Finding Harmony Podcast Episodes

What if the most important part of a psychedelic experience isn't the journey at all — but what you do when you come home? In this episode, Harmony Slater and co-host Russell Case sit down with Zappy Zapolin, entrepreneur, filmmaker, and founder of Psychedelic Concierge, an educational platform for training facilitators in preparation, holding space, and integration. Zappy directed the documentary The Reality of Truth, which features voices from across the consciousness and wellness world. Tog...

What if the most important part of a psychedelic experience isn't the journey at all — but what you do when you come home? In this episode, Harmony Slater and co-host Russell Case sit down with Zappy Zapolin, entrepreneur, filmmaker, and founder of Psychedelic Concierge, an educational platform for training facilitators in preparation, holding space, and integration. Zappy directed the documentary The Reality of Truth, which features voices from across the consciousness and wellness world. Tog...

What does it mean to keep practicing after the loss of the teacher who gave you the practice? In this deeply personal episode, Harmony Slater speaks with Bianca Oliviera — a Brazilian-born Ashtanga teacher now living in Katowice, Poland — about the sudden passing of Sharath Jois, the grief that followed, and how she continues to carry the teachings forward. Bianca was present at the Active Series training in Virginia when Sharath passed, and she shares her firsthand account of that day wit...

What does it mean to keep practicing after the loss of the teacher who gave you the practice? In this deeply personal episode, Harmony Slater speaks with Bianca Oliviera — a Brazilian-born Ashtanga teacher now living in Katowice, Poland — about the sudden passing of Sharath Jois, the grief that followed, and how she continues to carry the teachings forward. Bianca was present at the Active Series training in Virginia when Sharath passed, and she shares her firsthand account of that day wit...

Harmony sits down with her fellow Canadian and spinal energetics colleague, Mel Brandt — chiropractor, coach, and founder of a new paradigm for healer-entrepreneurs. After 18 years building a multidisciplinary chiropractic clinic in Kelowna, BC, Mel recently sold her practice to step fully into the work she believes she was always meant to do: helping healers clear the energetic and subconscious blocks that keep them playing small in their businesses and their lives. What begins as a conversa...

Harmony sits down with her fellow Canadian and spinal energetics colleague, Mel Brandt — chiropractor, coach, and founder of a new paradigm for healer-entrepreneurs. After 18 years building a multidisciplinary chiropractic clinic in Kelowna, BC, Mel recently sold her practice to step fully into the work she believes she was always meant to do: helping healers clear the energetic and subconscious blocks that keep them playing small in their businesses and their lives. What begins as a conversa...

What does yoga actually mean? If you answered 'union,' Harmony and Russell have a fascinating surprise for you. In this deeply rich conversation with Sanskrit scholar and Ashtanga teacher Zoë Slatoff, the trio explores the ancient philosophical roots beneath the practices many of us do every day. Zoë is the author of Yogavataranam: The Translation of Yoga, A New Approach to Sanskrit, Associate Director of the Yoga Studies MA program at Loyola Marymount University (Los Angeles), and a PhD candid...

What does yoga actually mean? If you answered 'union,' Harmony and Russell have a fascinating surprise for you. In this deeply rich conversation with Sanskrit scholar and Ashtanga teacher Zoë Slatoff, the trio explores the ancient philosophical roots beneath the practices many of us do every day. Zoë is the author of Yogavataranam: The Translation of Yoga, A New Approach to Sanskrit, Associate Director of the Yoga Studies MA program at Loyola Marymount University (Los Angeles), and a PhD cand...

What does it actually mean to practice yoga — and are any of us really doing it? In this rich and unhurried conversation, Harmony sits down with Tara Mitra: Ashtanga teacher, yoga therapist, and devoted Vedic chanting practitioner who has spent decades tracing the practice back to its roots. Tara's path moved from high-stress corporate life in Toronto to studying Ashtanga with dedicated teachers in Canada and California, then four years assisting in the Mysore shala, and finally into the Krishn...

What does it actually mean to practice yoga — and are any of us really doing it? In this rich and unhurried conversation, Harmony sits down with Tara Mitra: Ashtanga teacher, yoga therapist, and devoted Vedic chanting practitioner who has spent decades tracing the practice back to its roots. Tara's path moved from high-stress corporate life in Toronto to studying Ashtanga with dedicated teachers in Canada and California, then four years assisting in the Mysore shala, and finally into the Krishn...

What if the most devoted yoga practice isn't happening at 5am in a Mysore shala — but in stolen afternoon hours between school pickups, on the floor of a LifeTime gym, to whatever music felt right that morning? Harmony and Russell sit down with Tina Bock — Authorized Level 2 Ashtanga yoga teacher, mother of two, eight-year Abu Dhabi expat, and lifelong New Jersey girl — for exactly the kind of conversation Ashtangis have been having since the first Western students sat outside the shala gates wi...

What if the most devoted yoga practice isn't happening at 5am in a Mysore shala — but in stolen afternoon hours between school pickups, on the floor of a LifeTime gym, to whatever music felt right that morning? Harmony and Russell sit down with Tina Bock — Authorized Level 2 Ashtanga yoga teacher, mother of two, eight-year Abu Dhabi expat, and lifelong New Jersey girl — for exactly the kind of conversation Ashtangis have been having since the first Western students sat outside the shala gates w...

What if the practice isn't about becoming better at yoga — but about seeing more clearly who you are? In this rich and contemplative conversation, Harmony sits down with Ricardo Louro and Inês Brilhante — founders of Ashtanga House Faro in Portugal's stunning Algarve region — to explore how studying Vedanta philosophy in the lineage of Swami Dayananda Saraswati has completely transformed their relationship with Ashtanga yoga practice. This is not a conversation about perfecting postures. I...

What if the practice isn't about becoming better at yoga — but about seeing more clearly who you are? In this rich and contemplative conversation, Harmony sits down with Ricardo Louro and Inês Brilhante — founders of Ashtanga House Faro in Portugal's stunning Algarve region — to explore how studying Vedanta philosophy in the lineage of Swami Dayananda Saraswati has completely transformed their relationship with Ashtanga yoga practice. This is not a conversation about perfecting postures. It's ...

Are you working out — or working in? In this deeply enriching conversation, Harmony Slater sits down with Simon Borg-Olivier — co-founder of Yoga Synergy, physiotherapist, researcher, and one of the most original minds in the world of movement. Simon has been exploring yoga, breath, and consciousness for over 50 years, and his answer to almost every question is the same: find the ease. Simon's philosophy challenges the deeply held assumption that more effort equals more benefit. He makes a cru...

Are you working out — or working in? In this deeply enriching conversation, Harmony Slater sits down with Simon Borg-Olivier — co-founder of Yoga Synergy, physiotherapist, researcher, and one of the most original minds in the world of movement. Simon has been exploring yoga, breath, and consciousness for over 50 years, and his answer to almost every question is the same: find the ease. Simon's philosophy challenges the deeply held assumption that more effort equals more benefit. He makes a cru...

What does it really mean to build a life around practice — not just on the mat, but in how you love, how you work, and how you show up for your community? In this rich and wide-ranging conversation, Harmony Slater welcomes Sonia and Luis, the founders of Agora Lisboa — a space in Portugal dedicated to yoga, meditation, and the deep study of Buddhist philosophy. This is a couple who left careers in international development and high finance, followed the thread of practice across continents, a...

What does it really mean to build a life around practice — not just on the mat, but in how you love, how you work, and how you show up for your community? In this rich and wide-ranging conversation, Harmony Slater welcomes Sonia and Luis, the founders of Agora Lisboa — a space in Portugal dedicated to yoga, meditation, and the deep study of Buddhist philosophy. This is a couple who left careers in international development and high finance, followed the thread of practice across continents, and...

Have you ever wondered if your spiritual practice is actually holding you back? In this rare solo episode, Harmony Slater opens up about something she has sat with for years: spiritual bypassing — the subtle, socially praised way we use meditation, yoga, journaling, and ritual to sidestep the emotional work we most need to do. This conversation is deeply personal. Harmony shares her own journey from ballet-driven anorexia to years of devoted Ashtanga practice, and how all of it — every early m...

Have you ever wondered if your spiritual practice is actually holding you back? In this rare solo episode, Harmony Slater opens up about something she has sat with for years: spiritual bypassing — the subtle, socially praised way we use meditation, yoga, journaling, and ritual to sidestep the emotional work we most need to do. This conversation is deeply personal. Harmony shares her own journey from ballet-driven anorexia to years of devoted Ashtanga practice, and how all of it — every early m...

What does it really mean to stay devoted to a practice for three decades — and let it keep changing you? Harmony Slater and Russell Case sit down with Jodi Blumstein: long-time Ashtanga yoga practitioner, founder of one of Chicago's first Ashtanga shalas, and the teacher who led the Mysore program at YogaWorks in Los Angeles for over 15 years. Now teaching online to a global community, Jodi brings the rare perspective of someone who has lived through the full arc of Ashtanga yoga in the We...

What does it really mean to stay devoted to a practice for three decades — and let it keep changing you? Harmony Slater and Russell Case sit down with Jodi Blumstein: long-time Ashtanga yoga practitioner, founder of one of Chicago's first Ashtanga shalas, and the teacher who led the Mysore program at YogaWorks in Los Angeles for over 15 years. Now teaching online to a global community, Jodi brings the rare perspective of someone who has lived through the full arc of Ashtanga yoga in the West — ...

At what point does discipline stop serving us—and start becoming something we're afraid to question? In this episode, Harmony and Russell are joined by old friend David Keil—yoga anatomy educator, body worker, and long-time Ashtanga practitioner and teacher—for a rich, honest conversation about what happens when devotion becomes dogma. David has spent over two decades bridging anatomy, science, and Ashtanga yoga practice, always resisting the oversimplification that there is one righ...

At what point does discipline stop serving us—and start becoming something we're afraid to question? In this episode, Harmony and Russell are joined by old friend David Keil—yoga anatomy educator, body worker, and long-time Ashtanga practitioner and teacher—for a rich, honest conversation about what happens when devotion becomes dogma. David has spent over two decades bridging anatomy, science, and Ashtanga yoga practice, always resisting the oversimplification that there is one right way to m...