June 2, 2026

The Language of Yoga: Sanskrit, Ashtanga, and the Pursuit of True Meaning | with Zoë Slatoff (VIDEO)

The Language of Yoga: Sanskrit, Ashtanga, and the Pursuit of True Meaning | with Zoë Slatoff (VIDEO)
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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 candidate whose dissertation may permanently change the way you think about what yoga is for.

The conversation moves from Zoë 's early years in Brooklyn and a pivotal Rodney Yee VHS tape, to engineering studies at the elite Cooper Union, to teaching 16 yoga classes a week in New York City, to the magic of Lakshmi Puram in Mysore before the internet existed. It arrives, finally, at the big philosophical question at the heart of her dissertation: how did yoga go from meaning separation to meaning union?

What You'll Learn in This Episode
  • Why "yoga" in the Yoga Sutras means separation—not union—and how Advaita Vedanta changed everything
  • The role of the Upadesha Sahasri (attributed to Shankaracharya) in bridging dualism and non-duality
  • How Pattabhi Jois used to quote ancient Vedantic texts every single day in conference in Lakshmi Puram
  • Why the neti neti practice ('not this, not that') is a powerful tool for modern meditators
  • How Zoe began her Sanskrit journey in Mysore and transformed it into a published textbook and academic career
  • What it means to teach Sanskrit in a way that actually serves yoga practitioners (not classical scholars)
  • The magic—and the chaos—of traveling to India without the internet, using hand-drawn maps and STD phone boxes
  • Why Zoe believes dualism and non-duality are ultimately describing the same thing, just from different angles
Guest Bio: Zoë Slatoff

Zoë Slatoff is a Sanskrit scholar, longtime Ashtanga yoga practitioner and teacher, and author of Yogavataranam: The Translation of Yoga—a groundbreaking Sanskrit grammar textbook designed specifically for yoga practitioners who want to read the texts that inform their practice. She holds a master's degree from Columbia University in Asian Languages and Cultures, is completing her PhD at Lancaster University, and currently serves as Associate Director (and incoming Director) of the Yoga Studies MA program at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. She also teaches Sanskrit online through the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies.

Resources & Links Mentioned
  • Yogavataranam: The Translation of Yoga by Zoe Slatoff — available wherever books are sold (new edition coming soon)
  • Yoga Studies MA Program at Loyola Marymount University — visit lmu.edu for admissions info
  • Sanskrit classes online through the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies — check Zoe's website at ashtangayogasanskrit.com
  • Yoga Gives Back — the charity whose fundraising gala reunited Zoe, Harmony, and Russell in LA
  • Harmony Slater's Portugal intensives — Lisbon and Faro (end of June through mid-July); details in show links
  • The Being Gathering festival, Portugal

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Welcome.

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I'm Harmony Slater, your host of the Finding Harmony podcast.

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Over the past 20 years, I've taught thousands of yoga teachers and students to explore the intersection between ancient wisdom and modern everyday life, using mind body practices to heal, awaken, and manifest their dreams from the inside out.

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This podcast is a sanctuary for those feeling overwhelmed by life's challenges.

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Are you ready to jump? In and discover how these challenges aren't actually in the way, but are the way to finding harmony.

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Let's invite the magic back in.

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What if the real practice of yoga begins the moment you stop relating to it as an exercise program and start relating to it as language? Have you ever thought about that? The language of breath, the language of attention, the language of devotion, the language that has been carried through sound and memory for thousands of years If you have, if you've thought at all about the language of yoga, then you will love today's episode because today Russell and I are joined by Zoe Slatoff, who is a very dear old friend of mine.

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She is also a Sanskrit scholar, longtime Ashtanga practitioner and teacher, and author of a beautiful book all about Sanskrit grammar called "Yoga Avataranam."

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I'll say that again.

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"Yoga Avataranam."

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I think I'm saying it right.

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Not sure.

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It translates as the translation of yoga.

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And as someone who has dedicated all of her adult years to bridging the worlds of traditional Sanskrit learning, yoga philosophy, Ashtanga yoga practice, and embodying it in her life, this conversation has many, many layers that I'm sure you will be able to connect with.

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We are talking not only about the old school days in Mysore, which I know if you're here listening to this episode, you probably love these conversations about the evolution of practice over time.

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But more importantly, we're also talking about the power of Sanskrit, and also about Zoe's own academic pursuit and what inspired her to follow a more academic path rather than just continue her, adult life teaching asana.

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And so I hope that you, derive a lot of not only, joy from listening to the gossip and the stories, but also learn something beautiful about the Sanskrit language and South Asian philosophy, and all of the work and study and learning that goes into, bringing these teachings to life.

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Before we get started If you want to bring yourself to life in a new way and also experience the embodied teachings of yoga, then I would encourage you to seek me out in Lisbon at the end of June and in Faro, Portugal, in the beginning of July.

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It's gonna be a very powerful time of transformation.

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Come vacation with me in Portugal at the beginning of this summer.

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I would love to connect with you and see you, and you can find all the details in the show notes.

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Let's jump in now to learn with Zoe Slejdoff.

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Hi, welcome to the Finding Harmony podcast.

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This is your host, Harmony Slater, and your co-host, Russell Case.

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Harmony.

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Hi.

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So glad to see you today.

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Thanks.

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Who do you have on the show today for us? Thanks for the intro.

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You're welcome.

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I have- Mm a very dear friend of mine.

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I'm not gonna say- Our friend old.

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She's our friend.

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Not just your friend.

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Yes.

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I'm not gonna say old, because she's still- Thank very young.

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She's always the youngest person in our friend group.

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Uh, yes.

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Mm.

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Well, that's actually how we kind of bonded, besides almost having the same last name.

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That's right.

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We were all the young ones.

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Yes.

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Hello, Zoe Slatoff.

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Zoe Slatoff.

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How are you, my dear? You actually know how to pronounce my Mishpacha.

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Yeah.

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Mishpach, meshugana mishpacha.

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It's just like my name, but it's Slatoff instead of Slater.

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How- So it's always easy to remember.

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How, do you have any...

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You've got, you've got some Yiddish left, right, Zoe? You've got some Yiddish? I mean, in my genetics, it was originally Slodopolsky.

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yeah, yeah.

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It's a lot of- Yeah but you're not, like, you don't have, like, an immediate grasp of, the zaftig balabusta that I have.

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You don't, like, it's not on- immediate recall.

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Probably dear.

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saw Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish on Broadway twice.

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is gefuckte already.

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Okay.

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Mm.

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I bet you she could talk Sanskrit to us- Oh instead of Yiddish.

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Way to transition.

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better.

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our, our guest today is author of, Yoga Varttaram, the translation of yoga, A New Approach to Sanskrit.

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You, now, I'm, I'm sorry, we didn't have you on the podcast when this book came out, but it's, it's- think you had the podcast Probably more accurate.

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book...

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but we should have.

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But it is gonna be n- it's nearing a new edition, and you also have a dissertation and another work on the way, and, uh, we thought, we just saw you in LA.

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We were at the Yoga Gives Back fundraising, fundraiser.

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Gala in November.

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Gala.

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we saw you, and like, "That's Zoe in line to get sushi.

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We should have her on the podcast."

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Amazing.

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It surprising was that you were living in LA and not New York.

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I had no idea.

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I know.

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It's still surprising to me.

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I'm-- as a New Yorker.

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I am just, you know, I am here.

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Yeah.

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So Harmony likes to keep these things quick, but just very quickly, can you tell us about how your grandparents led to your parents, and how you then kind of got into your thing with yoga, or just kind of make it, like, in a couple sentences? let's see.

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my grandfather, whose name was Slatoff, Walter Slatoff, he was an English professor at Oh.

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I grew up spending a lot of time in Ithaca, my parents actually both grew up in Ithaca and knew each other as kids.

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Oh, wow.

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My dad was best friends with my mom's older brother.

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Um, man.

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then later they Cool.

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and had me, and then got divorced.

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How young were you? Three.

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that's rough.

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So Yeah.

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was too young to know, Yeah.

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Did you grow up in New York then? I did.

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I grew up in Brooklyn.

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part? Kings Highway, which most people don't know.

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Do you know it? No.

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It's, it's out...

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I don't think so.

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It's out near Sheepshead Bay, like Coney I...

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Well, you know I went to school at Brooklyn College in Flatbush.

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Oh, W- I know Brooklyn oh, yeah.

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I used to take an art class there as a So I took an art class.

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I took many art classes there.

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Yeah.

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You clearly have done more with it Yeah.

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I, I got my master's in painting there, and, well, I did do some paintings.

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And but, like, famously, Allen Ginsberg was in the floor below us, and I Oh.

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that I never actually just, like, bumped into him, so.

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That is Yeah, just- You should Yeah intentionally would've- I would've- You should've walked along that floor every day.

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But, we're part of that, celebrated, Jewish subculture of Michigan.

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And, Allen Ginsberg bounced my brother on his knee when he was a baby.

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Wow.

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Yeah.

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Yeah.

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You weren't born yet.

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great.

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Harmony.

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That's too bad.

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So you moved to Brooklyn.

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You grew up there.

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I did grow up in Yeah.

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Okay, yeah.

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And, did you have things that you liked to do as a kid like, uh, Sanskrit? Not quite yet, but I did-- I like to read.

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I was just talking about this to somebody.

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Like, I just-- I like to sort of, like, sit in the closet and read.

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Um, also in the closet, that's cool.

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Okay.

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Like Tolstoy and, you know, things like that.

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Um, I did study Hebrew as a Yeah.

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when I was in college the first time around, Japanese, and I always liked languages with different alphabets.

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Um, Wow.

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And then how did you start doing yoga? 'Cause you started very young.

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You were, and you went to Mysore very, very young for the first time as well.

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Yes, yes.

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Like Yeah.

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Well, somebody gave my mom a videotape.

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We were-- My mom was just visiting, and we were talking Yeah.

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Rodney Yee On The Yeah.

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Nice.

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this one? I know that one.

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I don't know the story.

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I know the video, though.

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And I did it every morning when I was-- at, like, 5:00 a.m.

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It just seemed like a really good idea and, you know, lots of the other things in my life at that time were a bad idea, Yeah.

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but that was a good Yeah.

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Oh.

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And, I'm familiar with some of those stories.

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Yeah.

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I've known you guys Yeah.

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long time.

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Yeah.

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We have been indiscreet with each other, Zoe.

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Yes.

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Anyway, um, Back to Rodney Yee.

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Back to Rodney Yee.

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The, the pinnacle of indiscretion.

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it's funny, I was just-- I just learned a fact about it that I forgot.

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My mom said when I moved out, I actually left her the videotape with a note saying, "You should try Oh.

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And did she? she? Excellent.

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Oh.

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yeah.

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Both my parents do yoga Wow.

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do, since I have.

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And Mm.

166
00:10:24,402.41318969 --> 00:10:30,142.41186886
anyway, so when I was 17, I moved to the East Village to, study engineering at Cooper Union.

167
00:10:30,242.41146354 --> 00:10:37,32.41154461
got into Cooper Union? Fudge! I Oh, man.

168
00:10:37,82.4112585 --> 00:10:39,632.41144924
I can't even begin to tell you how jealous I am.

169
00:10:39,772.41179256 --> 00:10:46,962.41232662
I applied in, uh, 1992 to go to Cooper Union, and I was devastated that I didn't get in.

170
00:10:46,962.41232662 --> 00:10:51,622.41102962
I went to School of the Art Institute of Chicago instead, but, Cooper Union was my number one school.

171
00:10:52,222.41141109 --> 00:10:53,22.41064815
Wow.

172
00:10:53,572.41179256 --> 00:10:56,672.41217403
For engineering? was, You're a fucking genius.

173
00:10:56,672.41217403 --> 00:11:01,382.4112585
What? How did you get in for engineering? She's really, really smart.

174
00:11:01,382.4112585 --> 00:11:02,782.41278438
God damn it.

175
00:11:02,872.41293697 --> 00:11:05,82.41202144
And you studied Japanese, of course.

176
00:11:05,571.95703491 --> 00:11:08,231.95694193
Well, everything was all math and science.

177
00:11:08,231.95694193 --> 00:11:09,671.95699915
It's like, I gotta do something else.

178
00:11:09,671.95699915 --> 00:11:10,691.95698008
Let's try Japanese.

179
00:11:11,11.95715174 --> 00:11:14,281.95698008
Um, had an art program that was magnificent, I know.

180
00:11:14,361.95707068 --> 00:11:16,541.95713743
Most of my friends there honestly were artists.

181
00:11:16,541.95713743 --> 00:11:19,186.95704684
The art program I think was really, really Yeah.

182
00:11:19,291.95689902 --> 00:11:22,564.80931693
engineering was great too, but about two years in, I was like...

183
00:11:22,674.80897361 --> 00:11:24,484.80939323
They asked me what kind of engineer I wanted to be.

184
00:11:24,484.80939323 --> 00:11:26,134.80901176
I was like: "What do you mean? I don't wanna be an engineer."

185
00:11:27,684.80936938 --> 00:11:28,44.80938369
Whoops.

186
00:11:28,194.80935985 --> 00:11:30,9.80934077
Why You're like, "Hmm."

187
00:11:30,109.80936462 --> 00:11:30,839.80938369
Whoops.

188
00:11:31,289.80943137 --> 00:11:32,359.80936462
Oh, my lord.

189
00:11:32,448.82255159 --> 00:11:35,900.19974349
Can I just ask one follow-up question here? Um, or back up maybe.

190
00:11:35,957.73377774 --> 00:11:43,840.30600014
how does the child of a single mom in basically Long Island, make it to Cooper Union on a, on a...

191
00:11:43,890.30714455 --> 00:11:46,480.30729714
Which is a free full-ride school.

192
00:11:47,140.30714455 --> 00:11:53,951.59385119
How do you, how does that hap- like who took care of you? went to Stuyvesant, And you Yeah.

193
00:11:54,206.59366999 --> 00:11:56,6.59386073
I went to all the best...

194
00:11:56,207.15458364 --> 00:11:59,592.97617814
and your grandfather was a, was a professor, uh, at, At Cornell, yeah.

195
00:11:59,592.97617814 --> 00:11:59,742.97675035
Yeah.

196
00:12:00,187.36780528 --> 00:12:05,427.36724262
So there was- grandfather was an MD PhD, and my parents are very Yeah.

197
00:12:05,562.36750011 --> 00:12:06,982.3675764
do different, very different things.

198
00:12:06,982.3675764 --> 00:12:09,887.36753349
My mom went to law school when I was Wow.

199
00:12:10,127.36766223 --> 00:12:13,582.36795787
Did she- became a legal aid lawyer, and then a-- she's I'm now a judge.

200
00:12:13,982.3675764 --> 00:12:15,117.36767177
Um, sorry.

201
00:12:15,292.36704234 --> 00:12:17,332.36795787
worked Sh- computers for many years.

202
00:12:17,332.36795787 --> 00:12:20,582.36795787
She she's a judge? a judge, yeah.

203
00:12:21,342.36818675 --> 00:12:22,382.36719493
Housing court judge.

204
00:12:22,397.36758594 --> 00:12:26,217.36751918
Well, f- forgive me, but like that's still a judge.

205
00:12:26,247.36772899 --> 00:12:28,227.36774806
That's amazing.

206
00:12:28,227.36774806 --> 00:12:35,357.36719493
That's like- Wow that's such a big life choice when you've just had a divorce and you're a single parent and...

207
00:12:36,62.36728076 --> 00:12:45,727.36769084
Well, the judge thing has come in recent no, but to go back- You have still- to school and to go to law school and- You can- like build a career, that's incredible you can qualify it however you want, but she's still a judge.

208
00:12:45,742.36725931 --> 00:12:45,852.36721401
Yeah.

209
00:12:45,852.36721401 --> 00:12:47,27.3669279
No, my mom's Yeah.

210
00:12:47,327.3669279 --> 00:12:47,592.36722354
Yes.

211
00:12:48,187.36772899 --> 00:12:49,377.36730937
Wow.

212
00:12:49,947.3670042 --> 00:12:52,447.3670042
And your dad's And my Computers," you said.

213
00:12:52,912.36735706 --> 00:12:59,167.36729507
But he's really a jazz musician, and so when I got into Cooper Union basically, and it was free, Yeah.

214
00:12:59,272.36772899 --> 00:13:01,167.36717586
he went back to being a jazz Amazing.

215
00:13:01,387.36720447 --> 00:13:02,737.36734752
Wow.

216
00:13:02,947.36738567 --> 00:13:04,87.36725215
That's awesome.

217
00:13:04,87.36725215 --> 00:13:04,607.36723308
Wow.

218
00:13:04,607.36723308 --> 00:13:05,87.36725215
Okay.

219
00:13:05,87.36725215 --> 00:13:05,147.36719493
Yeah.

220
00:13:05,147.36719493 --> 00:13:05,967.36736659
So you're there.

221
00:13:05,967.36736659 --> 00:13:08,647.23844106
You've, realized, "I don't wanna be an engineer."

222
00:13:08,865.73266694 --> 00:13:27,444.94166936
And then what did you decide to do then? when I moved to the East Village, I, instead of doing that videotape, which I left with my mom, that I just learned, I started taking yoga classes and, um, Where? at You know, there weren't very many places at that time, so, you know, I Yeah.

223
00:13:27,744.94166936 --> 00:13:34,23.22874325
and then kind of went to places, mainly OM Yoga at first, big.

224
00:13:35,23.22832363 --> 00:13:36,573.22946804
which she had just opened then.

225
00:13:36,666.73578523 --> 00:13:41,766.73288844
So I was taking classes for a while, and I did her first training actually with Paul Oh.

226
00:13:41,966.73287652 --> 00:13:46,276.73305772
I was gonna say, I'm sure you knew Paul, 'cause that's right around the same time.

227
00:13:46,276.73305772 --> 00:13:47,736.73309586
Paul the bartender.

228
00:13:48,186.73290513 --> 00:13:50,276.73258088
yeah, Ugh.

229
00:13:51,562.07986205 --> 00:13:52,612.07981436
just did it for fun.

230
00:13:52,642.07978575 --> 00:13:53,472.07994788
I was 18.

231
00:13:53,532.07980959 --> 00:13:53,772.07994788
Yeah.

232
00:13:55,212.079719 --> 00:13:57,602.08006232
then What year was that? to...

233
00:13:59,702.07982152 --> 00:14:01,442.07989066
Okay, yeah, that was two years before I moved there.

234
00:14:02,162.07991927 --> 00:14:02,222.07986205
Yeah.

235
00:14:02,502.07985966 --> 00:14:02,842.07983344
Okay.

236
00:14:02,942.07989066 --> 00:14:03,212.07987158
Yeah.

237
00:14:03,232.07981913 --> 00:14:03,572.07985251
Huh.

238
00:14:03,662.07968085 --> 00:14:03,922.07990973
Yeah.

239
00:14:04,261.30270655 --> 00:14:06,91.30263026
so yeah, I started taking classes.

240
00:14:06,205.58842728 --> 00:14:08,105.58852264
people kept asking me to teach classes.

241
00:14:08,105.58852264 --> 00:14:10,315.58903763
I didn't wanna teach, but I just...

242
00:14:10,355.58899948 --> 00:14:20,145.58896133
I mean, I didn't not wanna teach, it just, you what I was planning on doing, and kept asking me, and all of a sudden I was teaching 16 quit a week.

243
00:14:20,845.58781693 --> 00:14:21,515.58789322
This was like at...

244
00:14:21,515.58789322 --> 00:14:27,15.58871338
So at the time I quit Cooper Union, that Cooper Union? Well, she didn't- I did.

245
00:14:27,15.58871338 --> 00:14:30,745.58880875
I'm What the f- She didn't wanna be an engineer.

246
00:14:30,745.58880875 --> 00:14:31,565.58850357
Yeah, but you could do...

247
00:14:31,565.58850357 --> 00:14:34,265.58865616
Uh, you there's no...

248
00:14:34,565.58865616 --> 00:14:34,655.58857033
thing.

249
00:14:34,875.58796951 --> 00:14:38,455.58870384
You could only do engineering? Yes, and that was the problem.

250
00:14:38,455.58870384 --> 00:14:44,575.58835098
I w- if they'd let me do math or chemistry or physics or anything else, I would've done that.

251
00:14:44,605.58903763 --> 00:15:04,297.30435484
But I just, W- d- did those departments exist? Or just was nothing but engineering? No, so your third year it was like, "Okay, do you wanna be a mechanical, electrical, civil, or what's the other one?" Well, go for civil engineering- 'cause then you can work with the populace, I guess.

252
00:15:04,367.3045265 --> 00:15:05,47.30435484
I don't know.

253
00:15:05,187.30422132 --> 00:15:06,907.30448835
Like, you can design people.

254
00:15:06,947.3044502 --> 00:15:07,948.83754188
Human design.

255
00:15:08,128.83784706 --> 00:15:10,228.83727486
Can I do that? Human design.

256
00:15:11,178.83727486 --> 00:15:12,668.83728439
not back then.

257
00:15:13,62.91919312 --> 00:15:14,132.91927418
anyway, my God.

258
00:15:14,602.9192265 --> 00:15:14,872.91928372
That's...

259
00:15:14,902.9192265 --> 00:15:17,72.91930279
sadly gave up my scholarship.

260
00:15:17,112.91926465 --> 00:15:17,552.91932187
I know.

261
00:15:17,552.91932187 --> 00:15:17,972.91939816
It's...

262
00:15:19,282.91917882 --> 00:15:20,322.91937909
Wow.

263
00:15:20,952.91901669 --> 00:15:21,252.91920743
Okay.

264
00:15:21,252.91920743 --> 00:15:21,322.91937909
Mm.

265
00:15:21,380.76521289 --> 00:15:24,790.76506031
meanwhile, I was, doing a lot of yoga, teaching a lot of yoga.

266
00:15:24,790.76506031 --> 00:15:35,670.021776
Um, took me to a Mysore class, and I'd already-- also had Richard Freeman's primary series, Yeah.

267
00:15:35,785.9957634 --> 00:15:40,345.99637375
I have good memory, and I was young and Oh.

268
00:15:40,645.99637375 --> 00:15:42,945.99561081
kind of, like, did it Yeah, it.

269
00:15:43,25.99655495 --> 00:15:46,30.99653587
I know into the Mysore class and just did Yeah.

270
00:15:46,58.01185698 --> 00:15:47,378.01179022
I think we talked about this once.

271
00:15:47,378.01179022 --> 00:15:50,943.01185221
Did we both go to Russell Kyle's class at Jivamukti? I did.

272
00:15:51,213.01183314 --> 00:15:54,68.01189512
This was not, not the first one, but I did go to Russell's Yeah.

273
00:15:54,163.01176161 --> 00:15:57,498.01172346
Guy, oh, you went to Guy's class first? Wow.

274
00:15:57,663.01176161 --> 00:15:58,23.01141829
my first.

275
00:15:58,23.01141829 --> 00:15:59,683.01221937
It was a Saturday morning.

276
00:16:00,123.01179976 --> 00:16:07,173.62724363
Um, but But in '98, '99, I or nine- I went to Russell's, I was visiting to check out the school.

277
00:16:07,843.62731992 --> 00:16:07,898.62687169
Yeah.

278
00:16:08,198.62687169 --> 00:16:09,331.92620855
I did also do that.

279
00:16:09,331.92620855 --> 00:16:11,101.92595106
I went to Jivamukti for a while.

280
00:16:11,101.92595106 --> 00:16:12,66.92610841
He was at Yeah.

281
00:16:12,526.92614656 --> 00:16:20,398.90204449
A- and he was in the same kind of, air space as Christopher Hildebrandt, and they had a, a curtain up to separate their Mysore classes, which is absurd.

282
00:16:21,203.90250226 --> 00:16:22,548.9026167
They taught at the same Yeah.

283
00:16:22,658.31761105 --> 00:16:23,894.95532646
That's so interesting.

284
00:16:23,939.95526924 --> 00:16:24,4.95498313
Yeah.

285
00:16:24,239.95526924 --> 00:16:25,764.95521201
I groups.

286
00:16:25,764.95521201 --> 00:16:30,314.95444908
People have paid for different teachers, but they want the same time? New Yorkers are so specific.

287
00:16:31,176.86565667 --> 00:16:36,416.86590463
I mean, you must have gone and attended a tour or something, like with Pattabhi Jois and the family.

288
00:16:36,621.86577111 --> 00:16:43,411.8652561
was what happened was I, you know-- And I was, again, young and flexible, so I kinda just learned intermediate very quickly.

289
00:16:43,861.8660191 --> 00:16:55,587.8821021
And when-- Pattabhi Jois came, I guess this was fall 2000, I went and did a month of led intermediate at the Puck Building, and, that Wow.

290
00:16:57,0.14345 --> 00:16:58,740.1432211
they really got to know you then.

291
00:16:58,810.1433928 --> 00:16:59,630.1435644
That's amazing.

292
00:16:59,672.9116677 --> 00:17:00,702.9116391
It was amazing, yeah.

293
00:17:00,732.9116105 --> 00:17:05,767.3418263
Were you there? Uh, 2000, no, I had just arrived, and I just had no idea how to get there.

294
00:17:05,859.8883715 --> 00:17:06,969.8880281
I'd been told about it.

295
00:17:07,239.8875322 --> 00:17:11,719.8870745
Like, somebody, David Swensen had told somebody back in Texas, he's like, "Oh, you should go see Pattabhi Jois.

296
00:17:11,719.8870745 --> 00:17:12,379.8888292
He's there in town."

297
00:17:12,379.8888292 --> 00:17:14,959.8887529
I was like, "How?" Hmm.

298
00:17:15,929.8879876 --> 00:17:16,629.8879757
That's funny.

299
00:17:16,769.8879614 --> 00:17:17,919.8878374
Yeah, different Yeah.

300
00:17:18,379.1888416 --> 00:17:22,19.1891849
but yeah, at the end of a month, Pattabhi Jois said to me, "Come to Mysore."

301
00:17:22,149.1891063 --> 00:17:22,769.1890514
Wow.

302
00:17:22,769.1891849 --> 00:17:23,199.1894901
"Okay."

303
00:17:23,249.1890705 --> 00:17:23,499.1894901
Okay.

304
00:17:24,479.1890896 --> 00:17:24,949.1891182
Yeah.

305
00:17:25,429.1888988 --> 00:17:26,539.1890323
That's what we all did.

306
00:17:26,589.1892231 --> 00:17:31,577.1643496
And then did you go- Mm the next like few months later or the next year? Yeah, December 2000.

307
00:17:31,647.1645212 --> 00:17:33,347.1643305
I went, like, two months later.

308
00:17:33,482.1645212 --> 00:17:34,47.1646166
Yeah like...

309
00:17:34,347.1646166 --> 00:17:41,22.1640063
but how does one do that? She was a young girl with no responsibilities teaching 16 classes a week in New York City.

310
00:17:41,22.1640063 --> 00:17:41,762.1647311
She was- With like...

311
00:17:41,762.1647311 --> 00:17:44,672.1645785
5,000 bucks in her back pocket? Yeah, You make some money back then.

312
00:17:45,422.1645785 --> 00:17:54,322.1645212
You had to- You know, I did-- I mean, I, you know, I, yeah, I taught these six- these 16 classes a week, and you didn't need $5,000 That's true.

313
00:17:55,197.1645785 --> 00:18:03,247.1647692
I remember my first plane ticket, I think, was 1,200, and stayed at Post Office House, which was $50 a month.

314
00:18:04,407.1646166 --> 00:18:06,892.1643496
So, up to 1,350.

315
00:18:07,60.7902926 --> 00:18:07,220.7906169
Yeah.

316
00:18:07,220.7906169 --> 00:18:09,980.7908458
the most expensive thing was the tuition.

317
00:18:09,980.7908458 --> 00:18:13,690.7908839
Classes were 400 at that time? I think it was yeah.

318
00:18:13,690.7908839 --> 00:18:14,855.7901591
Is it thr- it was three.

319
00:18:15,180.790655 --> 00:18:17,570.7909984
so we're now at, uh, 2,300...

320
00:18:17,750.7913035 --> 00:18:20,360.7900065
1,550.

321
00:18:20,510.7896251 --> 00:18:21,130.7904643
Okay, go ahead.

322
00:18:22,210.790388 --> 00:18:23,470.7906169
She was there for, five months.

323
00:18:23,470.7906169 --> 00:18:24,580.7912272
five months.

324
00:18:24,800.7905406 --> 00:18:26,550.7905406
That's 2,000 right there.

325
00:18:26,880.7904643 --> 00:18:26,950.7901591
Yeah.

326
00:18:26,980.7908458 --> 00:18:28,850.7897777
but still, it's only $2,000.

327
00:18:29,345.7905025 --> 00:18:32,725.7906169
tell you the, the real secret was I rented my apartment out while I was gone.

328
00:18:33,600.7904405 --> 00:18:35,260.7904071
You sneaky.

329
00:18:35,440.7904738 --> 00:18:36,240.7904262
Mm.

330
00:18:36,990.7904262 --> 00:18:38,470.7904452
I took out a student loan.

331
00:18:39,445.7904929 --> 00:18:40,760.7908839
Did you I did.

332
00:18:42,960.7904595 --> 00:18:44,890.7904071
It was like they're just giving money away.

333
00:18:45,10.7905311 --> 00:18:45,970.7905692
It was like, "Okay, fine."

334
00:18:46,515.7904634 --> 00:19:02,900.7901973
To go to I, I used it to pay Guy, and then I found, in my university, I found a closet that no one was living in, so I slept in that, and I used that money that I had been paying on rent to go to India.

335
00:19:03,815.7904548 --> 00:19:04,45.7904548
That's amazing.

336
00:19:04,390.7909221 --> 00:19:04,450.790388
Yeah.

337
00:19:04,655.7904262 --> 00:19:06,600.9473368
What year did you first go 2003.

338
00:19:07,604.5576149 --> 00:19:33,507.8866917
So for those listening at home, there's a massive divide in status now established- between Zoe and I because, one, she went to Lakshmi Puram in the old days, and Harmony and I went only to Gokulam in the new paradigm, and so that puts Zoe, like, at top of the monument of status, and we're, like, here, lower, at the...

339
00:19:33,747.8845555 --> 00:19:38,777.8833348
If you imagine a pyramid, there's all of you who are listening who are the base of the pyramid.

340
00:19:39,47.8837925 --> 00:19:43,337.8847081
We're one step above that, and Zoe right there below the top.

341
00:19:44,237.8862339 --> 00:19:44,687.8831822
Mm.

342
00:19:45,657.8844029 --> 00:19:49,427.8848606
That's the math that we do in our head 'cause we're still so F%$ed up about it.

343
00:19:49,427.8848606 --> 00:19:51,267.8811985
Am I, am I wrong? No.

344
00:19:51,297.8876072 --> 00:19:51,447.8815037
No.

345
00:19:51,447.8815037 --> 00:19:54,627.8818089
I mean- No you're kind of exaggerating a little bit.

346
00:19:55,377.8818089 --> 00:19:56,7.8866917
Yeah.

347
00:19:56,79.674704 --> 00:20:01,938.4282684
what part? Because, well, you only do that if you're still traumatized by things.

348
00:20:01,939.6753144 --> 00:20:03,69.6801972
If you're still traumatized.

349
00:20:03,69.6801972 --> 00:20:03,629.6777558
No, I...

350
00:20:03,759.6750092 --> 00:20:05,149.6820283
Speak for yourself.

351
00:20:05,149.6820283 --> 00:20:06,629.6777558
I've done my work around it.

352
00:20:06,629.6777558 --> 00:20:07,249.6805024
You haven't.

353
00:20:07,929.6808076 --> 00:20:09,379.6777558
You have not done the work.

354
00:20:09,379.6777558 --> 00:20:09,439.6753144
Yeah.

355
00:20:09,869.6756196 --> 00:20:11,169.6786713
You've done some work.

356
00:20:11,169.6786713 --> 00:20:15,594.7696254
Um, I think We met on your second trip, right, in 2004? Yeah.

357
00:20:16,353.9930709 --> 00:20:24,558.993047
it was right when there Yeah yeah, the first time was in Lakshmi Puram, which, which I did love and I feel very grateful for, and there were 12 people in Ugh.

358
00:20:24,858.993047 --> 00:20:25,888.9930423
and that was amazing.

359
00:20:26,188.9930423 --> 00:20:26,478.9930041
Yeah.

360
00:20:26,853.9930709 --> 00:20:40,512.8126372
But yeah, my second trip, I think my second trip We were in Lakshmi Puram and I was there for the transition Yeah, I think you were staying in the Kaveri Hotel because I that's where everyone went- Oh, what a sh- to stay- What a shithole at the beginning.

361
00:20:40,512.8126372 --> 00:20:40,572.8130568
Mm.

362
00:20:41,2.813362 --> 00:20:41,642.8127516
And then you...

363
00:20:41,772.8128661 --> 00:20:46,542.8133238
I remember because you were moving to a new apartment in Gokulam, and then you got in that big accident.

364
00:20:47,137.8129614 --> 00:20:47,627.812971
Yes.

365
00:20:47,927.812971 --> 00:20:48,757.8130377
Oh.

366
00:20:49,57.8130377 --> 00:20:50,702.8122176
this horrible rickshaw I remember that.

367
00:20:50,787.8130568 --> 00:20:53,352.8137435
and, That Was also my second trip.

368
00:20:54,336.0632846 --> 00:20:55,766.0635898
I think you came much later.

369
00:20:55,766.0635898 --> 00:20:57,236.0629031
You weren't there at the same time.

370
00:20:57,456.0622165 --> 00:20:58,501.0628316
Not as Zoe, but as you.

371
00:20:58,501.0628316 --> 00:21:03,691.0633657
You came after she already had left and I- But, but you and I made eye contact- I don't know in the foyer, I remember.

372
00:21:03,691.0633657 --> 00:21:03,991.0626027
Okay.

373
00:21:04,521.0651967 --> 00:21:06,361.0653493
I remember you stared- This is not even on topic.

374
00:21:06,361.0653493 --> 00:21:07,231.0642812
You scared me down.

375
00:21:07,231.0642812 --> 00:21:08,61.0622975
So let's just, like, move on.

376
00:21:08,61.0622975 --> 00:21:10,761.0630605
We're at, we're under the coconut stand right now.

377
00:21:10,761.0630605 --> 00:21:12,391.0641286
We're just having a chat, guys.

378
00:21:12,441.0633657 --> 00:21:13,541.0618398
We're just talking about old times.

379
00:21:14,101.0624501 --> 00:21:24,564.4370618
what we really wanted to get to was your dissertation, which you had mentioned was, maybe, I'm not sure if I misunderstood you, but maybe inspired by conversations that you had had with Sri K.

380
00:21:24,564.4370618 --> 00:21:28,995.164393
Pattabhi Jois, about a section of Vedanta.

381
00:21:29,165.1625619 --> 00:21:31,575.166224
And, and I wonder if you could talk about that at all, or is it.

382
00:21:31,985.1698861 --> 00:21:34,290.7996396
too premature in this c- journey you had it.

383
00:21:34,455.7977799 --> 00:21:37,915.7995633
with Pattabhi Jois? I mean, I'll give a little lead up to Okay.

384
00:21:38,38.0221699 --> 00:21:44,73.0216454
but yeah, so the other cool thing about being in Lakshmi Puram, just to play into your Drama.

385
00:21:44,98.0219219 --> 00:21:44,448.0213497
what you missed.

386
00:21:44,848.0219219 --> 00:21:45,868.021426
Um, yes.

387
00:21:47,48.0207775 --> 00:21:48,138.0209301
Sorry, trauma triggering.

388
00:21:48,208.4133854 --> 00:21:53,262.0338913
but, um, Padambhi Joyce had conference every single day, Yeah.

389
00:21:53,367.0338151 --> 00:21:53,747.0338103
Yeah.

390
00:21:53,747.0338103 --> 00:21:54,137.033796
That's new.

391
00:21:54,272.0333573 --> 00:22:00,415.4387341
just sit there and like, talk about stuff, and sometimes he'd just read the newspaper and, mail.

392
00:22:00,755.4388867 --> 00:22:03,745.4388867
But like That was when I got into Sanskrit, was my first trip.

393
00:22:03,835.4390392 --> 00:22:09,891.8054941
And so I would hear him quote texts, and I really wanted to understand what he was talking about.

394
00:22:10,766.8045857 --> 00:22:10,856.8045595
Yeah.

395
00:22:11,1.8061044 --> 00:22:16,848.5572637
So I would say my Sanskrit journey, which led to my book that you held up, and thank you.

396
00:22:17,908.558637 --> 00:22:25,79.1842598
your copy is so nice and shiny, Did you start with Jai Shri? Jois? with, Ah, I'm forgetting his name.

397
00:22:25,379.1842598 --> 00:22:26,434.1843647
Lakshmi? to me.

398
00:22:27,354.184441 --> 00:22:28,594.184689
Lakshmisha's teacher.

399
00:22:29,294.3917265 --> 00:22:29,604.3917885
Anyway.

400
00:22:29,739.3916979 --> 00:22:32,739.3916979
with James, and James the Fireman Vinayaka.

401
00:22:33,389.3917623 --> 00:22:34,459.3921557
Vinayaka, Vinayaka.

402
00:22:34,759.3921557 --> 00:22:35,999.391717
is his James the fireman.

403
00:22:36,839.3920794 --> 00:22:37,659.3917742
James the fireman.

404
00:22:37,689.3915072 --> 00:22:38,99.390687
he's a hero.

405
00:22:38,399.390687 --> 00:22:38,979.3905153
the Yeah.

406
00:22:39,399.390687 --> 00:22:40,389.3904581
Yes, he is a hero.

407
00:22:40,814.2220856 --> 00:22:49,884.2218472
Anyway, he also was one of the reasons I got into Sanskrit, and Vinayaka used to come to his room, and a few people came, and I think Lakshmesh would come, you Right.

408
00:22:49,984.2221619 --> 00:22:50,684.2217995
very Yes.

409
00:22:50,880.0400206 --> 00:22:51,930.041165
as a student.

410
00:22:52,240.0406309 --> 00:22:54,390.1724053
And so that was Yeah.

411
00:22:54,960.1719476 --> 00:22:55,730.1725103
introduction.

412
00:22:56,30.1725103 --> 00:22:56,340.172453
Mm-hmm.

413
00:22:56,340.172453 --> 00:22:56,910.1723863
Amazing.

414
00:22:56,960.1723386 --> 00:22:57,320.1724721
Wow.

415
00:22:57,320.1724721 --> 00:23:03,570.1727105
So you started studying Sanskrit, and then you went back to New York, still taught, like, tons of yoga.

416
00:23:04,105.7330806 --> 00:23:18,135.7332522
taught tons of yoga, went back and forth to Mysore, did Sanskrit in Mysore, Sanskrit on my own, eventually went back to school at Columbia and did more, And that's when you did, like, your, your degree in...

417
00:23:18,135.7332522 --> 00:23:21,119.916974
What was your first degree in? Asian languages Okay.

418
00:23:21,419.916974 --> 00:23:22,299.9170789
culture.

419
00:23:22,399.9169835 --> 00:23:27,454.0229509
So they actually let me finish my undergrad, and like get credit for my engineering stuff, Excellent.

420
00:23:27,754.0229509 --> 00:23:30,834.0231559
then I started a PhD program there.

421
00:23:30,864.0228889 --> 00:23:32,954.0230415
I ended up quitting after the master's.

422
00:23:33,44.0229652 --> 00:23:33,144.0229294
Yeah.

423
00:23:33,144.0229294 --> 00:23:33,314.0230057
Yeah.

424
00:23:33,924.0228913 --> 00:23:34,774.0230439
it's a long story, Yeah.

425
00:23:35,74.0230439 --> 00:23:46,751.585006
short story is that I had a yoga shala in New York for many Yeah, do my PhD at Lancaster in the UK, as a distance program.

426
00:23:47,111.583709 --> 00:24:04,472.5081115
But, so the thing that happened was while I had my yoga shala, I started writing my Sanskrit textbook, kind of just as like notes to teach from, and then it cause turned into a there's so many, things in the book, that are based on, like, yogic texts, which is quite different than...

427
00:24:04,472.5081115 --> 00:24:04,682.5081497
'Cause I...

428
00:24:04,682.5081497 --> 00:24:08,193.5085741
took Sanskrit in university too at a bachelor's level, Yeah.

429
00:24:08,193.5085741 --> 00:24:28,897.0074831
Yeah, and so some of the texts would be like, I mean, it would be really random stuff, but, like, sometimes there was, like, the, Ramayana or, some spiritual texts, but it might be poetry or it might be, different things And this is all very yogic-based, which is kind of unique, I think, when it comes to learning Sanskrit.

430
00:24:28,996.3345094 --> 00:24:30,16.3344903
that's why I wrote it.

431
00:24:30,56.3344522 --> 00:24:35,911.3344236
I was like, yoga people wanna learn Sanskrit, you know? I like-- And they wanna read, you know, Yoga texts.

432
00:24:36,211.3344236 --> 00:24:38,391.3344522
the Yoga Sutra, and the Hatha Pradipika.

433
00:24:38,691.3344522 --> 00:24:38,761.3343854
Yeah.

434
00:24:39,86.3344236 --> 00:24:43,939.9729729
so yeah, it's kind of all of those Healing it now.

435
00:24:43,939.9729729 --> 00:24:48,129.972458
I teach in this yoga studies MA program, which I can tell you about Yeah.

436
00:24:48,279.9725533 --> 00:24:49,679.9724103
That's, that's really hot though.

437
00:24:49,679.9724103 --> 00:24:55,919.9728966
You go into a class and you study Sanskrit and the teacher puts their text, and this is the required reading.

438
00:24:55,919.9728966 --> 00:24:58,789.9727822
And it's like, "Oh, okay.

439
00:24:59,749.9728203 --> 00:25:01,249.9728203
You seem too young for that."

440
00:25:01,369.9727059 --> 00:25:01,549.9720574
All right.

441
00:25:01,599.9729348 --> 00:25:09,119.9733926
Do you get a lot of, Um, like yoga people coming to your Sanskrit class? Like, I'm curious who takes Sanskrit now.

442
00:25:09,839.9726892 --> 00:25:21,378.5451201
So yeah, I teach in this yoga studies MA program at Loyola Marymount University here, in Los Angeles, which is, yeah, a big part of the reason why I'm here, in LA.

443
00:25:21,758.5452345 --> 00:25:24,188.9350508
And an incredible program.

444
00:25:24,188.9350508 --> 00:25:25,813.6105877
there's not much like it.

445
00:25:25,813.6105877 --> 00:25:28,103.6115032
I'm associate director this year.

446
00:25:28,133.6102825 --> 00:25:29,283.609901
I will be director next year.

447
00:25:29,363.6107689 --> 00:25:29,763.6107927
So Wow.

448
00:25:29,903.6107784 --> 00:25:30,833.6108452
Congratulations.

449
00:25:30,853.6115032 --> 00:25:31,973.6104351
feel free to email me.

450
00:25:32,103.6108261 --> 00:25:32,163.6107689
Wow.

451
00:25:32,163.6107689 --> 00:25:35,3.6106831
Mm-hmm.

452
00:25:35,3.6106831 --> 00:25:43,693.6112171
my main thing is that I'm the Sanskrit professor, and so it's master's, so it's students who are getting a master's in yoga studies.

453
00:25:44,273.6130482 --> 00:25:46,343.612743
And so they have to take Sanskrit.

454
00:25:46,426.496722 --> 00:25:47,276.4967459
No kidding.

455
00:25:48,116.4966601 --> 00:25:48,176.4968413
Wow.

456
00:25:49,146.4966314 --> 00:25:49,286.4967363
so...

457
00:25:49,286.4967363 --> 00:25:55,636.4968794
like they would come in with a bachelor's degree in like religious studies or philosophy No, English, Honestly, anything.

458
00:25:56,56.4966124 --> 00:25:56,586.4968222
yeah.

459
00:25:56,746.4966696 --> 00:25:57,426.4964979
We- It's one of...

460
00:25:58,256.4968985 --> 00:25:58,616.4965551
Yes.

461
00:25:58,886.4965361 --> 00:25:59,326.4965933
Yes.

462
00:25:59,656.4967363 --> 00:26:00,146.4967459
Hmm.

463
00:26:00,296.4968603 --> 00:26:10,971.6136183
It's one of the things I really like about our program, honestly, is it's people of all ages with all backgrounds so people bring, yeah, whatever their previous experience is.

464
00:26:11,271.6136183 --> 00:26:11,651.6136731
Cool.

465
00:26:11,951.6136731 --> 00:26:14,111.6136683
yeah, lots of, lots of different people.

466
00:26:14,111.6136683 --> 00:26:16,461.6133345
And everybody has to take a year.

467
00:26:16,501.6132964 --> 00:26:18,681.6136016
Some people take a bit more than that.

468
00:26:18,762.7862615 --> 00:26:20,692.7860898
And then do like a master's dissertation.

469
00:26:21,0.7103122 --> 00:26:21,350.710336
Yeah.

470
00:26:21,430.7103789 --> 00:26:21,690.7103694
They do.

471
00:26:21,720.7103408 --> 00:26:23,240.7103217
I, I supervise those two.

472
00:26:23,351.4927553 --> 00:26:32,108.2201805
Can I, can I ask you, uh, uh, from our limited experience working with, with Jayashree and, and studying Sanskrit with Kiki, Yeah.

473
00:26:32,408.2201805 --> 00:26:33,278.2197371
uh- Kimberly.

474
00:26:33,278.2197371 --> 00:26:34,868.2198896
Flynn Kimberly Flynn, yeah, thank you.

475
00:26:35,398.2205763 --> 00:26:36,768.2195082
Uh, with Kimberly was, um...

476
00:26:37,8.2192793 --> 00:26:46,91.753944
It just seemed that the, the Shruti Parampara was so much about, um, the auditory experience of, of l- listening and, repetition.

477
00:26:46,491.7535625 --> 00:26:52,501.7541443
Is that at all a part of the students' experience at Loyola with you? Yeah.

478
00:26:52,501.7541443 --> 00:26:55,791.7543446
It's one of the thing, you know, I, I chant with them all the time.

479
00:26:56,281.7541157 --> 00:26:58,871.7542683
I chant every verse and every everything.

480
00:26:59,163.4939779 --> 00:27:03,423.4934438
yeah, I, I feel like you don't normally No, you don't.

481
00:27:03,723.4934438 --> 00:27:05,493.4939016
but that's but that's sort of...

482
00:27:05,493.4939016 --> 00:27:08,983.4936727
You know, and there's an-- I made an audio for my whole book, which is on my website.

483
00:27:09,513.4937967 --> 00:27:10,688.4939874
Wow.

484
00:27:11,3.4941305 --> 00:27:15,973.4934438
and I also teach online Sanskrit classes through the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies.

485
00:27:16,43.4931386 --> 00:27:17,143.4935201
I meant to give you that link too.

486
00:27:17,213.4932149 --> 00:27:17,968.4937156
I should do Yeah.

487
00:27:18,41.7023485 --> 00:27:20,546.7027299
if anybody We'll put their it in the show notes.

488
00:27:23,502.8483679 --> 00:27:24,512.8483584
but yeah, lots of people.

489
00:27:24,512.8483584 --> 00:27:26,472.8486349
I mean, I've been amazed.

490
00:27:26,472.8486349 --> 00:27:29,77.8485062
I've taught like many, many hundreds of Yeah.

491
00:27:29,170.6556893 --> 00:27:30,750.655613
And how do they take to it? Like, Um.

492
00:27:30,750.655613 --> 00:27:36,778.2952485
and that's a big ask to learn how to use your tongue and never having thought about using your tongue before.

493
00:27:39,128.2948289 --> 00:27:40,578.2948766
These are serious questions 'cause...

494
00:27:40,888.2948193 --> 00:27:47,898.2952866
And so like, you've never having thought about using your tongue before while speaking unless you're like a, a ventriloquist or an impersonator.

495
00:27:47,948.2947514 --> 00:27:48,728.2952103
Or a linguist.

496
00:27:48,798.2949052 --> 00:27:56,361.8047388
Like Frank Caliendo, the great impersonator, like his understanding of where he speaks in his, mouth and body is, extraordinary.

497
00:27:56,831.8040521 --> 00:28:00,461.8032129
But like you really have to learn how to do that to speak this language.

498
00:28:00,821.8038233 --> 00:28:15,813.8464142
How do they respond to that? Do they just have to sit there and try or do you correct? You know, One of the things about our program is that it's hybrid, and so some students are in person but we have students all over the country and even all over the world.

499
00:28:15,983.8455369 --> 00:28:19,13.8452698
and so everybody starts with a two-week intensive here.

500
00:28:19,398.1307617 --> 00:28:23,478.1306854
I teach them the alphabet during that time, and I really try to work with them during that time.

501
00:28:23,478.1306854 --> 00:28:29,653.1316176
And I definitely work on pronunciation at other times, but, you know, Zoom Yeah.

502
00:28:29,838.1312957 --> 00:28:32,48.1322876
and so when we chant, I have to mute everybody.

503
00:28:32,48.1322876 --> 00:28:34,733.1316104
So, You can't hear how they sound.

504
00:28:34,733.1316104 --> 00:28:35,183.1316581
yeah.

505
00:28:35,438.1315866 --> 00:28:35,638.1316343
yeah.

506
00:28:35,638.1316343 --> 00:28:41,758.1318298
I mean, I have them read out, uh, you know, we sort of take turns reading out loud, going over Oh, so intimidating.

507
00:28:42,58.1318298 --> 00:28:42,408.1317344
it's...

508
00:28:42,503.1316772 --> 00:28:43,133.1315532
Oh my God.

509
00:28:44,913.1315246 --> 00:28:52,168.3530636
I was sitting in a class with Jai Shri that she was teaching online a couple years ago and she was teaching, yoga sutras.

510
00:28:52,668.3530636 --> 00:28:54,48.3531781
And so I thought, "Oh, this will be fun.

511
00:28:54,48.3531781 --> 00:28:59,573.3534332
I'll just like sit in and like listen to Jai Shri teach on yoga sutras and do some chanting just..."

512
00:28:59,873.3534332 --> 00:29:04,208.3539792
Where are it's exactly like it was in her little room.

513
00:29:04,418.3530636 --> 00:29:05,158.3528348
Exactly.

514
00:29:05,678.3532925 --> 00:29:06,918.3530636
100% the same.

515
00:29:07,558.3543606 --> 00:29:14,168.354971
But of course it's on Zoom and so she would chant a verse and she'd make everyone unmute and chant the verse.

516
00:29:14,228.3525296 --> 00:29:27,128.3540555
And by one one by one And you know how like- Oh specific she is, and she just like would not be satisfied until everyone got a chance to chant.

517
00:29:28,608.3534451 --> 00:29:30,158.3533974
I can imagine that, totally.

518
00:29:30,468.3534642 --> 00:29:40,578.7218179
One of my favorite stories about her is she told me this story that she said that she was, I don't remember where it was, whether it was a wedding, a funeral, or a function.

519
00:29:41,108.7220277 --> 00:29:51,568.7220659
And she said Patabi Joyce was there and she was chanting, and three times he stopped her in the middle to correct her pronunciation.

520
00:29:52,188.7209977 --> 00:29:53,468.7216844
And each time it was correct.

521
00:29:53,468.7216844 --> 00:29:55,38.7213792
Like she was n- like it was not a joke.

522
00:29:55,38.7213792 --> 00:29:55,818.7220659
Like it was-- Yeah.

523
00:29:55,818.7220659 --> 00:29:57,668.7219228
it was-- it needed to be corrected.

524
00:29:57,968.7219228 --> 00:29:58,648.7218704
believe that.

525
00:29:58,648.7219896 --> 00:30:01,320.8035317
was I don't know if it needed to be corrected.

526
00:30:01,650.8036842 --> 00:30:04,110.8027687
Just like you don't need me on the podcast.,

527
00:30:04,609.7434045 --> 00:30:07,239.7444726
I just never thought of him that way.

528
00:30:07,239.7444726 --> 00:30:14,649.74432
I, I knew that, you know, he, he was like nice old guy and he would read Vedanta and he would, you know, adjust really, badly.

529
00:30:14,649.74432 --> 00:30:21,914.5999704
and I just thought he was really cute, you know? but I never thought of him as someone with, expertise, and that, that really shocked me.

530
00:30:21,914.5999704 --> 00:30:23,229.3538005
He was amazing.

531
00:30:25,448.9381169 --> 00:30:30,328.9382314
but the Sanskrit was really, what stuck with me, and he really embodied that.

532
00:30:30,358.938918 --> 00:30:36,188.9378499
And I, you know, especially as I learned more and more, I would, start to understand what he was talking about.

533
00:30:36,578.9391469 --> 00:30:42,538.9401387
and so to get back to your question before, used to often quote this one text, the Upadesha Sahasri.

534
00:30:42,946.5770276 --> 00:30:52,616.5790112
and it's a text that's attributed to Shankaracharya, who lived in the eighth century, but was probably, probably actually lived in the 15th, 16th century, know, as they do.

535
00:30:52,833.0214585 --> 00:31:06,130.0905591
interesting yoga with Advaita Vedanta, and, it is, the subject of my PhD dissertation which will soon be a book, next year probably.

536
00:31:06,380.0905591 --> 00:31:09,628.2502455
But it's, in process and it's-- you know, I love the text.

537
00:31:09,628.2502455 --> 00:31:11,138.2447523
I think the text is beautiful.

538
00:31:11,138.2447523 --> 00:31:12,78.2471937
It's funny.

539
00:31:12,255.9637708 --> 00:31:19,173.4357313
makes fun of people for like looking at the tip of their nose and stuff like Really? but it also tells the story of modern yoga.

540
00:31:19,702.3176889 --> 00:31:21,94.3257868
so- Say more about that.

541
00:31:21,804.3258249 --> 00:31:22,944.3259298
Tell us your dissertation.

542
00:31:24,664.3257606 --> 00:31:25,954.3257916
In a Yeah.

543
00:31:26,241.5722899 --> 00:31:37,61.5719752
In the Yoga Sutras, the aim of yoga is the separation of Purusha, which is the self, from Prakriti, which is material nature, like everything else.

544
00:31:37,481.5720515 --> 00:31:41,221.5715174
And it's actually, I feel like most people don't know this, but it's about separation.

545
00:31:41,221.5715174 --> 00:31:43,821.5715174
It's not about union or oneness.

546
00:31:43,821.5715174 --> 00:31:48,331.572433
Whereas these days, if you ask people what yoga means, they'll say, "Oh, union."

547
00:31:48,391.5723567 --> 00:31:48,861.5723853
Mm-hmm.

548
00:31:49,391.5718989 --> 00:31:57,201.57167
and so I sort of feel like my dissertation and soon to be book, it's sort of the story of how yoga went from meaning two to meaning one.

549
00:31:57,629.5983301 --> 00:32:02,239.5951257
So like how it came from being about this separation to being about union.

550
00:32:02,689.5958887 --> 00:32:09,249.597262
And my argument is that it's through the influence of Advaita Vedanta, and this text kind of combines the two.

551
00:32:09,849.5966802 --> 00:32:11,389.5966421
Okay, so I'm totally confused.

552
00:32:11,389.5966421 --> 00:32:23,519.5966325
So how is it not union and how is it separation? Can you tell us what, what you mean by that? So traditionally, it's a process of like, I am not this, I am not that.

553
00:32:23,609.5967851 --> 00:32:30,994.2447472
So, I mean, it's easy for me to say, you know, I'm not my computer, I'm not my, you know, my whatever.

554
00:32:30,994.2447472 --> 00:32:35,844.2440176
But then to say like, "Oh, I'm not my ego, I'm not my body, I'm not my intellect."

555
00:32:36,144.2440176 --> 00:32:37,904.2438889
not my fingernail clippings.

556
00:32:39,984.2439628 --> 00:32:41,54.2439938
Well, certainly Yeah.

557
00:32:41,194.2439795 --> 00:32:43,324.2439747
No, but it was me, but now it's not me.

558
00:32:43,454.2440892 --> 00:32:44,114.244175
but it was never me.

559
00:32:44,254.2440033 --> 00:32:44,324.244175
right.

560
00:32:45,614.2441368 --> 00:32:47,154.2440987
Yes, that's a good example, actually.

561
00:32:47,204.2439938 --> 00:32:48,724.2439747
Thank you very much.

562
00:32:49,264.2439825 --> 00:32:51,364.2439699
I I'm not my thoughts.

563
00:32:51,414.2440415 --> 00:32:54,244.2439652
I'm not my emotions.

564
00:32:54,284.243927 --> 00:32:54,494.2439652
of that.

565
00:32:54,654.2438126 --> 00:32:57,224.2439842
but it's something that Kawancaji would use as an example that.

566
00:32:57,224.2439842 --> 00:32:58,84.2436409
I thought was really clever.

567
00:32:58,84.2436409 --> 00:33:05,504.2437172
He would talk about, "Oh, you like your wife's hair, but not when it's in your soup the next day, and you complain about your wife's hair in the soup."

568
00:33:05,784.2434502 --> 00:33:07,724.2439842
It's like, "But you liked my hair last night."

569
00:33:07,724.2439842 --> 00:33:14,574.2451287
It's like, yeah, but there's now separation between what is you and what is not you, and what was ever you in the first place.

570
00:33:14,781.6497558 --> 00:33:15,461.6497033
exactly.

571
00:33:15,871.6497891 --> 00:33:16,251.6496652
Yeah.

572
00:33:16,461.6497033 --> 00:33:21,431.6494935
Whereas these days, we tend, you know, the sort of other philosophy is that I am everything.

573
00:33:21,861.6497987 --> 00:33:22,311.6497677
You know? Mm-hmm.

574
00:33:22,521.6497462 --> 00:33:24,791.6498464
I am, this, I am that.

575
00:33:25,321.6498368 --> 00:33:28,651.6497605
am you, I am the universe, I am the wall, I am like...

576
00:33:28,681.6499513 --> 00:33:29,181.6499513
Mm-hmm.

577
00:33:29,531.6489213 --> 00:33:29,901.6497605
You know.

578
00:33:29,901.6497605 --> 00:33:37,931.6504472
And that's more appealing, right? It's much more appealing to think like, "Oh, I'm one with everything," than to think, "No, I'm isolated and separate from everything."

579
00:33:39,221.6497438 --> 00:33:49,528.0131203
Well, what-- do you agree with one position over the other? I mean, honestly, I think they're probably describing the same thing, just in different ways.

580
00:33:49,528.0131203 --> 00:33:59,930.1719161
And, you know, in Sanskrit texts, they love to sort of things in great detail and argue different positions and, know.

581
00:33:59,930.1719161 --> 00:34:12,460.1723357
So I think there's a way to kind of bring them together, and again, that's- Kind of what this text does, it sort of says like, "Okay, you know, dualism makes sense up until a point, then at the end it sort of collapses into one."

582
00:34:13,386.1474485 --> 00:34:20,816.1468
I think that makes sense, right? I think the not this, the naty naty kind of approach is, useful, right? We so identify.

583
00:34:20,816.1468 --> 00:34:26,476.1485547
I mean, I, I also-- I teach this undergrad traditions of yoga class, which is one of my favorite things.

584
00:34:26,823.8899698 --> 00:34:33,921.3972969
and, we do some meditation, and it's, for many of them, the first time they've kind of...

585
00:34:34,81.3971443 --> 00:34:37,531.3971443
or one of the first times they've like sat Oh.

586
00:34:37,831.3971443 --> 00:34:41,511.3974495
And, you know, the first thing of like, "Oh, my mind's really busy."

587
00:34:41,671.3972969 --> 00:34:49,101.3957996
I'm like, you Really? but over time it's sort of like, "Oh wait, that's not me," and, "Oh, I could catch my thought," or, Hmm.

588
00:34:49,401.3957996 --> 00:34:54,761.3974495
you know, just of have that sense of separation rather than identification.

589
00:34:54,761.3974495 --> 00:34:57,1.3953132
Like, "Oh, my body hurts, but like I'm okay."

590
00:34:57,151.3957996 --> 00:34:57,181.395771
Hmm.

591
00:34:57,301.3953132 --> 00:34:58,451.3957519
Mm-hmm.

592
00:34:58,481.3940925 --> 00:34:58,651.3957996
Yeah.

593
00:34:58,781.3940925 --> 00:35:01,511.3974495
you know, "Yeah, those thoughts are there, but they're going to pass."

594
00:35:01,868.3062538 --> 00:35:01,928.3061966
Yeah.

595
00:35:02,218.3061584 --> 00:35:02,538.3063301
Mm-hmm.

596
00:35:02,568.3050236 --> 00:35:09,118.306249
so I think, you know, in a, in the sort of practice sense, dualism is really Oh.

597
00:35:09,218.3062729 --> 00:35:09,378.3063587
Yeah.

598
00:35:09,838.3061584 --> 00:35:11,58.306187
Oh, that's really interesting.

599
00:35:11,58.306187 --> 00:35:16,344.3856231
Yeah, to think about, how to make meditation easier is like I'm not, I'm none of these things.

600
00:35:16,814.3858901 --> 00:35:20,244.3861953
But how to make meditation attractive is I am all these things.

601
00:35:20,544.3861953 --> 00:35:21,324.3858567
Yes, exactly.

602
00:35:21,604.3859473 --> 00:35:22,724.3857995
yeah, Wow.

603
00:35:22,724.3857995 --> 00:35:22,784.3858615
Wow.

604
00:35:22,994.3858138 --> 00:35:23,84.3858615
yeah.

605
00:35:23,734.3858532 --> 00:35:23,824.3858567
Yeah.

606
00:35:23,854.3858579 --> 00:35:24,84.3858472
Yeah.

607
00:35:24,474.385871 --> 00:35:33,34.3862907
You I got Mm it's sort of like a similar, thing because I've studied a lot of Buddhism, and Buddhism and early yoga I think are very much aligned.

608
00:35:33,594.3861667 --> 00:35:34,74.3861858
Yes.

609
00:35:34,174.386634 --> 00:35:43,34.385337
and that state of emptiness, you know, sunyata, uh, I think is very similar to kaivalya, right? That aloneness, that separation.

610
00:35:43,34.385337 --> 00:35:44,814.3860236
There's only one thing and it's alone.

611
00:35:45,74.3862525 --> 00:35:47,944.3861762
Because if there's only one thing, guess what? You're alone.

612
00:35:48,244.3861762 --> 00:35:48,314.3862287
Great.

613
00:35:49,304.386119 --> 00:35:51,604.3861524
And in Buddhism, it's like nothing, right? Yeah.

614
00:35:51,604.3863097 --> 00:35:53,204.3862144
There isn't even one thing.

615
00:35:53,524.3861095 --> 00:35:55,724.3861238
Just empty, right? Yeah.

616
00:35:56,434.3861953 --> 00:36:11,953.7372501
Of course, if, if, if the ultimate state is empty, I mean, you won't even know if you're there unless you're aware, so which I guess is the great argument of, Shankaracharya, right? That, well, how do you know anything? gotta be Yeah.

617
00:36:12,123.7382133 --> 00:36:12,183.7381561
there.

618
00:36:13,143.7377841 --> 00:36:16,983.7382228
If it's all empty, how do you know it's empty? Right.

619
00:36:17,553.7376316 --> 00:36:24,683.872045
right? Something has to be present or aware in some capacity of, consciousness or pure consciousness.

620
00:36:24,765.3551624 --> 00:36:34,845.3569935
and that also kind of links into, like, maybe why they decided to place Shankaracharya in the eighth century, where they-- where he can have a place in exterminating Buddhism from India.

621
00:36:34,975.3542469 --> 00:36:35,585.3548572
I'm like- Mm-hmm oh, Yeah.

622
00:36:35,635.3540943 --> 00:36:38,905.354552
that's when he was really active exterminating Buddhism.

623
00:36:39,342.5270699 --> 00:36:44,355.3075411
I mean, I think, you know, these traditions kind of rose up in, response to each other.

624
00:36:44,355.3075411 --> 00:36:52,655.2562125
So yeah, like Shankaracharya in the eighth century, like he was, definitely responding to Buddhism among other things.

625
00:36:53,675.2557166 --> 00:36:59,465.2563699
and there were, there were constantly this sort of pushback of people like arguing against each other and, Mm-hmm.

626
00:36:59,635.2567085 --> 00:37:02,495.2554115
you know, sort of establishing their positions in that way.

627
00:37:02,495.2554115 --> 00:37:09,325.256327
I mean, I think my text, the Uprakshanuputi, um, I call it mine because I've spent a You, time with you wrote it.

628
00:37:09,525.2580055 --> 00:37:10,395.2562602
that's I mean, let's be honest.

629
00:37:10,545.2546485 --> 00:37:12,565.2551063
the secret, yes.

630
00:37:13,5.2575477 --> 00:37:17,315.2563461
Don't And Guruji loved it after you presented it to him.

631
00:37:17,315.2563461 --> 00:37:19,745.2561744
He's like, "This is great, Zoe.

632
00:37:21,185.2562316 --> 00:37:21,985.2559455
You do."

633
00:37:23,614.2481039 --> 00:37:25,864.2480086
not supposed to claim authorship in these No.

634
00:37:25,864.2480086 --> 00:37:26,334.2480372
That's right.

635
00:37:26,394.24798 --> 00:37:27,84.2480372
No, it was...

636
00:37:27,154.2479704 --> 00:37:28,4.2481135
You discovered it.

637
00:37:28,4.2481135 --> 00:37:29,474.2479037
Maybe it was your past self.

638
00:37:29,474.2479037 --> 00:37:30,574.2479799
Yeah.

639
00:37:30,874.24798 --> 00:37:31,414.248061
You never know.

640
00:37:31,414.248061 --> 00:37:36,294.2480753
I mean, Good for you.

641
00:37:36,368.348978 --> 00:37:49,361.0785116
But anyway, the reason I think it was written in the 15th, 16th century is that, you know what I was saying about it sort of talking about people, like making fun of people looking at the tip of their nose and things like that.

642
00:37:49,361.0785116 --> 00:37:52,750.0783304
It really sort of rose up in response to Hatha yoga.

643
00:37:53,50.0783304 --> 00:37:53,541.0920939
Hm.

644
00:37:53,747.0024294 --> 00:38:00,587.0025819
so that's kind of how I date it is like, what was it responding to? And it seems clearly, yeah.

645
00:38:00,697.0019883 --> 00:38:05,887.0021051
Right, so even though it's attributed to Sri Shankara Acharya, it was probably written by someone else.

646
00:38:06,697.0020479 --> 00:38:07,267.0019621
As, Yeah.

647
00:38:07,407.002086 --> 00:38:08,297.0024294
they do in India.

648
00:38:08,367.0021242 --> 00:38:20,107.0018953
And they're responding to the, this nefarious spread of tantra and like, oh, that's- Or Hatha yoga, like, uh, doing all these postures- Well, the Hatha is a- it sounds like, or different practices to- part of tantra.

649
00:38:20,758.5884396 --> 00:38:23,108.588821
It grows out of Tantra, yeah.

650
00:38:23,211.8626211 --> 00:38:31,432.0745102
but yeah, more of these sort of, physical practices and, you know, what the Uprakshanuputi does is it redefines everything in terms of Brahman.

651
00:38:31,852.0745865 --> 00:38:40,202.0768753
And so it's like, you know, Yama, like Yama, Niyama, right? Like all of those things, ahimsa, non-violence, and so forth.

652
00:38:40,202.0768753 --> 00:38:41,422.0742813
Like it's all about Brahman.

653
00:38:41,512.0744339 --> 00:38:43,432.0764175
Asana, it's all about Brahman.

654
00:38:43,785.5290602 --> 00:38:45,955.5310438
pranayama, and then it adds these other ones.

655
00:38:45,955.5310438 --> 00:38:46,575.5299757
Mula bandha.

656
00:38:46,965.5304096 --> 00:38:47,385.5304859
Mm.

657
00:38:47,735.5298231 --> 00:38:48,745.5319593
it's all about Brahman.

658
00:38:48,865.5308912 --> 00:38:50,855.528755
Um, Sherrat used to clip- quote those too.

659
00:38:50,855.528755 --> 00:38:55,145.5296705
It's like definite, you know, and then sort of like, oh yeah, that's what mula bandha is.

660
00:38:55,525.5307386 --> 00:39:04,508.9078919
Um, Is it, is it the text that says, Bandha is fixing the mind at the root? Yes.

661
00:39:04,508.9078919 --> 00:39:05,118.907787
That's the one.

662
00:39:05,228.9082638 --> 00:39:06,58.9078323
Yeah Oh, nice.

663
00:39:06,358.9078323 --> 00:39:07,878.9078823
Yeah, I'm sure you know Yeah.

664
00:39:08,128.9078728 --> 00:39:09,28.9075009
I been sent.

665
00:39:09,98.9079014 --> 00:39:09,348.9079014
yeah.

666
00:39:09,374.803834 --> 00:39:10,674.8049784
it's a beautiful quote.

667
00:39:10,674.8049784 --> 00:39:15,214.8039866
I'm not quoting it as beautiful as it's actually written, but something like that.

668
00:39:15,564.804616 --> 00:39:16,44.8039103
You yeah.

669
00:39:16,54.8046256 --> 00:39:37,357.3791082
got the gist, our, our mutual friend, Andrew Hillum, he sent me this, maybe It was on Instagram, the video of, of his son, Narayana, was in the backseat as a three-year-old, and he had clearly just reached enlightenment, and he was just, his mind was exploding, and he said, "Dad, everything is Brahma.

670
00:39:38,637.3778875 --> 00:39:39,397.3800237
Everything.

671
00:39:40,467.3797185 --> 00:39:43,637.3778875
Everything is Brahma."

672
00:39:44,317.3781926 --> 00:39:48,387.3778875
And this, this three-year-old was like fucking, mind was fucking totally blown up.

673
00:39:48,417.3804815 --> 00:39:49,507.3768194
and I was like, "Holy shit.

674
00:39:49,597.3769719 --> 00:39:49,957.3775823
Okay.

675
00:39:50,127.3795659 --> 00:39:50,737.3786123
Special kid."

676
00:39:51,37.3786123 --> 00:39:51,917.3804815
That's Yeah.

677
00:39:51,947.3792608 --> 00:39:53,497.3784978
Wish my kid would reach enlightenment.

678
00:39:53,497.3784978 --> 00:39:53,987.3801763
That'd be great.

679
00:39:54,587.3786504 --> 00:39:57,827.3786743
I think all kids are, uh, there to a certain extent.

680
00:39:57,987.3801763 --> 00:40:02,627.3795659
Do gets harder and you remember, as you when, Jediah reached enlightenment as a, as a three-year-old? That's cool.

681
00:40:02,987.3801763 --> 00:40:03,337.3786504
Yeah.

682
00:40:03,647.376209 --> 00:40:03,807.3798711
Yeah.

683
00:40:03,807.3798711 --> 00:40:07,227.3780401
Um, I do.

684
00:40:08,37.3755987 --> 00:40:08,547.3777349
Many times.

685
00:40:11,221.8207382 --> 00:40:13,281.8206333
Right? It's all Whoo.

686
00:40:13,581.8207001 --> 00:40:18,401.820824
gets all-- it all gets more Yeah, because you're not as i- you're not identified with things when you're young.

687
00:40:18,918.1853596 --> 00:40:19,688.1849137
Yeah, Yeah.

688
00:40:19,898.1849519 --> 00:40:25,158.1851808
And then you develop your identity, and the more- Oh, yeah you're identified with things, the more you're separate.

689
00:40:25,378.1854478 --> 00:40:26,668.1854097
from reality.

690
00:40:26,798.1845704 --> 00:40:28,638.184723
That's what the psychedelics are for.

691
00:40:28,898.1849519 --> 00:40:29,358.1859437
Yeah.

692
00:40:29,358.1859437 --> 00:40:29,788.1862489
Sorry.

693
00:40:29,978.1848756 --> 00:40:30,408.1851808
Mm.

694
00:40:30,408.1851808 --> 00:40:31,498.1853334
That's true.

695
00:40:31,758.1855622 --> 00:40:32,658.1851808
Yeah, Mm.

696
00:40:33,248.1853334 --> 00:40:37,94.8859202
You, how many kids do you have, Zoe? have book babies.

697
00:40:37,394.8859202 --> 00:40:38,554.8857676
babies, exactly.

698
00:40:38,554.8857676 --> 00:40:39,384.8856913
That's fantastic.

699
00:40:39,384.8856913 --> 00:40:41,704.8863398
I'm so excited for your dissertation turning into a book.

700
00:40:41,754.8865306 --> 00:40:42,444.886111
That's awesome.

701
00:40:42,574.8862254 --> 00:40:46,224.3731241
It's such a lovely topic, and it, blew my mind, and I was really...

702
00:40:46,224.3731241 --> 00:40:51,784.3706827
I was, that was really cool, and, and I feel really geeked out that you shared it with us.

703
00:40:51,784.3706827 --> 00:40:52,654.371522
That's really cool.

704
00:40:53,684.3716746 --> 00:40:54,54.3715601
Thank you.

705
00:40:54,54.3715601 --> 00:40:54,364.3710261
Thank you.

706
00:40:54,364.3710261 --> 00:40:55,824.3710642
I'm, yeah, excited to...

707
00:40:55,824.3710642 --> 00:41:01,863.3711596
You know, you write a PhD dissertation and, like, maybe five people read Yeah.

708
00:41:02,74.3710642 --> 00:41:08,564.3712216
like, I mean, I've been working on this pretty much since my other book came out, so like over 10 Wow.

709
00:41:08,564.3712216 --> 00:41:09,544.3711214
Yeah.

710
00:41:09,664.3712454 --> 00:41:10,194.3712168
Wow.

711
00:41:10,504.3711596 --> 00:41:19,820.6067052
What do you think the biggest insight is, or the biggest sort of realization or, understanding that you sort of uncovered from 10 years.

712
00:41:19,820.6067052 --> 00:41:35,489.0285216
of work on this text? you know, it's something that I understood from Pattabhi Jois that like, you know, on the one hand the Yoga Sutras are dualistic and we start at-- But the opening mantra, right? It's like two chants put together.

713
00:41:35,789.0285216 --> 00:41:39,789.0285216
Sure.

714
00:41:40,624.0283165 --> 00:41:44,22.2529434
also, attributed to Shankara, I Yep.

715
00:41:44,457.2525237 --> 00:41:45,957.2525237
Um, also Advaitic.

716
00:41:46,7.2527145 --> 00:41:52,617.2533248
And, um, then the second half is sort of a more, you know, dualistic to Patanjali.

717
00:41:53,397.2521041 --> 00:42:13,592.2525619
And so I think it's sort of realizing that like actually this practice that, you know, we've been doing forever is sort of mix of these two, and Pattabhi Jois was an Advaitin, and the first time I went to Mysore, um, he built this temple to Shankaracharya in his home village of Kaushika.

718
00:42:13,892.2525619 --> 00:42:13,972.2524856
Yeah.

719
00:42:14,187.2530196 --> 00:42:16,57.2519515
I think Paul Dallaghan was there also.

720
00:42:16,82.2526191 --> 00:42:16,382.252333
Yes.

721
00:42:16,682.252333 --> 00:42:20,617.2525619
and we, we also went to Mysore the, At the same time.

722
00:42:20,917.2525619 --> 00:42:21,977.2539352
And yeah.

723
00:42:22,197.2513412 --> 00:42:25,852.2525619
And I-- So Now you're both living in LA at the same time too.

724
00:42:26,537.252581 --> 00:42:31,961.2781358
Is he in Oh, yeah, Both living In New York, then both now in LA? There's an opportunity there for you, Zoe.

725
00:42:32,1.2780977 --> 00:42:32,121.2779832
I...

726
00:42:32,121.2779832 --> 00:42:32,371.2779832
don't know.

727
00:42:32,371.2779832 --> 00:42:35,571.2777925
There's some interesting weaving of paths happening.

728
00:42:35,571.2777925 --> 00:42:36,701.2779069
I'd, I'd check him out.

729
00:42:36,754.589403 --> 00:42:38,214.5892028
I would be happy to see him.

730
00:42:38,929.5893363 --> 00:42:40,549.5892218
Yeah, definitely you should get in touch.

731
00:42:40,604.8891399 --> 00:42:42,248.1613213
literally living in LA? what he's doing.

732
00:42:42,248.1613213 --> 00:42:43,648.1609398
Also has a PhD.

733
00:42:43,948.1611306 --> 00:42:48,678.1616265
He's working on a, on a project about, uh, telomeres when meditation.

734
00:42:49,803.161214 --> 00:42:50,378.9448482
Interesting.

735
00:42:50,562.355139 --> 00:42:51,597.354338
Redundant work, if you ask me.

736
00:42:53,952.3552916 --> 00:43:03,653.6865094
what? we have this LMU yoga studies trip to India, and I swore I would never lead it no matter what, and then I got talked into doing it.

737
00:43:03,653.6865094 --> 00:43:04,78.6863187
I Yeah.

738
00:43:04,423.6860135 --> 00:43:07,363.6865476
right? Like, you know, chaperoning in India.

739
00:43:07,608.7791038 --> 00:43:12,728.7799431
however, I got talked into doing it last December with a friend, with my...

740
00:43:12,758.7787224 --> 00:43:13,333.7790705
A Yeah.

741
00:43:13,508.7787224 --> 00:43:18,138.7797905
Uh, we co-led it, and it was actually really, really wonderful and amazing.

742
00:43:18,238.7782646 --> 00:43:21,947.0005385
And the second week, we were at Kaivalyadham, Oh, nice.

743
00:43:21,997.00061 --> 00:43:22,447.0005385
Yeah.

744
00:43:22,907.0005766 --> 00:43:23,342.0010153
Beautiful.

745
00:43:23,642.0010153 --> 00:43:26,831.9988791
so I got to meet Tiwari say nice.

746
00:43:27,131.9988791 --> 00:43:27,971.9990317
I know Paul."

747
00:43:28,256.9996039 --> 00:43:28,587.0000044
Yeah.

748
00:43:28,671.9997946 --> 00:43:29,486.999623
like, So good.

749
00:43:29,856.9999853 --> 00:43:31,546.9995657
Should've mentioned harmony actually.

750
00:43:31,546.9995657 --> 00:43:32,376.9994894
So good.

751
00:43:33,706.9994131 --> 00:43:34,237.0000998
Yeah.

752
00:43:34,867.0002142 --> 00:43:35,36.9993369
Yeah.

753
00:43:35,36.9993369 --> 00:43:35,926.9996802
Beautiful.

754
00:43:35,991.9998137 --> 00:43:37,886.9997183
studied with him a lot also? yeah.

755
00:43:37,886.9997183 --> 00:43:38,706.9994131
Many years.

756
00:43:38,901.9996611 --> 00:43:39,737.0000998
didn't get to Yeah.

757
00:43:39,886.9997183 --> 00:43:40,237.0000998
Yeah.

758
00:43:40,376.9994894 --> 00:43:40,511.9999853
Yeah.

759
00:43:40,811.9999853 --> 00:43:40,936.9997183
Cool.

760
00:43:41,451.9998518 --> 00:43:43,896.9999472
Uh, Yeah, he convinced you to have a child.

761
00:43:43,896.9999472 --> 00:43:45,26.999108
He's a beautiful human.

762
00:43:45,161.3640279 --> 00:43:45,491.3639516
Yeah.

763
00:43:47,701.3637323 --> 00:43:49,221.3637132
Best decision I ever made.

764
00:43:49,221.3637132 --> 00:43:50,51.3636369
Mm.

765
00:43:50,571.3636178 --> 00:43:52,661.363532
You were yelling at him as I woke up this morning.

766
00:43:52,981.3637036 --> 00:43:53,41.3636464
Mm.

767
00:43:53,41.3636464 --> 00:43:54,781.3634175
Yeah, that's a story for another day.

768
00:43:56,16.3637752 --> 00:43:58,451.3637132
Did you say? He's a teenager.

769
00:43:58,601.3636893 --> 00:43:59,436.3636846
He's a lot of fun.

770
00:43:59,736.3636846 --> 00:44:01,671.3637418
your I love him desperately.

771
00:44:02,926.3637418 --> 00:44:04,681.3634938
was like, yelling at Tori.

772
00:44:04,681.3634938 --> 00:44:06,111.363799
I was yelling at my 15-year-old.

773
00:44:06,141.363532 --> 00:44:07,681.3634938
Oh, yeah, yeah, the 15-year-old.

774
00:44:07,681.3634938 --> 00:44:08,281.3638753
I'm sorry.

775
00:44:08,281.3638753 --> 00:44:10,251.3641423
I didn't mean to leave you with that impression.

776
00:44:10,251.3641423 --> 00:44:12,996.3637466
She wouldn't yell at Tawari didn't think so.

777
00:44:13,1.3631887 --> 00:44:13,111.363799
Ji.

778
00:44:13,111.363799 --> 00:44:13,261.3634175
Mm.

779
00:44:13,261.3634175 --> 00:44:18,71.3628835
no, Unless he was having trouble hearing me, in which case I might- Tawari raise my voice a little.

780
00:44:20,291.3637299 --> 00:44:23,242.2633649
You lead it again? Will you go back? I don't know.

781
00:44:23,242.2633649 --> 00:44:23,842.2633887
We'll see.

782
00:44:23,842.2633887 --> 00:44:25,682.2633029
Know, I'll get over that one first.

783
00:44:25,682.2633029 --> 00:44:29,507.2633506
I mean, it was wonderful, but it's definitely, you know, Yeah.

784
00:44:29,512.2632266 --> 00:44:31,757.2633506
it's, very different than traveling by yourself Yeah.

785
00:44:31,757.2633506 --> 00:44:31,937.2632981
Yeah.

786
00:44:32,92.2631503 --> 00:44:32,602.2633792
um...

787
00:44:32,647.2633363 --> 00:44:33,157.2634459
Yeah.

788
00:44:33,312.2634173 --> 00:44:33,977.2633792
But it was really Yeah.

789
00:44:34,212.2630359 --> 00:44:39,202.2635699
It was a bunch of the students, and they're master's students, they're grownups, had never been there before.

790
00:44:39,202.2635699 --> 00:44:45,297.2631551
And so it was like I kinda got to experience it all again for the first time, The horror.

791
00:44:45,362.2634173 --> 00:44:47,427.2631503
was really The horror and the terror.

792
00:44:47,757.263074 --> 00:44:49,317.2630168
It's so nice, though.

793
00:44:49,477.263341 --> 00:44:51,587.2629977
It's really We went to it's places Yeah.

794
00:44:51,642.2621966 --> 00:44:55,7.2630978
were in Chennai and Pondicherry, nice.

795
00:44:55,12.2649432 --> 00:44:57,212.2618914
flew across the country with 20 people.

796
00:44:57,212.2618914 --> 00:44:58,372.2617389
That was intense.

797
00:44:58,819.6535096 --> 00:44:59,399.6536717
Totally.

798
00:44:59,399.6536717 --> 00:44:59,704.6544919
Man.

799
00:45:00,4.6544919 --> 00:45:00,944.6531186
we went to KavaIyam.

800
00:45:01,244.6531186 --> 00:45:01,679.6534047
Wow.

801
00:45:02,674.6526608 --> 00:45:04,464.6535763
and then I went to Ajanta and Ellora.

802
00:45:04,464.6535763 --> 00:45:06,319.6536002
Have you ever been there? No.

803
00:45:06,319.6536002 --> 00:45:07,624.6534237
Where's that? should go.

804
00:45:08,34.6532712 --> 00:45:12,749.6536049
They're these amazing caves, yeah, up in the, in the mountains.

805
00:45:13,99.653748 --> 00:45:14,614.6535477
In like, in, in Lonavala area.

806
00:45:14,914.6535477 --> 00:45:18,599.6536097
They're Aurangabad, um, kind of near Pune and, yeah.

807
00:45:18,909.6536717 --> 00:45:19,89.6535
Oh.

808
00:45:19,279.6535573 --> 00:45:19,579.6535096
Yeah.

809
00:45:20,149.6536812 --> 00:45:22,39.6537861
Did you see those? They're Buddhist caves.

810
00:45:22,69.6535191 --> 00:45:23,79.653748
Oh.

811
00:45:23,379.653748 --> 00:45:26,574.6531567
Buddhist and Jain and Hindu, but mostly Buddhist, yeah.

812
00:45:27,38.0306056 --> 00:45:28,243.030577
One of the best things I've ever Wow.

813
00:45:28,243.030577 --> 00:45:29,283.0305388
Wow, yeah.

814
00:45:29,493.030577 --> 00:45:29,523.0305484
Oh.

815
00:45:30,93.03072 --> 00:45:31,418.0306008
I wanna go- the trip.

816
00:45:31,533.0307772 --> 00:45:32,348.0305484
Oh Yeah.

817
00:45:33,103.0304721 --> 00:45:33,523.0305484
next time.

818
00:45:33,523.0305484 --> 00:45:36,663.0304148
There's so many beautiful, amazing things to see in India.

819
00:45:36,885.6965763 --> 00:45:38,205.696748
I hadn't been in a while.

820
00:45:38,405.6967957 --> 00:45:39,830.6970627
It yeah, it's hard to...

821
00:45:39,830.6970627 --> 00:45:40,560.696605
I know I was...

822
00:45:40,560.696605 --> 00:45:45,130.6962998
there in, uh, 2023, I think.

823
00:45:45,300.6963761 --> 00:45:45,490.6969101
Yeah.

824
00:45:45,490.6969101 --> 00:45:45,760.6973679
Yeah.

825
00:45:45,760.6973679 --> 00:45:45,930.6974442
yeah.

826
00:45:45,930.6974442 --> 00:45:50,980.6966812
You visited for Yoga Gives Back, and then y- you went down to Mysore and visited folks- Went to Mysore for a day for a day.

827
00:45:50,980.6966812 --> 00:45:56,580.6959183
And then was in, Bangalore in a little space outside, and then flew to Calcutta, and it was so nice.

828
00:45:56,580.6959183 --> 00:46:07,341.9700145
It was just amazing to be there with Yoga Gives Back, and, like seeing all their projects and meeting these kids, and also just, like, being in India, and it, it was, it was very spiritual.

829
00:46:07,816.970663 --> 00:46:07,946.9707774
that you're...

830
00:46:08,96.970396 --> 00:46:10,91.9705772
Yeah, it was wild seeing you guys Yeah.

831
00:46:10,91.9705772 --> 00:46:12,181.9707298
It was Oh, my God.

832
00:46:12,961.9707012 --> 00:46:13,531.970396
Zoe.

833
00:46:14,506.9706034 --> 00:46:15,701.9704723
Worlds Yeah.

834
00:46:15,701.9704723 --> 00:46:16,341.9708156
Man.

835
00:46:16,341.9708156 --> 00:46:16,751.970663
Yeah.

836
00:46:16,751.970663 --> 00:46:34,441.9687175
It's a beautiful organization, and, and just to, like, support India in some way after so many years and so much heritage and culture, and, like, you know, I don't know, I think it's nice to give back to the, the places that, we extract, wisdom from.

837
00:46:34,761.9703197 --> 00:46:35,371.9690227
Mm-hmm.

838
00:46:35,516.9694137 --> 00:46:37,231.9688701
Yeah, for sure.

839
00:46:37,531.9688701 --> 00:46:39,581.9700145
way, right? The places, the people.

840
00:46:40,971.9694042 --> 00:46:41,501.9681834
Yeah.

841
00:46:41,851.9704723 --> 00:46:41,901.9697093
Mm-hmm.

842
00:46:41,901.9697093 --> 00:46:55,821.9678783
So it's nice that you're able to take people to the culture, too, 'cause, you know, and you probably have this same sense, is I don't know that you really get, like, what these texts are talking about or even yoga.

843
00:46:55,851.9704723 --> 00:47:03,691.9706249
Like, what is yoga for What does it mean? Until you've been to India- Mm and then you're like, "Oh."

844
00:47:03,776.9697856 --> 00:47:04,256.9700908
Oh, Yeah.

845
00:47:04,311.9695567 --> 00:47:06,241.9698619
it's, it, it's for waiting at the post office.

846
00:47:06,271.9686412 --> 00:47:08,86.9693946
that's what yoga's Yeah.

847
00:47:08,461.9710826 --> 00:47:08,571.9678783
for.

848
00:47:08,766.9694614 --> 00:47:09,781.9707774
where the real yoga It's...

849
00:47:09,926.9693565 --> 00:47:10,121.97093
Yeah.

850
00:47:10,121.97093 --> 00:47:17,929.4553021
It's like man, like the patience that you learn, and it's the chai that you yeah, I'm I'm gonna be here all day.

851
00:47:18,379.4551113 --> 00:47:19,619.4548825
I better just do the yoga.

852
00:47:19,719.4552639 --> 00:47:20,519.4554547
I better breathe.

853
00:47:20,569.4554547 --> 00:47:30,584.4550398
Or, like, also just, like, the, the beauty and the freedom, but also, like, the horror and the dirt Yes.

854
00:47:30,629.4549206 --> 00:47:31,379.4549206
and the, like...

855
00:47:31,404.4550923 --> 00:47:31,694.4550541
Yeah.

856
00:47:31,849.454234 --> 00:47:33,409.4556072
And it's just all there for you.

857
00:47:33,409.4556072 --> 00:47:36,639.4551495
Like, everything, and everything really truly means everything.

858
00:47:36,709.4548443 --> 00:47:36,739.455531
Mm-hmm.

859
00:47:36,739.455531 --> 00:47:37,764.455035
Not just, Yes.

860
00:47:37,809.4552258 --> 00:47:38,814.4552258
pretty, Okay.

861
00:47:39,259.4540814 --> 00:47:39,439.4543865
things.

862
00:47:39,554.4549969 --> 00:47:39,664.4551304
yeah.

863
00:47:40,974.4550732 --> 00:47:41,334.4552067
Yeah.

864
00:47:41,564.4552258 --> 00:47:48,734.4553021
No, I think that was the, you know, the cool thing about bringing all these students and we would play this game.

865
00:47:48,764.455035 --> 00:47:49,854.4551876
We had this big bus.

866
00:47:49,854.4551876 --> 00:47:51,704.4546154
I've never been in India, like on a big...

867
00:47:51,744.455531 --> 00:47:53,224.4550255
Like, we had our own Yeah.

868
00:47:53,524.4550255 --> 00:47:54,554.4549492
And because there Yeah.

869
00:47:54,594.4559124 --> 00:47:55,914.4550827
lot of That's a death trap.

870
00:47:55,944.4543865 --> 00:47:59,514.4550112
of play this game of like high-low oddity Yeah.

871
00:47:59,814.4550112 --> 00:48:09,714.4548443
of and kinda go, we had a microphone, and like go around and, you know, it's, it's so just your experiences are, yeah, so high and so low and so odd.

872
00:48:09,874.4549826 --> 00:48:10,244.4549874
Oh.

873
00:48:10,244.4549874 --> 00:48:11,44.4549397
It's so odd.

874
00:48:11,44.4549397 --> 00:48:15,934.4548062
Everyone go around the circle and describe what's the high point, the low point, and the odd point.

875
00:48:16,364.4551113 --> 00:48:16,704.4547871
Yeah.

876
00:48:17,4.4547871 --> 00:48:17,484.4549492
Exactly.

877
00:48:17,754.4550493 --> 00:48:24,584.4546154
Like, and you know, and it just, it really, you don't get that reading texts or going to a yoga class or...

878
00:48:26,74.4553402 --> 00:48:26,584.4546154
Yeah.

879
00:48:26,724.4549587 --> 00:48:29,294.4550493
And it was-- I hadn't been since before COVID, Yeah.

880
00:48:29,294.4550493 --> 00:48:29,454.455016
Yeah.

881
00:48:29,604.4550732 --> 00:48:29,894.455035
good.

882
00:48:30,114.4549826 --> 00:48:30,204.455016
I- Yeah.

883
00:48:30,204.455016 --> 00:48:37,704.4545391
Yeah, nice the, the first thing that I can think of is when I shaved my head in India and my landlord called the police to see if I was mujahideen.

884
00:48:38,884.455004 --> 00:48:45,396.770341
Really? When was that? uh, 2008, 2007.

885
00:48:46,266.7702265 --> 00:48:54,776.7709704
And The police came and I had to, I, they confiscated my passport and examined it, and everyone was very he- very concerned.,

886
00:48:55,256.7705126 --> 00:48:57,226.769826
And I was just like, "I just shaved my head."

887
00:48:57,266.7707415 --> 00:48:58,986.7700549
And like, I, you know, like, Come on."

888
00:48:59,26.769063 --> 00:49:01,366.7692156
Like, and I had a beard, and so it looked bad.

889
00:49:01,656.7701312 --> 00:49:02,566.7699786
It did look bad.

890
00:49:03,848.8695755 --> 00:49:08,788.8699093
But like, calling the police on your neighbor because they've shaved their head is the odd one that I have for you.

891
00:49:09,773.548338 --> 00:49:13,503.5482378
it's good to be in another culture and see, uh, yeah.

892
00:49:13,723.5483785 --> 00:49:16,343.5483904
And have your buttons pushed in that way, Yeah.

893
00:49:16,643.5483904 --> 00:49:21,563.5483761
and it just, yeah, so many So many things.

894
00:49:21,863.5483761 --> 00:49:22,583.5484047
many things.

895
00:49:22,623.5483666 --> 00:49:23,813.5483046
in India happened.

896
00:49:23,813.5483046 --> 00:49:24,313.5483046
Sure.

897
00:49:25,658.5484 --> 00:49:28,578.5484763
And kind of magic in so many ways.

898
00:49:28,578.5484763 --> 00:49:35,194.4747088
Like, like, just the synchronicity and the kindnesses, and also like, terrible things.

899
00:49:35,194.4747088 --> 00:49:35,504.4751284
too.

900
00:49:35,734.4746706 --> 00:49:36,834.4750521
Do, do the high one.

901
00:49:36,894.4745181 --> 00:49:37,874.475014
Yeah, you're doing the high one now.

902
00:49:38,264.4744036 --> 00:49:38,884.4752428
Yeah, you know.

903
00:49:38,884.4752428 --> 00:49:39,594.4743273
But like, Yeah.

904
00:49:39,594.4743273 --> 00:49:50,744.4739458
sometimes like people are ripping you off all the time or like trying to take money from you or get money from you or, you know, taking you on like an excursion that you didn't ask to be on.

905
00:49:51,274.4746325 --> 00:49:53,434.4744799
And and that's what the yet yoga's for.

906
00:49:53,449.4747517 --> 00:49:54,369.4747088
so much magic.

907
00:49:54,434.4744799 --> 00:49:54,704.4749377
Yeah.

908
00:49:54,944.4766161 --> 00:49:55,414.4740221
and Yeah.

909
00:49:55,444.4766161 --> 00:50:01,364.4747851
there's also magic when you're not in control of everything and, you know, you're just sort of along for the ride.

910
00:50:02,214.4732592 --> 00:50:02,334.4760058
Mm.

911
00:50:02,449.4748137 --> 00:50:03,539.4747279
Yes.

912
00:50:03,839.4747279 --> 00:50:05,709.6845213
perspective, doesn't it? For sure.

913
00:50:05,734.6845666 --> 00:50:11,294.684569
And that's maybe like a reflection also of the Advaita Vedanta kind of perspective.

914
00:50:11,801.7658917 --> 00:50:16,391.7660443
you know, I think it was, it was really good for me to see that that's all still there.

915
00:50:16,391.7660443 --> 00:50:19,791.7661397
I think, you know, when I first went, there was no internet.

916
00:50:19,851.7656056 --> 00:50:21,561.7656438
There were no phones.

917
00:50:21,681.7659632 --> 00:50:22,161.76603
Like, Yeah.

918
00:50:22,331.7661015 --> 00:50:26,801.7659394
you know, guy drew me a map on a napkin, Yeah.

919
00:50:27,11.765453 --> 00:50:30,861.76603
And I, like, walked around Beisaor with this map and, Wow.

920
00:50:31,161.76603 --> 00:50:34,721.7664449
know, if you wanted to go see somebody, you'd knock on their door.

921
00:50:35,171.7664449 --> 00:50:39,481.7659108
You left a note, and then you'd call home from those wonderful boxes.

922
00:50:39,781.7659108 --> 00:50:40,631.7666547
STD phones.

923
00:50:40,631.7666547 --> 00:50:42,421.7666165
STD, STD boxes.

924
00:50:43,311.766483 --> 00:50:47,891.7664067
Where instead of turning into Superman, you could turn in- into, uh, a sexually transmitted disease.

925
00:50:48,461.7670552 --> 00:50:48,821.7666547
That Yeah.

926
00:50:49,661.7668645 --> 00:50:49,781.76675
kind.

927
00:50:50,891.7666737 --> 00:50:51,561.7666308
Oh.

928
00:50:51,751.766688 --> 00:50:52,21.766669
Yeah.

929
00:50:52,51.7666404 --> 00:51:03,411.7671315
And, uh, remember, like, if you needed something fixed, like, say you need, like, your hot water heater fixed or something, you'd have to walk to the phone, like, you that's, like, f- a few blocks away.

930
00:51:04,301.7665211 --> 00:51:05,611.7669408
Get a number from someone.

931
00:51:05,611.7669408 --> 00:51:09,421.7664067
So, like, ask a neighbor how to get your heater fixed or whatever.

932
00:51:10,11.7665593 --> 00:51:16,991.7661015
Call them from the phone, tell them where you lived, and they'd say, "Okay, we'll come at this time on this day."

933
00:51:17,531.7670171 --> 00:51:21,1.766483
And then you have that time that day, And like, wait.

934
00:51:21,301.766483 --> 00:51:22,21.7667882
you wait.

935
00:51:22,171.7683141 --> 00:51:22,631.7673985
You just wait.

936
00:51:22,861.7669408 --> 00:51:24,601.7686192
And it's gonna be all day long.

937
00:51:24,601.7686192 --> 00:51:25,581.7681615
it's gonna be all day.

938
00:51:25,611.7669408 --> 00:51:31,841.766483
And you better not leave, 'cause if they come and you're not there, you're gonna be waiting for another- Day who knows how long.

939
00:51:31,841.766483 --> 00:51:31,941.7649571
Mm.

940
00:51:31,941.7649571 --> 00:51:32,951.7670934
Forever, potentially.

941
00:51:33,391.7657201 --> 00:51:33,641.7657201
Forever.

942
00:51:36,201.7667977 --> 00:51:36,471.7667786
Mm.

943
00:51:36,511.7667405 --> 00:51:39,881.7668645
And even then, they might not come that day at that time.

944
00:51:40,21.7667929 --> 00:51:41,731.7667119
No, they might not.

945
00:51:42,901.7667834 --> 00:51:44,251.7668072
It might be a holiday.

946
00:51:44,661.7668931 --> 00:51:45,211.7668454
I mean, it's...

947
00:51:45,631.7666833 --> 00:51:45,941.7668645
Yeah.

948
00:51:46,81.766874 --> 00:51:50,671.7670171
I remember Kimberly told me this story that she had had some problem in her backyard.

949
00:51:50,671.7670171 --> 00:51:53,541.7669026
I don't know if it was water pumps or a tree had fallen down or something.

950
00:51:54,91.7670933 --> 00:51:58,371.7668263
And she opened up the door, and this beautiful man was there.

951
00:51:59,121.7658726 --> 00:52:06,424.70433
And, uh, he said to her, "Madam, Shiva backside cleaning?" Yes.

952
00:52:06,504.7042537 --> 00:52:07,534.7042251
come on in."

953
00:52:08,214.7042918 --> 00:52:10,174.70433
"We are backside cleaning today."

954
00:52:14,324.70433 --> 00:52:15,804.7043491
He meant the back of the house.

955
00:52:15,974.7044253 --> 00:52:17,414.7044826
And that Shiva had sent him.

956
00:52:18,124.7045207 --> 00:52:18,479.7043109
Yeah.

957
00:52:18,779.7043109 --> 00:52:19,514.7043872
Well, Yeah.

958
00:52:19,514.7043872 --> 00:52:21,109.7042346
He's like, to God.

959
00:52:21,409.7042346 --> 00:52:21,854.7045398
God.

960
00:52:21,854.7045398 --> 00:52:24,114.7047687
God has sent me to clean your backside, madam."

961
00:52:24,920.4330183 --> 00:52:27,635.4329963
That sounds like a Kimberly Yeah.

962
00:52:27,659.9019248 --> 00:52:33,863.5519647
Doesn't it? Well, we're- Well- so thrilled to have you here as our guest, and we'll have to have you.

963
00:52:33,863.5519647 --> 00:52:36,343.5515069
back when your new book is released.

964
00:52:36,343.5515069 --> 00:52:43,753.5513543
And in the meantime, people can find the old version and the new version of The Yoga Vattaranam.

965
00:52:43,913.5512017 --> 00:52:44,513.5515832
Vattaranam.

966
00:52:44,513.5515832 --> 00:52:47,43.5522698
I don't think I'm saying it right.

967
00:52:47,43.5522698 --> 00:52:47,373.5521935
No.

968
00:52:47,718.5520409 --> 00:52:49,473.5520028
Well, it's Yogavataranam.

969
00:52:49,773.5520028 --> 00:52:50,243.5520314
Vattaranam.

970
00:52:50,493.5520314 --> 00:52:51,243.5520314
Vattaranam.

971
00:52:51,693.5520791 --> 00:52:52,303.5519742
Say it again.

972
00:52:53,388.5520696 --> 00:52:54,628.5520791
Yogavataranam.

973
00:52:54,728.5520314 --> 00:52:56,388.5521172
Yogavataranam Yogavataranam.

974
00:52:56,418.5520886 --> 00:52:57,888.5521172
Yeah, yeah, yeah.

975
00:52:57,888.5521172 --> 00:53:00,468.5520409
She put the- See? emphasis on the ga, and that helped me And the ah.

976
00:53:00,568.5520409 --> 00:53:03,288.5520743
more-- I was trying to put the emphasis on the I heard the ah.

977
00:53:03,498.5519933 --> 00:53:06,588.5520219
Yogavata- yoga plus avataranam.

978
00:53:06,588.5520219 --> 00:53:08,48.5515832
Avataranam is like avatar.

979
00:53:08,778.5519647 --> 00:53:09,38.5521935
Yogavataranam.

980
00:53:09,198.5520409 --> 00:53:09,408.5520791
Yeah.

981
00:53:10,218.5516595 --> 00:53:10,488.5521172
Yeah.

982
00:53:10,788.5521172 --> 00:53:10,968.5524987
Nice.

983
00:53:10,968.5524987 --> 00:53:13,428.5515832
You have to pay attention to those long A's.

984
00:53:13,428.5515832 --> 00:53:13,808.5516976
You do.

985
00:53:13,808.5516976 --> 00:53:16,338.5523843
That's the thing that Kimberly taught me- is that.

986
00:53:16,728.5517739 --> 00:53:18,48.5524224
That's the one thing I remember.

987
00:53:18,748.551278 --> 00:53:21,608.5518884
It's to be chanted two beats longer than the short A's.

988
00:53:21,608.5518884 --> 00:53:21,788.5521935
Yeah.

989
00:53:21,928.5515832 --> 00:53:23,958.5522698
Ah, ah, mm.

990
00:53:24,518.5524987 --> 00:53:26,460.9699485
teach you Sanskrit? Kimberly, yeah, yeah.

991
00:53:26,460.9699485 --> 00:53:30,398.4769513
I, I did the, the Sruti Parampara with, with Jaya Sri for, years.

992
00:53:30,818.4770276 --> 00:53:42,519.4781339
And then, I don't know if it was one or two years, maybe it was just one year, a whole trip for a couple months, I would just go to Kimberly's house, and she would teach me the grammar and, and how to write, and how to do the Devanagari.

993
00:53:42,819.4781339 --> 00:53:43,39.4774472
Cool.

994
00:53:43,788.4787061 --> 00:53:44,18.4782483
Yeah.

995
00:53:44,538.4787061 --> 00:53:52,699.7510787
And really emphasized understanding where the tongue went with the word, and which I'd never really kind of sat down with.

996
00:53:52,943.313602 --> 00:53:56,263.3132968
And in the meantime, if people wanna study with you, they can come find you online.

997
00:53:56,383.3122287 --> 00:53:56,743.3128391
Yeah.

998
00:53:57,563.3125339 --> 00:53:58,373.3139072
Or in LA.

999
00:53:58,881.122951 --> 00:54:02,681.1231418
Yes, we are accepting admissions for our fall cohort here.

1000
00:54:02,681.1231418 --> 00:54:05,461.1228747
It is a wonderful program, at Solari Luminarum.

1001
00:54:05,551.1230273 --> 00:54:12,767.3193548
I will give you What? also I teach an online Sanskrit class through the Oxford Center for Hindu Studies.

1002
00:54:13,187.8924647 --> 00:54:14,237.8921786
I do have a website.

1003
00:54:14,237.8921786 --> 00:54:15,777.8916636
I don't update it that often.

1004
00:54:15,832.8922358 --> 00:54:19,120.4658315
Oh, Ashtanga Yoga Sanskrit.

1005
00:54:19,320.4656408 --> 00:54:26,655.4653165
I'm also teaching in Houston a weekend in July that is going to be-- I should give you that link Yeah.

1006
00:54:27,335.5310321 --> 00:54:32,985.5306506
gonna be like Sanskrit chanting, philosophy, and Mysore in the morning for anybody who also wants that.

1007
00:54:33,220.5312586 --> 00:54:33,770.5312705
Awesome.

1008
00:54:33,807.8046858 --> 00:54:34,437.8046811
That's so fun.

1009
00:54:35,63.4822764 --> 00:54:37,648.4823097
from teaching yoga, but Same.

1010
00:54:37,683.4831156 --> 00:54:38,973.4840311
in a while come out of retirement.

1011
00:54:39,373.4817423 --> 00:54:41,408.482181
Right? But it's, so fun I love it.

1012
00:54:41,408.482181 --> 00:54:41,448.4821429
it.

1013
00:54:41,448.4821429 --> 00:54:42,518.4823145
is super fun.

1014
00:54:43,368.4822191 --> 00:54:45,628.4819712
Yeah, We should teach together sometime.

1015
00:54:46,478.4823527 --> 00:54:47,358.4824671
For free probably.

1016
00:54:47,618.482696 --> 00:54:56,858.4815134
We could, we could put- We could put together like a middle, like not an old timers yoga confluence- Old timers, old students but like A middle-aged Ooh, Old students ...middle-aged

1017
00:54:56,998.4828104 --> 00:54:57,408.4826578
timers.

1018
00:54:57,408.4826578 --> 00:54:57,808.4822764
Old schoolers.

1019
00:54:58,188.4814371 --> 00:54:58,648.482429
Old school.

1020
00:54:58,963.4818949 --> 00:54:59,283.4815897
timer.

1021
00:54:59,283.4815897 --> 00:55:01,188.4814371
I like Old schoolers, middle schoolers.

1022
00:55:01,188.4814371 --> 00:55:02,108.4815134
Middle schoolers.

1023
00:55:02,289.7085486 --> 00:55:04,119.7085319
Oh my God.

1024
00:55:04,319.7085796 --> 00:55:04,604.7085891
Yeah.

1025
00:55:04,904.7085891 --> 00:55:07,489.7086559
love beautiful to connect with you again, Zoe.

1026
00:55:07,489.7086559 --> 00:55:07,879.7085223
Thank you.

1027
00:55:07,879.7085223 --> 00:55:09,499.7088847
so much for coming on today.

1028
00:55:10,339.9392856 --> 00:55:12,919.9392856
Hey, if you love this episode, I want you to do something.

1029
00:55:13,59.9392856 --> 00:55:24,640.9392856
Please, please, please share it with a friend, and also tag me, tag Zoe on Instagram, and let us know what resonated with you, what you loved about it.

1030
00:55:24,819.9392856 --> 00:55:40,959.9392856
We really love bringing these conversations to a wider community, and also it helps us to expand our reach and let people know that we're out here having these incredible conversations, and invite them into our world and into these conversations too.

1031
00:55:41,495.5463811 --> 00:56:05,935.5463811
Also, if you're longing to deepen your own practice, not just physically, but in a philosophical way, energetically looking at how your biofield and your energetic system connects through the body and through the yogic postures, then I would really love to connect with you through one of my upcoming intensives and workshops.

1032
00:56:06,415.5463811 --> 00:56:22,375.5463811
I will be in Lisbon, and I will be in Faro, Portugal, and also I will be teaching at the Being Gathering, which is a huge summer festival happening all in Portugal over the next month.

1033
00:56:22,835.5463811 --> 00:56:23,995.5463811
So come on in.

1034
00:56:24,295.5463811 --> 00:56:29,515.5463811
We start June, at the end of June, and we'll be going all the way through to mid-July.

1035
00:56:29,576.5463811 --> 00:56:30,935.5463811
So come to Portugal with me.

1036
00:56:30,995.5463811 --> 00:56:37,356.5463811
I would love to connect more with you in person and support you in your practice in going deeper.

1037
00:56:37,728.2642929 --> 00:56:44,388.2642929
So until next time, keep practicing, keep listening, and continue to find harmony.

1038
00:56:45,886.3034911 --> 00:56:46,696.3034911
That's it.

1039
00:56:46,756.3034911 --> 00:56:50,386.3034911
We've concluded another episode of the Finding Harmony podcast.

1040
00:56:50,866.3034911 --> 00:56:57,436.3034911
I just wanna thank you so much for doing the work that changes the world, starting with yourself.

1041
00:56:57,736.3034911 --> 00:57:01,126.3034911
It truly does make a huge difference.

1042
00:57:01,936.3034911 --> 00:57:09,166.3034911
Please make sure you have your automatic downloads turned on wherever you listen, so you don't miss any of the upcoming episodes.

1043
00:57:09,301.3034911 --> 00:57:12,751.3034911
I have so much more magic I can't wait to share with you.

1044
00:57:13,621.3034911 --> 00:57:28,891.3034911
Lastly, if you're on Instagram, I love connecting and hearing from you, so come on over and say hello at Finding Harmony podcast, and you can also come say hello to me personally at Harmony Slater official.

1045
00:57:29,281.3034911 --> 00:57:31,141.3034911
Thank you again for being here.

1046
00:57:31,321.3034911 --> 00:57:35,431.3034911
I cannot wait to share more with you in our next episode.