved threat—not personality flaws or psychological issues—drives our sense of suffering. Dr. Johal discusses his new book, Ease: Unwinding the Biology of Threat, which reframes trauma, burnout, and stress through the lens of the nervous system. From the body's threat-response system to the illusions of the left brain, this episode offers a paradigm shift: healing isn’t about fixing yourself—it’s about remembering your capacity for ease. In this episode, you'll hear: - Why trauma isn’t always a “big” event—it can be the accumulation of everyday stress - How the nervous system registers threat even when we’re not consciously aware of it - The three phases every cell moves through: Threat, Motion, and Ease - Why the left brain constantly lies to us—and what happens when we quiet it - The “threat bucket” metaphor and how our bodies store unresolved tension - The difference between actual safety and perceived safety - How acupuncture, spinal energetics, and spontaneous movement restore ease - Why doing *nothing* might be the most healing thing of all - How Dr. Johal’s long COVID experience shaped his understanding of illness and healing - What dogs, trees, and artists can teach us about true ease Guest Bio: Dr. Jagdeep Johal is an acupuncturist, teacher, and author who integrates Chinese medicine, somatic healing, and Buddhist philosophy. For over two decades, he’s helped clients reconnect with the intelligence of the body and restore nervous system regulation. His latest book, Ease: Unwinding the Biology of Threat, offers a refreshing, practical, and poetic exploration of trauma, healing, and selfhood. You can find him at www.drjagjohal.com. Links & Resources: - Dr. Jagdeep Johal’s website: www.drjagjohal.com - Purchase Ease on Amazon or listen on Audible - Learn about Harmony’s spinal energetics sessions: www.harmonyslater.com/spinal-energetics Call to Action: Loved this episode? Subscribe and leave us a 5-star review! Then, head to @harmonyslaterofficial on Instagram to share your favorite moment—or message Harmony directly to ask about online sessions in spinal energetics.

Check out Harmony's upcoming events: https://harmonyslater.com/events FREE Manifestation Activation: https://harmonyslater.kit.com/manifestation-activation FIND Harmony: https://harmonyslater.com/

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FOLLOW the Finding Harmony Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/findingharmonypodcast/ FREE AUDIO GUIDE - Download your 2 min breathwork practice: https://harmonyslater.com/morning-breathwork-optin JOIN ANCIENT BREATHING 2.0 and Live Classes with Harmony: https://harmonyslater.com/ancient-breathing-2-0

In this multidimensional episode, Harmony Slater sits down with long-time friend and deeply intuitive healer, Angelika Anagnostou. From clearing the evil eye in childhood to becoming a certified Ashtanga yoga teacher and practitioner of Life Alignment Therapy, Angelika shares her incredible journey through spiritual awakening, depression, soul retrieval, and psychic training. Raised in Greece and trained in London at the College of Psychic Studies, Angelika opens up about the real work of reclaiming our energetic sovereignty and how true healing starts when we stop outsourcing our power.

Whether you’re a yoga teacher, healer, or simply someone who feels everything (and then some), this episode offers grounded tools and energetic insight on how to work with your intuitive gifts—without burning out or bypassing your body in the process.

• The Greek tradition of clearing the evil eye—and why it might still be energetically relevant
• Angelika’s surprising path from London cocktail bars to intuitive healing
• What really happens at the College of Psychic Studies (yes, it’s real)
• The difference between channeling, energy healing, and Life Alignment
• Why soul retrieval can be life-changing (and what it looks like in practice)
• How Angelika uses body points, pendulums, and magnetic fields to support healing
• The role of Ashtanga Yoga in grounding intuitive gifts
• How to discern between your energy and someone else’s
• Understanding your guides—and why they might be future versions of you

Angelika Anagnostou is a Greek-born healer, intuitive guide, and Level 2 Authorized Ashtanga Yoga teacher. With deep roots in ancient Greek traditions and formal training at the College of Psychic Studies in London, she blends shamanic and energetic practices with embodiment through yoga and Life Alignment Therapy. Founder of Living Alchemy and Soul Life Coaching, Angelika supports clients in reconnecting with their soul’s truth, releasing energetic blocks, and creating lives of aligned purpose. She currently resides and teaches in India.

📧 Email: angelika@iamwellness.in

🌐 Website: www.iamwellness.in

📱 Instagram: @living.alchemy

• Learn more about Angelika’s work: www.iamwellness.in
• Follow Angelika on IG: @living.alchemy
• Connect with Harmony on IG: @harmonyslaterofficial
• Book a Spinal Energetics session: harmonyslater.com

Feeling the nudge to reconnect with your intuitive wisdom? Book a Life Alignment session with Angelika or explore Spinal Energetics with Harmony.

Make sure to follow the show on Instagram @findingharmonypodcast and subscribe wherever you listen so you never miss an episode.

Check out Harmony's upcoming events: https://harmonyslater.com/events FREE Manifestation Activation: https://harmonyslater.kit.com/manifestation-activation FIND Harmony: https://harmonyslater.com/

 JOIN the Finding Harmony Community: https://community-harmonyslater.com/

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FOLLOW the Finding Harmony Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/findingharmonypodcast/ FREE AUDIO GUIDE - Download your 2 min breathwork practice: https://harmonyslater.com/morning-breathwork-optin JOIN ANCIENT BREATHING 2.0 and Live Classes with Harmony: https://harmonyslater.com/ancient-breathing-2-0

What does it take to hold space for both structure and sensitivity in modern yoga practice? In this warm and wide-ranging episode, Harmony and Russell talk with Leo Castro and Samira Eidi, co-founders of Coletivo Mysore, a thriving Ashtanga yoga community in downtown São Paulo, Brazil. Together, they explore how somatic intelligence and bioenergetic therapy can be integrated with traditional yoga practice to create more inclusive, emotionally aware spaces.

Sami and Leo share their personal stories—how Leo transitioned from a life in aviation to becoming an Ashtanga teacher, and how Sami’s deep dive into bioenergetics has transformed her understanding of embodiment and healing. This episode is a thoughtful examination of tradition, adaptation, and the courage it takes to meet people where they are — whether they’re seeking strength, softness, or something in between.

Harmony also shares exciting news: she’ll be teaching a Mysore intensive at Coletivo Mysore this October! Details below.

• Founding a yoga community in the historical center of São Paulo

• Why yoga spaces need to embrace emotional sensitivity

• How Leo balanced life as an airline pilot with a dedicated practice

• The intersection of bioenergetics, trauma, and traditional yoga

• Making adjustments more ethical, intuitive, and embodied

• Emotional energy as a teacher: learning to hold space without control

• Moving from orthodoxy toward curiosity and community

• Co-teaching, disagreement, and the “third space” between teacher and student

• The power of subtle adjustments and energetic presence

• Remembering who we are through the body

Samira and Leo are longtime practitioners and teachers of Ashtanga Yoga, and the co-founders of Coletivo Mysore, a community-driven yoga shala located in the historical center of São Paulo, Brazil. With backgrounds that include aviation, bioenergetics, and years of spiritual discipline, their work blends structured practice with somatic intelligence and emotional awareness. They are committed to creating inclusive, non-hierarchical yoga spaces that prioritize embodied transformation over rigid dogma.

Website: https://www.coletivomysore.com

Follow them on Instagram: @coletivo.mysore

If you’re in South America—or looking for an excuse to visit—Harmony will be teaching a Mysore intensive + weekend workshop at Coletivo Mysore from October 8–12. Come practice in São Paulo and connect with this vibrant, evolving community.

For details and registration, visit: coletivomysore.com

Follow Harmony: @harmonyslaterofficial

Subscribe to the Finding Harmony Podcast and leave a review to support more conversations like this one.

Check out Harmony's upcoming events: https://harmonyslater.com/events FREE Manifestation Activation: https://harmonyslater.kit.com/manifestation-activation FIND Harmony: https://harmonyslater.com/

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FOLLOW the Finding Harmony Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/findingharmonypodcast/ FREE AUDIO GUIDE - Download your 2 min breathwork practice: https://harmonyslater.com/morning-breathwork-optin JOIN ANCIENT BREATHING 2.0 and Live Classes with Harmony: https://harmonyslater.com/ancient-breathing-2-0

What happens when a Benedictine monk becomes a money manager? In this rich and engaging conversation, Harmony talks with Doug Lynam about his extraordinary journey from the Marine Corps to monastic life, and ultimately into the world of finance. Drawing on his unique spiritual and intellectual background, Doug shares how childhood trauma, Enneagram types, and attachment styles shape our financial lives—and how we can transform our relationship to money with awareness and integrity.

Doug’s groundbreaking new book, Taming the Money Monster, introduces an innovative blend of psychology, neurobiology, and spiritual insight, using the Enneagram as a roadmap to financial healing. Whether you’re a yoga teacher struggling with shame around wealth, or someone seeking a more spiritually aligned path to abundance, this episode offers tools and perspectives that can change the way you think about money forever.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How early emotional wounds impact your financial patterns
• The connection between your Enneagram type and money behaviors
• Why wealth and spirituality aren’t mutually exclusive
• What it means to have a conscious relationship with money
• Practical steps for addressing financial anxiety or avoidance
• How to integrate giving, saving, earning, and investing in a values-based way

Connect with Doug Lynam:

Website: www.douglynam.com

Book: Taming the Money Monster (Available July 8)

Instagram: @douglynam

Take the Enneagram Test: https://www.douglynam.com/resources

Harmony’s Free Gift:

Download the Manifestation Activation meditation: https://harmonyslater.kit.com/manifestation-activation

Check out Harmony's upcoming events: https://harmonyslater.com/events FREE Manifestation Activation: https://harmonyslater.kit.com/manifestation-activation FIND Harmony: https://harmonyslater.com/

 JOIN the Finding Harmony Community: https://community-harmonyslater.com/

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FOLLOW the Finding Harmony Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/findingharmonypodcast/ FREE AUDIO GUIDE - Download your 2 min breathwork practice: https://harmonyslater.com/morning-breathwork-optin JOIN ANCIENT BREATHING 2.0 and Live Classes with Harmony: https://harmonyslater.com/ancient-breathing-2-0