Dr. Tommy Wong, a former civil engineering professor and author of over 30 spiritual books, shares his profound experiences with the "Great Spirit." He explains how attributing our successes to a higher power cultivates deep humility and shifts our perspective. By cultivating mindfulness and an open heart, we learn to recognize the subtle, unexpected prompts of the universe guiding our daily lives and creative endeavors. This is the true wisdom of surrendering the ego to a higher force, bridging the gap between spirituality and practical awakening.

In this episode, we explore:

• How an engineering mind approaches spirituality and non-physical truths.
• The difference between "Old" and "New" spirituality and choosing beliefs based on life purpose.
• Why viewing ourselves as souls, not bodies, unlocks true awakening and empowerment.
• How the "Great Spirit" orchestrates life events, from career shifts to profound pilgrimages.
• Practical wisdom for applying the "we are all one" belief in everyday relationships and modern politics.

Explore Tommy's books

Contact Tommy

Recording date: May 28, 2026

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Dr. Tommy Wong, a former engineering professor turned prolific spiritual author, shares his profound experiences with the "Great Spirit." He explains how attributing our successes to a higher power cultivates deep humility and shifts our perspective. By cultivating mindfulness and an open heart, we learn to recognize the subtle, unexpected prompts of the universe guiding our daily lives and creative endeavors. This is the true wisdom of surrendering the ego to a higher force.

In this episode, we explore:

• How spirituality and the concept of the "Great Spirit" actively shape our life's major events.
• The difference between mere coincidence and true enlightenment through divine inspiration.
• How practicing mindfulness helps us recognize the subtle, unexpected prompts of a higher power.
• The wisdom of humility: attributing our success, ideas, and achievements to the universe rather than our own ego.

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Brian is a yoga teacher, meditation guide, and author of the Nautilus Award-winning book Recovery with Yoga. After hitting rock bottom and losing his mother to a terminal illness, Brian discovered that the yoga mat is a safe space to process grief, heal the nervous system, and uncover our authentic selves. In this deeply moving conversation, Brian bridges 12-step philosophy with ancient yogic principles like ahimsa (non-violence) and Ishvara pranidhana (surrender). He reveals how true enlightenment isn't just about achieving sobriety, but remembering our authentic self. By cultivating deep mindfulness and following the breath, we can protect the mind from cravings and tap into the profound wisdom hidden within our suffering. This is spirituality not as an escape, but as an active, embodied path to healing.

In this episode, we explore:

• How 12-step recovery and yogic spirituality share the exact same foundational principles.
• Why true enlightenment is about remembering our authentic self, not just achieving sobriety.
• How mindfulness and the breath create a "force field" against addiction and negative thoughts.
• The wisdom of ahimsa (non-violence) and practicing gentleness with yourself at the mind, body, and spirit levels.
• Using mantras as "magic formulas" to cultivate vigilance without rigidity or fear.

Recording date: May 16, 2026

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Brian breaks down the yogic concept of Ishvara pranidhana (surrender to a higher power) and reveals its deep parallels with the Third Step of 12-step recovery. He explains that true surrender isn't just about giving up substances; it is a daily, moment-to-moment practice of letting go of our need to control our finances, fears, and to-do lists. By cultivating deep mindfulness and humility, we move beyond surface-level living and tap into the profound wisdom of recognizing a higher force at work in the natural world. This is spirituality not as a coping mechanism, but as an active, embodied path to liberation.

In this episode, we explore:

• How the yogic principle of Ishvara pranidhana aligns with 12-step spirituality and the journey of recovery.
• Why true enlightenment requires moving beyond surface-level living and embracing deep humility.
• How to practice daily mindfulness by surrendering our fears, to-do lists, and illusion of control.
• The wisdom of letting go and recognizing a higher power in the rhythms of nature.

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In this deeply candid conversation, Emeline explores why the spiritual path is about subtraction rather than addition, how suffering acts as a catalyst for awakening, and why collective awareness is now necessary to shift the trajectory of our civilization. Discover the wisdom of dropping the mask and realizing that the truth you seek is already in plain sight.

In this episode, we explore:

• How performance and success can become escape mechanisms from true spirituality
• Why enlightenment is a process of subtraction, peeling away the layers of the ego to reveal the diamond within
• The profound role of suffering and depression as catalysts for mindfulness and deep inner inquiry
• How cultivating deep mindfulness reveals the radical truth that "You are it"
• Why collective awareness is the next necessary step in human evolution

Recording date: May 20, 2026

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Whether you are cultivating mindfulness in your daily life or seeking deeper wisdom on your path, this conversation is a powerful reminder that the truth you are seeking is already in plain sight.

In this episode, we explore:

• The paradox of suffering and how deep dissatisfaction acts as a "truth compass"
• Why the ego traps us in the illusion of seeking enlightenment outside of ourselves
• How cultivating inner awareness and mindfulness reveals that "you are it"
• The magnificent, absurd game of searching for what is already in plain sight

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Whether you are navigating complex trauma, exploring masculine vulnerability, or seeking a more grounded approach to executive leadership, this episode challenges the idea of a "transcendent" spirituality. Instead, Dr. Tierney champions an embodied path where true enlightenment is found not by escaping the body, but by fully inhabiting it through philosophies of immanence.

In this episode, we explore:

• How trauma lives in the body and why talk therapy alone often falls short.
• The difference between transcendent spirituality and the wisdom of embodied, immanent presence.
• Navigating the freeze response, complex PTSD, and nervous system dysregulation.
• Why mindfulness and vulnerability are essential for healing, leadership, and authentic connection.
• The role of men's groups, grieving rituals, and play in clearing the body's "emotional clogs."

Recording date: April 23, 2026

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Whether you are a meditator, a yogi, or simply seeking deeper wisdom in your spiritual practice, this conversation reveals why the body is the true ground of realization. Discover how somatic healing and mindfulness allow us to inhabit our lives fully, transforming our relationship with anxiety and unlocking a profound, embodied presence.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why true enlightenment and spiritual realization cannot bypass the physical body.
• The difference between transcendent spirituality and the wisdom of embodied, immanent presence.
• How somatic healing and mindfulness resolve trauma without needing a "spiritual override."
• Why anxiety is intrinsic to being a mammal and how to inhabit the body with love.

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In this transformative conversation, Cedric reveals how outdated emotional predictions shape our reality, why traditional regulation often reinforces trauma loops, and how non-judgmental mindfulness of physical sensation allows the nervous system to complete unfinished responses. Whether you’ve tried therapy, meditation, or breathwork without lasting relief, this episode offers a radical path from insight to embodied enlightenment and genuine emotional freedom.

In this episode, we explore:

• How emotional resolution differs from regulation, and why insight alone rarely dissolves old patterns.
• The neuroscience of predictive processing and how the brain constructs anxiety, anger, and fear.
• Why true enlightenment and emotional maturity are expressed through presence, not transcendence.
• How cultivating somatic mindfulness updates outdated nervous system predictions for lasting freedom.
• The philosophical roots of embodiment and how resolving fear ripples outward into relationships and culture.

Recording date: April 7, 2026

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Co-developer of Emotional Resolution (EmRes), Cedric Bertelli explores how true healing emerges when we break free from stagnant narratives and reconnect with the dynamic, ever-evolving ecosystem of life. In this profound segment, Cedric explains how unresolved fears pull us back into the past, trapping us in toxic routines and isolating us from the present moment.

By resolving these outdated emotional responses, we can move from the periphery of our past trauma to the "epicenter" of our lives. Whether you are seeking deeper mindfulness in your daily routine or looking for the wisdom to navigate emotional suffering, this conversation reveals why true spirituality is expressed through presence, responsibility, and emotional maturity rather than transcendence.

In this episode, we explore:

• How spirituality and emotional healing reconnect us to the global ecosystem.
• Why unresolved fears "stick" in the present and how to resolve them at their root.
• Moving from isolation to interconnection through deep mindfulness and presence.
• The wisdom of living from the "epicenter" of your life rather than reacting to past trauma.

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Through extensive ethnographic fieldwork and census data analysis, Dr. McCartney reveals how the global wellness industry, yoga culture, and even nationalist ideologies have commodified and reshaped ancient traditions. Rather than just debunking myths, his work invites us to look deeper into the "sociocultural imaginaries" of our practices. He explores the tension between preserving heritage and fabricating tradition, asking what it means for spiritual seekers when sacred languages become tools of political and cultural identity.

Recording date: May 26, 2026

In this episode, we explore:

• The empirical reality behind the myth of Sanskrit-speaking villages
• How the pursuit of enlightenment and mindfulness intersects with political ideologies
• The historical truth of Sanskrit, yoga's martial origins, and linguistic hybridity
• Cultivating awareness and wisdom when engaging with commodified spiritual traditions
• Whether critical scholarship and genuine spirituality can coexist

Some sounds used in this episode include:

Market in a small village, calling, motorcycle, horns, people, speaker by Virgile_Loiseau -- https://freesound.org/s/725412/ -- License: Attribution NonCommercial 4.0

Chennai (India) Traffic Ambience 01 by Nielsvdb -- https://freesound.org/s/465712/ -- License: Attribution 4.0

Computer Keyboard Keystrokes by visualasylum -- https://freesound.org/s/329776/ -- License: Attribution 4.0

Camel Ride Through Pushkar India by RTB45 -- https://freesound.org/s/207280/ -- License: Attribution 4.0

Shakti Ambient VOX Athmo - D2 by voxlab -- https://freesound.org/s/527296/ -- License: Attribution NonCommercial 4.0

Myth | Hiphop Rnbass Instrumental by kontraamusic -- https://freesound.org/s/800252/ -- License: Attribution NonCommercial 4.0

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Cultural anthropologist Dr. Patrick McCartney brings rigorous empirical analysis to the myths surrounding Sanskrit, yoga, and spiritual authenticity. In this fascinating deep dive, Patrick debunks the popular belief that Sanskrit is the oldest language or the mother of all modern tongues. By examining linguistic evolution, Indo-Aryan migrations, and prehistoric South Asian cultures, he reveals the complex, hybrid reality of ancient texts like the Rig Veda.

Whether you are a yoga practitioner, a history enthusiast, or simply seeking deeper wisdom in your spiritual journey, this episode challenges us to separate myth from reality. Discover how understanding the true history of these traditions can actually deepen your mindfulness and appreciation for the profound enlightenment they offer.

In this preview episode, we explore:

• The linguistic evolution of Sanskrit and the reality of ancient enlightenment texts
• Why understanding true history deepens our mindfulness and wisdom in modern yoga practice
• The fascinating prehistoric roots of South Asian culture that predate Vedic Sanskrit
• How cultivating awareness of language myths transforms our approach to spiritual authenticity

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Yakub Mathew spent 35 years in global finance, but a severe near-death experience at age 58 radically shifted his perspective. To mark his 60th birthday, he took his wife and 17 friends to the Mahakumbha Mela in Prayagraj—a sacred, once-in-144-years gathering of 660 million seekers. What began as a birthday celebration evolved into a profound exploration of the infinite.

Drawing from his book Seeking the Infinite: Mahakumbha 2025, Yakub shares how childhood encounters with Mother Teresa and Archbishop Gregorios shaped his worldview, and how facing mortality in a Delhi ICU taught him the true meaning of detachment and service. He explores the unifying message of Ek Onkar (oneness of divinity), the difference between religion and spirituality, and why the infinite is not a destination to reach, but an inward journey where "within you lies a horizon without end."

Recording date: April 2, 2026

In this episode, we explore:

• How a near-death experience reshapes our understanding of enlightenment and presence
• The unifying power of spirituality and India's multi-faith diversity
• Why mindfulness and selfless service (seva) are the ultimate expressions of faith
• Finding awareness and wisdom through the philosophy of "zero" (Shunya) and cosmic consciousness
• The difference between religion and spirituality, and why "God is love"

Thanks to Yakub Mathew for sharing the music sources that were used during parts of this episode.

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In this clip, Yakub unpacks the cosmic significance of the Mahakumbh Mela—a sacred gathering occurring only once every 144 years—and shares the surprising common thread he discovered across Hindu, Islamic, Christian, and Judaic traditions. Drawing from his book Seeking the Infinite: Mahakumbh 2025, he reveals that the infinite is not an external destination, but an inward journey where "within you lies a horizon without end."

Whether you are deepening your mindfulness practice or seeking wisdom across global faith traditions, this conversation offers a powerful reminder that true spirituality points to the same inner truth.

In this preview episode:

• The cosmic mathematics behind the Mahakumbh's 144-year cycle
• How 55 multi-faith thought leaders define the nature of the infinite
• Why enlightenment is an inward journey, not an external destination
• The universal thread connecting global faith traditions
• Finding awareness and mindfulness through the power of faith and seekership

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Hadassah Treu is an award-winning bilingual author and faith blogger from Bulgaria whose book, Draw Near: How Painful Experiences Become the Birthplace of Blessings, offers a profound roadmap for navigating life's trials. From the platform of her own greatest pains—including the loss of her husband and seasons of intense anxiety—Hadassah delivers a powerful message of comfort, showing how adversity is not an interruption to spiritual growth, but its primary training tool.

In this deeply moving conversation, we explore the power of biblical lament, the "ministry of presence," and how to cultivate spiritual awareness when prayer feels impossible. Hadassah shares how drawing near to the divine during our darkest moments transforms our grief into resilience, and why honest expression is the first step toward true healing. Whether you are in the midst of acute loss, walking alongside someone who is struggling, or simply seeking a deeper spirituality in your daily life, this episode offers a compassionate framework for transformation.

In this episode, we explore:

• How painful experiences become birthplaces of blessings and spiritual maturity.
• The vital role of biblical lament and why honest struggle is essential for healing.
• How to cultivate self-awareness and peace when anxiety and grief feel overwhelming.
• The difference between "fearing" God and being afraid of God, and how it leads to true peace.
• Practical spiritual disciplines for the "absolute bottom" of depression and loss.

Recording date: April 1, 2026

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Key Topics

• Hadassah's journey through infertility, anxiety, and loss that shaped her biblical understanding of suffering as spiritual training
• The transformative power of biblical lament—honest expression of grief to God while holding hope for healing and restoration
• How painful experiences like rejection, loneliness, and unmet expectations create specific spiritual gains when we draw near rather than pull away
• Practical spiritual disciplines for navigating acute pain: journaling, prayer with thanksgiving, renewing the mind, forgiveness, and cultivating joy
• Why the fear of the Lord brings peace rather than anxiety, and how trusting God's sovereignty redirects hope from earthly desires to eternal satisfaction

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Gina Cavalier is a former Hollywood studio executive, wellness program director at Sedona Mago Retreat Center, and author of Planet Walking: A Handbook for the Living. Behind her successful exterior in the entertainment industry, Gina battled chronic illness and persistent suicidal ideation that conventional approaches couldn't fully resolve. Her breakthrough came through spiritual and energy healing practices, leading her to reframe suicidal ideation not as a wish to die, but as the soul's desperate call for the death of an unhealthy identity.

In this deeply compassionate conversation, we explore how understanding yourself as energy can bridge the gap between surviving and truly living. Gina shares practical, life-saving tools from her six-week program, including grounding cords, chakra reading, and the "protection rose," to help listeners clean, protect, and strengthen their personal energy fields. Whether you are navigating your own mental health challenges, supporting a loved one, or simply seeking a deeper spiritual perspective on suffering, this episode offers profound hope and actionable wisdom.

In this episode, we explore:

• How energy work and spiritual awareness complement traditional mental health care.
• Why suicidal ideation is often a call for the death of an unhealthy identity, not the physical body.
• Practical energy tools like grounding cords and the "protection rose" to build inner resilience.
• The spiritual perspective on soul blueprints, shadow work, and finding your true life purpose.
• How understanding yourself as energy shifts your relationship with suffering and unlocks deep compassion.

Episode recorded March 24, 2026

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Key Topics:

• Gina's journey from Hollywood executive to energy healing advocate after healing her own suicidal ideation through spiritual practices
• The protection rose practice: visualizing a rose around your aura to block negative energies and set clear boundaries
• Reframing suicidal thoughts as the soul's call for transformation of unhealthy identity, not the body's end
• Six-week Planet Walking program anchored by spirit animals for guided energy healing and soul discovery
• Understanding soul blueprints, contracts, and karma as practical tools for finding purpose and healing at the soul level

Follow Podmasana wherever you get your podcasts. To access ad-free episodes five days early, bonus content, exclusive group chat, live Q&As and more, become a Podmasana+ member at podmasana.com/plus.

About Podmasana: More than a podcast, Podmasana is a global journey through the landscape of human spirituality. We weave together transformative personal stories with scholarly depth, exploring how ancient practices illuminate life’s challenges—from grief and illness to aging and adversity. Through carefully curated conversations and compelling narratives, we bridge timeless wisdom with contemporary understanding, offering listeners authentic pathways to consciousness, healing, and the universal threads that bind human experience across cultures and generations.

Support the show:

➡️ Join Podmasana+ for extra benefits, content and perks

➡️ Say Thank You and Donate to the Show

➡️ Shop the Podmasana Store

Connect With Podmasana:

Website: podmasana.com

Submit Guest Ideas: ideas@podmasana.com

Submit Feedback: feedback@podmasana.com

Social Media: YouTube | Bluesky | Mastodon | Instagram

Current Release Schedule:

New episodes every other Wednesday and Podmasana Preview episodes the following Wednesday

Early access for Podmasana+ partners (5 days in advance)

Follow and subscribe now so you don't miss an episode. Leave a review and share the show with others on their own spiritual journey.

Thank you for listening and thank you for your support! Feel free to also check out Podmasana Media’s other show’s: YogaScussion and My Mindful Moment.

Follow Podmasana wherever you get your podcasts. Get early access to ad-free episodes, bonus content, exclusive group chat, live Q&As and more by becoming a Podmasana+ member at podmasana.com/plus.

Follow and subscribe so you don't miss an episode. Leave a review and share the show with others on their own spiritual journey. 

Support the show:

> Join Podmasana+ for extra benefits, content and perks

> Say Thank You and Donate to the Show

> Shop the Podmasana Store

Thank you for listening and thank you for your support! 

Connect With Podmasana:

Website: podmasana.com

Past Episodes: podmasana.com/archive

Submit Guest Ideas: ideas@podmasana.com

Submit Feedback: feedback@podmasana.com

Social Media: YouTube | Bluesky | Mastodon | Instagram

Check out Podmasana Media’s other show’s: YogaScussion and My Mindful Moment.

Key Topics:

• Translating Meditations with three voices (instructor, aspirant, skeptic)—bringing ancient personality to modern readers through literary translation and poetic "charge"
• Koinonia (universal human commonwealth)—Stoics' vision that rational animals are designed to serve each other, not pursue individualistic self-improvement
• Cognitive reframing and therapeutic practice—Marcus's radical Stoic principle that happiness depends entirely on our judgments, not external circumstances
• Daily Stoic practices—morning preparation for difficult people, stripping method for desires, focusing on what's in control, anachoresis (inward vacation)
• Hegemonicon (ruling power) as inner fortress—cultivating divine logos portion in each human to escape modern information overload and distraction

Episode recorded March 31, 2026

Audio resources for this episod include: Antiquity Rome 1 & 2- Announcement music - Brass by FK_Prod -- https://freesound.org/s/190029/ -- License: Attribution 3.0

Roman Horn - Announcing sound by deleted_user_6109353 -- https://freesound.org/s/342364/ -- License: Attribution 3.0

The Ancient Empire.wav by LilMati -- https://freesound.org/s/520606/ -- License: Attribution 4.0

Follow Podmasana wherever you get your podcasts. Get early access to ad-free episodes, bonus content, exclusive group chat, live Q&As and more by becoming a Podmasana+ member at podmasana.com/plus.

Follow and subscribe so you don't miss an episode. Leave a review and share the show with others on their own spiritual journey.

Support the show:

> Join Podmasana+ for extra benefits, content and perks

> Say Thank You and Donate to the Show

> Shop the Podmasana Store

Thank you for listening and thank you for your support!

Connect With Podmasana:

Website: podmasana.com

Past Episodes: podmasana.com/archive

Submit Guest Ideas: ideas@podmasana.com

Submit Feedback: feedback@podmasana.com

Social Media: YouTube | Bluesky | Mastodon | Instagram

Check out Podmasana Media’s other show’s: YogaScussion and My Mindful Moment.

Key Topics:

• Translating Meditations with three voices (instructor, aspirant, skeptic)—bringing ancient personality to modern readers through literary translation and poetic "charge"
• Koinonia (universal human commonwealth)—Stoics' vision that rational animals are designed to serve each other, not pursue individualistic self-improvement
• Cognitive reframing and therapeutic practice—Marcus's radical Stoic principle that happiness depends entirely on our judgments, not external circumstances
• Daily Stoic practices—morning preparation for difficult people, stripping method for desires, focusing on what's in control, anachoresis (inward vacation)
• Hegemonicon (ruling power) as inner fortress—cultivating divine logos portion in each human to escape modern information overload and distraction

Follow Podmasana wherever you get your podcasts. Get early access to ad-free episodes, bonus content, exclusive group chat, live Q&As and more by becoming a Podmasana+ member at podmasana.com/plus.

Follow and subscribe so you don't miss an episode. Leave a review and share the show with others on their own spiritual journey. 

Support the show:

> Join Podmasana+ for extra benefits, content and perks

> Say Thank You and Donate to the Show

> Shop the Podmasana Store

Thank you for listening and thank you for your support! 

Connect With Podmasana:

Website: podmasana.com

Past Episodes: podmasana.com/archive

Submit Guest Ideas: ideas@podmasana.com

Submit Feedback: feedback@podmasana.com

Social Media: YouTube | Bluesky | Mastodon | Instagram

Check out Podmasana Media’s other show’s: YogaScussion and My Mindful Moment.

Key Topics:

• Rubina's journey from corporate burnout to founding Inner Design, a body-based mindfulness method rooted in nervous system awareness
• Understanding stress as a nervous system state rather than cognitive issue, requiring somatic rather than purely mental solutions
• Learning to observe breath patterns and physical sensations without interference to allow the nervous system to update outdated predictions
• Creativity as a perceptual and cognitive function dependent on nervous system regulation, not artistic talent or output
• How motherhood refined Inner Design by stripping away performative elements and demanding real-time embodied presence

Episode recorded March 19, 2026

Follow Podmasana wherever you get your podcasts. Get early access to ad-free episodes, bonus content, exclusive group chat, live Q&As and more by becoming a Podmasana+ member at podmasana.com/plus.

Follow and subscribe so you don't miss an episode. Leave a review and share the show with others on their own spiritual journey.

Support the show:

> Join Podmasana+ for extra benefits, content and perks

> Say Thank You and Donate to the Show

> Shop the Podmasana Store

Thank you for listening and thank you for your support!

Connect With Podmasana:

Website: podmasana.com

Past Episodes: podmasana.com/archive

Submit Guest Ideas: ideas@podmasana.com

Submit Feedback: feedback@podmasana.com

Social Media: YouTube | Bluesky | Mastodon | Instagram

Check out Podmasana Media’s other show’s: YogaScussion and My Mindful Moment.

Key Topics

• Rubina's journey from corporate burnout to founding Inner Design, a body-based mindfulness method rooted in nervous system awareness
• Understanding stress as a nervous system state rather than cognitive issue, requiring somatic rather than purely mental solutions
• Learning to observe breath patterns and physical sensations without interference to allow the nervous system to update outdated predictions
• Creativity as a perceptual and cognitive function dependent on nervous system regulation, not artistic talent or output
• How motherhood refined Inner Design by stripping away performative elements and demanding real-time embodied presence

Follow Podmasana wherever you get your podcasts. Get early access to ad-free episodes, bonus content, exclusive group chat, live Q&As and more by becoming a Podmasana+ member at podmasana.com/plus.

Follow and subscribe so you don't miss an episode. Leave a review and share the show with others on their own spiritual journey. 

Support the show:

> Join Podmasana+ for extra benefits, content and perks

> Say Thank You and Donate to the Show

> Shop the Podmasana Store

Thank you for listening and thank you for your support! 

Connect With Podmasana:

Website: podmasana.com

Past Episodes: podmasana.com/archive

Submit Guest Ideas: ideas@podmasana.com

Submit Feedback: feedback@podmasana.com

Social Media: YouTube | Bluesky | Mastodon | Instagram

Check out Podmasana Media’s other show’s: YogaScussion and My Mindful Moment.

Episode recording March 10, 2026

Big thanks to Rob and Goodbye Gemini for sharing their beautiful music for this episode.

Other sound effects by: Dungeon Ambiance by phlair -- https://freesound.org/s/388340/ -- License: Attribution 3.0

Follow Podmasana wherever you get your podcasts. Get early access to ad-free episodes, bonus content, exclusive group chat, live Q&As and more by becoming a Podmasana+ member at podmasana.com/plus.

Follow and subscribe so you don't miss an episode. Leave a review and share the show with others on their own spiritual journey.

Support the show:

> Join Podmasana+ for extra benefits, content and perks

> Say Thank You and Donate to the Show

> Shop the Podmasana Store

Thank you for listening and thank you for your support!

Connect With Podmasana:

Website: podmasana.com

Past Episodes: podmasana.com/archive

Submit Guest Ideas: ideas@podmasana.com

Submit Feedback: feedback@podmasana.com

Social Media: YouTube | Bluesky | Mastodon | Instagram

Check out Podmasana Media’s other show’s: YogaScussion and My Mindful Moment.

Key Topics:

• Rob's journey from academia to mysticism through yoga and astrology after studying with Linda Goodman
• The five kleshas as a framework for understanding and transforming mental afflictions that cause suffering
• Protection rose visualization practice for setting energetic boundaries and blocking negative influences
• Reframing suicidal ideation as the soul's desperate call for transformation of unhealthy identity pattern
• The Legion of the Feminine and how goddess archetypes mentor spiritual growth and balance masculine/feminine energies

Follow Podmasana wherever you get your podcasts. Get early access to ad-free episodes, bonus content, exclusive group chat, live Q&As and more by becoming a Podmasana+ member at podmasana.com/plus.

Follow and subscribe so you don't miss an episode. Leave a review and share the show with others on their own spiritual journey. 

Support the show:

> Join Podmasana+ for extra benefits, content and perks

> Say Thank You and Donate to the Show

> Shop the Podmasana Store

Thank you for listening and thank you for your support! 

Connect With Podmasana:

Website: podmasana.com

Past Episodes: podmasana.com/archive

Submit Guest Ideas: ideas@podmasana.com

Submit Feedback: feedback@podmasana.com

Social Media: YouTube | Bluesky | Mastodon | Instagram

Check out Podmasana Media’s other show’s: YogaScussion and My Mindful Moment.

Recording date: May 11, 2026

Key Topics:

• How consciousness precedes and creates matter rather than emerging from brain activity
• The sevenfold model of human nature from divine self to physical form
• Why the heart's electromagnetic field supports its role as consciousness center
• Evidence for reincarnation and karma from near-death experiences and children's past-life memories
• How moving beyond materialism toward integrated science supports humanity's spiritual evolution

Audio effect credit: Heart beat.Valve move and muscle work.Sound design_EM.wav by newlocknew -- https://freesound.org/s/614938/ -- License: Attribution NonCommercial 4.0

Follow Podmasana wherever you get your podcasts. Get early access to ad-free episodes, bonus content, exclusive group chat, live Q&As and more by becoming a Podmasana+ member at podmasana.com/plus.

Follow and subscribe so you don't miss an episode. Leave a review and share the show with others on their own spiritual journey.

Support the show:

> Join Podmasana+ for extra benefits, content and perks

> Say Thank You and Donate to the Show

> Shop the Podmasana Store

Thank you for listening and thank you for your support!

Connect With Podmasana:

Website: podmasana.com

Past Episodes: podmasana.com/archive

Submit Guest Ideas: ideas@podmasana.com

Submit Feedback: feedback@podmasana.com

Social Media: YouTube | Bluesky | Mastodon | Instagram

Check out Podmasana Media’s other show’s: YogaScussion and My Mindful Moment.

Key Topics:

• Integration of science and spirituality
• Perennial philosophy and ancient wisdom
• Subtle energies and consciousness
• Reincarnation and karma evidence
• The primacy of the heart in consciousness
• Limitations of materialism in science
• Symbols and allegories in esoteric teachings
• Evolution of human consciousness and future paths

Follow Podmasana wherever you get your podcasts. Get early access to ad-free episodes, bonus content, exclusive group chat, live Q&As and more by becoming a Podmasana+ member at podmasana.com/plus.

Follow and subscribe so you don't miss an episode. Leave a review and share the show with others on their own spiritual journey. 

Support the show:

> Join Podmasana+ for extra benefits, content and perks

> Say Thank You and Donate to the Show

> Shop the Podmasana Store

Thank you for listening and thank you for your support! 

Connect With Podmasana:

Website: podmasana.com

Past Episodes: podmasana.com/archive

Submit Guest Ideas: ideas@podmasana.com

Submit Feedback: feedback@podmasana.com

Social Media: YouTube | Bluesky | Mastodon | Instagram

Check out Podmasana Media’s other show’s: YogaScussion and My Mindful Moment.

Special note: this episode briefly touches on some aspects of sexuality that may be uncomfortable for some listeners.

Key Topics:

• Stephen's journey: Blackpool, England → Florida → spiritual counselor & author
• The Venus Flytrap memoir: love, obsession, betrayal, and awakening
• Soul contracts: relationships as divine invitations to evolve
• "Nothing happens to you, it happens for you" philosophy in practice
• Bipolar disorder, mental health stigma, and spiritual growth
• Codependency, addiction, and breaking toxic relationship cycles
• Ego death as liberation, not destruction
• The mirror principle: external relationships reflect internal work
• Breath, awareness, and connection as spiritual anchors (ABC)
• Self-forgiveness as the foundation for forgiving others
• Wealth, luxury, and the illusion of material happiness
• Navigating the "new sexual revolution" and evolving perspectives on monogamy
• Practical wisdom for finding meaning in suffering without spiritual bypassing

Get a free copy of Stephen’s bonus book, The Venus Flytrap: Madness and Mayhem. See Stephen’s coaching and counseling services.

Follow Podmasana wherever you get your podcasts. Get early access to ad-free episodes, bonus content, exclusive group chat, live Q&As and more by becoming a Podmasana+ member at podmasana.com/plus.

Follow and subscribe so you don't miss an episode. Leave a review and share the show with others on their own spiritual journey.

Support the show:

> Join Podmasana+ for extra benefits, content and perks

> Say Thank You and Donate to the Show

> Shop the Podmasana Store

Thank you for listening and thank you for your support!

Connect With Podmasana:

Website: podmasana.com

Past Episodes: podmasana.com/archive

Submit Guest Ideas: ideas@podmasana.com

Submit Feedback: feedback@podmasana.com

Social Media: YouTube | Bluesky | Mastodon | Instagram

Check out Podmasana Media’s other show’s: YogaScussion and My Mindful Moment.

Key Topics:

• Stephen's journey: Blackpool, England → Florida → spiritual counselor & author
• The Venus Flytrap memoir: love, obsession, betrayal, and awakening
• Soul contracts: relationships as divine invitations to evolve
• "Nothing happens to you, it happens for you" philosophy in practice
• Bipolar disorder, mental health stigma, and spiritual growth
• Codependency, addiction, and breaking toxic relationship cycles
• Ego death as liberation, not destruction
• The mirror principle: external relationships reflect internal work
• Breath, awareness, and connection as spiritual anchors (ABC)
• Self-forgiveness as the foundation for forgiving others
• Wealth, luxury, and the illusion of material happiness
• Navigating the "new sexual revolution" and evolving perspectives on monogamy
• Practical wisdom for finding meaning in suffering without spiritual bypassing

Get a free copy of Stephen’s bonus book, The Venus Flytrap: Madness and Mayhem. See Stephen’s coaching and counseling services.

Follow Podmasana wherever you get your podcasts. To access ad-free episodes five days early, bonus episodes, exclusive group chat, Q&As and more, become a Podmasana+ partner at podmasana.com/plus.

About Podmasana: More than a podcast, Podmasana is a global journey through the landscape of human spirituality. We weave together transformative personal stories with scholarly depth, exploring how ancient practices illuminate life’s challenges—from grief and illness to aging and adversity. Through carefully curated conversations and compelling narratives, we bridge timeless wisdom with contemporary understanding, offering listeners authentic pathways to consciousness, healing, and the universal threads that bind human experience across cultures and generations.

Support the show:

> Join Podmasana+ for extra benefits, content and perks

> Donate to the show

> Shop the Podmasana store

Connect With Podmasana:

> Website: podmasana.com

> Submit Guest Ideas: ideas@podmasana.com

> Submit Feedback: feedback@podmasana.com

> Social Media: YouTube | Bluesky | Mastodon | Instagram

Current Release Schedule:

New episodes every other Wednesday and Podmasana Preview episodes the following Wednesday

Early access for Podmasana+ partners (5 days in advance)

Exclusive Podmasana Petal episodes every other Sunday and a monthly Q&A (Wisdom Seeker & Enlightened Circle Podmasana+ members only)

Follow and subscribe now so you don't miss an episode. Leave a review and share the show with others on their own spiritual journey.

Thank you for listening and thank you for your support! Feel free to also check out Podmasana Media’s other show’s: YogaScussion and My Mindful Moment.

Follow Podmasana wherever you get your podcasts. Get early access to ad-free episodes, bonus content, exclusive group chat, live Q&As and more by becoming a Podmasana+ member at podmasana.com/plus.

Follow and subscribe so you don't miss an episode. Leave a review and share the show with others on their own spiritual journey. 

Support the show:

> Join Podmasana+ for extra benefits, content and perks

> Say Thank You and Donate to the Show

> Shop the Podmasana Store

Thank you for listening and thank you for your support! 

Connect With Podmasana:

Website: podmasana.com

Past Episodes: podmasana.com/archive

Submit Guest Ideas: ideas@podmasana.com

Submit Feedback: feedback@podmasana.com

Social Media: YouTube | Bluesky | Mastodon | Instagram

Check out Podmasana Media’s other show’s: YogaScussion and My Mindful Moment.

Key Topics:

• The concept of Indra's Net: infinite cosmic web of interconnectedness
• Reimagining tarot: no hierarchy, no bad cards, reversed major arcana
• Three levels of self: lowercase (ego), italicized (conscious), capital S (divine)
• Untying mental ropes: releasing limiting stories and conditioning
• Prosperity consciousness: finding abundance through self-love, not wealth
• Triggers as growth opportunities: the four doorways to conscious living
• Life is counterintuitive: intuition over mind for true freedom
• Synchronicity: recognizing genuine meaningful coincidences
• Vedic astrology and Enneagram as observational tools, not predictions
• Embracing the human experience as the path to awakening

Some sound effects for this episode: Multiple Crystal Bowl Rhythm by easy_thunder -- https://freesound.org/s/264290/ -- License: Attribution 4.0, Mongolian Welcoming Song by RTB45 -- https://freesound.org/s/232410/ -- License: Attribution 4.0

Follow Podmasana wherever you get your podcasts. Get early access to ad-free episodes, bonus content, exclusive group chat, live Q&As and more by becoming a Podmasana+ member at podmasana.com/plus.

Follow and subscribe so you don't miss an episode. Leave a review and share the show with others on their own spiritual journey.

Support the show:

> Join Podmasana+ for extra benefits, content and perks

> Say Thank You and Donate to the Show

> Shop the Podmasana Store

Thank you for listening and thank you for your support!

Connect With Podmasana:

Website: podmasana.com

Past Episodes: podmasana.com/archive

Submit Guest Ideas: ideas@podmasana.com

Submit Feedback: feedback@podmasana.com

Social Media: YouTube | Bluesky | Mastodon | Instagram

Check out Podmasana Media’s other show’s: YogaScussion and My Mindful Moment.

Key Topics:

• The concept of Indra's Net: infinite cosmic web of interconnectedness

• Reimagining tarot: no hierarchy, no bad cards, reversed major arcana

• Three levels of self: lowercase (ego), italicized (conscious), capital S (divine)

• Untying mental ropes: releasing limiting stories and conditioning

• Prosperity consciousness: finding abundance through self-love, not wealth

• Triggers as growth opportunities: the four doorways to conscious living

• Life is counterintuitive: intuition over mind for true freedom

• Synchronicity: recognizing genuine meaningful coincidences

• Vedic astrology and Enneagram as observational tools, not predictions

• Embracing the human experience as the path to awakening

Follow Podmasana wherever you get your podcasts. Get early access to ad-free episodes, bonus content, exclusive group chat, live Q&As and more by becoming a Podmasana+ member at podmasana.com/plus.

Follow and subscribe so you don't miss an episode. Leave a review and share the show with others on their own spiritual journey. 

Support the show:

> Join Podmasana+ for extra benefits, content and perks

> Say Thank You and Donate to the Show

> Shop the Podmasana Store

Thank you for listening and thank you for your support! 

Connect With Podmasana:

Website: podmasana.com

Past Episodes: podmasana.com/archive

Submit Guest Ideas: ideas@podmasana.com

Submit Feedback: feedback@podmasana.com

Social Media: YouTube | Bluesky | Mastodon | Instagram

Check out Podmasana Media’s other show’s: YogaScussion and My Mindful Moment.

Topics: Shirdi Sai Baba, spiritual awakening, Hindu spirituality, Brahmin heritage, devotion, miracles, grace, Atma, consciousness, meditation, yoga philosophy, Bhagavad Gita, chakras, spiritual seeking, rebirth, karma, puja, rituals, Kundalini yoga, saints, divine intervention, spiritual transformation, aging, mortality, death, surrender, faith, Varanasi, Kashi, cosmic consciousness

Follow Podmasana wherever you get your podcasts. Get early access to ad-free episodes, bonus content, exclusive group chat, live Q&As and more by becoming a Podmasana+ member at podmasana.com/plus.

Follow and subscribe so you don't miss an episode. Leave a review and share the show with others on their own spiritual journey.

Support the show:

> Join Podmasana+ for extra benefits, content and perks

> Say Thank You and Donate to the Show

> Shop the Podmasana Store

Thank you for listening and thank you for your support!

Connect With Podmasana:

Website: podmasana.com

Past Episodes: podmasana.com/archive

Submit Guest Ideas: ideas@podmasana.com

Submit Feedback: feedback@podmasana.com

Social Media: YouTube | Bluesky | Mastodon | Instagram

Check out Podmasana Media’s other show’s: YogaScussion and My Mindful Moment.

Topics: Shirdi Sai Baba, spiritual awakening, Hindu spirituality, Brahmin heritage, devotion, miracles, grace, Atma, consciousness, meditation, yoga philosophy, Bhagavad Gita, chakras, spiritual seeking, rebirth, karma, puja, rituals, Kundalini yoga, saints, divine intervention, spiritual transformation, aging, mortality, death, surrender, faith, Varanasi, Kashi, cosmic consciousness

Follow Podmasana wherever you get your podcasts. Get early access to ad-free episodes, bonus content, exclusive group chat, live Q&As and more by becoming a Podmasana+ member at podmasana.com/plus.

Follow and subscribe so you don't miss an episode. Leave a review and share the show with others on their own spiritual journey. 

Support the show:

> Join Podmasana+ for extra benefits, content and perks

> Say Thank You and Donate to the Show

> Shop the Podmasana Store

Thank you for listening and thank you for your support! 

Connect With Podmasana:

Website: podmasana.com

Past Episodes: podmasana.com/archive

Submit Guest Ideas: ideas@podmasana.com

Submit Feedback: feedback@podmasana.com

Social Media: YouTube | Bluesky | Mastodon | Instagram

Check out Podmasana Media’s other show’s: YogaScussion and My Mindful Moment.

Key Takeaways

• Basic goodness is ingrained from a young age.
• We are often told we are broken, but this is false.
• Meditation helps us recognize our inherent goodness.
• Self-doubt is a common struggle across various backgrounds.
• Recognizing our goodness can lead to societal healing.
• Mindfulness practices can help us stay present.
• Emotions are impermanent and can be managed.
• We must see goodness in those we disagree with.
• Healthy relationships require attention, acceptance, appreciation, affection, and allowing.
• Public figures also face self-doubt despite their success.

Some sound and music in this episode was provided by Lodro Rinzler or by Artninja -- https://freesound.org/s/841960/ -- License: Attribution 4.0, by JavierZumer -- https://freesound.org/s/156942/ -- License: Attribution 4.0, by Yap_Audio_Production -- https://freesound.org/s/218464/ -- License: Attribution 4.0

Follow Podmasana wherever you get your podcasts. Get early access to ad-free episodes, bonus content, exclusive group chat, live Q&As and more by becoming a Podmasana+ member at podmasana.com/plus.

Follow and subscribe so you don't miss an episode. Leave a review and share the show with others on their own spiritual journey.

Support the show:

> Join Podmasana+ for extra benefits, content and perks

> Say Thank You and Donate to the Show

> Shop the Podmasana Store

Thank you for listening and thank you for your support!

Connect With Podmasana:

Website: podmasana.com

Past Episodes: podmasana.com/archive

Submit Guest Ideas: ideas@podmasana.com

Submit Feedback: feedback@podmasana.com

Social Media: YouTube | Bluesky | Mastodon | Instagram

Check out Podmasana Media’s other show’s: YogaScussion and My Mindful Moment.

Key Takeaways

• Basic goodness is ingrained from a young age.

• We are often told we are broken, but this is false.

• Meditation helps us recognize our inherent goodness.

• Self-doubt is a common struggle across various backgrounds.

• Recognizing our goodness can lead to societal healing.

• Mindfulness practices can help us stay present.

• Emotions are impermanent and can be managed.

• We must see goodness in those we disagree with.

• Healthy relationships require attention, acceptance, appreciation, affection, and allowing.

• Public figures also face self-doubt despite their success.

Follow Podmasana wherever you get your podcasts. Get early access to ad-free episodes, bonus content, exclusive group chat, live Q&As and more by becoming a Podmasana+ member at podmasana.com/plus.

Follow and subscribe so you don't miss an episode. Leave a review and share the show with others on their own spiritual journey. 

Support the show:

> Join Podmasana+ for extra benefits, content and perks

> Say Thank You and Donate to the Show

> Shop the Podmasana Store

Thank you for listening and thank you for your support! 

Connect With Podmasana:

Website: podmasana.com

Past Episodes: podmasana.com/archive

Submit Guest Ideas: ideas@podmasana.com

Submit Feedback: feedback@podmasana.com

Social Media: YouTube | Bluesky | Mastodon | Instagram

Check out Podmasana Media’s other show’s: YogaScussion and My Mindful Moment.

Topics: yoga teaching, studio ownership, accessible yoga, motherhood and yoga, Iyengar yoga, restorative yoga, meditation, Shavasana, stillness practice, work-life balance, self-care, community wellness, Kansas City yoga, props in yoga, mindfulness

Follow Podmasana wherever you get your podcasts. Get early access to ad-free episodes, bonus content, exclusive group chat, live Q&As and more by becoming a Podmasana+ member at podmasana.com/plus.

Follow and subscribe so you don't miss an episode. Leave a review and share the show with others on their own spiritual journey.

Support the show:

> Join Podmasana+ for extra benefits, content and perks

> Say Thank You and Donate to the Show

> Shop the Podmasana Store

Thank you for listening and thank you for your support!

Connect With Podmasana:

Website: podmasana.com

Past Episodes: podmasana.com/archive

Submit Guest Ideas: ideas@podmasana.com

Submit Feedback: feedback@podmasana.com

Social Media: YouTube | Bluesky | Mastodon | Instagram

Check out Podmasana Media’s other show’s: YogaScussion and My Mindful Moment.

Topics: yoga teaching, studio ownership, accessible yoga, motherhood and yoga, Iyengar yoga, restorative yoga, meditation, Shavasana, stillness practice, work-life balance, self-care, community wellness, Kansas City yoga, props in yoga, mindfulness

Follow Podmasana wherever you get your podcasts. Get early access to ad-free episodes, bonus content, exclusive group chat, live Q&As and more by becoming a Podmasana+ member at podmasana.com/plus.

Follow and subscribe so you don't miss an episode. Leave a review and share the show with others on their own spiritual journey. 

Support the show:

> Join Podmasana+ for extra benefits, content and perks

> Say Thank You and Donate to the Show

> Shop the Podmasana Store

Thank you for listening and thank you for your support! 

Connect With Podmasana:

Website: podmasana.com

Past Episodes: podmasana.com/archive

Submit Guest Ideas: ideas@podmasana.com

Submit Feedback: feedback@podmasana.com

Social Media: YouTube | Bluesky | Mastodon | Instagram

Check out Podmasana Media’s other show’s: YogaScussion and My Mindful Moment.

Check out Dinesh's book 101 Twisted Tales.

Topics: education reform, Indian education policy, Kumbh Mela, Gandhian philosophy, mathematics, spirituality, higher education innovation, holistic learning, contemplative education, Design Your Degree, vocational learning

Follow Podmasana wherever you get your podcasts. Get early access to ad-free episodes, bonus content, exclusive group chat, live Q&As and more by becoming a Podmasana+ member at podmasana.com/plus.

Follow and subscribe so you don't miss an episode. Leave a review and share the show with others on their own spiritual journey.

Support the show:

> Join Podmasana+ for extra benefits, content and perks

> Say Thank You and Donate to the Show

> Shop the Podmasana Store

Thank you for listening and thank you for your support!

Connect With Podmasana:

Website: podmasana.com

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Topics: education reform, Indian education policy, Kumbh Mela, Gandhian philosophy, mathematics, spirituality, higher education innovation, holistic learning, contemplative education, Design Your Degree, vocational learning

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Topics: nervous system regulation, somatic healing, trauma therapy, energy work, collective healing, spiritual bypassing, polyvagal theory, embodiment, liminal space, IFS therapy, Reiki, highly sensitive people, empaths, public humanities, rest as resistance

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In this eye-opening conversation, therapist Jess reveals why talk therapy alone often falls short — and what's actually happening in your brain when you try to "think your way" out of trauma, anxiety, or chronic stress. Drawing on the neuroscience of the brain's three layers (neocortex, midbrain, and brainstem), Jess explains the critical difference between "top-down" and "bottom-up" healing, and why your nervous system must feel safe before any amount of cognitive reframing can stick.

As an empath and highly sensitive person (HSP), Jess brings both clinical expertise and lived experience to her work. She shares why breathwork, yoga, somatic practices, and mindfulness aren't just wellness trends — they're direct conversations with your nervous system in its own language. Whether you've spent years in talk therapy without lasting change, or you're simply curious about the body's role in healing, this episode offers a profound reframe: safety isn't something you think your way into. It's something you feel your way toward.

5 Key Topics:

• Why "top-down" talk therapy often fails to create lasting change — and the neuroscience behind it
• The brain's three layers (neocortex, midbrain, brainstem) and how each processes experience differently
• "Bottom-up" healing: why the nervous system must feel safe before cognitive work can take hold
• How breathwork, yoga, and mindfulness speak directly to the nervous system in its own language
• Reconsolidating memory through body-based work — creating new experiences so the body responds differently

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Joe McClarnon is a retired carpenter turned yoga teacher who, at age 58, was diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer — Gleason score 10, the most aggressive kind, with cancer in his lymphatic system and bones. Doctors gave him 1.5 to 5 years to live. His first instinct was suicide. But his wife, a nurse practitioner, refused to let him give up before he even understood what he was facing. That conversation saved his life.

Now, more than six years later — far exceeding every expectation — Joe volunteers at the Kansas University Cancer Center where he receives treatment, pushing a cart of snacks and visiting patients who are often scared and alone. He wears a button that says "Survivor Strong" and shares a simple message: cancer may eventually kill him, but it can't break his spirit. He chooses life and love.

In this deeply moving conversation, Joe traces his journey from 18 years in social services working with traumatized children, to becoming a carpenter at 38, to discovering TKV Desikachar's The Heart of Yoga at 49 — a book that felt like coming home. He explains how the eight limbs of yoga prepared him mentally and spiritually for the fight of his life, why he created "Slow Flow with Joe" for people who feel intimidated by yoga, and how classical music, humor, and Hawaiian shirts became his medicine alongside chemotherapy.

5 Key Topics:

• How the eight limbs of yoga provided stability and positive energy through stage 4 cancer treatment
• "Why not me?" — shifting from suicidal despair to becoming one of the rare patients who beat the odds
• Creating "Slow Flow with Joe" — a yoga class for people who feel intimidated, injured, or left behind
• Trauma-informed, hands-off teaching and why Joe announces he won't touch students unless invited
• Volunteering at the cancer center as a form of service, community, and living proof that attitude affects outcomes

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Topics: Stage four cancer survival, prostate cancer, Gleason score 10, cancer and yoga, why not me, choosing life, Slow Flow with Joe, TKV Desikachar, The Heart of Yoga, yoga for osteoarthritis, trauma-informed teaching, hands-off teaching, classical music in yoga, eight limbs of yoga, yoga sutras, chemotherapy with positivity, Hawaiian shirts, cancer center volunteer, hope and healing, living with terminal illness, quality of life, positive attitude, fitness and cancer survival, cancer support, patient advocacy, why me vs why not me, facing mortality, grace under pressure, carpentry to yoga, social services background, assisted suicide decision

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Parveen Chopra has spent nearly three decades at the intersection of journalism and spirituality, asking how media can serve not just to inform, but to transform. In 1996, he founded Life Positive, India's first body-mind-spirit magazine, chronicling a wellness awakening that was decades ahead of its time. After senior roles at India Today and DNA, a serendipitous job offer brought him to New York in 2008, where he edited the South Asian Times and the interfaith journal One World Under God.

In November 2022, in the aftermath of COVID-19, Parveen launched his most ambitious project: A Lotus in the Mud, a paywall-free wellness and spirituality web magazine. Like the lotus flower—pure and radiant while growing from muddy waters—the magazine embodies the inherent power to rise and bloom in body, mind, and spirit. In just over two years, it has published 750+ original articles featuring voices like Sadhguru, Dr. Tony Nader, and NYC Mayor Eric Adams.

In this conversation, Parveen shares his belief that a mystical core unites all religions, explains why the lotus needs mud to grow, and reveals how ancient wisdom traditions and cutting-edge science can help us become happier, healthier, and more peaceful—even in turbulent times.

5 Key Topics:

• Founding Life Positive in 1996 and chronicling India's wellness awakening before it was mainstream
• The lotus metaphor: why spiritual growth requires the "mud" of worldly challenges
• The common mystical core across all religions and how to honor each tradition's uniqueness
• Bridging ancient wisdom traditions with evidence-based journalism and modern science
• Building A Lotus in the Mud as a social enterprise—750+ articles, interfaith harmony, and world peace

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Topics: Wellness journalism, spirituality media, Life Positive magazine, A Lotus in the Mud, transcendental meditation, Indian spiritual awakening, 1990s India, Deepak Chopra connection, immigration story, green card journey, interfaith work, One World Under God, mystical core of religions, Brahman consciousness, religious silos, COVID-19 impact, social enterprise, nonprofit media, alternative medicine, Ayurveda, naturopathy, plant-based diet, Eric Adams interview, attention spans, TikTok vs depth, multicultural society, spiritual evolution, journalism and transformation

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Gina Clingerman didn't set out to become a yoga teacher. She entered her 200-hour training while navigating profound depression, simply hoping to find steadier ground within herself. What she discovered instead was C-PTSD, a calling to hold space for others, and a teaching philosophy rooted in one radical idea: you don't have to be perfect—you just have to be good.

From borrowed VHS tapes in her teens to teaching trauma-informed yin yoga over a decade later, Gina's journey reflects a deep commitment to understanding how we heal—not through having all the answers, but through the courage to simply be with what is. Her academic background in English literature, Native American studies, and anthropology informs a teaching style that weaves storytelling, polyvagal theory, and somatic practice into every class.

In this vulnerable conversation, Gina shares how yoga became both refuge and mirror, why she now prioritizes restorative practice over power flow, and how creating safety in the nervous system is the foundation of ethical teaching. Whether you're a yoga teacher, a trauma survivor, or someone who's ever used practice as a measuring stick for self-worth, this episode offers a profound invitation to soften, release judgment, and meet yourself with compassion.

5 Key Topics:

• Discovering C-PTSD during teacher training and how it transformed her teaching approach
• The shift from alignment-based yoga to sensation-based practice—honoring each body's unique architecture
• Polyvagal theory and creating safety in the nervous system for trauma survivors
• Why "you don't have to be perfect, you just have to be good" is a radical act of self-compassion
• Navigating adrenal fatigue and redefining what a "yoga practice" looks like when intensity isn't available

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Dr. Raj Kumar Mani is a distinguished pulmonologist and critical care specialist with nearly four decades of medical excellence. As director of clinical services at Yashoda Hospital and past president of the Indian Society of Critical Care Medicine, he pioneered non-invasive ventilation and sleep medicine in India, led landmark legal efforts establishing India's right to living wills, and stood on the frontlines of COVID-19 care.

But his most profound contribution may be invisible to medical journals. At 23, fresh out of medical school, he lost his beloved mother to brain fever. In that moment of devastating grief, something shifted—a vision of consciousness descended, transforming not just how he practiced medicine, but how he approached life itself.

In this deeply moving conversation, Dr. Mani shares how he navigated the tension between spiritual awakening and materialistic demands, why he believes "you are your own light," and how poetry became his prayer. He reveals how yoga practice (even just 15 minutes daily) grounded him through pandemic chaos, why end-of-life care became his passion, and how love—not ritual—is the true essence of spirituality.

5 Key Topics:

• How losing both parents by age 23 triggered a spiritual awakening that transformed his medical practice
• Leading India's legal reform for living wills and dignity in dying—representing his profession before the Supreme Court
• Navigating the tension between spiritual vision and materialistic demands of marriage, fatherhood, and medical career
• Why "you are your own light" and how to protect that inner light through life's storms
• Poetry as prayer—how verse captures what prose cannot, and why the heart is closer to the soul

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Topics: Spiritual awakening, grief and transformation, pulmonology, critical care medicine, yoga practice, contemplative medicine, poetry and spirituality, end-of-life care, right to die, living wills, non-invasive ventilation, medical ethics, loss and bereavement, consciousness, integration of spirituality and medicine, physician wellness, walking meditation, Indian medicine, COVID-19 frontline care

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Dr. Vijay Jayadeh is a beautiful paradox — an orthodontist who spent his professional life straightening teeth while dedicating decades to straightening the path between the Bhagavad Gita's timeless wisdom and modern life's crooked challenges. Born in 1941 in Karnataka, India, he watched his father (also a dentist) study the Gita daily, planting seeds that would bloom into a radical project: reorganizing the entire scripture by topic rather than chronology, so that ordinary people struggling with anxiety, depression, and unhealthy competition could actually access its teachings.

Now in his 80s, Dr. Jayadeh has published his interpretation in Marathi and is translating it into English, determined to reach even more people lost in the labyrinth of modern life. His subtitle says it all: "As Understood by a Common Man for Other Commoners." In this conversation, he explains why the Kurukshetra battlefield is a metaphor for our daily dilemmas, how to cultivate equanimity in gain and loss, and why the Gita's essential message is this: you yourself are your best friend — or your worst enemy.

5 Key Topics:

• Why Dr. Jayadeh reorganized the Gita thematically (not chronologically) to make it accessible to contemporary readers
• The three personality types — Sattvic, Rajasic, Tamasic — and how to recognize which one is driving your life
• Practical teachings on equanimity, karma yoga, and overcoming greed, lust, and anger in the modern world
• "Uddharet atmanatmanam" — why you must uplift yourself, because the self is both your best friend and worst enemy
• How a 2,000-year-old battlefield dialogue addresses today's crises of anxiety, depression, and unhealthy competition

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Pete Allman, psychotherapist with over 25 years of experience, joins us to explore his book "Thoughts: The Power of Your Mind"—a unique alphabetical journey through wisdom from Aristotle to Gary Zukav. Each chapter pairs a provocative quote with practical insights drawn from Pete's work guiding clients through anxiety, depression, personal growth, and relationship challenges.

We explore powerful ideas: Aristotle's wisdom about entertaining thoughts without accepting them, Buddha's teaching that we become what we think, Einstein's insight that we can't solve problems with the thinking that created them. Through quotes from Gandhi, Jesus, Maya Angelou, Tina Turner, Oprah Winfrey, and even Yoda, Pete illuminates how belief shapes capacity and reality.

Pete's message is both empowering and challenging: like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, we possess the power to transform our lives, but first we must understand that the mind is "a wonderful servant, but a dangerous master if left unexamined." Drawing from Eastern philosophy that has informed his spiritual journey and therapeutic practice, Pete invites us to become our own gurus—to consciously connect our intentions with our experiences.

From understanding the two sources of thoughts, to processing fear's path to suffering, to applying ancient wisdom to contemporary global conflicts, this conversation offers practical tools for creating the life you want by mastering the most powerful force you possess: your mind.

Topics: Thought patterns, belief systems, consciousness, psychotherapy, Eastern philosophy, personal transformation, anxiety, depression, mindfulness, authentic power, intentional living

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Ron shares the transformative spiritual experience he had at age 16 in a snowy New Jersey forest—an encounter with infinite light that shaped his lifelong journey. After years of wrestling with how to reconcile the material world of science with the spiritual dimension he knew permeated reality, Ron participated in the ultimate training in Tibetan Buddhism: the Three Year Retreat, during which he took temporary monastic vows.

We explore the eight common features found across all world religions, the philosophical foundations that connect Judeo-Christian beliefs with scientific inquiry, and why the conflict between science and religion doesn't have to exist. Ron explains how neurotheology studies the brain during spiritual experiences, why creativity in science points beyond pure rationality, and how practices like meditation and yoga are influencing Western spirituality.

From continental drift paradigms to the benzene ring discovered in a dream, Ron demonstrates how both science and spirituality require openness to trans-rational thinking. As we face climate change, social upheaval, and technological transformation, Ron sees a parallel spiritual awakening happening "under the radar"—one that may be essential for humanity's evolution.

Topics: Materialism vs. spirituality, religious experience, neurotheology, meditation, interfaith dialogue, yoga philosophy, scientific paradigms, consciousness, Tibetan Buddhism

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Thank you for being here. This introduction episode welcomes you to Podmasana—a space dedicated to exploring the landscape of human enlightenment, spirituality and wisdom through authentic conversations with teachers, scholars, practitioners, and seekers.

In This Episode:

• Discover what Podmasana is and why it exists
• Learn about our mission to explore ancient mindfulness, spiritual practices, and wisdom traditions alongside their modern applications
• Hear about upcoming conversations exploring spirituality in the age of materialism, grief and grace, yoga as refuge, and making ancient texts accessible
• Find out how you can support the show and become part of our community

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