Finding Harmony Podcast

Ashtanga Yoga, The Human Reclamation Project

Aimee Echo began her career not as a Yoga teacher but a punk rock lead singer, recording several albums and touring the world with her band theSTART and performing guest vocals for Red Hot Chili Peppers, Garbage, Teddybears and so many more. Seeking refuge from some toxic elements in rock, she took her first step into an Ashtanga Yoga class in 1999.
(As square as Russell is, he was very interested in Aimee’s career and asked a lot of inappropriate questions about what actually is punk. What is Authentic? Is Miley Cyrus Punk? Does she regret marrying Billy Ray Cyrus' drummer? What is Bad Religion? And, is Yoga the answer?)
Guided by teachers Noah Williams and Kiki Flynn, she developed a daily Mysore-style practice and became devoted to the Ashtanga Yoga method. After practicing with Sri K. Pattabhi Jois and his family in L.A. In 2002, she was inspired to make her first journey to Mysore, India in 2007 to study at the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute.
Aimee is the owner, director and primary teacher at Ashtanga Yoga Long Beach. She is the only KPJAYI Authorized Ashtanga Yoga teacher in Long Beach, CA.
She still sings in her dance rock band, theSTART.
You can follow her on Instagram Aimee Echo and Ashtanga Yoga Long Beach.
Opening and closing music compliments of my dear friend teaching Ashtanga yoga in Eindhoven, Nick Evans with his band “dawnSong” from the album “for Morgan.” Listen to the entire album on Spotify - Simply Click Here.
To purchase your own copy - Click Here.

From Dusk To Dawn

Welcome to our anniversary episode! We are looking back at 2020 and the year so far, now half over, and taking stock in what our Podcast Finding Harmony is all about. For us, Yoga is about bringing union and balance to the opposite forces within each moment of pleasure and pain. Many of our episodes seem to deal with examining the point of crises and the resolution in the lives of our yogi friends. Buried within these moments of crisis though is the seed of liberation and from the darkness we find the light.
In this episode, we (Harmony and Russell) explore mind-altering states of consciousness and how sometimes these lost weekends deeply influence our past perceptions and also our future experiences of consciousness. Some drug use is mentioned in this episode - parental advisory is recommended.
"Push far enough towards the Void,
Hold fast enough to Quietness,
And of the ten thousand things none but can be worked on by you.
I have beheld them, whither they go back.
See, all things howsoever they flourish
Return to the root from which they grew." - Tao Te Ching (chapter 16)
Russell mentioned just now the autobiography of Malcolm X. In that book, Mr. Shabazz remonstrates his audience not to be titillated by the stories of his wild youth.
Remember that spiritual evolution is what is important. The Spirit is what is real.
To find out more about Russell Case, check out his website and instagram and from his art studio.
Follow Harmony Slater on instagram and for her health coaching on her website.
Opening and closing music compliments of my dear friend teaching Ashtanga yoga in Eindhoven, Nick Evans with his band “dawnSong” from the album “for Morgan.” Listen to the entire album on Spotify - Simply Click Here. To purchase your own copy - Click Here.
Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review! ❤

Everyday Ayurveda with Kate O’Donnell

What exactly is the yogic diet? What should we eat to align ourselves with the principles of yoga? Learn the answers to these questions and so many more on this episode of Finding Harmony!
From her first trip to India, to living on Nancy Gilgoff’s front porch, to becoming a published author three times over and ending up on Fox News as an expert on Ayurveda, Kate O’Donnell has had a fascinating journey combining the Ashtanga yoga practice with a deep wisdom from the ancient science of Ayurveda.
Kate offers some simple and easy ways for you to integrate the ancient principles of Ayurveda into your diet and daily life, which can help to increase your energy and enrich your yoga practice!
Kate O’Donnell is the author of three fabulous Ayurvedic Cookbooks. She is a nationally certified Ayurvedic Practitioner and Authorized Ashtanga yoga teacher based in Portland, Maine. Kate began practicing yoga by accident in South India at age 20. With more than a dozen extended trips to India and over twenty years of study in these two ancient traditions, Kate teaches how to incorporate Ayurveda with a busy schedule and the practice of yoga. Kate specializes in Ayurvedic education, cooking skills, and cleansing programs, offering on-line programs, residential immersions, trainings, and individual consultations. Her Ayurveda and yoga offerings aim to help others come closer to their true nature.
Follow Kate on Instagram and find out more on here website.
Kate’s newest book, The Everyday Ayurveda Guide to Self-Care, will be released on July 28, 2020 from Shambhala Publications - PRE-ORDER your copy today!
Opening and closing music compliments of my dear friend teaching Ashtanga yoga in Eindhoven, Nick Evans with his band “dawnSong” from the album “for Morgan.” Listen to the entire album on Spotify - simply click Here. To purchase your own copy - click Here.

What’s it gonna take? From Adiction to Ashtanga

“True balance for me is always about being able to translate my inner energy, moment to moment. If I don’t balance myself from moment to moment, then I have an emotional hangover.” — Santina Giardina-Chard
In this episode we interview the wild woman herself, Santina Giardina-Chard.
Santina shares with us with her incredible journey. She experienced extraordinary childhood wounds, had a tumultuous early adulthood struggling with an addiction to heroine, lawlessness and eating disorders. Love had a way of finding her though, and a transformation started to happen through the connection with her (now) husband, Shane, the practice of Ashtanga yoga, and digging deep with Gestalt therapy. We’re lucky to know her and she's lucky to be alive!
We think you will really enjoy her incredible insights into the practice, life and also her Australian vernacular. (No one has ever used this many cuss words to describe German Psychoanalysis before... We think.)
Please use headphones if your kids or other sensitive ears are around. And if colorful language isn’t your cup of tea, you might want to skip this one.
You can find out more about Santina on her website and follow her on Instagram.
Opening and closing music compliments of my dear friend teaching Ashtanga yoga in Eindhoven, Nick Evans with his band “dawnSong” from the album “for Morgan.” Listen to the entire album on Spotify - simply click Here. To purchase your own copy - click Here.

Certifiably Organic with Jessica Walden

Whether it’s her life, her way with her family, her practice, or the work she has invested herself in, Jessica Walden is Certifiably Organic in every way.
In this episode we interview Jessica Walden who is a long time practitioner of Ashtanga yoga, mother of two boys, and has a robust career working for over 20 years in the organic food certification industry.
Listen to how Jessica learned to continue practicing when faced with a debilitating back injury that would forever alter her approach to Ashtanga yoga.
Jessica also spoke to how our yoga practice is about taking personal responsibility for our actions. This naturally extends to our food choices and therefore our environment.
Jessica shares years of wisdom around integrating the full practice of yoga into every area of life and she’s got a great sense of humor too!
You can find her on Instagram here and check out her website for more detailed information on how to connect with her directly.
Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review! ❤
Opening and closing music compliments of my dear friend teaching Ashtanga yoga in Eindhoven, Nick Evans with his band “dawnSong” from the album “for Morgan.” Listen to the entire album on Spotify - simply click Here. To purchase your own copy - click Here.

Yoga as Sovereignty and Civil Disobedience

I invited Professor Shyam Ranganathan to talk with Russell and I about some of the integral concepts found in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra. In this conversation, you’ll learn how these essential practices are vital for us to actively participate in and how through our participation we can reshape not only ourselves but the world.
Dr. Shyam is an incredibly insightful authority on both South Asian and Western Philosophy. He is able to weave together classical thoughts about Logos or Logic, Linguistic Theory with Civil Disobedience, Cultural Appropriation, and the teaching of Patanjali. We discuss the essential practices of Ahimsa and Isvara Pranidhana and how they relate to the idea of non-violent resistance, Satyagraha.
This episode is so funny and so good… Ontologically speaking! We know you’re going to have as much fun listening to it as we had recording it. It was a treat and an honour to host Shyam on our podcast.
You can find more information about Shyam Ranganathan on his website and hear more of his insights on his Instagram Account.
Dr. Shyam Ranganathan is a professional moral philosopher, translation expert, scholar of South Asia studies, a translator of the Yoga Sūtra (Penguin 2008), and a yoga practitioner. Dr. Shyam Ranganathan holds an MA in South Asian Studies, an MA and PhD in philosophy. He teaches at York University and The York Center for Asian Research. With over 50 peer reviewed publications, he is a wonderful resource for expanding your yoga education.
Opening and closing music compliments of my dear friend teaching Ashtanga yoga in Eindhoven, Nick Evans with his band “dawnSong” from the album “for Morgan.” Listen to the entire album on Spotify - simply click Here. To purchase your own copy - click Here.

As he said, ”My Lunch With Two White People”

Dr. Jag is a public speaker and leader with the organization United To End Racism, and he is the author of the book "It's Your World."
He joins Harmony Slater and Russell Case in this episode of the Finding Harmony Podcast to talk about issues of race, discrimination, unconscious bias, white fragility, and how we can begin working on ourselves to change the world around us.
You can find more information about Dr. Jag Johal on his website and hear more of his insights on his podcast Absolute Human.
This is a topic that we are extremely passionate about, so at times we may use some adult language. Please use headphones if your kids or other sensitive ears are around.
Dr. Jagdeep Johal is a Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine with over twenty years of clinical experience. He runs the Johal Health Center - a successful and vibrant practice. Over the years he’s helped hundreds of thousands of people reclaim their health through the Johal Method - a brilliant and effective protocol for optimum wellness that brings ease, joy and purpose to one’s life.
Opening and closing music compliments of my dear friend teaching Ashtanga yoga in Eindhoven, Nick Evans with his band “dawnSong” from the album “for Morgan.” Listen to the entire album on Spotify - simply click Here. To purchase your own copy - click Here.

Planting Seeds To Breathe

We are delighted to share this episode featuring an interview with my dear friend and Authorized Ashtanga Yoga teacher, Lara Land. As many of you may already know, Lara is the founder and director of the non-profit organization, Three And A Half Acres, whose mission is to teach yoga, breathing and mindfulness techniques to underserved communities.
Lara was very generous to take time out of her busy day to sit down and have this conversation with us!
We begin by hearing how she started her yoga journey at Boston University, and how this love for yoga eventually took her to India and also Africa, where she taught HIV Positive women and children in Rwanda. After returning to New York, Lara opened a yoga studio, Land Yoga, in the heart of Harlem. You will also hear about how her work has brought police officers and black youth together through the practice of yoga, within Harlem.
Finally, she also touches upon her recent experience of becoming a new mother, and how having to juggling many different responsibilities has meant embracing a whole new mindset and discovering a new identity within herself altogether.
This podcast touches upon some important topics like diversity (or lack thereof) within the Ashtanga yoga community. And how we, as practitioners and teachers, can learn to become more inclusive in our approach and attitudes to help support populations that would otherwise not be exposed to this practice.
Find Lara on IG: Lara Land , Land Yoga NYC , Three And A Half Acres , Soul Fest Revolution
WEBSITES: Land Yoga , Lara Land , Three And A Half Acres , Soul Fest Revolution
Opening and closing music compliments of my dear friend teaching Ashtanga yoga in Eindhoven, Nick Evans with his band “dawnSong” from the album “for Morgan.” Listen to the entire album on Spotify - simply click Here. To purchase your own copy - click Here.

Aging, Injuries and Ashtanga Yoga

In this episode, Harmony and Russell explore the topic of aging, injuries, and how to adapt the yoga practice for many different phases of life and the obstacles that can arise as the years go by.
Learn how the practice of yoga will help keep you youthful by lengthening telomeres (a compound structure found at the end of chromosomes) and will increase your overall long term health.
Find out different ways you can use the practice to help you through times of illness, recovery, and even menopause and why a practice of vipassana meditation can give your yoga practice an extra boost of vitality and insight. Find out more about Harmony on her website and on Instagram.
Opening and closing music compliments of my dear friend teaching Ashtanga Yoga in Eindhoven, Nick Evans with his band "dawnSong" from the album "for Morgan." Listen to the entire album on Spotify - simply click Here. To purchase your own copy - click Here.

The After Birth Experience

In this episode, I speak about what my personal experience was like after giving birth and how the practice of Ashtanga yoga helped to put the pieces of myself back together again.
Russell and I discuss different approaches to the practice postpartum, and how (after becoming a mother) your life will never be the same. Learning to practice anywhere, at any time, and letting go of the results is an essential part of thee journey, and the lessons learned during those early days will continue to inform your understanding of yoga throughout the years. Find out more about Harmony on her website and Instagram.
Opening and closing music compliments of my dear friend teaching Ashtanga Yoga in Eindhoven, Nick Evans with his band "dawnSong" from the album "for Morgan." Listen to the entire album on Spotify - simply click Here. To purchase your own copy - click Here.