June 16, 2026

When Your Guru Is Gone: Grief, Practice, and the Tradition That Remains [VIDEO]

Show Notes

What does it mean to keep practicing after the loss of the teacher who gave you the practice?

In this deeply personal episode, Harmony Slater speaks with Bianca Oliviera — a Brazilian-born Ashtanga teacher now living in Katowice, Poland — about the sudden passing of Sharath Jois, the grief that followed, and how she continues to carry the teachings forward. Bianca was present at the Active Series training in Virginia when Sharath passed, and she shares her firsthand account of that day with honesty, grief, and deep reverence.

This conversation explores what happens to devotion when its outer form disappears — and why the essence of the practice, once received, can never truly be lost.

IN THIS EPISODE:

How Bianca discovered yoga in Rio de Janeiro through her grandmother
Moving to the U.S., a teaching training scholarship, and the DVD that changed everything
First encountering Sharath on the 2013 U.S. tour — and knowing she'd found her teacher
Six trips to Mysore, practicing with both Saraswati and Sharath
Navigating practice with a young child — and a supportive Polish artist husband
Injuries, catching debates, and learning to listen to the body
Teaching evening Mysore in Katowice, organizing family-friendly retreats
Being present in Virginia for the Active Series launch — and the hike that ended everything
The shock, the circle of prayer, the blanket, and the nights no one could sleep
Life since Sharath's passing: mixed feelings, shifted priorities, community bonds
Impermanence as the ultimate teacher — in practice, in family, and in loss

KEY QUOTES:

"Each time I finish, I feel good. Something inside feels better."

"He sacrificed so much so I could practice with Sharaji because he knew it was super special and important for me."

"Nothing is forever. Not our bodies, not our communities, not our guru, not our practices."

GUEST BIO:

BIANCA RAPOSO DE

OLIVEIRA is a Brazilian-born Ashtanga yoga teacher based in Katowice, Poland. She discovered yoga in Rio de Janeiro and found Ashtanga after watching the Ashtanga New York DVD during a 200-hour teacher training in North Carolina. She traveled to Mysore approximately six times to practice with Saraswati Jois and Sharath Jois. She now runs an evening Mysore program and teaches online, and organizes yoga retreats with her husband and son Surya.

CONNECT WITH BIANCA:

Instagram: @biancayoga

Website: ashtangayogakatowice.com

HARMONY IS TEACHING IN PORTUGAL: