Russell A. Case
Painter + Ashtanga Yoga Teacher
Russell Altice Case began painting professionally in 1991. However, as a person who wandered from place to place for over a decade, he didn't establish a permanent studio space until settling in San Francisco. In 2016 he has relocated his studio space to Calgary, Canada, where he resides and continues to create stunning works of art.
Russell has been practicing and teaching Ashtanga yoga for more than 25 years. An Authorized level II teacher through Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, a humble and refined teacher, Case is known for his joking spirit, and his perpetual eye toward social justice work. When Pattabhi Jois invited him to his pranayama class in 2007 he considered this distinction to be the highest grade.
First and foremost his work is convincing cynical skeptics to the efficacy of mindfulness practice, and his art work is distinctly post-structuralist as it weaves a range of intertextual connections and cultural motifs through its field of view.
That is to say..
Who are we looking at all these things?
Where does the seer reside?
Who is the one doing the looking at all of these things?
303
Feb. 10, 2026
Becoming More Human in the Age of AI
What happens when a tech executive building AI infrastructure has a profound spiritual awakening? Pete Sacco went from 368 pounds and type 2 diabetes to complete transformation—discovering that consciousness is eternal while designing the data centers powering the AI revolution. Pete shares his "Commit, Learn, Do" framework, why AI will force humanity to become MORE human, his mystical experiences with plant medicine, and what his 7-year-old daughter taught him about Zen. ABOUT PETE SACCO ...
300
Jan. 20, 2026
Where Gothic Literature Meets Ashtanga Yoga
What happens when a scholar who studies death for a living discovers she must learn to truly live in her body? This haunting conversation explores literature, yoga, and the long road to embodiment. IN THIS EPISODE: Introduction to Finding Harmony Podcast Meet Jessica Murphy: Gothic Literature Scholar & Ashtanga Practitioner Teaching English Literature at the University of Iceland Jessica's Literary Works: Wishbone, Ossa Vivi, Moss & Rose Poetry, Novellas, and the Gothic Genre ...
296
Dec. 23, 2025
AI, Consciousness & the Quantum Field: A Christmas Episode on Transformation
This Christmas, we did something completely different. Instead of planning our usual year-end reflection, we handed control to AI—specifically ChatGPT—and asked it to curate 15 topics based on who we are, what we've experienced this year, and what needs to be said. The result? Well, you’re just gonna have to give it a listen! Join Harmony Slater and Russell Case as they explore the intersection of ancient wisdom and cutting-edge technology through discussions that span quantum consciousness, ...
Guests: Russell A. Case , Harmony Slater
295
Dec. 16, 2025
Sacred Rage: Using Anger as a Catalyst for Spiritual Growth
What happens when you love a practice but recognize the harm within its structures? In this raw and revelatory conversation, Harmony sits down with Zoe Ward—long-time Ashtanga practitioner, authorized teacher, and the voice behind @unrulyascetic—to explore what it means to dismantle a tradition from within. Zoe spent years immersed in Mysore, studying with lineage teachers, and fully embodying the discipline that defines Ashtanga yoga. But somewhere along the way, she began to see the cracks:...
293
Dec. 2, 2025
Spiritual Awakening Through the Enneagram and Expanded States of Consciousness
In this mind-bending, heart-opening conversation, Harmony and Russell welcome back author, former Benedictine monk, financial advisor, and Enneagram educator Doug Lynam. What begins as a discussion about money and spirituality quickly expands into psychedelics, ego structures, ancient Christian history, mystical experiences, and why our deepest personal wounds shape both our financial lives and our spiritual paths. Doug unpacks how his monastic vows, his monastery’s bankruptcy, and years of g...
289
Nov. 4, 2025
Small Moves, Big Relief: A Practical Guide To Returning To Yoga
Harmony and Russell sit down with long-time friend and teacher Krista Shirley to explore what it truly means to feel at home in your body. Krista recounts a devastating shoulder surgery complication that severed her suprascapular nerve, the long journey through pain and medical dead ends, and the mind-body tools that helped her rebuild function and joy. She shares how meditation, mental rehearsal, pranayama, and small, precise movements became a bridge back to daily practice, and why her Body Me...
288
Oct. 28, 2025
Where Science Meets Soul: Psychedelics, Healing, and Integration
Harmony and Russell talk with researcher and author Matt Zemon about psychedelics as catalysts for change, not cures. They explore what current studies suggest about anxiety, PTSD, repetitive thinking, and addiction, then ground the conversation in practical guidance: source, set, and setting, medical intake, and the role of preparation and integration. The trio also contrasts medical and ceremonial lanes, the spiritual significance of entheogens, and how community transforms the healing arc—esp...
286
Oct. 14, 2025
Creating Inclusive Spaces: How Queer Yoga Club Is Changing the Practice
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, ...
277
Aug. 12, 2025
Yoga Beyond Performance: Identity, Access, And Ashtanga
This conversation explores the lived experience of practicing and teaching Ashtanga as a visible minority, and what it takes to evolve a lineage without losing its heart. We examine how unspoken norms, lack of clear standards, and performance-driven culture can exclude people, and what a more inclusive, structured, and compassionate approach looks like in real rooms. What You’ll Hear Identity, visibility, and belonging in traditional Ashtanga spaces Why standards matter, and how “no st...
273
July 15, 2025
What If Nothing Is Wrong With You? Understanding Threat, Ease, and the Nervous System
What if your biggest problem… isn’t actually a problem at all? In this enlightening conversation, Harmony and Russell welcome back longtime friend, acupuncturist, and author Dr. Jagdeep Johal. Together, they explore how unresolved threat—not personality flaws or psychological issues—drives our sense of suffering. Dr. Johal discusses his new book, Ease: Unwinding the Biology of Threat, which reframes trauma, burnout, and stress through the lens of the nervous system. From the body's threat-respo...
271
July 1, 2025
How Somatic Awareness Can Alter Your Approach to Ashtanga Yoga
What does it take to hold space for both structure and sensitivity in modern yoga practice? In this warm and wide-ranging episode, Harmony and Russell talk with Leo Castro and Samira Eidi, co-founders of Coletivo Mysore, a thriving Ashtanga yoga community in downtown São Paulo, Brazil. Together, they explore how somatic intelligence and bioenergetic therapy can be integrated with traditional yoga practice to create more inclusive, emotionally aware spaces. Sami and Leo share their personal st...
Guests: Russell A. Case , Leo Castro & Sami Smidi
248
Jan. 21, 2025
Bathed, Beaten, and Blessed: Making Everyday objects sacred
In this episode of the Finding Harmony Podcast, Harmony and Russell welcome two vibrant and wildly creative guests, Spiros Antonopoulos and Barry Silver. Known for their bold artistic ventures, they join forces to share a remarkable story of blending ancient spiritual traditions with modern conceptual art. Their project, Gently Down: Bathed, Beaten, and Blessed, turns everyday objects like t-shirts into sacred talismans infused with spiritual intention. Discover how Spiros and Barry draw i...
244
Dec. 24, 2024
Celebrating Life and Legacy: A Tribute to Ashtanga’s Guiding Lights
In this special Christmas Eve episode of the Finding Harmony Podcast, Harmony Slater and Russell Case reflect on an emotionally charged year in the Ashtanga Yoga community. With warmth and sincerity, they honor the lives and legacies of three pivotal figures: Nancy Gilgoff, Rolf Naujokat, and Sharath Jois. Through heartfelt conversations and shared memories, this episode pays tribute to the profound impact these teachers had on their students and the global yoga community. Guests featured in ...
Guests: Russell A. Case , Kate ODonnell
225
Aug. 13, 2024
The Connection Between Sanskrit Sounds And Spiritual Transformation In Yoga
In this episode of the Finding Harmony Podcast, Harmony and Russell reconnect with their Sanskrit and chanting teacher, Dr. M.A. Jayashree, who has spent a lifetime immersed in the study and teaching of ancient yogic wisdom. This insightful conversation dives deep into the transformative power of Sanskrit sounds in yoga practice, exploring how these sacred vibrations can influence spiritual growth and inner transformation. Join us as we discuss the significance of mantra, the role of chanting...
Guest: Russell A. Case
200
Feb. 20, 2024
Reflections and Revelations: Celebrating 200 Episodes of Finding Harmony
Join us for a milestone celebration on the Finding Harmony Podcast as we dive into our 200th episode! This episode is filled with reflections, laughter, tears, & the wisdom garnered from 200 episodes of deep conversations with yoga teachers, philosophical thinkers, and change-makers from around the globe. From the transformative power of yoga and personal development to the magic of storytelling and the art of living a balanced life, Harmony and Russell peel back the layers of what makes t...
Guests: Russell A. Case , Harmony Slater