In this heartfelt conversation, Amy Wheeler sits down with Shabana Safdari, yoga therapist, teacher, and founder of Yoga with Shabana, based in Bangalore, India. Shabana’s journey into yoga began with a deeply personal health scare when her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. Faced with anxiety and fear, she turned to yoga—first for her own healing, and eventually as a lifelong path of service.

Shabana shares:

• How a health crisis transformed her relationship with her body and inspired her to take charge of her wellbeing.
• Her experience of nesophobia (fear of illness) and how yoga helped her move from anxiety to resilience.
• The life-changing impact of yoga therapy on her vertigo, and why she committed to making it her profession.
• The importance of intention in yoga practice and teaching, and how acts of kindness are integral to true healing.
• Her philosophy of simple, sattvic living—fresh food, fresh breath, and fresh thoughts—as the foundation of wellness.
• The role of prāṇāyāma as a bridge between ancient wisdom and modern science, and why she believes it is the most powerful tool for transformation.
• How she combines yoga therapy, prāṇāyāma, and sound healing in her signature Rest Reset Method to help clients manage stress, recover from burnout, and rediscover joy.

Throughout the episode, Shabana emphasizes that yoga is not just postures—it is a holistic system of mindset, lifestyle, compassion, and self-regulation. Her clarity, kindness, and lived wisdom shine through, offering listeners a reminder that true yoga begins with simplicity and intention.

Connect with Shabana:

Find her on LinkedIn at Shabana Safdari (search Yoga with Shabana). Her website will be launching soon, featuring her offerings, including one-on-one yoga therapy, corporate wellness programs, and sound healing.

Interested in advancing your own studies in Yoga Therapy and Ayurveda?

Explore these graduate and certificate programs at Maryland University of Integrative Health (MUIH):

• Master of Science in Yoga Therapy
• https://muih.edu/academics/yoga-therapy/master-of-science-in-yoga-therapy/
• Post-Master’s Certificate in Therapeutic Yoga Practices (for licensed healthcare professionals)
• https://muih.edu/academics/yoga-therapy/post-masters-certificate-in-therapeutic-yoga-practices/
• Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Ayurveda
• https://muih.edu/academics/ayurveda/post-baccalaureate-ayurveda-certification/

Plus, join us on our Optimal State Mobile App for daily check-ins and simple, easy interventions to help you stay in balance.

And explore our Online Community, where you’ll receive weekly classes and gain access to a library of classes you can enjoy anytime. Learn more at www.AmyWheeler.com.

Episode Summary:

What does it mean to live in alignment with your soul’s purpose—especially when the world feels upside down? In this powerful and inspiring conversation, Amy sits down with astrologer, intuitive guide, and author Madi Murphy to explore how to harness life’s cosmic curveballs, leave the comfort zone, and step into your fullest, most authentic self.

Madi shares how astrology can act as a “GPS for the soul,” guiding us through both personal transformation and collective upheaval. Together, Amy and Madi dive into the themes of Sacred Rage as a catalyst for change, the necessity of setting clear boundaries, and why “quiet revolutions” are already taking root across the globe.

You’ll hear about:

· How Pluto in Aquarius marks a 20-year cycle of transformation, innovation, and power to the people.

· Why sacred rage—channeled wisely—can be a force for justice, creativity, and healing.

· The art of saying “no” without over-explaining, and the empowerment that comes from it.

· Why grassroots movements and personal authenticity will shape the next chapter of our collective story.

· Practical ways to plant seeds for the future, even if you’re not the loudest voice in the room.

This episode is both an invitation and a call to action: to fortify your values, live authentically, and play your part in shaping a more empathetic and connected future. Whether you’re navigating a personal rebirth or tuning into the shifting tides of our world, this conversation will leave you inspired, grounded, and ready to claim your cosmic zone.

About Madi Murphy:

Madi Murphy is an astrologer, intuitive, shamanic practitioner, and author of In the Cosmic Zone. With a gift for blending the mystical with the practical, Madi helps clients align with their “divine assignment” through astrology, intuitive insight, and grounded, actionable tools.

Resources & Links:

· Connect with Madi Murphy: https://www.instagram.com/thecosmicrx/?hl=en

· In the Cosmic Zone – https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/782212/in-the-cosmic-zone-by-madi-murphy/

· Follow Amy Wheeler and The Yoga Therapy Hour: www.TheOptimalState.com

Plans of Study for NDMU Yoga Therapy

https://livendm.sharepoint.com/sites/Academics/SitePages/Yoga-Therapy-Plans-of-Study.aspx?csf=1&web=1&share=EeZhGMscDMFOl1Lk0PD6gOsBTxvKkWvbfjhHLmMMuNpLFw&e=ApOX4h&CID=45c542e6-5528-4c68-a8ac-5596fb4fc161

School of Integrative Health at NDMU: https://www.ndm.edu/academics/integrative-health

Master of Science in Yoga Therapy at NDMU https://www.ndm.edu/academics/integrative-health/yoga-therapy

Explore NDMU’s Post-Master’s Certificate in Therapeutic Yoga Practices, designed specifically for licensed healthcare professionals. https://www.ndm.edu/academics/integrative-health/yoga-therapy/post-masters-certificate-in-therapeutic-yoga-practices

Try our Post-Bac Ayurveda Certification Program at NDMU: https://www.ndm.edu/academics/integrative-health/ayurveda/post-baccalaureate-ayurveda-certification

#IntegrativeHealth #HealthcareEducation #InterprofessionalEducation #GraduateSchool #NDMUproud #SOIHproud #SOIHYoga #SOIHAyurveda #NDMUYoga #NDMUAyurveda #SOIHGraduateSchool

Episode Summary:

In this intimate and empowering conversation, Amy Wheeler sits down with yoga therapist, postpartum doula, and mother of two, Alexi Neal, to explore what happens when the yoga practice you’ve loved for decades no longer serves your body in the same way.

Alexi shares her journey from starting yoga at age 12, falling in love with the strength and presence it gave her, to discovering—through chronic pain, pelvic dysfunction, and motherhood—that her hypermobility was both a blessing and a challenge. She opens up about the difficulty of letting go of deep, stretchy poses that felt emotionally nourishing but were damaging her SI joints and pelvic stability.

The conversation dives into:

• How cultural narratives around motherhood and women’s health leave many women without the support they need
• The physical and emotional realities of hypermobility and pelvic floor dysfunction
• Why heavy strength training became a surprising but essential part of Alexi’s healing and empowerment
• How honoring boundaries in movement is an act of self-respect and long-term sustainability
• The “village” mindset and how it applies not only to mothering but to self-care

Alexi’s story is an invitation to listen deeply to your body, to adapt your practice as life changes, and to recognize that true yoga is not performance—it’s about honoring what supports your wholeness today.

Connect with Alexi Neal:

• Website: soulfulsomatics.com (Soulful with two L’s)
• Instagram: @soulfullexi

Plans of Study for NDMU Yoga Therapy

https://livendm.sharepoint.com/sites/Academics/SitePages/Yoga-Therapy-Plans-of-Study.aspx?csf=1&web=1&share=EeZhGMscDMFOl1Lk0PD6gOsBTxvKkWvbfjhHLmMMuNpLFw&e=ApOX4h&CID=45c542e6-5528-4c68-a8ac-5596fb4fc161

School of Integrative Health at NDMU: https://www.ndm.edu/academics/integrative-health

Master of Science in Yoga Therapy at NDMU https://www.ndm.edu/academics/integrative-health/yoga-therapy

Explore NDMU’s Post-Master’s Certificate in Therapeutic Yoga Practices, designed specifically for licensed healthcare professionals. https://www.ndm.edu/academics/integrative-health/yoga-therapy/post-masters-certificate-in-therapeutic-yoga-practices

Try our Post-Bac Ayurveda Certification Program at NDMU: https://www.ndm.edu/academics/integrative-health/ayurveda/post-baccalaureate-ayurveda-certification

#IntegrativeHealth #HealthcareEducation #InterprofessionalEducation #GraduateSchool #NDMUproud #SOIHproud #SOIHYoga #SOIHAyurveda #NDMUYoga #NDMUAyurveda #SOIHGraduateSchool