On Remembrance Day, Harmony and Russell sit down with longtime friend and teacher Faith Scimecca to explore how daily practice steadies us through love, loss, and the mystery of dying. Faith traces her path from NCAA figure skater to Ashtanga practitioner and shala owner, and shares how a sincere prayer to “be of use” led her to chaplaincy. She speaks candidly about being present at Sharath Jois’s final workshops, the day he passed, what it feels like to sit with the dying, and the simple energetic hygiene that allows empaths to serve without taking on everyone else’s pain. This episode honors teachers, ancestors, and the living bond of community.

Faith Scimecca is a Level 2 Authorized Ashtanga Yoga teacher and the founder of Woodley Park Yoga in Washington, D.C. She studied extensively in Mysore, India, with Shri K. Pattabhi Jois and Sharath Jois, and has led the city’s longest running Mysore style Ashtanga program since 2007. In addition to her yoga teaching, Faith is a board certified hospital chaplain, trained at a Level 1 trauma center and now specializing in palliative and end of life care.

• Origins of practice: figure skating discipline, Ohio to NYC to first Mysore trip
• Becoming a teacher: opening Woodley Park Yoga in 2007, authorization and lineage memories
• Remembrance: being with community around the passing of Sharath Jois, how joy showed up in his final tours
• Chaplaincy calling: returning to school, clinical work in trauma and palliative settings
• What matters at the end: relationships, meaning, the peace Faith often feels when a spirit crosses
• Energetic boundaries for empaths: prayer, simple light visualizations, and “service mode”
• Practice today: how Faith balances shala life, hospital work, and personal practice

Faith Scimecca has taught Ashtanga for over two decades and runs Woodley Park Yoga in Washington, DC. She is an interfaith hospital chaplain supporting patients and families through palliative and end-of-life care. Faith integrates devotional practice, clear energetic boundaries, and steady daily sadhana to serve her community with clarity and compassion.

Woodley Park Yoga: https://www.woodleyparkyoga.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/woodleyparkyoga/

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Harmony and Russell talk with teacher and studio co-leader Joseph Armstrong about recovery, identity, the discipline that actually changes lives, and building inclusive community through the Queer Yoga Club at Miami Life Center. Joseph shares how a strong recovery container and a steady Mysore practice worked together, why expectations and boundaries matter, what it is really like to run a studio, and how to expand programs without losing lineage.

In this conversation

• Addiction, relapse, and the turning point that made sobriety stick
• “90 in 90,” daily Mysore, and why discipline is the bridge
• Adjustments, consent culture, and student autonomy
• Running a studio in 2025, consumer expectations, and aggregator pressures
• Creating Queer Yoga Club, safety signals, and true welcome
• Community circles, story bowls, and being witnessed
• Travel, teaching, and what is next for Joseph and Edgar

Guest bio

Joseph Armstrong teaches yoga with feet planted firmly in tradition and gaze turned towards the future.

His search for a more present and peaceful life first led him to the practice in 2008 and soon after he was studying in India. After finally overcoming a years long struggle with addiction, Joseph began experimenting with Ashtanga Yoga. He is Authorized Level 2 by his teacher, the late Sharath Jois. He and his husband Edgar are co-owners of Miami Life Center and teach workshops worldwide.

Joseph teaches yoga because attempts to do any and everything else ended disastrously. But when he finally devoted himself to his passion, he became an asset to himself and others. His teaching is rooted in the hope that practice helps us become more loving, more awake, and, ultimately, able to exist gently.

Links mentioned

Joseph’s Website: https://www.josepharmstrongyoga.com

Joseph’s IG: https://www.instagram.com/josepharmstrongyoga?igsh=MWE2MXNtYnU4OXh4Nw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Joseph’s YouTube: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCvV7ez9he51upLEc49U67_g

Miami Life Center (studio home base): https://miamilifecenter.com/

LINKS

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​A subconscious reprogramming meditation to unlock abundance, raise your frequency, and collapse time around your desires.

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In this inspiring episode of the Finding Harmony Podcast, hosts Harmony Slater and Russell Case sit down with David Knee, author of The Next Asana. David shares his deeply personal journey of living with multiple sclerosis, navigating forced retirement, and finding new vitality through the practice of Ashtanga Yoga.

From his first Groupon yoga class in Victoria to studying with Tim Miller and writing poetry inspired by the moon cycles, David’s story is one of resilience, transformation, and hope. Along the way, he reflects on family life, the challenges of step-parenting, and the healing power of consistent, adapted yoga practice.

David reminds us that practice doesn’t have to be perfect to be effective—it simply has to be yours. His story is not only inspiring for those living with MS, but also for yoga teachers, caregivers, and anyone seeking a path of renewal in difficult times.

Topics Covered in This Episode:

• David’s diagnosis with multiple sclerosis and his early symptoms
• How yoga supported his physical, cognitive, and emotional health
• The importance of adapting practice for chronic illness
• The role of breath, pranayama, and meditation in healing
• Lessons learned from teaching and community service in the MS world
• Transformation, patience, and the importance of cultivating hope
• The meaning behind the dragonfly on his book cover
• David’s moon poems and reflections on love, practice, and resilience

Resources & Links: David’s blog:

Poem: Harvest Moon by David Knee

Harvest Full Moon it’s a ray of light

Farmers use it to work late at night

It’s harvest time, they reap what they sow

They work underneath this Moon’s bright glow

Neil Young does sing that tune

It goes like this: On this Harvest Moon

I’d love to dance with the one I love

This song’s perfect under what is above

On a warm late summer’s eve underneath its glow

Wouldn’t it be awesome for us all to know

To dance, to love, is all we really need

This romantic mindset I think you believe

I’ve gone on a tangent I love that song

It embodies to me of a love so long

Feel it, be it, take that big chance

Just let it in, you bet it’s romance

I’ll get back on track as I’m sure you know

A breather’s required it’s not just for show

Love is a song that we all know best

Sing it out loud, then enjoy a good rest

Links to Amazon - David's Book:

https://www.amazon.com/Next-Asana-Ashtanga-Multiple-Sclerosis/dp/1779629974

https://www.amazon.ca/Next-Asana-Ashtanga-Multiple-Sclerosis/dp/1779629974

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This conversation traces what happens when yoga is not just a class but a way of living. Harmony speaks with nutritionist and longtime Ashtanga practitioner Karolina Zakrzewska about two decades in India, managing Purple Valley in Goa, opening the Tenerife sister center, and how dedication to practice intersected with her recovery from disordered eating. They explore the “fire” that fuels Ashtanga, the risk of letting that fire consume us, and practical, compassionate ways to nourish body, mind, and spirit through seasons of change, including perimenopause and midlife.

• Finding yoga in India and studying closely with Rolf Naujokat
• What Purple Valley means to the Ashtanga community and how Tenerife came to be
• The helpful and harmful sides of “too much fire” in practice
• Karolina’s personal story with anorexia and bulimia, and why radical honesty is a turning point in healing
• How yoga can replace, or heal, other addictions depending on mindset
• Working with “trigger foods,” fear foods, and mindful eating without moralizing food
• Why vegetarian or vegan patterns can be fraught for some teens, and how parents can keep an eye out
• Midlife shifts: protein, gut health, nervous system regulation, and sustainable routines
• The spiritual dimension of nourishment and why “your body is a portal”

Karolina Zakrzewska is a nutritionist specializing in dysfunctional eating and eating disorders. A longtime Ashtanga practitioner, she managed Purple Valley in Goa for many years and helped launch its partner retreat in Tenerife. Karolina works with individuals and yoga teacher trainings to build compassionate awareness around food, body image, and sustainable practice.

Purple Valley Tenerife Workshops

3 January to 10 January 2026

https://yogagoa.com/clearing-the-path-purpose-practice-presence/

10 January to 17 January 2026

https://yogagoa.com/embodying-your-practice-from-intention-to-transformation/

• Karolina’s website: https://www.karolinanutrition.com
• Karolina on Instagram: https://instagram.com/karolinakatzakrzewska
• Purple Valley (Goa: https://yogagoa.com/

If any link above needs a specific URL on publish, drop it in and I’ll slot it cleanly into the notes.

• Reserve your spot for Harmony’s January Tenerife retreats. DM Harmony at @harmonyslaterofficial for the booking link and details.
• If this episode spoke to you, share it with a friend who practices.

To explore nutrition support around disordered eating or mindful nourishment, reach out to Karolina via her website or email.

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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What happens when you stop forcing and start broadcasting who you are? In this energizing conversation, Harmony and her business coach, Bunny Young, explore radical ownership, boundaries, imperfect action, and why most of us hide in “strategy” when what we need is presence and practice. Bunny shares her winding path from third-generation entrepreneur to therapist to equine-assisted work to mentoring founders to build businesses that serve their lives. Expect straight talk on motherhood, money, and making choices that match your values.

What you’ll learn

• Why “my business is running me” is often a boundaries issue, not a time issue
• The 80/20 that actually works: 80% energy, 20% strategy
• Radical ownership and how it unlocks better outcomes
• “Broadcasting your frequency” in the real world, not just online
• How to stop being the bottleneck in your own company
• Parenting and partnership without losing yourself
• Why imperfections create value and trust
• A simple script to ask for the sale and what to do when someone says no

Episode highlights

• Growing up entrepreneurial and selling a first company at 20
• Equine therapy lessons that translated to the boardroom
• Choosing family structures that fit your life and values
• Collaborating on consequences with kids
• The “ask, tell, demand, promise” model for clearer communication
• Using flights and conversations as your secret client pipeline

Guest bio

Bunny Young is a third-generation entrepreneur, business coach, and frequency mentor who has owned 16 companies over 21 years. After building a 350k private therapy practice, she pivoted to equine-assisted work and leadership development, then returned to supporting founders and creators to build businesses that serve their actual lives. She leads Defy, a mentorship container for women entrepreneurs, and speaks internationally on energy, boundaries, and sustainable growth. Find her resources at bunnyyoung.com and abetterplaceconsulting.com and on Instagram at @thebunnyyoung.

Relevant links mentioned

• Guest IG: @thebunnyyoung
• Guest sites: bunnyyoung.com, abetterplaceconsulting.com
• Harmony IG: @harmonyslaterofficial
• Podcast IG: @findingharmonypodcast

Calls to action

• Turn on automatic downloads and leave a review with your biggest takeaway
• Share this episode with a friend who is growing a business or practice
• Tag us on Instagram @findingharmonypodcast and @harmonyslaterofficial so we can repost

Explore Bunny’s resources and say hi: @thebunnyyoung

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 really mean to live in alignment? In this radiant conversation, Harmony and Russell welcome Shalane Carter, an energetic healer and embodiment guide, to explore the power of living in tune with your body’s frequency. Shalane shares how her early background in massage therapy, esthetics, and competitive fitness evolved into a deep understanding of quantum healing, cyclical living, and feminine energetics. This episode is a call to drop out of logic and into the wisdom of the body, especially for women navigating internalized conditioning and high-achiever culture.

Episode Breakdown:

• How Shalane’s healing journey began through physical touch and intuition
• The connection between energy, emotion, and quantum frequency
• What it means to live from the parasympathetic state (vs. fight-or-flight)
• The role of feminine energy in healing and transformation
• Releasing inherited patterns and generational trauma
• Using your menstrual cycle as a map for energetic alignment
• Listening to the body’s signals to unlock creativity and clarity
• Why rest, safety, and pleasure are portals to expansion
• The danger of logic loops and the liberation of embodied wisdom
• How to rewire your nervous system to feel safe being seen

About Our Guest:

Shalane Carter is an energy healer, intuitive teacher, and embodiment coach who blends science and spirituality to support women in reclaiming their full vitality. She specializes in working with the quantum field, frequency medicine, feminine energetics, and the wisdom of the body. With a background in massage therapy, esthetics, fitness, and metaphysical healing, Shalane guides clients through multidimensional transformation and teaches them to live in flow with their energetic blueprint. Learn more about her work at https://offers.shalanec.com/ or follow her on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/shalanecarter.

Links & Resources Mentioned:

• Ascension Manual: Healing, manifesting and ascending to higher vibrational living: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CS6LS54M/ref=cm_sw_r_as_gl_api_gl_i_AJ39XWHPBHAJXWNBQ2B5?linkCode=ml1&tag=shalanecart0d-20

• Shalane’s Website: https://offers.shalanec.com/workwithme-1557?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaeCzBIRulnWOZT3iN3j5iR13PB0KFKPRojP1cJz8nz5ztJCVMIHDoq8qAwI9g_aem_TI89t2G5eg9MFFXSHdyJSQ
• IG: https://www.instagram.com/shalanecarter
• Book: Anatomy of the Spirit by Caroline Myss

Call to Action:

* Book a Spinal Energetics Session with Harmony: https://harmonyslater.as.me/

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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