Finding Harmony Podcast

Are You Actually Practicing Yoga? A Yoga Therapist's Honest Answer

What does it actually mean to practice yoga — and are any of us really doing it? In this rich and unhurried conversation, Harmony sits down with Tara Mitra: Ashtanga teacher, yoga therapist, and devoted Vedic chanting practitioner who has spent decades tracing the practice back to its roots.
Tara's path moved from high-stress corporate life in Toronto to studying Ashtanga with dedicated teachers in Canada and California, then four years assisting in the Mysore shala, and finally into the Krishnamacharya lineage in Chennai — where yoga therapy, pranayama, Vedic chanting, and philosophy became her deepest studies. Today she works with everyone from cancer patients to hospice clients, with the simple premise: if you can breathe, she can teach you something.
This conversation is a slow, deliberate unwinding of everything we think we know about yoga — and an invitation back to what it actually is.
 
In this episode you'll explore:
Why 'nobody is really practicing yoga' — and what that actually means
The journey from Ashtanga to yoga therapy: what made Tara go deeper
How chanting and philosophy naturally shift the inner landscape
Samasthiti as 'the pregnant pause' — and why skipping it misses the point
The monkey mind: drunk, stung by a scorpion, and haunted — and what practice does to each layer
Chitta vritti nirodha and what the Yoga Sutras actually say about the mind
Spiritual bypassing: the 'good vibes only' trap and premature transcendence
The radical practice of doing nothing — no phone, no tea, just thirty minutes at a window
Ayurveda and the body's natural rhythms in the age of artificial light and screen time
The pancha vayus and why pranayama is far subtler than it looks
The breath as the great friend — and its connection to spirit in every tradition
Redefining the guru: someone who isn't caught in your own distortions
Sangha: why community isn't optional on the path
How beginners should start: not by thinking
The butterfly mind vs. the stability of genuine practice
Boundaries as an expression of love, not a closing off
Equanimity (upeksha) as a lifelong practice, not a destination
 
Connect with Tara Mitra:
Website: taramitrayoga.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taramitrayoga/
Offerings: Yoga Sutras classes, Vedic chanting, Upanishad study, mentorship program
 
Resources mentioned:
Yoga Sutras of Patanjali — chitta vritti nirodha (YS 1.2); the nine obstacles; YS 1.33 brahmaviharas
Shanti mantra: Purnamadah Purnamidam (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad)
Krishnamacharya lineage (Mysore & Chennai / Desikachar branch)
Ashtanga trishthana — breath, drishti, bandha
Ayurveda and the concept of natural daily rhythms (dinacharya)
Harmony's upcoming Portugal workshops — harmonyslater.com/events
The Inner Rejuvenation Codes: https://harmonyslater.kit.com/inner-rejuvenation-codes-mc Join the Lightworker Mastermind:  https://harmonyslater.com/lightworker-mastermindFIND Harmony online: https://harmonyslater.com/Harmony on IG: https://www.instagram.com/harmonyslaterofficial/Finding Harmony Podcast on IG: https://www.instagram.com/findingharmonypodcast/FREE Manifestation Activation: https://harmonyslater.kit.com/manifestation-activation

Are You Actually Practicing Yoga? A Yoga Therapist's Honest Answer (VIDEO)

What does it actually mean to practice yoga — and are any of us really doing it? In this rich and unhurried conversation, Harmony sits down with Tara Mitra: Ashtanga teacher, yoga therapist, and devoted Vedic chanting practitioner who has spent decades tracing the practice back to its roots.
Tara's path moved from high-stress corporate life in Toronto to studying Ashtanga with dedicated teachers in Canada and California, then four years assisting in the Mysore shala, and finally into the Krishnamacharya lineage in Chennai — where yoga therapy, pranayama, Vedic chanting, and philosophy became her deepest studies. Today she works with everyone from cancer patients to hospice clients, with the simple premise: if you can breathe, she can teach you something.
This conversation is a slow, deliberate unwinding of everything we think we know about yoga — and an invitation back to what it actually is.
 
In this episode you'll explore:
Why 'nobody is really practicing yoga' — and what that actually means
The journey from Ashtanga to yoga therapy: what made Tara go deeper
How chanting and philosophy naturally shift the inner landscape
Samasthiti as 'the pregnant pause' — and why skipping it misses the point
The monkey mind: drunk, stung by a scorpion, and haunted — and what practice does to each layer
Chitta vritti nirodha and what the Yoga Sutras actually say about the mind
Spiritual bypassing: the 'good vibes only' trap and premature transcendence
The radical practice of doing nothing — no phone, no tea, just thirty minutes at a window
Ayurveda and the body's natural rhythms in the age of artificial light and screen time
The pancha vayus and why pranayama is far subtler than it looks
The breath as the great friend — and its connection to spirit in every tradition
Redefining the guru: someone who isn't caught in your own distortions
Sangha: why community isn't optional on the path
How beginners should start: not by thinking
The butterfly mind vs. the stability of genuine practice
Boundaries as an expression of love, not a closing off
Equanimity (upeksha) as a lifelong practice, not a destination
 
Connect with Tara Mitra:
Website: taramitrayoga.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taramitrayoga/
Offerings: Yoga Sutras classes, Vedic chanting, Upanishad study, mentorship program
 
Resources mentioned:
Yoga Sutras of Patanjali — chitta vritti nirodha (YS 1.2); the nine obstacles; YS 1.33 brahmaviharas
Shanti mantra: Purnamadah Purnamidam (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad)
Krishnamacharya lineage (Mysore & Chennai / Desikachar branch)
Ashtanga trishthana — breath, drishti, bandha
Ayurveda and the concept of natural daily rhythms (dinacharya)
Harmony's upcoming Portugal workshops — harmonyslater.com/events
The Inner Rejuvenation Codes: https://harmonyslater.kit.com/inner-rejuvenation-codes-mc Join the Lightworker Mastermind:  https://harmonyslater.com/lightworker-mastermindFIND Harmony online: https://harmonyslater.com/Harmony on IG: https://www.instagram.com/harmonyslaterofficial/Finding Harmony Podcast on IG: https://www.instagram.com/findingharmonypodcast/FREE Manifestation Activation: https://harmonyslater.kit.com/manifestation-activation

What 9 Trips to Mysore Teach You About Devotion, Discipline & Real Life | with Tina Bock

What if the most devoted yoga practice isn't happening at 5am in a Mysore shala — but in stolen afternoon hours between school pickups, on the floor of a LifeTime gym, to whatever music felt right that morning?
Harmony and Russell sit down with Tina Bock — Authorized Level 2 Ashtanga yoga teacher, mother of two, eight-year Abu Dhabi expat, and lifelong New Jersey girl — for exactly the kind of conversation Ashtangis have been having since the first Western students sat outside the shala gates with instant coffee and nowhere else to be.
Warm, funny, philosophical, and completely real.Tina received her Level 2 authorization from the K. Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute in Mysore, India under the late R. Sharath Jois. She has been teaching since 2012, has taught workshops and teacher trainings in more than 14 countries, made nine trips to India for ongoing study, and is currently practicing what she calls the "Seventh" and final series: parenting.
Her path was not a straight line. From a 200-hour training in Goa at 22 (chosen because it was a thousand dollars for the whole month), to years of private lessons in Abu Dhabi palaces, to nine Mysore pilgrimages, to learning Third Series after her first baby was born — this is a portrait of what it looks like when practice truly lives inside a life, rather than sitting apart from it
The Inner Rejuvenation Codes: https://harmonyslater.kit.com/inner-rejuvenation-codes-mc Join the Lightworker Mastermind:  https://harmonyslater.com/lightworker-mastermindFIND Harmony online: https://harmonyslater.com/Harmony on IG: https://www.instagram.com/harmonyslaterofficial/Finding Harmony Podcast on IG: https://www.instagram.com/findingharmonypodcast/FREE Manifestation Activation: https://harmonyslater.kit.com/manifestation-activation

What 9 Trips to Mysore Teach You About Devotion, Discipline & Real Life | with Tina Bock (Video)

What if the most devoted yoga practice isn't happening at 5am in a Mysore shala — but in stolen afternoon hours between school pickups, on the floor of a LifeTime gym, to whatever music felt right that morning?
Harmony and Russell sit down with Tina Bock — Authorized Level 2 Ashtanga yoga teacher, mother of two, eight-year Abu Dhabi expat, and lifelong New Jersey girl — for exactly the kind of conversation Ashtangis have been having since the first Western students sat outside the shala gates with instant coffee and nowhere else to be. 
Warm, funny, philosophical, and completely real.Tina received her Level 2 authorization from the K. Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute in Mysore, India under the late R. Sharath Jois. She has been teaching since 2012, has taught workshops and teacher trainings in more than 14 countries, made nine trips to India for ongoing study, and is currently practicing what she calls the "Seventh" and final series: parenting.
Her path was not a straight line. From a 200-hour training in Goa at 22 (chosen because it was a thousand dollars for the whole month), to years of private lessons in Abu Dhabi palaces, to nine Mysore pilgrimages, to learning Third Series after her first baby was born — this is a portrait of what it looks like when practice truly lives inside a life, rather than sitting apart from it.
 
IN THIS EPISODE:
How Tina ended up in Abu Dhabi for eight years — and what that did for her self-practice• Teaching private yoga to Abu Dhabi royalty when there was no Mysore program nearby
Learning Primary Series alone and what self-practice taught her that a shala could not• Going to Mysore for the first time having never done a proper Mysore-style class
Nine India trips — including a motorbike accident, a ditch, and stitches she suspects are still in her knee
Bringing her son to Mysore at three months old and twelve months old (he learned to walk there)
Learning Third Series after becoming a mother — and what Sharath said about timing
The "Seventh Series": how parenting is the deepest practice she has ever done
Teaching "Ashtanga Light" at a gym — and why she does not apologize for it
Ashtanga as punk rock: what gets lost when the shalas close and gentrification arrives
CONNECT WITH TINA:Instagram: @tinabock
Upcoming retreats and workshops: Follow Tina on Instagram for announcements
The Inner Rejuvenation Codes: https://harmonyslater.kit.com/inner-rejuvenation-codes-mc Join the Lightworker Mastermind:  https://harmonyslater.com/lightworker-mastermindFIND Harmony online: https://harmonyslater.com/Harmony on IG: https://www.instagram.com/harmonyslaterofficial/Finding Harmony Podcast on IG: https://www.instagram.com/findingharmonypodcast/FREE Manifestation Activation: https://harmonyslater.kit.com/manifestation-activation

Beyond the Asana: Vedanta, Non-Duality & the Deeper Purpose of Practice

What if the practice isn't about becoming better at yoga — but about seeing more clearly who you are?
In this rich and contemplative conversation, Harmony sits down with Ricardo Louro and Inês Brilhante — founders of Ashtanga House Faro in Portugal's stunning Algarve region — to explore how studying Vedanta philosophy in the lineage of Swami Dayananda Saraswati has completely transformed their relationship with Ashtanga yoga practice.
This is not a conversation about perfecting postures. It's a conversation about what postures are actually for.
IN THIS EPISODE:
The core Vedanta teaching — 'jiva jagadishvara' : the essence of the individual self, the world, and the creator are one
How Ricardo went from asana obsession and identity-building to genuine inner freedom
Why Inês finds Vedanta's teaching on impermanence invaluable as a mother, teacher, and business partner
The practice of shravanam (deep listening to teachings) as a form of yoga in itself
Mantra japa as a daily foundation — and how it freed Ricardo from needing to complete a full series to feel 'done'
The 'polishing the mirror' metaphor: what it truly means to use yoga as a tool for self-inquiry
How to begin studying Vedanta (recommended: Swami Sarvapriyananda on YouTube)
The Dayananda Saraswati lineage and why studying in your own language matters
Ines and Ricardo's path to founding Ashtanga House Faro — from Coimbra and Portimão, to Mysore, to the Algarve
 
CONNECT WITH ASHTANGA HOUSE FARO:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashtangahousefaro/
Website: https://www.ashtangahousefaro.com/
 
HARMONY IS TEACHING:
🌿 Agorayoga Lisbon — June 25–28 | All details in show notes
🌿 Ashtanga House Faro, Faro, Portugal — July 7–11 | 5-Day Mysore Intensive (includes pranayama, chanting, embodiment practices, working with the elements, and energetic field exploration)
 
RECOMMENDED RESOURCE:
Swami Sarvapriyananda on YouTube — accessible entry point into Vedanta philosophy
 
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Asana practice is a tool for purifying the mind — not the ultimate goal of yoga
Vedanta provides the philosophical framework that gives physical practice its deeper purpose
Mantra japa trains the quality of single-pointed attention required for genuine study and practice
Shravanam — dedicated listening to teachings — is itself a form of yoga
Understanding impermanence reduces suffering and creates practical lightness in daily life
The practice of yoga is ultimately about seeing yourself more clearly — polishing the mirror
 
If this episode resonated, please leave a 5-star review and share it with a practitioner who's ready to go deeper than the mat. 🙏
The Inner Rejuvenation Codes: https://harmonyslater.kit.com/inner-rejuvenation-codes-mc Join the Lightworker Mastermind:  https://harmonyslater.com/lightworker-mastermindFIND Harmony online: https://harmonyslater.com/Harmony on IG: https://www.instagram.com/harmonyslaterofficial/Finding Harmony Podcast on IG: https://www.instagram.com/findingharmonypodcast/FREE Manifestation Activation: https://harmonyslater.kit.com/manifestation-activation

Beyond the Asana: Vedanta, Non-Duality & the Deeper Purpose of Practice (VIDEO)

What if the practice isn't about becoming better at yoga — but about seeing more clearly who you are?
In this rich and contemplative conversation, Harmony sits down with Ricardo Louro and Inês Brilhante — founders of Ashtanga House Faro in Portugal's stunning Algarve region — to explore how studying Vedanta philosophy in the lineage of Swami Dayananda Saraswati has completely transformed their relationship with Ashtanga yoga practice.
This is not a conversation about perfecting postures. It's a conversation about what postures are actually for.
IN THIS EPISODE:
The core Vedanta teaching — 'jiva jagadishvara' [VERIFY TRANSLITERATION]: the essence of the individual self, the world, and the creator are one
How Ricardo went from asana obsession and identity-building to genuine inner freedom
Why Inês finds Vedanta's teaching on impermanence invaluable as a mother, teacher, and business partner
The practice of shravanam (deep listening to teachings) as a form of yoga in itself
Mantra japa as a daily foundation — and how it freed Ricardo from needing to complete a full series to feel 'done'
The 'polishing the mirror' metaphor: what it truly means to use yoga as a tool for self-inquiry
How to begin studying Vedanta (recommended: Swami Sarvapriyananda on YouTube)
The Dayananda Saraswati lineage and why studying in your own language matters
Ines and Ricardo's path to founding Ashtanga House Faro — from Coimbra and Portimão, to Mysore, to the Algarve
 
CONNECT WITH ASHTANGA HOUSE FARO:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashtangahousefaro/
Website: https://www.ashtangahousefaro.com/
 
HARMONY IS TEACHING:
🌿 Agorayoga Lisbon — June 25–28 | All details in show notes
🌿 Ashtanga House Faro, Faro, Portugal — July 7–11 | 5-Day Mysore Intensive (includes pranayama, chanting, embodiment practices, working with the elements, and energetic field exploration)
 
RECOMMENDED RESOURCE:
Swami Sarvapriyananda on YouTube — accessible entry point into Vedanta philosophy
 
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Asana practice is a tool for purifying the mind — not the ultimate goal of yoga
Vedanta provides the philosophical framework that gives physical practice its deeper purpose
Mantra japa trains the quality of single-pointed attention required for genuine study and practice
Shravanam — dedicated listening to teachings — is itself a form of yoga
Understanding impermanence reduces suffering and creates practical lightness in daily life
The practice of yoga is ultimately about seeing yourself more clearly — polishing the mirror
 
If this episode resonated, please leave a 5-star review and share it with a practitioner who's ready to go deeper than the mat. 🙏
The Inner Rejuvenation Codes: https://harmonyslater.kit.com/inner-rejuvenation-codes-mc Join the Lightworker Mastermind:  https://harmonyslater.com/lightworker-mastermindFIND Harmony online: https://harmonyslater.com/Harmony on IG: https://www.instagram.com/harmonyslaterofficial/Finding Harmony Podcast on IG: https://www.instagram.com/findingharmonypodcast/FREE Manifestation Activation: https://harmonyslater.kit.com/manifestation-activation

50 Years on the Mat: Simon Borg-Olivier on Longevity, Ease, and the Gut Brain

Are you working out — or working in?
In this deeply enriching conversation, Harmony Slater sits down with Simon Borg-Olivier — co-founder of Yoga Synergy, physiotherapist, researcher, and one of the most original minds in the world of movement. Simon has been exploring yoga, breath, and consciousness for over 50 years, and his answer to almost every question is the same: find the ease.
 
Simon's philosophy challenges the deeply held assumption that more effort equals more benefit. He makes a crucial distinction between the workout (which leaves you depleted, hungry, and stiff) and the work-in (which leaves you energized, calm, and clear). His approach blends biomechanics, nervous system science, and ancient wisdom traditions — and at age 66, his biological age tested at 48.
 
In this episode, you'll discover:
Why strength without tension, and flexibility without strain, are the real goals of practice
The 'work-in vs. workout' distinction — and how it changes everything
The 12 hidden 'bridges' between the conscious and unconscious nervous system
Why the diaphragm — not the breath — is the true link between mind and body
Simon's concept of the gut brain and its connection to ancient traditions (Dan Tian, Tanden, Kanda)
What 'airplane yoga' means — and why it's the philosophy behind his teaching
His extraordinary life story: from a Tibetan lama in Sydney to machete wounds in Goa
Why Iyengar told him 'most people need 90% bhoga' — and what that means for your practice
How to become a chef in your practice, not just a student following recipes
Where to find Simon's free membership site and global retreats
 
CONNECT WITH SIMON BORG-OLIVIER:
Website: simonborgolivier.com 
Membership & courses: healthhappinesslongevity.co
 
UPCOMING EVENTS:
Harmony teaches at Agora Yoga, Lisbon (end of June) and Faro, Portugal (early July). Details in show notes at harmonyslater.com.
 
If this episode moved you, please leave a 5-star review and share it with a fellow practitioner. Your support helps this conversation reach more seekers.
The Inner Rejuvenation Codes: https://harmonyslater.kit.com/inner-rejuvenation-codes-mc Join the Lightworker Mastermind:  https://harmonyslater.com/lightworker-mastermindFIND Harmony online: https://harmonyslater.com/Harmony on IG: https://www.instagram.com/harmonyslaterofficial/Finding Harmony Podcast on IG: https://www.instagram.com/findingharmonypodcast/FREE Manifestation Activation: https://harmonyslater.kit.com/manifestation-activation

50 Years on the Mat: Simon Borg-Olivier on Longevity, Ease, and the Gut Brain (VIDEO)

Are you working out — or working in?
 
In this deeply enriching conversation, Harmony Slater sits down with Simon Borg-Olivier — co-founder of Yoga Synergy, physiotherapist, researcher, and one of the most original minds in the world of movement. Simon has been exploring yoga, breath, and consciousness for over 50 years, and his answer to almost every question is the same: find the ease.
 
Simon's philosophy challenges the deeply held assumption that more effort equals more benefit. He makes a crucial distinction between the workout (which leaves you depleted, hungry, and stiff) and the work-in (which leaves you energized, calm, and clear). His approach blends biomechanics, nervous system science, and ancient wisdom traditions — and at age 66, his biological age tested at 48.
 
In this episode, you'll discover:
Why strength without tension, and flexibility without strain, are the real goals of practice
The 'work-in vs. workout' distinction — and how it changes everything
The 12 hidden 'bridges' between the conscious and unconscious nervous system
Why the diaphragm — not the breath — is the true link between mind and body
Simon's concept of the gut brain and its connection to ancient traditions (Dan Tian, Tanden, Kanda)
What 'airplane yoga' means — and why it's the philosophy behind his teaching
His extraordinary life story: from a Tibetan lama in Sydney to machete wounds in Goa
Why Iyengar told him 'most people need 90% bhoga' — and what that means for your practice
How to become a chef in your practice, not just a student following recipes
Where to find Simon's free membership site and global retreats
 
CONNECT WITH SIMON BORG-OLIVIER:
Website: simonborgolivier.com 
Membership & courses: healthhappinesslongevity.co
 
UPCOMING EVENTS:
Harmony teaches at Agora Yoga, Lisbon (end of June) and Faro, Portugal (early July). Details in show notes at harmonyslater.com.
 
If this episode moved you, please leave a 5-star review and share it with a fellow practitioner. Your support helps this conversation reach more seekers.
The Inner Rejuvenation Codes: https://harmonyslater.kit.com/inner-rejuvenation-codes-mc Join the Lightworker Mastermind:  https://harmonyslater.com/lightworker-mastermindFIND Harmony online: https://harmonyslater.com/Harmony on IG: https://www.instagram.com/harmonyslaterofficial/Finding Harmony Podcast on IG: https://www.instagram.com/findingharmonypodcast/FREE Manifestation Activation: https://harmonyslater.kit.com/manifestation-activation

Yoga and Buddhism: How to Build a Practice That Actually Frees You

What does it really mean to build a life around practice — not just on the mat, but in how you love, how you work, and how you show up for your community?
In this rich and wide-ranging conversation, Harmony Slater welcomes Sonia and Luis, the founders of Agora Lisboa — a space in Portugal dedicated to yoga, meditation, and the deep study of Buddhist philosophy. This is a couple who left careers in international development and high finance, followed the thread of practice across continents, and landed in Lisbon to build something rare: a community where dharma and asana are not separate from how you live.
In this episode, you'll discover:
Why Sonia chose yoga over a prestigious French government contract — and what her teacher said that changed everything
How Luis discovered Zen Buddhism through the beauty of Japanese temple gardens at age 20 — and then meditated alone for 12 years
The humbling moment Luis realized community is non-negotiable on the path to freedom
What the ancient Greek word 'agora' has in common with Sanskrit and Portuguese — and why it became the perfect name
Why crises are turning points (not breakdowns) — and the etymology that proves it
How Ashtanga yoga and Buddhist meditation aren't just compatible — they're sibling traditions
The difference between practicing for self-improvement and practicing for freedom
Why you can't build an island of happiness in an ocean of misery — and what that means for your community
Sonia's beautiful story of finding her pranayama practice while rocking her twins to sleep
Why Harmony is teaching at Agora Lisboa June 25–28 — and how you can join her
Sonia was born in France to a Brazilian mother and French father, trained at Ashtanga Yoga Paris, and worked in international development across Africa before stepping fully into teaching. Luis grew up in Colombia, moved to France at 18, discovered Zen Buddhism in Japan, and spent a decade in finance before burnout and love conspired to change everything. Together, they created Agora Lisboa — a name that holds multitudes: the Greek marketplace, the Portuguese word for 'now,' and a Sanskrit term for light.
Whether you're navigating your own crossroads, deepening a contemplative practice, or longing for community that holds your whole life — this episode is for you.
CONNECT WITH SONIA & LUIS:
Website: agora-lisboa.com
Instagram: @agora_lisboa 
JOIN HARMONY IN LISBON:
Harmony teaches at Agora Lisboa, June 25–28. Register at agora-lisboa.com.
SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW:
If this episode moved you, please leave a 5-star review and share it with someone who is living their practice off the mat. Your reviews help more seekers find this show.
The Inner Rejuvenation Codes: https://harmonyslater.kit.com/inner-rejuvenation-codes-mc Join the Lightworker Mastermind:  https://harmonyslater.com/lightworker-mastermindFIND Harmony online: https://harmonyslater.com/Harmony on IG: https://www.instagram.com/harmonyslaterofficial/Finding Harmony Podcast on IG: https://www.instagram.com/findingharmonypodcast/FREE Manifestation Activation: https://harmonyslater.kit.com/manifestation-activation

Yoga and Buddhism: How to Build a Practice That Actually Frees You (Video)

What does it really mean to build a life around practice — not just on the mat, but in how you love, how you work, and how you show up for your community?
In this rich and wide-ranging conversation, Harmony Slater welcomes Sonia and Luis, the founders of Agora Lisboa — a space in Portugal dedicated to yoga, meditation, and the deep study of Buddhist philosophy. This is a couple who left careers in international development and high finance, followed the thread of practice across continents, and landed in Lisbon to build something rare: a community where dharma and asana are not separate from how you live.
In this episode, you'll discover:
Why Sonia chose yoga over a prestigious French government contract — and what her teacher said that changed everything
How Luis discovered Zen Buddhism through the beauty of Japanese temple gardens at age 20 — and then meditated alone for 12 years
The humbling moment Luis realized community is non-negotiable on the path to freedom
What the ancient Greek word 'agora' has in common with Sanskrit and Portuguese — and why it became the perfect name
Why crises are turning points (not breakdowns) — and the etymology that proves it
How Ashtanga yoga and Buddhist meditation aren't just compatible — they're sibling traditions
The difference between practicing for self-improvement and practicing for freedom
Why you can't build an island of happiness in an ocean of misery — and what that means for your community
Sonia's beautiful story of finding her pranayama practice while rocking her twins to sleep
Why Harmony is teaching at Agora Lisboa June 25–28 — and how you can join her
Sonia was born in France to a Brazilian mother and French father, trained at Ashtanga Yoga Paris, and worked in international development across Africa before stepping fully into teaching. Luis grew up in Colombia, moved to France at 18, discovered Zen Buddhism in Japan, and spent a decade in finance before burnout and love conspired to change everything. Together, they created Agora Lisboa — a name that holds multitudes: the Greek marketplace, the Portuguese word for 'now,' and a Sanskrit term for light.
Whether you're navigating your own crossroads, deepening a contemplative practice, or longing for community that holds your whole life — this episode is for you.
CONNECT WITH SONIA & LUIS:
Website: agora-lisboa.com
Instagram: @agora_lisboa 
JOIN HARMONY IN LISBON:
Harmony teaches at Agora Lisboa, June 25–28. Register at agora-lisboa.com.
SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW:
If this episode moved you, please leave a 5-star review and share it with someone who is living their practice off the mat. Your reviews help more seekers find this show.
The Inner Rejuvenation Codes: https://harmonyslater.kit.com/inner-rejuvenation-codes-mc Join the Lightworker Mastermind:  https://harmonyslater.com/lightworker-mastermindFIND Harmony online: https://harmonyslater.com/Harmony on IG: https://www.instagram.com/harmonyslaterofficial/Finding Harmony Podcast on IG: https://www.instagram.com/findingharmonypodcast/FREE Manifestation Activation: https://harmonyslater.kit.com/manifestation-activation