Explore every episode of the podcast Om Som Yoga + Ayurveda Podcast
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Icchā Śakti: Why Tantra Says Desire Is Sacred | 02 Aug 2026 | 00:34:34 | |
PRACTICE WITH US ✦ Practice Online Sadhana Sangha: 5 practices per month, asana workshops, subtle body techniques & Yoga Sūtra translation https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join ✦ OmSom App (free) Yoga philosophy, Sanskrit study & our online community Search OmSom in the App Store ✦ 100 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Already 200 Hr trained? This is our Asana Sadhana Dharma bridging course https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto ✦ 200 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Sri Lanka Immersion 2027 https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-sri-lanka ✦ 300 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Online & India Immersion 2026/2027 https://omsom.yoga/300-hour-advanced-hatha-yoga-training ✦ 50 Hr Online Yin Yoga Teacher Training Online https://practice.omsom.yoga/yin-yoga-and-prana-vayus-oto ✦ Practice in Person Classes, workshops & community events in Berwick, Victoria https://omsom.yoga/book-a-class IN THIS EPISODE Most of us were taught somewhere along the way that wanting is the problem. Renounce desire, want less, be more content. Tantra says the opposite. The texts say the universe itself begins with a wanting. Icchā Śakti, the first of the three powers, the divine impulse to manifest. Without icchā, nothing comes into being. The work isn't to silence wanting. It's to recognise the wanting itself as the divine moving through you. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN ✦ What icchā śakti is: the first stirring in Śiva's stillness, consciousness desiring to know itself as another ✦ The three powers of the Trika system: icchā (the wanting), jñāna (knowing what is wanted), kriyā (bringing it into form) ✦ Where this sits: above the Sāṃkhya map rather than inside it, Kashmir Śaivism building layers on top of Puruṣa and Prakṛti ✦ Not an ego desire: not the casual craving for hot chips, but the impulse moving through you ✦ The same three powers that create the universe create your morning: the wanting to rise, the knowing of what you'll do, the body actually rising ✦ Why you don't have to know what you want yet: icchā comes first, jñāna comes second ✦ Paige on prajñāparādha: the crime against wisdom, and what it costs to suppress the body's natural urges TEXTUAL REFERENCES ✦ Pratyabhijñāhṛdayam, opening sūtra: consciousness, free and self-luminous, is the cause of the manifestation of the world ✦ Mālinīvijayottaratantra: icchā śakti as the first stirring, the moment of self-awareness within luminous consciousness ✦ Bhagavad Gītā 7.11: "I am the strength of the strong, free from passion and attachment, and in beings I am desire that does not conflict with dharma" ✦ Yoga Sūtra 4.7: the yogi's karma is neither black nor white, and for others it is of three kinds (sañcita, prārabdha, kriyamāṇa) ✦ Swami Rama, paraphrased: in our tradition we accept Patañjali's yoga as a preliminary step toward the deeper practices ✦ The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield: the first insight, following the coincidences TRY THIS IN YOUR PRACTICE ✦ On the mat, notice the small desires: to move or to be still, to do more or to do less. Then ask where that desire is coming from ✦ Eat slowly, and wait for the first burp. It's often just a small passing of air, so you'll only catch it if you're listening ✦ Stop overriding the body's natural urges. Hunger, thirst, tears, the need for the toilet. This is where listening begins ✦ When someone arrives in your mind for no reason, call them ✦ Ask: what does life want to experience through me? Where is that pull taking me? ✦ Discern between the two. Is this the will of the ego, or the will of the divine? SHARE & CONNECT Website: https://omsomyoga.com OmSom App (free): search OmSom in the App Store Instagram: @omsomyoga If this episode landed, the best way to support the show is to share it with one person who might need it. We run a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. Wherever you are on your journey, we’d love to connect with you. HARI OM | |||
| Sankalpa: What If Your Actions Were Never the Problem? | 26 Jul 2026 | 00:38:32 | |
PRACTICE WITH US ✦ Practice Online Sadhana Sangha: 5 practices per month, asana workshops, subtle body techniques & Yoga Sūtra translation https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join ✦ OmSom App (free) Yoga philosophy, Sanskrit study & our online community Search OmSom in the App Store ✦ 100 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Already 200 Hr trained? This is our Asana Sadhana Dharma bridging course https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto ✦ 200 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Sri Lanka Immersion 2027 https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-sri-lanka ✦ 300 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Online & India Immersion 2026/2027 https://omsom.yoga/300-hour-advanced-hatha-yoga-training ✦ 50 Hr Online Yin Yoga Teacher Training Online https://practice.omsom.yoga/yin-yoga-and-prana-vayus-oto ✦ Practice in Person Classes, workshops & community events in Berwick, Victoria https://omsom.yoga/book-a-class IN THIS EPISODE We explore Sankalpa, the heart-resolve that sits beneath every action you take. Across the month we have sat with karma (the act), kriyā (the process), and vikalpa (the mental construct). All of them are downstream of Sankalpa: the quiet sentence the heart has decided is true. In the yoga nidra tradition, this is the seed planted at the deepest stage of relaxation. In daily life, it is the unspoken commitment that quietly shapes everything else. Aaron and Paige explore why Sankalpa is so often the missing piece in modern goal-setting, and what begins to shift when we work from the seed rather than the symptom. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
TEXTUAL REFERENCES
JOIN THE CONVERSATION What is the sentence your life has been quietly repeating? And if you could plant one new sankalpa right now, knowing the body would carry it forward, what would it be? We would love to hear your reflection. Share it with us, or carry it quietly into your next practice. SHARE & CONNECT Website: https://omsomyoga.com OmSom App (free): search OmSom in the App Store Instagram: @omsomyoga If this episode landed, the best way to support the show is to share it with one person who might need it. We run a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. Wherever you are on your journey, we’d love to connect with you. HARI OM | |||
| Vikalpa: The Yoga Sūtra Teaching That Explains Anxiety & Suffering | 19 Jul 2026 | 00:31:39 | |
PRACTICE WITH US ✦ Practice Online Sadhana Sangha: 5 practices per month, asana workshops, subtle body techniques & Yoga Sūtra translation https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join ✦ OmSom App (free) Yoga philosophy, Sanskrit study & our online community Search OmSom in the App Store ✦ 100 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Already 200 Hr trained? This is our Asana Sadhana Dharma bridging course https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto ✦ 200 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Sri Lanka Immersion 2027 https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-sri-lanka ✦ 300 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Online & India Immersion 2026/2027 https://omsom.yoga/300-hour-advanced-hatha-yoga-training ✦ 50 Hr Online Yin Yoga Teacher Training Online https://practice.omsom.yoga/yin-yoga-and-prana-vayus-oto ✦ Practice in Person Classes, workshops & community events in Berwick, Victoria https://omsom.yoga/book-a-class IN THIS EPISODE Most of our suffering never actually happens. It happens in the mind, and the body responds to the imagined threat exactly as it would to a real one. Patañjali named this: vikalpa, knowledge built from words alone, empty of any actual object. The practice of yoga isn't to stop thinking. It's to stop confusing the thinking with the truth. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN ✦ What vikalpa is: a world built from words, then projected onto what's in front of you ✦ Vikalpa vs. viparyaya: viparyaya sees it wrong (the red lamp looks yellow). Vikalpa doesn't see it at all ✦ Where it sits in the pañca vṛttis: pramāṇa, viparyaya, vikalpa, nidrā, smṛti ✦ How it becomes anxiety: the story replays, and each replay it gets worse ✦ Why you hold onto it: Paige on vikalpa as protection, and why thanking it is how you release it ✦ The Ayurvedic cost: rumination as dissociation. Prāṇa stops flowing, the dhātus lose quality ✦ The story behind the habit: "I can't function without coffee" is pure imagination ✦ Meditation as release: dropping the word and the meaning until only the object remains, and why mantra is the thing rather than pointing to it ✦ The rope and the snake: and the layer underneath, where the rope isn't a rope either TEXTUAL REFERENCES ✦ Yoga Sūtra 1.6: pramāṇa-viparyaya-vikalpa-nidrā-smṛtayaḥ, the five vṛttis ✦ Yoga Sūtra 1.9: śabda-jñāna-anupātī vastu-śūnyo vikalpaḥ, "knowledge that follows from words alone, empty of an actual object" ✦ Yoga Sūtra 1.42–1.43: savitarka and nirvitarka samādhi ✦ Yoga Vāsiṣṭha: the story of King Lavaṇa and the magician's peacock feather ✦ Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 1.3.28: asato mā sad gamaya, tamaso mā jyotir gamaya ✦ The rope and the snake (rajju-sarpa): the classic Advaita Vedānta analogy, associated with Śaṅkarācārya TRY THIS IN YOUR PRACTICE ✦ Where in your life are you mistaking the rope for the snake? And when you do, how does it feel in your body? ✦ Label it. This is a story. That alone is the practice ✦ Then seek the truth. Have the uncomfortable conversation. Without pramāṇa, the vikalpa never resolves. It becomes suffering ✦ Ask: what belief do I hold about myself that keeps me acting this way? ✦ Thank it before you release it. This kept me safe. It isn't necessary anymore ✦ If there's a habit that isn't serving you, do it with complete presence. No phone, no distraction. Awareness does the work ✦ Get out of your head. Get into your body. Do your yoga practice, and allow it to liberate you. SHARE & CONNECT Website: https://omsomyoga.com OmSom App (free): search OmSom in the App Store Instagram: @omsomyoga If this episode landed, the best way to support the show is to share it with one person who might need it. We run a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. Wherever you are on your journey, we’d love to connect with you. HARI OM | |||
| Kriyā Yoga: the Silent Path to Liberation & the Practice that Clears Your Karma | 12 Jul 2026 | 00:33:54 | |
PRACTICE WITH US ✦ Sadhana Sangha - 5 practices per month, asana workshops, subtle body techniques, Yoga Sūtra translation https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join ✦ OmSom App (free) - yoga philosophy, Sanskrit study + online community Search OmSom in the App Store ✦ 100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharma https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto ✦ 300 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Online & India Immersion 2026 https://omsom.yoga/300-hour-advanced-hatha-yoga-training ✦ 50 Hr Online Yin Yoga Teacher Training https://practice.omsom.yoga/yin-yoga-and-prana-vayus-oto IN THIS EPISODE This July we're walking the path of mokṣa, liberation, and this week we arrive at kriyā: action done with intention. If karma is what plays out unconsciously, kriyā is the conscious, repeatable process that slowly shaves away everything that isn't you, revealing the truth of who you are. We unpack the three faces of kriyā, the two Yoga Sūtra lines that define Kriyā Yoga, the Ṣaṭ Kriyā cleansing practices of Haṭha Yoga, and Ayurveda's Pañcakarma - five therapeutic actions for purifying the body from the inside out. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN ✦ Why the syllable -ya turns karma (action) into kriyā (process) both grow from the same root kṛ ✦ The three meanings of kriyā: 1. cleansing techniques like Bhastrikā and Kapālabhāti 2. Patañjali's path of practice 3. the initiation lineage of Babaji → Lahiri Mahāsaya → Paramahaṃsa Yogānanda ✦ Patañjali's definition of Kriyā Yoga - tapas, svādhyāya, īśvara praṇidhāna - and how it can be applied to any practice, any belief, any life ✦ How Kriyā Yoga weakens the five kleśas (avidyā, asmitā, rāga, dveṣa, abhiniveśa) and moves us toward samādhi ✦ Why the Ṣaṭ Kriyā are cleansing pre-practices, not prāṇāyāma - one clears the tubes, the other expands the prāṇa (and why fast breathwork gives you a high then a crash) ✦ Ayurveda's Pañcakarma - the five actions (Vamana, Virecana, Basti, Nasya, Rakta Mokṣa) and how each is prescribed to your dosha imbalance ✦ The real teaching: liberation is a silent process. Let the practice reshape you until people simply notice you've changed. TEXTUAL REFERENCES ✦ Yoga Sūtra 2.1 — tapaḥ svādhyāya īśvarapraṇidhānāni kriyāyogaḥ — "Discipline, self-study, and surrender to Īśvara constitute Kriyā Yoga." ✦ Yoga Sūtra 2.2 — samādhibhāvanārthaḥ kleśatanūkaraṇārthaśca — "The purpose of Kriyā Yoga is to cultivate samādhi and to weaken the kleśas." ✦ Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā - the Ṣaṭ Kriyā / Ṣaṭ Karma: Dhauti, Basti, Neti, Nauli, Trāṭaka, Kapālabhāti - to purify the body, give lightness, and prepare the practitioner for prāṇāyāma ✦ Gheraṇḍa Saṃhitā - the cleansing actions settle the breath and make subtle practice possible ✦ Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahaṃsa Yogānanda - source of the Lahiri Mahāsaya story ✦ Ayurveda — Pañcakarma: Vamana (therapeutic emesis · kapha), Virecana (purgation · pitta), Basti (oil enema · vāta/colon), Nasya (nasal therapy · kapha/head), Rakta Mokṣa (bloodletting · pitta) JOIN THE CONVERSATION What's your daily kriyā — the small, intentional practice you return to no matter what? Come tell us over on Instagram @omsomyoga, or reply to this week's email. We read every message. SHARE & CONNECT Website: https://omsomyoga.com OmSom App (free): search OmSom in the App Store Instagram: @omsomyoga If this episode landed, the best way to support the show is to share it with one person who might need it. We operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We'd love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey. HARI OM | |||
| Karma: The Bhagavad Gītā's Real Teaching on Karma & How to Use It | 05 Jul 2026 | 00:33:31 | |
PRACTICE WITH US ✦ Sadhana Sangha - 5 practices per month, asana workshops, subtle body techniques, Yoga Sūtra translation https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join ✦ OmSom App (free) - yoga philosophy, Sanskrit study + online community Search OmSom in the App Store ✦ 100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharma https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto ✦ 300 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Online & India Immersion 2026 https://omsom.yoga/300-hour-advanced-hatha-yoga-training ✦ 50 Hr Online Yin Yoga Teacher Training https://practice.omsom.yoga/yin-yoga-and-prana-vayus-oto IN THIS EPISODE This month the theme turns to Mokṣa: liberation. We begin where the tradition begins, with Karma. Karma means action and the simple, radical truth that everything you do (your breath, your cooking, your driving, your conversations, even your thoughts) is karma. And most of it is learned behaviour, ingrained by repetition, running on autopilot. Drawing on the Bhagavad Gītā, we explore the moment Arjuna melts down on the battlefield and asks Kṛṣṇa: if wisdom is greater than action, why must I act? Kṛṣṇa's answer reframes everything - freedom is not the absence of action, but action without grasping for its fruit. That shift, from unconscious doing to intentional doing, is where karma becomes Karma Yoga. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN ✦ Karma means action - from the root kṛ, "to do" or "to make." Your daily actions, words, and even your thoughts are all karma. ✦ Karma vs Karma Yoga - the moment you become conscious of what you're doing, why, and where it's leading, ordinary karma becomes yoga. ✦ The four paths - Jñāna (study), Bhakti (devotion), Rāja (meditation), and Karma (intentional action). You can bring yoga into brushing your teeth, if you intend it. ✦ The three types of karma (the bow and arrow) - Sañcita (the arrows in your quiver: infinite potential actions), Kriyamāṇa (the arrow you're shooting now: present-moment action), and Prārabdha (arrows already loosed: past actions you can't take back, still shaping your experience). ✦ The karmāśaya - the "storehouse" of karma. Seeds accumulate until a big experience arrives and offers you the chance to choose again — and uproot the karma so you don't have to play it out once more. ✦ Cause and effect - "the effect is hidden in the cause." Once you understand the qualities of nature (Sāṃkhya, the guṇas), you can see where an action will take you and take radical responsibility for your choices. ✦ The kleśas - Patañjali roots the reservoir of karma in the five afflictions: avidyā (ignorance), asmitā (ego / the story of "I"), rāga (attachment), dveṣa (aversion), and abhiniveśa (fear of death). TEXTUAL REFERENCES ✦ Bhagavad Gītā - Arjuna's crisis on the battlefield; "No one can remain even for a moment without performing actions… everyone is helplessly driven to act by the forces of nature" ✦ Patañjali's Yoga Sūtra, Chapter 2 - the karmāśaya (reservoir of karma) is rooted in the kleśas and experienced in seen and unseen births; the five kleśas ✦ Patañjali's Yoga Sūtra - "The yogi's karma is neither black nor white; for others it is of three kinds" - bound by the three guṇas (sattva, rajas, tamas) ✦ Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad - "As is your desire, so is your resolve. As is your resolve, so is your action. As is the action, so is your destiny." ✦ Sāṃkhya philosophy - prakṛti and the guṇas underpinning the teaching on cause and effect. SHARE & CONNECT Website: https://omsomyoga.com OmSom App (free): search OmSom in the App Store Instagram: @omsomyoga If this episode landed, the best way to support the show is to share it with one person who might need it. We operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We'd love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey. HARI OM | |||
| Pūrṇa Mantra: Deciphering the Most Confusing Mantra in Yoga | 28 Jun 2026 | 00:39:57 | |
PRACTICE WITH US ✦ Sadhana Sangha - 5 practices per month, asana workshops, subtle body techniques, Yoga Sūtra translation https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join ✦ OmSom App (free) - yoga philosophy, Sanskrit study + online community Search OmSom in the App Store ✦ 100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharma https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto ✦ 200 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Sri Lanka 2026 https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-sri-lanka ✦ 50 Hr Online Yin Yoga Teacher Training https://practice.omsom.yoga/yin-yoga-and-prana-vayus-oto IN THIS EPISODE To close out Mantra June, Aaron and Paige sit with what Aaron calls "maybe the most confusing of all the mantras" - the Pūrṇa mantra. At its heart is one quiet, radical idea: wholeness cannot be subtracted from wholeness. Light a thousand lamps from a single flame and the original flame never shrinks. Give your time, your love, your attention and the source remains undiminished. From there the conversation opens out in every direction: a word-by-word breakdown of the mantra, the non-dual Vedānta teaching of "everything is one" and how yoga holds it alongside Sāṃkhya's duality, a line from the Bhagavad Gītā that took Aaron years to sit with, what Ayurveda says about pūrṇatva through the three subtle essences, and how the whole teaching lands in something as ordinary as how we give our time, energy, and money. The mantra: Oṃ Pūrṇamadaḥ Pūrṇamidaṃ Pūrṇāt Pūrṇamudacyate Pūrṇasya Pūrṇamādāya Pūrṇamevāvaśiṣyate Oṃ Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ That is whole. This is whole. From the whole, the whole arises. Take the whole from the whole, and the whole alone remains. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN
TEXTUAL REFERENCES
SHARE & CONNECT Website: https://omsomyoga.com OmSom App (free): search OmSom in the App Store Instagram: @omsomyoga If this episode landed, the best way to support the show is to share it with one person who might need it. We operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We'd love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey. HARI OM | |||
| Asato Mā Mantra: Chant This Mantra for Guidance on the Yoga Path | 21 Jun 2026 | 00:37:01 | |
PRACTICE WITH US ✦ Sadhana Sangha - 5 practices per month, asana workshops, subtle body techniques, Yoga Sūtra translation https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join ✦ OmSom App (free) - yoga philosophy, Sanskrit study + online community Search OmSom in the App Store ✦ 100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharma https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto ✦ 200 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Sri Lanka 2026 https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-sri-lanka ✦ 50 Hr Online Yin Yoga Teacher Training https://practice.omsom.yoga/yin-yoga-and-prana-vayus-oto IN THIS EPISODE Mantra June continues. After Praṇava (Auṃ), Gāyatrī, and Mahā Mṛtyuñjaya, we arrive at one of the most beloved and most widely chanted prayers in the tradition - Asato Mā, also known as the Pavamāna Mantra. Oṃ Asato mā sad gamaya Tamaso mā jyotir gamaya Mṛtyor mā amṛtaṃ gamaya Oṃ Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ Lead me from the unreal to the real. Lead me from darkness to light. Lead me from death to immortality. We trace this prayer back to a fire ceremony in the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad, where the ṛṣis prepare a metaphorical offering of the entire cosmos to the fire of awareness. At the peak of the ritual, three sages speak three lines and what makes their prayer so radical is what they don't ask for. No superpower. No riches. No outcome. Only to be led, pointed in the right direction, and left to walk the path themselves. This one is simple. We let it stay simple. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
TEXTUAL REFERENCES
TRY THIS IN YOUR PRACTICE Use Asato Mā the way the tradition does, as an opening, not as japa. Before your next practice, chant it three times: Oṃ Asato mā sad gamaya Tamaso mā jyotir gamaya Mṛtyor mā amṛtaṃ gamaya Oṃ Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ Let it be an invocation: I'm doing this practice, I don't fully know where it leads - please, lead me there in time. Notice that the mantra never says "I will go." It says lead me. So this week, where life feels foggy, practise being led: trust the path, trust the tradition, and let "I don't know yet" be enough. SHARE & CONNECT Website: https://omsomyoga.com OmSom App (free): search OmSom in the App Store Instagram: @omsomyoga If this episode landed, the best way to support the show is to share it with one person who might need it. We operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We'd love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey. HARI OM | |||
| Mahā Mṛtyuñjaya: Unlocking the Mantra for Conquering the Fear of Death | 14 Jun 2026 | 00:28:54 | |
PRACTICE WITH US ✦ Sadhana Sangha - 5 practices per month, asana workshops, subtle body techniques, Yoga Sūtra translation https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join ✦ OmSom App (free) - yoga philosophy, Sanskrit study + online community Search OmSom in the App Store ✦ 100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharma https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto ✦ 200 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Sri Lanka 2026 https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-sri-lanka ✦ 50 Hr Online Yin Yoga Teacher Training https://practice.omsom.yoga/yin-yoga-and-prana-vayus-oto IN THIS EPISODE Of all the mantras in the yoga tradition, the Mahā Mṛtyuñjaya is the one people reach for when something goes wrong - when someone is sick, dying, or afraid. But despite its name, it isn't a mantra against death. It's a prayer not to die before you're ready: to ripen fully into life, and to be loosened from the fear of dying the way ripe fruit falls freely from the vine. We sit with one of the mantras closest to Aaron's heart. They unpack its meaning line by line, tell the story of the sage Mārkaṇḍeya who conquered death itself, and explore why a mantra so wrapped in taboo is actually one of the most nourishing and Ojas-building practices in the tradition. Content note: this episode discusses death and dying. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN ✦ Why this mantra, when everything else falls apart - the difference between asking for eternal life and asking for ripeness and fullness of life. ✦ The cucumber that isn't a cucumber - what the urvāruka fruit really is, and why it drops freely when ripe rather than needing to be cut from the vine. ✦ The story of Mārkaṇḍeya - Shiva's impossible choice, a sixteen-year-old's deepest samādhi, and the moment Yama, the god of death, was defeated. ✦ Śavāsana as a death ritual - how every time you lie down at the end of practice, you're rehearsing the art of letting go of the body. ✦ A line-by-line translation - Rudra the three-eyed one who howls with compassion, and what we're truly asking for when we chant. ✦ The Ojas connection - why the most "feared" mantra in the tradition is also the most nourishing, and how it supports each dosha. ✦ How and when to use it - readiness, chanting for the sick and dying, and weaving it into everyday life. TEXTUAL REFERENCES ✦ Ṛg Veda - the origin of the mantra, found in a portion dedicated to Rudra and traditionally attributed to the sage Vasiṣṭha. ✦ Mahābhārata - the earliest source of the Mārkaṇḍeya story, told within Yudhiṣṭhira's conversation with the sage himself. ✦ Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa, Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Śiva Purāṇa, Skanda Purāṇa - the same story recurs across all of these texts. ✦ Bhagavad Gītā - Krishna's teaching that one who remembers him at the moment of death attains his state; the root teaching behind the Hare Krishna tradition's practice. ✦ Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali - abhiniveśa, the fear of death, named as a root of suffering. THE MANTRA Om Tryambakaṃ Yajāmahe Sugandhiṃ Puṣṭi-vardhanam Urvārukam-iva Bandhanān Mṛtyor Mukṣīya Mā'mṛtāt We worship the three-eyed one, fragrant, the increaser of nourishment. As the ripe fruit is freed from its binding to the vine, may I be freed from death, but not from immortality. SHARE & CONNECT Website: https://omsomyoga.com OmSom App (free): search OmSom in the App Store Instagram: @omsomyoga If this episode landed, the best way to support the show is to share it with one person who might need it. We operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We'd love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey. HARI OM | |||
| Deciphering the Gayatri: the Mantra that Brahmā Hid Inside a Single Syllable | 07 Jun 2026 | 00:47:25 | |
PRACTICE WITH US ✦ Sadhana Sangha - 5 practices per month, asana workshops, subtle body techniques, Yoga Sūtra translation https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join ✦ OmSom App (free) - yoga philosophy, Sanskrit study + online community Search OmSom in the App Store ✦ 100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharma https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto ✦ 200 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Sri Lanka 2026 https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-sri-lanka ✦ 50 Hr Online Yin Yoga Teacher Training https://practice.omsom.yoga/yin-yoga-and-prana-vayus-oto IN THIS EPISODE If Om is the sound that holds everything together, the Gāyatrī is the prayer that lights up the mind. We explore the mantra the ancient ṛṣis understood as a request for clarity - may our intellect be illuminated. Through the story of Brahmā condensing the three Vedas down into a single syllable, the meaning of each word of the mantra, the goddess Gāyatrī Devī as the light of the morning sun, and how the mantra meets each dosha, this episode is an invitation into one of the most potent practices in the tradition — held with reverence for where it comes from. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
TEXTUAL REFERENCES
TRY THIS IN YOUR PRACTICE Chant the Gāyatrī at sunrise, slowly and with reverence - not rushing toward a number, but letting each of the three lines (8–8–8) land. Notice the mantra as a request, not a demand: may the light of that sun illuminate my mind.
And take the closing teaching to heart: let this mantra be offered to you at the right time. The right teachings reveal themselves when you're ready. SHARE & CONNECT Website: https://omsomyoga.com OmSom App (free): search OmSom in the App Store Instagram: @omsomyoga If this episode landed, the best way to support the show is to share it with one person who might need it. We operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We'd love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey. HARI OM | |||
| Decoding the Mantra Om, the Hum of the Universe, the Three Sounds, the Fourth Silence & the Nine Stages | 31 May 2026 | 00:50:36 | |
PRACTICE WITH US ✦ Sadhana Sangha - 5 practices per month, asana workshops, subtle body techniques, Yoga Sūtra translation https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join ✦ OmSom App (free) - yoga philosophy, Sanskrit study + online community Search OmSom in the App Store ✦ 100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharma https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto ✦ 200 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Sri Lanka 2026 https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-sri-lanka ✦ 50 Hr Online Yin Yoga Teacher Training https://practice.omsom.yoga/yin-yoga-and-prana-vayus-oto IN THIS EPISODE If you had to pick the most important syllable in the entire tradition of yoga (one sound that contains everything) what would it be? In this episode, Aaron and Paige open the June series on mantra and bhakti by exploring Auṃ, the syllable chanted at the beginning and end of every yoga class, painted on every mat, stuck to the back of every car, and yet very rarely understood for what it actually is. We unpack why Patañjali never calls it Om in the Yoga Sūtra (and what he calls it instead), why the texts describe it as the sound of Īśvara, and why every other mantra in the tradition begins with this sound. We map the three syllables A–U–M to the three states of consciousness, sit with the fourth state (turīya) that lives in the silence after the M, and then walk through the nine stages of that silence as taught in the Nāda Yoga and Kashmir Śaivite tradition. What You'll Learn ✦ The meaning of bhakti and why mantra is inseparable from devotion ✦ The difference between a mantra and an affirmation (and why one points to something while the other is the thing itself) ✦ Why Patañjali codifies Om as Praṇava in the Yoga Sūtra and the aesthetic superstition behind the name change ✦ The three syllables of A–U–M and the three states of consciousness they express: jāgrat (waking), svapna (dreaming), suṣupti (deep sleep) ✦ The fourth state, turīya, that arises in the silence after M ✦ The Maṇḍūkya Upaniṣad teaching of the bow, the arrow, the string, and the target, and why the release is the part you can't practice ✦ The nine stages of silence after Om as taught in Nāda Yoga: bindu, ardha candra, nirodhinī, nāda, nādānta, śakti, vyāpinī, samanā, unmanā ✦ How the syllables of A–U–M map to the doṣas - and how to use mantra to work with the mahāguṇas (sattva, rajas, tamas) ✦ The distinction between japa (mantra you repeat) and ajapa (mantra that repeats itself) ✦ Why Om is described as the hum of the universe and how to actually hear it Textual References Patañjali's Yoga Sūtra (Samādhi Pāda) ✦ Tasya vācakaḥ praṇavaḥ - "The expression of Īśvara is the syllable Praṇava." ✦ Taj-japas tad-artha-bhāvanam - "Repeat that mantra while contemplating its meaning." ✦ The following sūtra: through this practice, the awareness turns inward and the obstacles to yoga fall away. Maṇḍūkya Upaniṣad ✦ All twelve verses of this short Upaniṣad are dedicated to the syllable Auṃ, mapping its sounds to the four states of consciousness. The bow-and-arrow analogy referenced in this episode is drawn from the Upaniṣadic teaching tradition. Bhagavad Gītā ✦ Kṛṣṇa: "The one who utters the single syllable Om Brahman and remembers me departs from the body and reaches the supreme destination." Kashmir Śaivism / Nāda Yoga tradition ✦ The nine progressive stages of the silence after Om (some traditions list seven, others twelve). Ayurveda and the Mind by Dr. David Frawley ✦ Referenced for the application of mantra to the mahāguṇas. SHARE & CONNECT Website: https://omsomyoga.com OmSom App (free): search OmSom in the App Store Instagram: @omsomyoga If this episode landed, the best way to support the show is to share it with one person who might need it. We operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We'd love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey. HARI OM | |||
| So'haṃ Haṃsa: The Mantra You've Been Repeating Your Whole Life Without Knowing | 24 May 2026 | 00:34:51 | |
PRACTICE WITH US✦ Sadhana Sangha - 5 practices per month, asana workshops, subtle body techniques, Yoga Sūtra translationhttps://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join✦ OmSom App (free) - yoga philosophy, Sanskrit study + online communitySearch OmSom in the App Store✦ 100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharmahttps://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto✦ 200 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Sri Lanka 2026https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-sri-lanka✦ 50 Hr Online Yin Yoga Teacher Traininghttps://practice.omsom.yoga/yin-yoga-and-prana-vayus-otoIN THIS EPISODEWhat if there was a mantra you've been repeating your whole life without knowing it? One you didn't choose, one you didn't learn, one that lives inside every single breath.In this episode, we turn toward Ajapa Mantra, the mantra that doesn't need to be repeated, because it's already happening. So'haṃ on the inhale. Haṃsa on the exhale. The sound of breath itself.We unpack the mythology of the celestial swan, the meaning of I am That, and the practice of viveka, the discernment to take only the milk and let the water glide off.We upack:✦ Why So'haṃ and Haṃsa are called the Ajapa Mantra, the mantra that is not repeated✦ Mantra defined: man (mind) + tra (protecting) - protecting the mind from overthinking✦ The relationship between mantra, breath, and silence✦ Viveka - the yogic capacity for discernment✦ How to use So'haṃ Haṃsa in āsana, prāṇāyāma, and meditation✦ The Ayurvedic practice of "listening to the burp" - discernment applied to eating✦ Why mantra is an experience, not just wordsWHAT YOU'LL LEARN✦ The difference between So'haṃ and Haṃsa - and why one points to the vastness of being, while the other points to the capacity to move through the world untouched by it.✦ Why this mantra is called Ajapa - already present in every breath, not something you create but something you tune into.✦ The mythology of the swan and what it teaches about discernment, nourishment, and what we choose to let glide off.✦ How to apply viveka in daily life from your meditation cushion to your dinner plate.✦ A practical entry point into mantra practice, even if you don't yet understand or feel the depth of it.TEXTUAL REFERENCES✦ The mythology of Haṃsa, the celestial swan, drawn from the broader Purāṇic and Vedic tradition - the swan as the symbol of viveka (discernment) and the vehicle of Brahmā.✦ The Ajapa Mantra tradition, referenced across multiple yogic texts as the natural mantra of the breath (So'haṃ on inhale, Haṃsa on exhale).✦ Companion to last week's episode on Śūnya (the void) - Soham as I am That, the recognition of the vast emptiness explored in the previous conversation.SHARE & CONNECTWebsite: https://omsomyoga.comOmSom App (free): search OmSom in the App StoreInstagram: @omsomyogaIf this episode landed, the best way to support the show is to share it with one person who might need it.We operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We'd love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey.HARI OM | |||
| Śūnya: Unpacking the Space Where Thought Dissolves | 17 May 2026 | 00:45:37 | |
PRACTICE WITH US✦ Sadhana Sangha - 5 practices per month, asana workshops, subtle body techniques, Yoga Sūtra translationhttps://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join✦ OmSom App (free) - yoga philosophy, Sanskrit study + online communitySearch OmSom in the App Store✦ 100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharmahttps://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto✦ 200 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Sri Lanka 2026https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-sri-lanka✦ 50 Hr Online Yin Yoga Teacher Traininghttps://practice.omsom.yoga/yin-yoga-and-prana-vayus-otoIN THIS EPISODEWe continue our exploration of the space element (ākāśa) by turning toward its deepest expression, śūnya, the void. This is pure potential. We unpack why the mind fears silence, where śūnya sits on the Sāṃkhya map, and how the Tao Te Ching's opening line ("the Tao that is named is not the eternal Tao") points to the same truth. We also celebrate 100,000 podcast downloads! Thank you for being here!What You'll Learn✦ The difference between quiet (external) and silence (internal) and why one doesn't guarantee the other✦ Why the mind grasps and labels and how that grasping is the very thing that obscures śūnya✦ How śūnya functions as both a philosophical concept and a practical tool for conserving prāṇic energy✦ The Sāṃkhya context: why the higher we move up the map, the less language can hold✦ The journey through the guṇas from Tamas → Rajas → Sattva → back to śūnya — and where Winnie-the-Pooh fits in (yes, really)✦ How antaḥ-mana (inner listening) becomes the medicine that draws the mind toward stillness✦ Three practical entry points: layered sound meditation, Kāya Sthiram, and Yoga Nidrā as the cognition of nothingness✦ How śūnya shows up off the mat as presence, and as the comfort of not needing to fill spaceTEXTUAL REFERENCES✦ Kena Upaniṣad: the story of Brahman appearing before Indra and the gods✦ Tao Te Ching: "The Tao that is named is not the eternal Tao"✦ Sāṃkhya Darśan: the map of consciousness descending into matter; where śūnya sits at the subtler end✦ The Triguṇa: Tamas, Rajas, Sattva, as the progression of mind-states✦ Kāya Sthiram & Yoga Nidrā: classical techniques pointing toward śūnyaSHARE & CONNECTWebsite: https://omsomyoga.comOmSom App (free): search OmSom in the App StoreInstagram: @omsomyogaIf this episode landed, the best way to support the show is to share it with one person who might need it.We operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We'd love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey.HARI OM | |||
| Kumbhaka: The Yogic Art of Breath Retention Explained & Patanjali's Gateway to Samādhi | 10 May 2026 | 00:33:07 | |
PRACTICE WITH US ✦ Sadhana Sangha - 5 practices per month, asana workshops, subtle body techniques, Yoga Sūtra translation https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join ✦ OmSom App (free) - yoga philosophy, Sanskrit study + online community Search OmSom in the App Store ✦ 100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharma https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto ✦ 200 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Sri Lanka 2026 https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-sri-lanka ✦ 50 Hr Online Yin Yoga Teacher Training https://practice.omsom.yoga/yin-yoga-and-prana-vayus-oto IN THIS EPISODE What happens in the space between your inhale and your exhale? In this episode of the Om Som Yoga + Ayurveda Podcast, Aaron and Paige explore Kumbhaka, the yogic art of breath retention. Drawing from Patanjali's Yoga Sūtra and the Hatha Yoga Pradīpikā, this episode unpacks why the pause in the breath isn't just a gap, but a doorway into stillness, a direct experience of the quieter layers of the mind, and ultimately a path toward samādhi. Whether you're new to pranayama or already working with breath retention in your practice, this episode will change how you relate to the space between your breaths. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE ✦ What Kumbhaka actually means - the Sanskrit root translates to pot or cup, and the ancient story of the potter that reveals why retention is the seal that holds prana in the body ✦ The two types of Kumbhaka - sahita (deliberate retention) and kevala (the spontaneous suspension that arises unbidden in deep meditation) ✦ What Patanjali's Yoga Sūtra says about the fourth pranayama - the one beyond deliberate practice that opens the door to samādhi ✦ The Hatha Yoga Pradīpikā teaching: when prana moves, the mind moves - when prana is still, the mind becomes still ✦ The science of CO2 tolerance - why the urge to breathe is not an emergency, and how building tolerance helps dissolve one of yoga's core obstacles: fear ✦ Why pranayama is about breathing less, not more - and how stillness in the breath creates the conditions for stillness in the mind ✦ Kumbhaka and the three doshas - how vāta, pitta, and kapha types should each approach breath retention for safe, nourishing practice TEXTUAL REFERENCES ✦ Patanjali's Yoga Sūtra: pranayama as external, internal, and restrained movement - and the fourth kumbhaka, kevala, as the spontaneous pathway to samādhi ✦ Hatha Yoga Pradīpikā: "When prana moves, the mind moves. When prana is still, the mind becomes still." TRY THIS IN YOUR PRACTICE This week, rather than rushing through the turn between inhale and exhale, simply notice the pause. No counting, no control - just linger in that space for a moment. Feel the stillness that already exists between your breaths. That is Kumbhaka in its most natural form. Start there. JOIN THE CONVERSATION Do you tend to hold your breath in daily life without realising it? Or have you ever experienced that moment in meditation where the breath just suspends on its own? Share in the comments below - we read everything. SHARE & CONNECT Thank you for listening to the Om Som Yoga & Ayurveda Podcast. Please share this episode with someone it might support, and connect with us on social media or via our website. Instagram: @OmSom.yoga Website: OmSom.yoga We operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We'd love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey. HARI OM | |||
| Simon Borg-Olivier: A Masterclass in the Yoga Almost No One Teaches | 03 May 2026 | 01:20:47 | |
PRACTICE WITH US ✦ Sadhana Sangha - 5 practices per month, asana workshops, subtle body techniques, Yoga Sūtra translation https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join ✦ OmSom App (free) — yoga philosophy, Sanskrit study + online community Search OmSom in the App Store ✦ 100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharma https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto ✦ 200 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Sri Lanka 2026 https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-sri-lanka ✦ 50 Hr Online Yin Yoga Teacher Training https://practice.omsom.yoga/yin-yoga-and-prana-vayus-oto IN THIS EPISODE Aaron sits down with Simon Borg-Olivier, a man whose practice predates most of the modern yoga industry, for a conversation about coming home to natural movement and natural breath. Simon shares the unlikely path that led him from underwater swimming in Malta, to a Tibetan lama in his late teens, to weight training and gymnastics injuries, and finally to a stretch class where an Iyengar substitute teacher changed everything. From there, the conversation turns toward the principles he has spent four decades refining: moving where you don't bend easily, leaving alone the places that already are, and treating your practice as a work-in rather than a workout. Expect to have a few of your assumptions about flexibility, core engagement, breath retention, and even what "advanced" practice looks like gently turned upside down. KEY TAKEAWAYS ✦ Why hypermobility is not flexibility and why bending where you already bend easily is one of the most common (and quietly damaging) habits in modern yoga ✦ The difference between a workout and a "work-in" and why one leaves you depleted while the other leaves you energised ✦ How Sthira Sukham Āsanam ("firm but calm") translates into the actual mechanics of the abdomen, the diaphragm, and the breath ✦ Why most people are unknowingly stuck in fight-or-flight through chronic abdominal tension and what that does to immunity, digestion, and reproduction ✦ The science (and tradition) of Jālandhara Bandha, head down, neck back, and why it matters for pranayama ✦ Why Simon teaches less stretch, less tension, less breathing, less thinking, less eating and what we gain on the other side of less ✦ The simple Five-Region Reset, fingers/shoulders, neck, pelvis, core, face, that you can drop into any practice, any time, anywhere TEXTUAL & LINEAGE REFERENCES ✦ Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali — Sthira Sukham Āsanam (II.46), and Simon's note on the Siddhis appearing in the third chapter (Vibhūti Pāda) - a reminder that supernatural breathing is not the first step ✦ The 8 Limbs - Yama, Niyama, Āsana, Prāṇāyāma - and why most of us are still working at the foundation ✦ B.K.S. Iyengar - Simon's first formal yoga path in the early 1980s ✦ Yoga Synergy - co-founded by Simon and Bianca Machliss, one of Australia's oldest yoga schools Cross-traditional influences - Tibetan teachings received in his late teens, Japanese Aikido, and Chinese Qigong and martial arts woven into his Five-Dimensional Flow framework FIND SIMON Website → https://simonborgolivier.com Membership (free + paid tiers) → https://healthhappinesslongevity.co SHARE & CONNECT Thank you for listening to the Om Som Yoga & Ayurveda Podcast. Please share this episode with someone it might support, and connect with us on social media or via our website. Instagram: @OmSom.yoga Website: OmSom.yoga We operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We'd love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey. HARI OM | |||
| Hridaya - The Spiritual Heart: Beyond Emotion, Into the Cave of Awareness | 26 Apr 2026 | 00:41:21 | |
PRACTICE WITH US ✦ Sadhana Sangha - 5 practices per month, asana workshops, subtle body techniques, Yoga Sūtra translationhttps://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join ✦ OmSom App (free) — yoga philosophy, Sanskrit study + online communitySearch OmSom in the App Store ✦ 100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharmahttps://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto ✦ 200 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Sri Lanka 2026https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-sri-lanka ✦ 50 Hr Online Yin Yoga Teacher Traininghttps://practice.omsom.yoga/yin-yoga-and-prana-vayus-oto IN THIS EPISODE What does it really mean to live from the heart? In this episode of the Om Som Yoga + Ayurveda Podcast, Aaron and Paige dive deep into Hridaya (hṛdayam) the spiritual heart at the centre of all yogic and Vedantic tradition. Drawing from the Chandogya Upanishad, the Katha Upanishad, and Patanjali's Yoga Sūtras, this episode explores one of the most profound teachings in all of yoga philosophy, the idea that within the tiny cave of the heart lives the infinite self, equally as vast as the entire cosmos.If you've ever wondered what yoga teachers mean by "coming to the heart," or felt confused by the idea of heart-centered living, this episode is for you. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE ✦ The three layers of the heart - physical, emotional, and spiritual - and how yoga teaches us to move through all three ✦ The Sanskrit root meaning of hṛdayam: the give, receive, and circulate at the centre of all human experience ✦ The teaching of Daharākāsha from the Chandogya Upanishad, the doorway within the heart that is no larger than your thumb, yet contains the entire universe ✦ Why Anahata (the heart chakra) is not the same as Hridaya and why this distinction matters in your practice ✦ What Patanjali says happens when you meditate on the heart: knowledge of the mind (and why that's the ultimate siddhi for modern life) ✦ The Āyurvedic view of the heart: hṛd basti treatment, ojas, the 8 drops of vital force within the heart, and abhyanga over the heart marma ✦ How to stop seeking ease outside yourself, and begin to inhabit the cave of the heart as your true home TEXTUAL REFERENCES ✦ Chandogya Upanishad: Dahara Vidyā (the knowledge of the inner space) ✦ Katha Upanishad: "Smaller than the smallest, greater than the greatest, the Self is hidden in the cave of the heart" ✦ Patanjali's Yoga Sūtra, Chapter III: the samyama of Hridaya and the arising of knowledge of the mind TRY THIS IN YOUR PRACTICE This week, instead of meditating in your head, consciously drop your awareness into the heart. Sit in the cave. Let your mantra or breath or visualisation arise from that place, not from the screen of the mind. JOIN THE CONVERSATION What came up for you in this episode? Have you ever experienced that deep stillness at the heart, even for a moment? Share in the comments below. We read everything. SHARE & CONNECT Thank you for listening to the Om Som Yoga & Ayurveda Podcast. Please share this episode with someone it might support, and connect with us on social media or via our website. Instagram: @OmSom.yoga Website: OmSom.yoga We operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We'd love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey. HARI OM | |||
| What Yoga Actually Says About the Mind | Citta Vritti Nirodhah | 19 Apr 2026 | 00:30:14 | |
PRACTICE WITH US: 365 Sadhana Sangha https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join 100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharma https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto 200 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Sri Lanka 2026 https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-sri-lanka 50 Hr Online Yin Yoga Teacher Training https://practice.omsom.yoga/yin-yoga-and-prana-vayus-oto ON THIS WEEK'S EPISODE: We unpack one of the most misunderstood teachings in yoga, "citta vritti nirodhah". Most people hear citta vritti nirodhah and think yoga is asking them to stop thinking. So they try to force the mind quiet. Then the mind gets louder. This week, Aaron and Lina explore the second Yoga Sutra and what it actually means to settle the mind. This is not an episode about suppression. It's about space. The mind doesn't respond to force. It responds to stillness being allowed, not imposed. DEFINITION & ETYMOLOGY: Citta Vritti Nirodhah (चित्त वृत्ति निरोध) Citta: the total field of the mind, including perception, memory, and cognition Vritti: fluctuations, waves, or movements of the mind Nirodhah: cessation, a natural settling Together: the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind. The key word is natural. Nirodhah does not mean suppression. It points to stillness that arrives when agitation is removed, not forced out. KEY CONCEPTS & INSIGHTS: • Thoughts are not the problem. The agitation feeding them is. Sensory overload, stimulation, and constant doing all churn the surface of the mind. • The mind is like Lake Manasarovar beneath Mount Kailash. When the winds blow, the moon's reflection scatters. You cannot smooth the lake with your hands. You wait for the wind to settle. • Yoga Sutra 1.4, vritti sarupyam itaratra: at other times, we identify with the movements. When the mind is unsettled, we mistake the thoughts, the story, the role, for our actual self. • The goal is not just stillness but recognition. When the mind clears, the seer (drastuh) abides in its own nature. We remember we are the one watching, not the one thinking. TEXTUAL SOURCES: The first four Yoga Sutras of Patanjali form a single sequence: • 1.1 Atha yoganushasanam: now, the teaching of yoga. Yoga only happens now. • 1.2 Yogas citta vritti nirodhah: yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind. • 1.3 Tada drashtuh svarupe vastanam: then the seer abides in its own true nature. • 1.4 Vritti sarupyam itaratra: at other times, there is identification with the movements. PRACTICAL INTEGRATION: • Use the breath as your anchor. It is always internal, always present. Slow it down and let it draw you inward. • Allow pauses to arise naturally in practice rather than forcing a hard stop. When stillness appears, stay with it. • If your mind was busy in meditation, ask: who noticed? That noticing is the observer. You are already there. • Consider what is agitating the mind before trying to calm it. Sometimes the first step is reducing external input, not increasing internal effort. Reflection: What happens when you stop trying to quiet the mind and simply let it settle on its own? SHARE & CONNECT Thank you for listening to the Om Som Yoga & Ayurveda Podcast. Please share this episode with someone it might support, and connect with us on social media or via our website. Instagram: @OmSom.yoga Website: OmSom.yoga We operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We’d love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey. HARI OM | |||
| Vyana Vayu: The Prana That Holds Everything Together | 12 Apr 2026 | 00:26:12 | |
PRACTICE WITH US: 365 Sadhana Sangha https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join 100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharma https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto 200 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Sri Lanka 2026 https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-sri-lanka 50 Hr Online Yin Yoga Teacher Training https://practice.omsom.yoga/yin-yoga-and-prana-vayus-oto ON THIS WEEK'S EPISODE: Some people breathe deeply but the breath gets stuck. The lungs fill, but there is no distribution. Prana arrives and goes nowhere. This week, Aaron and Selenna explore Vyana Vayu, the prana of circulation, integration, and adaptability. Not about breathing bigger. About letting the breath spread. This episode covers what vyana is, why it holds all other pranas together, and how its presence or absence shows up in the body, the practice, and daily life. DEFINITION & ETYMOLOGY: Vyana Vayu (Sanskrit: व्यान वायु) Root: vyah, to spread, pervade, or expand outwards in all directions Vyana moves nourishment from the centre to the periphery Non-directional, unlike prana vayu (inhale) or apana vayu (exhale). It is the fullness between the parts. When depleted: cold extremities, pallor, fatigue, disconnection from the limbs. KEY CONCEPTS & INSIGHTS: • The Prashna Upanishad story: the five pranas argue over which is most important. Each leaves the body to test its necessity. When prana vayu departs, all the others follow. Vyana is the integrating force that knits them all together. • Vyana is synergy. A movement in the hand travels through the wrist, elbow, and shoulder. A slow practice flows into quiet Savasana, into calm pranayama, into still meditation. Vyana makes practice holistic rather than fragmented. • Prana can be received without being distributed. Building energy without vyana is like filling a pipe with no outlet. Stuck prana is useless. • Vyana is adaptability. Ease moving between conversations, environments, and states. In practice, the capacity to meet yourself where you are. • Stillness without vyana becomes stagnation. Vyana allows you to enter stillness when needed and move out when the time comes. TEXTUAL & TRADITIONAL SOURCES: • Hathayoga Pradipika: vyana vayu governs circulation, peripheral movement, and integration of bodily systems. Imbalance presents as fatigue, poor circulation, or disconnection from the limbs. • Prashna Upanishad: without vyana, the other pranas cannot act in coordination. PRACTICAL INTEGRATION: • Practices that cultivate vyana: lateral bends, backbends, spinal rolls, Surya Namaskar, inhale retentions. • Vyana Vayu Mudra: touch the thumb to the index and middle fingers at the fingertips, ring and pinky fingers extended. Use when feeling stuck, fragmented, or disconnected. Also supports circulation to the extremities in cold weather. • In daily life: rigidity in social situations, difficulty transitioning between tasks, or feeling like different parts of life are disconnected are signs of depleted vyana. Reflection: Where are you receiving nourishment but not letting it move? SHARE & CONNECT Thank you for listening to the Om Som Yoga & Ayurveda Podcast. Please share this episode with someone it might support, and connect with us on social media or via our website. Instagram: @OmSom.yoga Website: OmSom.yoga We operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We'd love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey. HARI OM | |||
| Patanjali's Definition of Mastery Is Not What You Think | Sukham Asanam Explained | 05 Apr 2026 | 00:22:31 | |
PRACTICE WITH US: 365 Sadhana Sangha https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join 100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharma https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto 200 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Sri Lanka 2026 https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-sri-lanka 50 Hr Online Yin Yoga Teacher Training https://practice.omsom.yoga/yin-yoga-and-prana-vayus-oto ON THIS WEEK'S EPISODE: People work hard in yoga. There is strength, there is discipline. But still no ease. We assume ease means collapsing or giving up. When actually, sukham only appears when effort is organised correctly. This week, Aaron and Milli explore the second word of one of yoga's most well-known sutras. Not the steadiness, not the seat, but the softness. The effortlessness. The quality that turns a posture into a practice and a practice into something sustainable for life. DEFINITION & ETYMOLOGY: Sukham (Sanskrit: सुखम्) Literal meaning: pleasantness, ease, effortlessness, comfort From the sutra: Sthiram Sukham Asanam (Yoga Sutra 2.46) Sthiram: steadiness. Sukham: ease. Asanam: posture. Sukham is not the absence of effort. It is ease within effort. KEY CONCEPTS & INSIGHTS: • The Zen bowl story: a student grips a bowl of water so tightly it trembles and spills. The teacher says trust the bowl. The moment he softens, the water stills. This is sukham. • Effort evenly distributed becomes support. Once the body knows how to hold itself, it can begin to soften. That which was once effortful becomes graceful. • The breath is the barometer. If the breath becomes labored in a posture, you have gone too far. Ease in the breath means you are working within your capacity. • Yoga Sutra 2.47: Prayatna shaithilya anantha samapathibhyam. Mastery of asana comes through the relaxation of effort and absorption in the infinite. Patanjali's definition of mastery is not force. It is dissolution. • Sukham is what makes yoga sustainable. Push past capacity and you deplete. Meet your edge daily and build slowly. That is the design of the practice. TEXTUAL & TRADITIONAL SOURCES: • Yoga Sutra 2.46: Sthiram sukham asanam. The posture should be steady and easeful. • Yoga Sutra 2.47: Prayatna shaithilya anantha samapathibhyam. Through the relaxation of effort and absorption in the infinite, asana is mastered. • Hathayoga Pradipika: asana gives steadiness, health, and lightness to the body. Both traditions hold the same position: firmness and softness always together. PRACTICAL INTEGRATION: • Hold poses for 5 to 10 breaths. Long enough to meet the uncomfortable edge. Then let go of the mental story around it. The mind gives up long before the body does. U• se the breath as your guide. Nose breathing, composed, unhurried. The moment it becomes labored, back off and reset. • Off the mat: notice where you are bracing for impact in daily life. In conversations, at work, in relationships. Sukham asks you to meet the world with less resistance, not less engagement. Reflection: Where in your practice are you holding effort longer than necessary? SHARE & CONNECT Thank you for listening to the Om Som Yoga & Ayurveda Podcast. Please share this episode with someone it might support, and connect with us on social media or via our website. Instagram: @OmSom.yoga Website: OmSom.yoga We operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We'd love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey. HARI OM | |||
| The Practice that Reveals Your Real Self | SVĀDHYĀYA | 22 Mar 2026 | 00:50:08 | |
PRACTICE WITH US: 365 Sadhana Sangha https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join 100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharma https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto 200 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Sri Lanka 2026 https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-sri-lanka 50 Hr Online Yin Yoga Teacher Training https://practice.omsom.yoga/yin-yoga-and-prana-vayus-oto ON THIS WEEK’S EPISODE: We often think self-study means fixing ourselves. But in yoga, Svādhyāya isn’t about becoming better. It’s about becoming honest. In this episode, Aaron and Paige explore Svādhyāya as illumination. Not self-help. Not self-analysis. But observation for its own sake. Through the story of Indra and Virochana, we unpack the difference between identifying with the body and inquiring into the witness behind it. One student stops at the reflection. The other keeps going. Svādhyāya asks: Who is observing the body? Who is watching the mind? Who is aware of the story? And what happens when we stop trying to improve ourselves and simply see? DEFINITION & ETYMOLOGY: • Svā (स्व) - one’s own, the Self • Adhyāya (अध्याय) - study, recitation, inquiry Svādhyāya (स्वाध्याय) means study of the Self. Reflection upon the Self. A returning to what is deeper than identity. In this episode we clarify the distinction between: • Self-help - observation to create change • Self-analysis - asking why • Svādhyāya - observing without fixing KEY CONCEPTS & INSIGHTS: • Agni as illumination - fire does not only burn, it reveals • The difference between ahamkāra (the constructed self) and the witness • The “space between” experience and observer - where story and identity form • Kriyā Yoga - Tapas reveals, Svādhyāya observes, Īśvara Praṇidhāna surrenders • Communion with one’s iṣṭa-devatā through self-study • The paradox of the Self - it cannot be known as an object We also explore Yoga Sūtra 2.44: “Svādhyāyād iṣṭa-devatā-saṃprayogaḥ” Through self-study comes communion with the chosen form of the Divine. And the riddle from the Kena Upaniṣad: “It is not known by those who know it, and known by those who do not know it.” The Self cannot be captured. Only revealed. PRACTICAL INTEGRATION: • Journalling without editing - observe thoughts in real time • Five-layer reflection: physical, mental, emotional, energetic, spiritual • Silent mantra repetition to quiet the mind • Mirror work - observe without correcting • Trāṭaka (candle gazing) - object, observer, space between • Notice reactions in daily life without immediately creating a story Ask yourself: • What are you trying to change before you’ve truly seen it? • Where are you satisfied with an answer that’s almost true? • What becomes possible when understanding replaces the need to fix? Svādhyāya is not something to master. It is something to return to. When the layers fall away, nothing new is gained. Only remembered. SHARE & CONNECT Thank you for listening to the Om Som Yoga & Ayurveda Podcast. Please share this episode with someone it might support, and connect with us on social media or via our website. Instagram: @OmSom.yoga Website: OmSom.yoga We operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We’d love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey. HARI OM | |||
| Resistance is the Doorway: Tapas in Real Life | 15 Mar 2026 | 00:33:16 | |
PRACTICE WITH US:365 Sadhana Sanghahttps://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharmahttps://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto200 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Sri Lanka 2026https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-sri-lanka50 Hr Online Yin Yoga Teacher Traininghttps://practice.omsom.yoga/yin-yoga-and-prana-vayus-otoON THIS WEEK’S EPISODEIn this conversation with Lina, we explore:• Tapas as “heat”: the friction that creates real change• Why resistance isn’t failur, it’s the doorway• How tapas applies to asana, pranayama, meditation, and daily life• The difference between “love and light” bypassing vs grounded transformation• Why the hard thing isn’t always the intense thing (sometimes it’s rest, gentleness, or silence)DEFINITION & ETYMOLOGYTAPAS (तपस्)• Root: TAP (तप्) - to heat, to burn, to glow• Tapas is the inner heat generated by sustained effort - especially when we meet discomfort consciously.• A simple felt-sense: rub your hands together - friction builds warmth. Tapas is that warming force that makes transformation possible.KEY CONCEPTS1) RESISTANCE IS PART OF THE PATHYou will meet resistance in practice and in life. The work is not to eliminate it - it’s to relate to it with presence.2) CONTAINED FIRE TRANSFORMSUncontained Agni burns everything. Contained Agni refines. Tapas is the art of containment: staying steady enough at the edge for the process to do its work.3) THE “HARD THING” CHANGES DEPENDING ON YOUSometimes the hard thing is intensity, strength, effort.Sometimes the hard thing is softness, silence, slowness, rest.Tapas is not performative struggle - it’s honest contact with what you avoid.4) IDENTITY IS WHAT GETS CHALLENGED FIRSTDiscipline doesn’t only test the body - it tests the story of who you think you are. Tapas is the willingness to live beyond the old pattern.TEXTUAL SOURCESPATAÑJALI - KRIYĀ YOGA (YS 2.1)tapaḥsvādhyāyeśvarapraṇidhānāni kriyāyogaḥTapas appears first - because without discipline, there’s no practice to sustain.PATAÑJALI - NIYAMA (YS 2.32)śauca santoṣa tapaḥsvādhyāyeśvarapraṇidhānāni niyamāḥTapas is placed among the core qualities we cultivate for a yogic life.BHAGAVAD GĪTĀ - “MENTAL TAPAS” (BG 17.16)manaḥ prasādaḥ saumyatvaṁ maunam ātma-vinigrahaḥ bhāva-saṁśuddhir ity etat tapo mānasamThis expands tapas beyond “hard effort” into the discipline of: serenity, gentleness, silence, and self-restraint.UPANIṢADIC TEACHING - KNOWING BRAHMAN THROUGH TAPASA widely-cited Upaniṣadic line: tapasā brahma vijijñāsasva (“By tapas, seek to know Brahman”).This frames discipline not as self-punishment, but as the means of deep knowing.PRACTICAL INTEGRATIONON THE MAT• Choose one posture you avoid and practise it with steadiness (not force).• Stay in ŚAVĀSANA longer than you usually would.• Sit for PRĀṆĀYĀMA for 20 minutes (steady, simple, sustainable).• Hold one āsana for 10 minutes, then rest.IN MEDITATION• Notice the urge to fidget, distract, or “escape.”• Practise staying present with the raw sensation of discomfort - without needing to like it.IN DAILY LIFE• Follow through on one commitment you’ve been postponing.• Tell someone your commitment so you’re held gently accountable.• Train presence: when the mind wanders mid-task, return (without self-judgement).REFLECTIVE TAKEAWAY• Where in your life are you avoiding discomfort?• What changes when you treat resistance as part of the practice not an obstacle?SHARE & CONNECTThank you for listening to the Om Som Yoga & Ayurveda Podcast. Please share this episode with someone it might support, and connect with us on social media or via our website.Instagram: @OmSom.yogaWebsite: OmSom.yogaWe operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We’d love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey. HARI OM | |||
| Brahmana: When Calming Down Is the Wrong Advice | 08 Mar 2026 | 00:26:14 | |
PRACTICE WITH US: 365 Sadhana Sangha https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join 100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharma https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto 200 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Sri Lanka 2026 https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-sri-lanka 50 Hr Online Yin Yoga Teacher Training https://practice.omsom.yoga/yin-yoga-and-prana-vayus-oto ON THIS WEEK'S EPISODE: We talk about slowing down, calming the nervous system, resting more. And it's necessary. Until it's not. Sometimes people aren't anxious. They're stagnant. Flat, foggy, heavy. Apply calming practices there and things sink further. This week, Aaron and Selenna explore Brahmana, the final piece in their series on energetic technique. Not stimulation for its own sake, but nourishment through expansion. The right fuel, in the right amount, at the right time. DEFINITION & ETYMOLOGY: Brahmana (Sanskrit: ब्राह्मण) Root: bruh, to grow, enlarge, or strengthen In yoga: any practice that builds heat, increases prana, and creates upward or expanding energetic movement The counterpart to Langhana (descending, calming) and complement to Samana (balancing) KEY CONCEPTS & INSIGHTS: • Brahmana is the coffee. Langhana is the whiskey. Samana is the water, good anytime. This three-part energetic framework makes practice intentional rather than random. • The Katha Upanishad story of Nachiketa and Yama: the sacred fire must be built, fed, and tended with care. Too little fuel and it dies. The wrong fuel and it explodes. The right fuel, offered with awareness, sustains the light. • Dosage is everything. Anything is a medicine. What makes it medicinal is the amount. Brahmana in excess becomes depleting. • Ayurvedic lens: Kapha types (earth and water) tend toward stagnation and benefit most from Brahmana. Vata types need Langhana. Pitta types need Samana. No extremes for Pitta. • The breath is the barometer. Stagnant mind: move the breath. Anxious mind: slow it. Hathayoga Pradipika, Chapter 2: when the breath moves, the mind moves. TEXTUAL & TRADITIONAL SOURCES: • Hathayoga Pradipika, Chapter 2: practice Bhastrika 10 times daily. Not 50. The text is precise. 10 inhales, hold, release. One round. • Hathayoga Pradipika, Chapter 2: when the breath moves, the mind moves. When the breath is still, the mind becomes still. • Gheranda Samhita: Kapalbhati destroys impurities and eliminates excess Kapha dosha. Brahmana practice and Ayurvedic dosha theory are inseparable. PRACTICAL INTEGRATION: • Bhastrika and Kapalbhati are the key Brahmana pranayamas. Fast, rhythmic, heating. Best in the morning or when energy is low. Not before sleep or when agitated. • In asana: move through Surya Namaskar with more pace and add strength elements. Monitor for over-stimulation and ease back if needed. • In daily life: Brahmana is reengagement. Rekindling enthusiasm after withdrawal. Finding what excites you and pursuing it. Reflection: Where in your life are you sinking when what you actually need is more fuel? SHARE & CONNECT Thank you for listening to the Om Som Yoga & Ayurveda Podcast. Please share this episode with someone it might support, and connect with us on social media or via our website. Instagram: @OmSom.yoga Website: OmSom.yoga We operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We'd love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey. HARI OM | |||
| The Energetic Seals of Hatha Yoga & The Gateway to Sushumna | Bandha Explained | 01 Mar 2026 | 00:38:25 | |
PRACTICE WITH US: 365 Sadhana Sangha https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join 100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharma https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto 200 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Sri Lanka 2026 https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-sri-lanka 50 Hr Online Yin Yoga Teacher Training https://practice.omsom.yoga/yin-yoga-and-prana-vayus-oto ON THIS WEEK'S EPISODE: Bandha gets taught like it's just about gripping the core. Tighten, hold, brace. And then people wonder why their breath disappears. This week, Aaron and Milli unpack one of the most misunderstood concepts in Hatha yoga. Bandha is not muscular force. It is intelligent containment. This episode covers both the physical and energetic dimensions of bandha, why the distinction matters, and how learning to hold without hardening changes your practice and your daily life. DEFINITION & ETYMOLOGY: Bandha (Sanskrit: बन्ध) • Literal meaning: to tie, bind, restrain, or hold together • The English word "bandage" shares the same root • Too loose and it does nothing. Too tight and it cuts off circulation. The same principle applies in yoga. KEY CONCEPTS & INSIGHTS: • Physical bandha: co-activation of opposing muscle groups around a joint complex (attributed to Krishnamacharya). Creates joint stability, prevents injury, and keeps energy moving efficiently without leaking. • Energetic bandha: the three subtle bandhas are Mula Bandha (pelvic floor), Udiana Bandha (navel center), and Jalandhara Bandha (throat center). Classified in the texts as mudras, not muscular contractions. Their purpose is to contain and direct prana. • Together they are called Treta Bandha or Maha Bandha. According to the Hathayoga Pradipika (Chapter 3), when all three are combined, prana enters the Sushumna, the central channel. • Mula Bandha works with apana vayu (downward force). Jalandhara Bandha with udana vayu (upward force). Udiana Bandha draws both to meet at the navel. This is the ha-ta union at the heart of Hatha yoga. • The mythic archetype is Shiva containing the halahala poison at the throat using Jalandhara Bandha. Hence Nilakanta, the blue-throated one. TEXTUAL & TRADITIONAL SOURCES: • Hathayoga Pradipika, Chapter 3: when Mula, Udiana, and Jalandhara Bandha are combined, prana enters the Sushumna nadi. • Gheranda Samhita: the three bandhas are great secrets within the discipline of yoga. No classical text describes bandha as muscular contraction. PRACTICAL INTEGRATION: • Instead of squeezing or clenching, try counter-activation cues. Can you bend and straighten the knee simultaneously? That meeting point of opposing forces is bandha. • For hypermobile practitioners: co-activating muscles around joints creates stability that passive flexibility alone cannot. • In daily life: awareness of where your energy is going makes boundaries less effortful. Containment is not force. It is awareness. • Stay in Tadasana after each pose and feel the energetic effect. Reflection: What changes when you allow strength to organise itself from within? SHARE & CONNECT Thank you for listening to the Om Som Yoga & Ayurveda Podcast. Please share this episode with someone it might support, and connect with us on social media or via our website. Instagram: @OmSom.yoga Website: OmSom.yoga We operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We'd love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey. HARI OM | |||
| Indu Arora on Soma, Samadhi & the Promise of Yoga | 22 Feb 2026 | 01:03:09 | |
PRACTICE WITH INDU IN MELBOURNE: https://indu-arora.mykajabi.com/yoga-nidra-australia PRACTICE WITH US: 365 Sadhana Sangha https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join 100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharma https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto 200 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Sri Lanka 2026 https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-sri-lanka 50 Hr Online Yin Yoga Teacher Training https://practice.omsom.yoga/yin-yoga-and-prana-vayus-oto ON THIS WEEK'S EPISODE: Aaron sits down with Indu Arora, yoga and Ayurveda teacher, mentor, and author, for a wide-ranging conversation on what yoga actually is. They explore soma, the nectar of the mind, why we have settled for flexibility and muscular strength when yoga promises something far greater, and how samadhi is not a peak experience reserved for cave-dwelling monks but a natural state we are all already moving toward. This is a conversation for anyone who has ever felt that yoga has more to offer than they have yet found. ABOUT INDU ARORA: Indu Arora is a yoga and Ayurveda teacher, mentor, and author based in the USA. She has been sharing yoga philosophy, yoga therapy, and Ayurveda for over two decades, teaching across Kriya Yoga, Himalayan Yoga, Kashmir Shaivism, and Sivananda lineages. She studied in the traditional Guru-shishya parampara setting and considers herself a student for a lifetime. Her core teaching is that yoga is a work-in, not a work-out. She is the author of Mudra: The Sacred Secret, Yoga: Ancient Heritage Tomorrow's Vision, and Soma: 100 Heritage Recipes for Self-Care. KEY CONCEPTS & INSIGHTS: • Yoga as a work-in, not a work-out. When we define yoga by asana, we reduce it to a tug of war with the body. You can do yoga without moving a muscle. • The purpose of yoga is yoga. Every health benefit, every physical improvement, is a side effect. As Indu's teacher says: buy one, get one free. Don't stop at the candy store. • Soma (Sanskrit: सोम): the nectar of the mind. A calm, cohesive, lunar quality of awareness. It is not found outside. It drips down when the mind settles and is consumed by our inner fire when we live in depletion and constant doing. • Samadhi is not a peak experience for the enlightened few. The word itself tells us: dhi means mind, sa means to gather. Samadhi is simply collecting the scattered pieces of the mind together. How simple is that? TEXTUAL & TRADITIONAL SOURCES: • The Rigveda references soma as the nectar of the sacred fire, offered to invoke immortality. In yoga, this external ritual is realised internally. • The soma chakra, also called bindu or indu chakra, sits within the Sahasrara (crown) chakra. This is considered the seat of soma in the subtle body. • Pratyahara, the fifth limb of Patanjali's eight-limbed path, describes this conscious introversion. It is not sleep. It is a U-turn of the senses toward the self. PRACTICAL INTEGRATION: • Three times a day, pause for 2 minutes. Breathe in for 4 counts, out for 4 counts. Make it an unbroken loop. This builds the nervous system's readiness for deeper practice and offers a daily taste of soma. • Keep your forehead relaxed. While cooking, commuting, talking. Notice where micro-tension lives in the jaw, the shoulders, the fingers. Easing the body is the first step to easing the mind. • Before entering an asana, feel first. Visualise. Hold the experience. Come down. Reflect. Let the body lead with its innate wisdom rather than the mind imposing a shape. Reflection: What would your practice look like if you stopped doing yoga and started listening for it? SHARE & CONNECT Thank you for listening to the Om Som Yoga & Ayurveda Podcast. Please share this episode with someone it might support, and connect with us on social media or via our website. Instagram: @OmSom.yoga Website: OmSom.yoga HARI OM | |||
| Why Yoga Plateaus Happen & How Spanda Unlocks Them | 15 Feb 2026 | 00:30:46 | |
PRACTICE WITH US: 365 Sadhana Sangha https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join 100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharma https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto 200 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Sri Lanka 2026 https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-sri-lanka 50 Hr Online Yin Yoga Teacher Training https://practice.omsom.yoga/yin-yoga-and-prana-vayus-oto ON THIS WEEK’S EPISODE: DEFINITION & ETYMOLOGY: KEY CONCEPTS & INSIGHTS: TEXTUAL & TRADITIONAL SOURCES: PRACTICAL INTEGRATION: SHARE & CONNECT HARI OM | |||
| The Yogic Secret to Balance: Samāna (Not More Effort) | 08 Feb 2026 | 00:31:43 | |
PRACTICE WITH US: 365 Sadhana Sangha https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join 100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharma https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto 200 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Sri Lanka 2026 https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-sri-lanka 50 Hr Online Yin Yoga Teacher Training https://practice.omsom.yoga/yin-yoga-and-prana-vayus-oto ON THIS WEEK’S EPISODE: DEFINITION & ETYMOLOGY: KEY CONCEPTS & INSIGHTS: TEXTUAL & TRADITIONAL SOURCES: PRACTICAL INTEGRATION: SHARE & CONNECT Thank you for listening to the Om Som Yoga & Ayurveda Podcast. Please share this episode with someone it might support, and connect with us on social media or via our website. Instagram: @OmSom.yoga Website: OmSom.yoga We operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We’d love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey. HARI OM | |||
| Lahiri: Undulating Movement Through the Spine | 01 Feb 2026 | 00:28:15 | |
PRACTICE WITH US: ON THIS WEEK’S EPISODE: DEFINITION & ETYMOLOGY: KEY CONCEPTS & INSIGHTS: TEXTUAL & PHILOSOPHICAL REFERENCES: Zen story of the river and the rock - adaptability over rigidity Nature moves in curves and spirals, not straight lines PRACTICAL INTEGRATION: SHARE & CONNECT
Instagram: @OmSom.yoga
HARI OM | |||
| An Ayurvedic Conversation on Grounding Vata with Myra Lewin | 25 Jan 2026 | 00:47:54 | |
PRACTICE WITH US: 365 Sadhana Sangha https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join 100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharma https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto 200 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Sri Lanka 2026 https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-sri-lanka 50 Hr Online Yin Yoga Teacher Training https://practice.omsom.yoga/yin-yoga-and-prana-vayus-oto ON THIS WEEK’S EPISODE: In this special interview episode, Aaron is joined by Ayurvedic teacher and yogini Myra Lewin, founder of Hale Pule, for a grounded and nourishing conversation about the Earth element (Pṛthvī), the importance of embodiment, and how to stabilise Vata in the modern world. Together, they explore what it truly means to be grounded, not just as a trendy concept, but as a deeply Ayurvedic principle tied to health, clarity, and spiritual connection. Myra shares insights from her 35+ years of practice, including the effects of food, overstimulation, irregularity, and disembodiment on our mental and physical well-being. DEFINITION & ETYMOLOGY: To be “grounded” in Ayurveda means to be connected with the body, rooted in presence, and in right relationship with gravity, awareness, and nourishment. KEY CONCEPTS & INSIGHTS: Grounding is awareness in the body: Myra explains that being grounded means occupying your body fully with awareness in your feet, energy, and personal space. Vata imbalance = ungroundedness: Common symptoms include dissociation, spaciness, bumping into things, fear-based decisions, irregularity, and overstimulation. Modern contributors to Vata aggravation: Excessive travel, screen use, fasting, liquid meals, poor sleep, irregular routines, and overstimulation. Stabilising Vata through food and routine: She shares examples of grounding (augmenting) foods like whole grains and sweet vegetables, and encourages a consistent schedule of meals and sleep. The importance of sadhana: Myra shares her own daily routine of mantra, fire ceremony, Surya Namaskar, pranayama, meditation, and gratitude - simple practices that anchor presence and build resilience. Awareness begins in Ajñā (the centre of seeing): Myra redefines grounding as not just dropping into the pelvis, but anchoring awareness from the Ajñā chakra, with clear seeing and conscious presence. Ayurveda as holistic living: Rather than compartmentalising health, Myra reflects on how Ayurveda helped her life “make sense” and guided her toward true freedom, embodiment, and joy. PRACTICAL INTEGRATION: Start with one grounding practice and do it every day: regular meals, sleep, walks, or even a grounding cord visualisation. Eat augmenting foods: whole grains, root vegetables, and nourishing sweet tastes that build tissue and bring you into your body. Hold your awareness at the centre of your head (Ajñā) while sending energetic roots down - ground from within without dulling your clarity. Be consistent, not extreme: Myra reminds us that Ayurveda is not about restriction, but about rhythm and presence. Stay rooted in your own experience: Learn from others, but discern what supports your individual path. ABOUT MYRA LEWIN: SHARE & CONNECT Thank you for listening to the Om Som Yoga & Ayurveda Podcast. Please share this episode with someone it might support, and connect with us on social media or via our website. Instagram: @OmSom.yoga Website: OmSom.yoga We operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We'd love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey. HARI OM | |||
| Kaya Sthiram: The Yogic Foundation Of Mental Steadiness | 18 Jan 2026 | 00:30:42 | |
PRACTICE WITH US:
ON THIS WEEK'S EPISODE: In this episode, Aaron is joined by our Studio Manager here at Om Som and Senior Teacher Lina for a grounded exploration of Kaya Sthiram, the steadiness and stillness of the body as the foundation for meditation. Together, they unpack one of the most common frustrations people experience in practice: “I can’t meditate because my mind won’t stop.” Rather than approaching stillness through effort or mental control, this conversation reframes meditation as something that begins in the body. Drawing from classical yoga teachings, lived experience, and practical application, this episode explores why mental steadiness cannot arise until the body feels safe, settled, and unmoving, and why stillness has always been taught as a somatic experience before a mental one. DEFINITION & ETYMOLOGY: Kaya (काय) means body, field, or embodied formSthiram (स्थिर) means steady, stable, unmoving, able to hold KEY CONCEPTS & INSIGHTS:
TEXTUAL SOURCES:
Sthira sukham āsanam, posture as steadiness and ease Yoga Sūtra framework Asana before pranayama, pranayama before meditation Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā Asana steadies the body and brings firmness When the body is steady, prana settles, and the mind follows PRACTICAL INTEGRATION: Do fewer asanas and hold them for longer periodsMinimise fidgeting, adjusting, and unnecessary movement in posesUse the body as the anchor for attention rather than the mind SHARE & CONNECT HARI OM | |||
| Langhana: A Practical Guide to Down-Regulating the Nervous System | 11 Jan 2026 | 00:39:41 | |
PRACTICE WITH US: 365 Sadhana Sangha https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join 100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharma https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto 200 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Sri Lanka 2026 https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-sri-lanka 50 Hr Online Yin Yoga Teacher Training https://practice.omsom.yoga/yin-yoga-and-prana-vayus-oto ON THIS WEEK’S EPISODE:In this episode, Aaron is joined by long-time Om Som teacher and student of Chinese medicine, Selenna, for a grounded exploration of Langhana, the yogic principle of calming, descending, and settling the breath and nervous system. Together, we explore why so many people struggle to slow their breath, and how what we often label as anxiety or restlessness is actually excess energy with nowhere to land. Rather than breathing more, this conversation invites us to breathe less, allowing the system to settle through longer, slower exhalations. Drawing from yoga philosophy, Ayurveda, physiology, meditation, and lived practice, this episode reframes pranayama as an energetic practice rather than breath control, and offers Langhana as the foundational approach to calming the body, mind, and prana. DEFINITION & ETYMOLOGY:• Langhana (लङ्घन) comes from the Sanskrit root lang, meaning to lighten, reduce, alleviate, or settle• In yogic and Ayurvedic traditions, Langhana refers to practices that calm excess and reduce overstimulation• Langhana describes an energetic effect, not a single technique• The result of Langhana is down-regulation, grounding, and nervous system settling KEY CONCEPTS & INSIGHTS:• Anxiety and restlessness as excess energy rather than personal failure• The overfilled bowl metaphor and the need to empty before receiving• Why classical pranayama begins with the exhale before the inhale• Langhana as the first and foundational approach to breath and energy regulation• The difference between breath work and pranayama - prana rides the breath• How fast, forceful breathing can feel good while increasing agitation• Discomfort when slowing the breath as information, not failure TEXTUAL SOURCES:• Yoga Sūtra 2.49 - pranayama as regulation of inhalation and exhalation• Yoga Sūtra 2.50 - exhalation, inhalation, and retention as the classical order• Yoga Sūtra 2.51 - dirgha-sukshma, the deep and subtle breath• Ayurvedic principle of Langhana as the primary response to excess and overstimulation PRACTICAL INTEGRATION:• Practise slow, extended exhalations and build gradually over time• Use viṣama vṛtti, unequal ratios such as inhaling for 4 and exhaling for 6–8• Explore gentle belly breathing to support diaphragmatic movement• Use soft ujjayi on the exhale to naturally lengthen the breath• Pause between asanas rather than moving continuously• Do less, on and off the mat, to reduce excess stimulation• Notice natural sighs or spontaneous slowing of the breath as expressions of the body’s innate intelligence SHARE & CONNECT Thank you for listening to the Om Som Yoga & Ayurveda Podcast. Please share this episode with someone it might support, and connect with us on social media or via our website. Instagram: @OmSom.yoga Website: OmSom.yoga We operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We'd love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey. HARI OM | |||
| Sthiram Āsanam - The Foundation of Asana Practice | 04 Jan 2026 | 00:34:38 | |
PRACTICE WITH US: 365 Sadhana Sangha https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join 100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharma https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto 200 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Sri Lanka 2026 https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-sri-lanka 50 Hr Online Yin Yoga Teacher Training https://practice.omsom.yoga/yin-yoga-and-prana-vayus-oto ON THIS WEEK’S EPISODE: Together, we unpack why so many people feel busy, effortful, and inconsistent in their bodies, despite moving constantly. Rather than blaming motivation or discipline, this conversation reframes instability as a lack of support and explores how true steadiness begins with grounding, alignment, and relationship with the Earth. Using classical yogic teachings, lived experience, and practical asana insights, this episode bridges philosophy and practice, showing how stability in the body becomes the foundation for steadiness in the mind, emotions, and life. DEFINITION & ETYMOLOGY: Sthiram Āsanam refers to a posture that can be inhabited with stability and support, rather than endured through effort or force. In the yogic tradition, the body becomes the seat of awareness only when it feels safe, rooted, and held. KEY CONCEPTS & INSIGHTS: Stability before ease: The episode explores Patanjali’s teaching that steadiness comes before comfort and why ease cannot arise without support. The body as Earth: Drawing from the Purāṇic story of Bhūmi Devī, the Earth Goddess, Aaron shares how even the Earth must be held correctly to sustain life, a powerful metaphor for asana and alignment. Feet as foundation: True stability begins at the feet, not the spine. Spreading, yielding, and stacking the feet creates the surface area needed for steadiness. Alignment over effort: Stability arises from stacking bones and joints, not muscular tension. When structure supports the body, effort can soften. Slow transitions build steadiness: Moving slowly between postures trains stability through change, not just in static shapes. Standing postures as training ground: Tādāsana, Warriors, Goddess, lunges, and balance poses are key practices for cultivating Sthiram. Steadiness of body, steadiness of mind: Classical texts consistently link physical stability with mental clarity and emotional grounding. TEXTUAL SOURCES: Yoga Sūtra 2.46 Yoga Sūtra 2.47 Haṭha Yoga PradīpikāAsana steadies the body, destroys disease, and gives lightness to the limbs. Gheraṇḍa SaṁhitāAsana gives firmness to the body, steadiness to the limbs, and lightness. PRACTICAL INTEGRATION: Begin with simplicity: Choose one to three standing postures and practice them consistently. Start from the ground up: Establish the feet first, then stack ankles, knees, hips, and spine. Slow down transitions: Maintain stability as you move between postures, not just when holding them. Pause before moving: In practice and in life, steadiness comes from pausing before the next step. SHARE & CONNECT Thank you for listening to the Om Som Yoga & Ayurveda Podcast. Please share this episode with someone it might support, and connect with us on social media or via our website. Instagram: @OmSom.yogaWebsite: OmSom.yoga We operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We’d love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey. HARI OM | |||
| Buddhi: How to Hear Your Inner Guidance (and Trust it) | 21 Dec 2025 | 00:20:53 | |
PRACTICE WITH US: 365 Sadhana Sangha 100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharma 200 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Sri Lanka 2026 50 Hr Online Yin Yoga Teacher Training ON THIS WEEK'S EPISODE We complete our 4-part series on the functions of the mind (Antaḥkaraṇa) with a deep dive into Buddhi, the faculty of discernment. Often misunderstood or underdeveloped in modern life, Buddhi is the seat of clarity, intuition, and right action. Without it, our practice remains mechanical and our decisions reactive. This episode explores Buddhi not just as an idea, but as a spiritual function that bridges the mind to the Self. DEFINITION AND ETYMOLOGY OF BUDDHI Buddhi (बुद्धि) is derived from the Sanskrit root budh, meaning "to know" or "to awaken". It refers to the discerning faculty of the mind — the one that decides, reasons, and realises. Buddhi is the still, silent witness that sees without reacting. When activated, it leads us from compulsion to clarity. KEY CONCEPTS COVERED How Buddhi differs from Manas, Citta, and Ahaṃkāra Buddhi as the internal guide, and how it's clouded by Rajas and Tamas The role of Buddhi in yoga practice, ethics, and daily decision-making Why Buddhi is essential for moving toward viveka (discrimination between real and unreal) Christ Consciousness and Buddha nature as metaphors for awakened Buddhi The transition from reactive mind to witnessing awareness TEXTUAL SOURCES Yoga Sūtra 1.20: śraddhā vīrya smṛti samādhi prajñā pūrvaka itareṣām — the path to awakening requires discernment (prajñā) Bhagavad Gītā 2.50: yogaḥ karmasu kauśalam - Yoga is skill in action, guided by Buddhi References to the Katha Upaniṣad’s chariot model, where Buddhi is the charioteer Tantric model of viveka khyāti - developing clear seeing through sustained practice PRACTICAL INTEGRATION Practices to strengthen Buddhi Svādhyāya (self-study) and scriptural reflection Pratyāhāra and Dhyāna for non-reactive observation Choosing sāttvic food, company, and habits to clear mental fog Asking: “Is this reaction or response?” before making decisions Meditating on the silence behind thoughts Viewing spiritual maturity as the refinement of Buddhi — not just accumulation of knowledge SHARE & CONNECT Thank you for listening to the Om Som Yoga & Ayurveda Podcast.
Website: OmSom.yoga
HARI OM | |||
| Untangling the Ego: Ahaṃkāra and the Art of Self-Inquiry | 14 Dec 2025 | 00:29:24 | |
PRACTICE WITH US:365 Sadhana Sangha ON THIS WEEK’S EPISODEWe continue our exploration of the four functions of mind (antaḥkaraṇa) with Ahaṃkāra, the sense of “I” and the formation of identity. Often misunderstood as something to eliminate, Ahaṃkāra is in fact essential to navigating the world. In this episode, we look at how ego forms, how it binds us, and how Yoga offers a path to clarity, self-awareness and liberation, not through destruction, but integration. DEFINITION AND ETYMOLOGY OF AHAṂKĀRAAhaṃkāra (अहंकार) is composed of aham (I) and kāra (maker), the “I-maker.” It is the function of mind that claims identity over thoughts, memories and actions, saying: I am this. While necessary for daily life, problems arise when Ahaṃkāra forgets its true source. KEY CONCEPTS COVERED The Upanishadic view of ego as the servant who believes himself the king How Ahaṃkāra assigns “I” to the body, thoughts, emotions, and roles The role of ego in waking, dreaming, and deep sleep Turīya - the witness beyond ego Healthy vs unhealthy ego: ownership vs identification The difference between egoic collapse and spiritual refinement Yoga’s path of recognition: you are not the ego, but awareness itself TEXTUAL SOURCES Katha Upaniṣad - the chariot metaphor: body as chariot, buddhi as charioteer, manas as reins, and Ahaṃkāra as the mistaken “self” Yoga Sūtra 2.6: “Dṛg-darśana-śaktyor ekātmatā iva asmitā” - the confusion of the seer with the instruments of seeing Bhagavad Gītā — ego as one of the threefold gates to hell (alongside desire and anger) when imbalanced, yet not rejected when purified PRACTICAL INTEGRATION Recognise: begin noticing when “I” is assigned - to body, thought, mood, or memory Witness: through meditation and self-inquiry, create space between awareness and identity Return: use breath, mantra, and āsana to return to the seat of the witness Relate: soften the edges of “I” in relationship - offer, serve, listen Refine: practice humility and right action through Karma Yoga and Vairāgya (dispassion) SHARE & CONNECT Thank you for listening to the Om Som Yoga & Ayurveda Podcast.
HARI OM | |||
| Chitta & The Four States of Consciousness | 07 Dec 2025 | 00:27:31 | |
PRACTICE WITH US: 365 Sadhana Sangha https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join 100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharma https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto 200 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Sri Lanka https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-sri-lanka 50 Hr Online Yin Yoga Teacher Training https://practice.omsom.yoga/yin-yoga-and-prana-vayus-oto ON THIS WEEK’S EPISODEThis episode explores Citta, the storehouse of memory, impressions, and latent tendencies within the mind. As the second part of our Antaḥkaraṇa series, we unpack how Citta governs the deeper layers of our mental activity and what it means for yoga practice and self-awareness. DEFINITION AND ETYMOLOGY OF CITTADerived from the root cit, meaning “to perceive” or “to be conscious,” Citta is the memory aspect of mind, a vast internal field of impressions (saṃskāras) and mental patterns (vṛttis) that shape how we perceive and respond to the world. KEY CONCEPTS COVERED Citta as the substrate for vṛtti and its role in the Yoga Sutras (1.2) How memories and conditioning form behavioural tendencies (vāsanās) Mirror analogy from the Bhāgavata Purāṇa - how Citta reflects the world and the self Distinguishing Citta from Manas, Ahaṃkāra, and Buddhi Citta in the four states of consciousness: waking, dreaming, deep sleep, and Turīya Cleansing the Citta through Sādhana and inner stillness TEXTUAL SOURCES Yoga Sūtra of Patañjali (especially 1.2: Yogaś citta vṛtti nirodhaḥ) Bhāgavata Purāṇa - the analogy of the mirror covered with dust Traditional Hatha and Vedantic references to the mental field (citta-bhūmi) PRACTICAL INTEGRATION Stillness in āsana to reveal subconscious patterns Prānāyāma for emotional digestion Meditation to observe and reduce vṛttis Daily reflection and repetition to cultivate new saṃskāras Living with awareness to interrupt automatic patterns SHARE & CONNECT Thank you for listening to the Om Som Yoga & Ayurveda Podcast.
We operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We'd love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey. HARI OM | |||
| Manas: the Sensory Mind & the Gateway to Awareness | 30 Nov 2025 | 00:36:26 | |
PRACTICE WITH US: 365 Sadhana Sangha https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join 100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharma https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto 200 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Sri Lanka https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-sri-lanka 50 Hr Online Yin Yoga Teacher Training https://practice.omsom.yoga/yin-yoga-and-prana-vayus-oto ON THIS WEEK'S EPISODE DEFINITION AND ETYMOLOGY OF MANAS KEY CONCEPTS COVERED Manas as the driver of the chariot (Katha Upaniṣad analogy) The role of Manas in sankalpa-vikalpa (considering options) How Manas governs the senses (indriyas) Drishti-Citta-Prāṇa connection in Hatha Yoga The function of Manas in waking, dreaming, deep sleep, and Turīya TEXTUAL SOURCES Katha Upaniṣad - the metaphor of the chariot Yoga Sūtra - distinction between states of mind (YS 1.1–1.6) Hatha Yoga Pradīpikā - practices to steady the mind (HYP 4.34) PRACTICAL INTEGRATION Drishti practices to anchor attention Breath-gaze-mind coordination Meditative observation of the changing mind Cultivating presence across all four states of consciousness SHARE & CONNECT
We operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We'd love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey. HARI OM | |||
| Tamas: When Stillness Becomes Stuckness & the Art of Letting Go | 23 Nov 2025 | 00:21:23 | |
PRACTICE WITH US: 365 Sadhana Sangha https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join 100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharma https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto 200 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Sri Lanka https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-sri-lanka 50 Hr Online Yin Yoga Teacher Training https://practice.omsom.yoga/yin-yoga-and-prana-vayus-oto ON THIS WEEK'S EPISODE We’re closing out our series on the three Guṇas with Tamas - the guna of inertia, resistance, and concealment. Far from being just the bad guy, Tamas is the force that allows for deep rest, stillness, and even death - the necessary pause for rebirth. In this conversation, we explore the textures of Tamas, how it shows up in our lives and practice, and how to work with it rather than fight against it. DEFINITION & ETYMOLOGY OF TAMAS Tamas comes from the Sanskrit root tam, meaning darkness or obscurity. It is the quality of concealment - what covers, hides, or veils the truth. It is associated with the downward pull of gravity, resistance, confusion, and apathy. KEY CONCEPTS COVERED The difference between heavy sleep and regenerative rest. How Tamas can distort perception and suppress truth. Why it's essential for endings, death, and withdrawal. How to distinguish between grounding and numbing. Practices that purify or uplift Tamas (without bypassing it). The connection between food, energy, and tamasic states. The importance of love and devotion in transforming Tamas TEXTUAL SOURCES We reference the Bhagavad Gita, which speaks of Tamas as the guna that binds the soul through confusion, delusion, and inertia but also as part of the essential fabric of creation. Tamas isn’t evil; it is necessary for dissolution, sleep, and stillness. PRACTICAL INTEGRATION Tamas is best met with gentleness. If you're experiencing deep Tamas, don’t immediately jump to action - begin by noticing, accepting, and gently bringing in light. Practices include: Prayer or bhakti-based meditation to bring warmth to dark spaces. Getting out of bed and into the sun to shift inertia. Sattvic meals to reduce heaviness and fog. Slow movement and breathwork to invite prana without overwhelm. Choosing one small act of connection - reaching out to someone, lighting a candle, taking a short walk. When Tamas becomes chronic, these simple efforts help reintroduce momentum without shame. SHARE & CONNECT Thank you for listening to the Om Som Yoga & Ayurveda Podcast.
Website: OmSom.yoga OM | |||
| Rajas: The Power of Motion & When to Slow Down | 16 Nov 2025 | 00:27:26 | |
PRACTICE WITH US: 365 Sadhana Sangha https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join 100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharma https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto 200 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Sri Lanka https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-sri-lanka 50 Hr Online Yin Yoga Teacher Training https://practice.omsom.yoga/yin-yoga-and-prana-vayus-oto ON THIS WEEK’S EPISODE In part two of our Mahāguṇa series, we explore Rajas - the force of movement, desire, and change. Rajas is what gets us out of bed, onto the mat, and into the world. But left unchecked, it’s also what drives restlessness, distraction, and burnout. We unpack how to recognise Rajas in the mind and body, how to work with its energy wisely, and how to shape it toward Sattva through yoga, breath, meditation, and daily life. DEFINITION AND ETYMOLOGY OF RAJAS From the Sanskrit root rañj, meaning to colour or to stir. Rajas is the guṇa of action, propulsion, stimulation, restlessness, and friction. It is responsible for change, transformation, and intention but when excessive, it agitates the mind and disturbs stillness. KEY CONCEPTS COVERED Rajas as the upstirring factor behind all movement and motivation. Its presence in Samkhya philosophy, Prakṛti, and the meaning of “Kriyā” (action). The symptoms of rajasic imbalance: overstimulation, restlessness, fidgeting, racing breath, insomnia. Rajasic Citta in the Yoga Sutra and its obstacles to meditation. The fine line between Tejas (discernment) and Rajas (overdrive). The “exit ramp” metaphor for slowly settling excessive Rajas. When to pacify Rajas vs when to cultivate it (e.g. from lethargy or procrastination). TEXTUAL SOURCES Samkhya Kārikā: defines Rajas as “activity” and “impulse”. Yoga Sutra references to rajasic citta, breath disturbances, and agitation as obstacles to steadiness. Hatha Yoga Pradīpikā and traditional Prāṇāyāma frameworks for regulating energy. PRACTICAL INTEGRATION When Rajas is Excessive: Asana: Slow transitions, long holds, grounding poses (twists, forward folds, belly-down backbends). Emphasise symmetry and rhythm over intensity. Extend Savasana to allow full integration. Prāṇāyāma: Lengthen the exhale (e.g. 4:8 ratio). Chandra Bhedana, Śītalī (cooling breath). Avoid stimulating kriyas and aggressive techniques. Meditation: Use structured meditations like 61-point relaxation or kriya-based visualisations. Build up from movement-based or guided practices. Avoid jumping straight into stillness - build spaciousness gradually. Lifestyle & Ayurveda: Reduce stimulants (coffee, spicy foods, loud media, excessive screen time). Focus on routine, rest, cooling foods and soothing sensory inputs. Use unstructured time to unwind - slow mornings, no-schedule days. When Rajas is Deficient: Practice dynamic asana like Surya Namaskār, backbends, lateral extensions. Use energising prāṇāyāma: Kapalabhāti, Bhastrikā, Sūrya Bhedana, Ujjāyī. Short, purposeful meditation to set clear direction. Cultivate intention, rhythm and forward momentum in daily life. SHARE & CONNECT Thank you for listening to the Om Som Yoga & Ayurveda Podcast. We operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We'd love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey. OM | |||
| How to Cultivate Sattva Through Yoga & Ayurveda | 09 Nov 2025 | 00:34:09 | |
PRACTICE WITH US: 365 Sadhana Sangha https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join 100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharma https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto 200 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Sri Lanka https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-sri-lanka 50 Hr Online Yin Yoga Teacher Training https://practice.omsom.yoga/yin-yoga-and-prana-vayus-oto ON THIS WEEK'S EPISODE This week we begin a new three-part series on the Mahāguṇas, the foundational qualities of the mind in Yogic and Sāṃkhya philosophy. In this first episode, we explore Sattva, the guna of clarity, lightness, harmony and inner truth. We look at the origins of the guṇas in the Samkhya Kārikā, how Sattva expresses itself in the mind and body, how it can be cultivated through Yoga and Ayurveda, and the fine line between embodying Sattva and becoming bound by it. DEFINITION AND ETYMOLOGY OF SATTVA Sat means truth or pure being; -tva is the suffix for quality. Sattva is the quality of truth, clarity, and purity in perception. It is the guṇa most conducive to knowledge, meditation, right action, and spiritual insight. Symmetrical asana sequencing Balanced effort between strength and softness Spacious transitions and intentional pauses Steady Drishti and breath awareness Prānāyāma: Nāḍī Śodhana (alternate nostril) to balance solar and lunar currents Sama Vṛtti (equal ratio breath) Gentle use of Bhrāmarī and soft Ujjayi, avoiding aggressive techniques Meditation: Heart-based meditations (Yoga Sūtra 1.33) Mantra repetition for single-pointedness Cultivating presence and compassion over performance Āyurveda & Lifestyle: Seasonal, warm, home-cooked, soul-nourishing meals Daily rhythm, early rising, time in nature, gentle routines Sensory awareness and sattvic inputs (media, sound, space) Most importantly - right intention behind actions and consumption SHARE & CONNECT Thank you for listening to the Om Som Yoga & Ayurveda Podcast. We operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We'd love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey. OM | |||
| How to Build Ojas: Ayurveda's Key to Longevity | 02 Nov 2025 | 00:17:29 | |
PRACTICE WITH US: 365 Sadhana Sangha https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join 100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharma https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto 200 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Sri Lanka https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-sri-lanka 50 Hr Online Yin Yoga Teacher Training https://practice.omsom.yoga/yin-yoga-and-prana-vayus-oto ON THIS WEEK’S EPISODE This week we explore Ojas, the subtle essence of Kapha dosha and the deepest storehouse of vitality. Ojas is the foundation of our immunity, resilience and inner strength. It governs stability, love and our capacity to endure. Without it, we burn out. With it, we radiate presence. DEFINITION AND ETYMOLOGY OF OJAS Ojas comes from the Sanskrit root uj, meaning strength or vigour. It is the refined essence of the dhātus (tissues), particularly formed from Śukra Dhātu. Ojas is responsible for immunity, endurance, mental stability and spiritual glow. KEY CONCEPTS COVERED The role of Ojas as the subtle essence of Kapha How Ojas is produced through proper digestion and dhātu formation The difference between Para Ojas (original) and Apara Ojas (circulating) Signs of Ojas depletion: fatigue, fear, dryness, burnout Metaphors for Ojas: the beeswax of the flame, the glow of vitality How Ojas supports mental clarity, emotional stability and spiritual depth TEXTUAL SOURCES Charaka Saṃhitā defines Ojas as the vital essence of life (Jīvita), seated in the heart Other Ayurvedic texts emphasise its role in strength, nourishment and resistance to disease PRACTICAL INTEGRATION Nourish Ojas with wholesome, unctuous food, rest and loving relationships Avoid excessive stimulation, fasting, or depletion from overwork Practices like Yoga Nidra, meditation, slow asana, and prānāyāma build Ojas Protect your Ojas by living in alignment with natural rhythms and values Build consistency, compassion and containment in your daily rituals SHARE & CONNECT Thank you for listening to the Om Som Yoga & Ayurveda Podcast.Please share this episode with someone it might support, and connect with us on social media or via our website. Instagram: @OmSom.yoga Website: OmSom.yoga We operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We'd love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey. OM | |||
| Tejas: The Inner Fire That Illuminates Your Path | 26 Oct 2025 | 00:29:00 | |
PRACTICE WITH US: 365 Sadhana Sangha https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join 100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharma https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto 200 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Sri Lanka https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-sri-lanka 50 Hr Online Yin Yoga Teacher Training https://practice.omsom.yoga/yin-yoga-and-prana-vayus-oto ON THIS WEEK’S EPISODE This week we explore Tejas, the subtle essence of Pitta dosha. Tejas is the inner radiance that gives you vitality, clarity, courage and transformative insight. It’s the brilliance that burns away ignorance, the heat that powers your digestion and the glow behind your eyes when you're living with purpose. DEFINITION AND ETYMOLOGY OF TEJAS In Sanskrit, Tejas means “brilliance,” “radiance,” or “fire.” It is the subtle, luminous counterpart of Pitta, associated with insight, vitality, digestion, discernment and spiritual luminosity. Tejas is one of the three Upadhatus (subtle essences) alongside Ojas and Prāṇa. Together, they reflect the health and refinement of the gross elements. KEY CONCEPTS COVERED Tejas as the light of Buddhi (discriminative intelligence) The role of Tejas in Agni, digestion and cellular metabolism Balancing Tejas with Ojas and Prāṇa for sustainable vitality The shadow side of excess Tejas: burnout, inflammation, intensity Tejas as the fire of transformation in Yoga and Ayurveda Spiritual dimensions: how Tejas illuminates the path to Self TEXTUAL SOURCES Charaka Saṃhitā and other classical Ayurvedic texts discuss Tejas in the context of subtle essences and Agni Yogic texts such as the Hatha Yoga Pradīpikā point to Tejas as the radiant force cultivated through tapas (discipline) and practice PRACTICAL INTEGRATION To cultivate Tejas: Practice tapas, discipline, clear intention and mindful eating To balance excess Tejas: Ground through Ojas-building foods and cooling practices Incorporate time in nature, candle-gazing (tratak), or reflective meditation Observe your inner fire - is it a steady flame or a wildfire? Use breath and mantra to stabilise the light within SHARE & CONNECT Thank you for listening to the Om Som Yoga & Ayurveda Podcast.Please share this episode with someone it might support, and connect with us on social media or via our website. Instagram: @OmSom.yoga Website: OmSom.yoga We operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We'd love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey. OM | |||
| The 7 Dhatus: Ayurveda's Blueprint for a Nourished Body | 19 Oct 2025 | 00:47:04 | |
PRACTICE WITH US: 365 Sadhana Sangha https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join 100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharma https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto 200 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Sri Lanka https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-sri-lanka 50 Hr Online Yin Yoga Teacher Training https://practice.omsom.yoga/yin-yoga-and-prana-vayus-oto ON THIS WEEK’S EPISODE This week,we explore the Dhātus, the seven bodily tissues that form the foundational architecture of the body and mind in Ayurveda. We trace how nourishment from food moves through each tissue and ultimately builds vitality (ojas). You’ll learn how your digestion fuels not just energy, but structure, stability and even your capacity for love, strength and creativity. DEFINITION AND ETYMOLOGY OF DHĀTU The Sanskrit root dha means “to hold” or “to support.” Dhātu refers to that which upholds and sustains the body, the structural and functional tissues. There are seven classical Dhātus:
KEY CONCEPTS COVERED Dhātu Agni: The unique digestive fire of each tissue. Supply vs Demand: Balancing nutrition with physical and energetic practices for optimal tissue health. Nutritional links: What foods, minerals, and practices nourish each tissue best. Impact of Digestion: Weak digestion can hinder tissue formation — leading to long-term imbalance. TEXTUAL SOURCES Classical Ayurveda texts such as the Charaka Saṃhitā and Ashtanga Hridayam outline the Saptadhātu system. This teaching also underpins many Ayurvedic approaches to diagnosis, nutrition, and treatment. PRACTICAL INTEGRATION Eat for all 7 tissues — not just for energy but for structure, lubrication, clarity, and vitality. Understand your symptoms not just as isolated problems, but as imbalances at the level of specific Dhātus. Use a 40-day lens: the food you eat today affects your deepest tissues more than a month from now. Embrace lifestyle rhythms like movement (for Rakta, Māṃsa), rest (for Majjā), and conscious intimacy or self-connection (for Śukra). Revisit this episode alongside your Ayurvedic cooking journey or yoga practice to deepen your embodied understanding. SHARE & CONNECT Thank you for listening to the Om Som Yoga & Ayurveda Podcast.Please share this episode with someone it might support, and connect with us on social media or via our website. Instagram: @OmSom.yoga Website: OmSom.yoga We operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We'd love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey. OM | |||
| Reading the Signs: The Language of Vikrti in the Body & Mind | 12 Oct 2025 | 00:22:58 | |
PRACTICE WITH US: 365 Sadhana Sangha https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join 100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharma https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto Bali Retreat https://omsom.yoga/bali-retreat-2025 200 Hr Berwick https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-berwick-2025 ON THIS WEEK’S EPISODE VIKṚTI — SPOTTING IMBALANCE & RETURNING TO CENTRE In this week’s episode, we explore Vikṛti, the ever-changing reflection of imbalance across the body, mind, energy and emotions. Paige and Aaron guide you through how Vikṛti arises, how it differs from Prakṛti, and the deep intelligence it holds. Understanding your Vikṛti isn’t about pathologising yourself. It’s about learning to read the signs of your system and realign with nature’s rhythm. DEFINITION AND ETYMOLOGY OF VIKṚTI Vikṛti (विकृति) comes from vi (apart or change) and kṛti (creation or action), meaning “distortion” or “alteration.” In Ayurveda, it refers to your current state of imbalance, influenced by time, environment, food, emotions and habits. Unlike Prakṛti (your nature), Vikṛti is mutable and can be improved with right living. KEY CONCEPTS COVERED The dynamic relationship between Prakṛti and Vikṛti How the Doshas become disturbed and push us out of alignment The six stages of disease (ṣaṭkriyākāla) in Ayurveda Physical, mental and emotional signs of Vikṛti The role of ahaṃkāra (ego) and prajñāparādha (error of intellect) in imbalance Why Vikṛti shows up as a teacher, not a punishment TEXTUAL SOURCES Charaka Saṃhitā on the formation of Vikṛti through external and internal causes The concept of ṣaṭkriyākāla - six stages of disease progression Discussion on prajñāparādha from Ayurvedic classical texts PRACTICAL INTEGRATION Learn to observe signs of imbalance in your digestion, mood, energy and sleep Reconnect with your Prakṛti through seasonal rhythms, mindful movement and rest Use daily routines (dinacharya), food choices and breathwork as gentle corrections Treat imbalance early - Ayurveda is preventative first Instead of chasing perfection, return to presence SHARE & CONNECT Thank you for listening to the Om Som Yoga & Ayurveda Podcast.Please share this episode with someone it might support, and connect with us on social media or via our website.Instagram: @OmSom.yogaWebsite: OmSom.yoga We operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We'd love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey. | |||
| Prakruti: Discovering Your True Nature Through Ayurveda | 05 Oct 2025 | 00:24:33 | |
PRACTICE WITH US: 365 Sadhana Sangha https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join 100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharma https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto Bali Retreat https://omsom.yoga/bali-retreat-2025 200 Hr Berwick https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-berwick-2025 ON THIS WEEK’S EPISODE Prakrti - Your Nature is Your Strength In this week’s episode, Paige and Aaron explore Prakṛti, the Ayurvedic concept of your innate constitution - the unique blend of Doṣas you are born with. More than a personality type or physical appearance, Prakṛti is the energetic blueprint that guides how you digest, rest, relate, and grow. We dive into the purpose of understanding Prakṛti, the misconceptions around typing yourself, and why discovering your nature is only the beginning of living in alignment. Prakṛti (प्रकृति) derives from pra (before) and kṛti (creation or action) — meaning “original nature” or “first creation.” In Āyurveda, it refers to your natural constitution, the unique ratio of Vāta, Pitta, and Kapha present at the moment of conception. Unlike Vikṛti (imbalance), Prakṛti is stable, reflecting your true nature. The difference between Prakṛti (your constitution) and Vikṛti (your current state of imbalance) Why knowing your Prakṛti matters and how it supports personalised diet, yoga, rest, and life rhythm Common misconceptions (e.g. “I’m a Vāta,” “Pitta people are leaders”) Exploring mixed constitutions (dual or tri-doṣic types) The connection between Prakṛti and your dharma (purpose) Charaka Saṃhitā on the formation of Prakṛti at conception Classical references that highlight the stability of Prakṛti vs the fluidity of Vikṛti Role of the Mahābhūtas (elements) in determining constitution Reflect on your physical, mental, and emotional tendencies over your lifespan Consider how your environment, upbringing, and habits may have veiled your Prakṛti Use observation, journaling, and practitioner guidance to refine your understanding Align your yoga practice, food choices, and sleep routine with your natural strengths Instead of fixating on your “type,” explore how your body reveals truth through daily feedback SHARE & CONNECT: Thank you for listening to the Om Som Yoga & Ayurveda Podcast. Please share this episode with someone it might support, and connect with us on social media or via our website. Instagram: @OmSom.yoga Website: OmSom.yoga We operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We'd love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey. OM | |||
| Vata Dosha Explained: The Sacred Movement of Life & Breath | 28 Sep 2025 | 00:24:23 | |
PRACTICE WITH US: 365 Sadhana Sangha https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join 100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharma https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto Bali Retreat https://omsom.yoga/bali-retreat-2025 200 Hr Berwick https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-berwick-2025 ON THIS WEEK’S EPISODE Vata Dosha - The Wind that Moves Everything In this final episode of the dosha trilogy, we explore the dynamic, creative and ever-changing nature of Vāta Dosha. As the force behind movement, communication, inspiration and excretion, Vāta is as subtle and sacred as it is unpredictable. Learn how to recognise signs of imbalance, understand the gifts of this energetic dosha and bring Vāta into balance through food, rhythm, yoga and Ayurvedic self-care. Vāta (वात) comes from the root va, meaning “to blow or move.” It is composed of ākāśa (space) and vāyu (air) elements. It governs movement in the body, communication, breath, excretion and subtle energy (prāṇa). Often called the "King of the Doṣas" because nothing functions without it. Primary qualities (guṇas): dry, light, cold, rough, subtle, mobile Five primary sites of Vāta (and their links to Prāṇa Vāyus): Signs of balanced Vāta: creativity, adaptability, lightness, vitality, spiritual sensitivity Signs of imbalanced Vāta: anxiety, gas, constipation, dry skin, insomnia, cold extremities, overwhelm Charaka Saṃhitā on the qualities of Vāta and its governing role over movement and prāṇa Cross-reference with the Prāṇa Vāyu system in Yoga Insights from the Bhāva Guṇas and elemental theory of Āyurveda To bring Vāta into balance: Food: favour warm, moist, oily, grounding meals with spices like ginger, cumin and cinnamon Routine: create a consistent daily rhythm (same meals, practice, sleep times) Yoga: slow, grounding, repetitive movement; avoid excessive flow or scattered practices Breath: lengthen the exhale; practice Nāḍī Śodhana in a balanced rhythm Lifestyle: stay warm, especially in wind and cold seasons; use oil massage (Abhyanga) Rest: support deep, nourishing sleep with a consistent wind-down routine and silence SHARE & CONNECT: Thank you for listening to the Om Som Yoga & Ayurveda Podcast. Please share this episode with someone it might support, and connect with us on social media or via our website. Instagram: @OmSom.yoga Website: OmSom.yoga We operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We'd love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey. OM | |||
| How to Balance Burnout: Ayurvedic Wisdom for Pitta Types | 21 Sep 2025 | 00:26:39 | |
PRACTICE WITH US: 365 Sadhana Sangha https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join 100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharma https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto Bali Retreat https://omsom.yoga/bali-retreat-2025 200 Hr Berwick https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-berwick-2025 ON THIS WEEK’S EPISODE: Pitta Dosh - The Sacred Fire of Transformation This episode explores the fire and water that fuel digestion, clarity and drive, and the burnout, inflammation and intensity that arise when that sacred flame burns too hot. We guide you through the nature of Pitta in body and mind, the Ayurvedic understanding of inflammation and how to balance this transformative force through food, practice and lifestyle. Pitta (पित्त) means “that which digests”. It comes from the root tap, meaning “to heat, burn, shine.” It is the doṣa of transformation, composed of Agni (fire) and Jala (water). It governs digestion, metabolism, vision, discernment and the intellect (buddhi). Primary qualities (guṇas): hot (uṣṇa), sharp (tīkṣṇa), light (laghu), flowing (sara), slightly oily (sneha) and liquid (drava). Sites of Pitta: eyes, brain, small intestine, liver, skin. Functions: digestion of food, light, thoughts and emotions. Clarity of perception. Production of bile and enzymes. Mental tendencies: focused, driven, confident, discerning, but also prone to anger, impatience and perfectionism. Signs of imbalance: skin issues, acid reflux, burning sensations, loose stools, irritability, inflammation and burnout. From the Charaka Saṃhitā: "Pitta is hot, sharp, liquid, light, slightly unctuous, flowing, and pungent in taste. It resides in the stomach, blood, sweat, eyes, and skin. It governs digestion, complexion and perception." To balance Pitta Dosha: Diet: Emphasise sweet, bitter, and astringent tastes. Use cooling herbs like coriander, fennel, and cardamom. Avoid spicy, oily and fried foods. Lifestyle: Rest before exhaustion. Avoid overwork. Create space in your schedule and in your mind. Environment: Seek cool, calm settings. Spend time near water. Walk under the moonlight. Asana: Favour calming, non-competitive practices like Yin, Restorative or gentle lunar flows. Pranayama: Use Śītalī (cooling breath) and Candra Bhedana (left-nostril breathing) to pacify excess heat. Meditation: Focus on compassion (maitrī), contentment (santoṣa), and letting go of perfectionism. SHARE & CONNECT: Thank you for listening to the Om Som Yoga & Ayurveda Podcast. Please share this episode with someone it might support, and connect with us on social media or via our website.Instagram: @OmSom.yoga Website: OmSom.yoga We operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We'd love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey. OM | |||
| Kapha Dosha Explained: Stability, Stagnation & Spring Renewal | 14 Sep 2025 | 00:38:11 | |
PRACTICE WITH US: 365 Sadhana Sangha https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join 100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharma https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto Bali Retreat https://omsom.yoga/bali-retreat-2025 200 Hr Berwick https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-berwick-2025 ON THIS WEEK’S EPISODE From the nurturing qualities of love and loyalty to the sticky patterns of attachment and inertia, this conversation will help you reframe your understanding of Kapha from both a yogic and Ayurvedic lens. DEFINITION AND ETYMOLOGY OF KAPHA Kapha governs structure, stability, lubrication, immunity and emotional holding. It’s what gives the body cohesion and the heart its capacity to feel. KEY CONCEPTS COVERED TEXTUAL SOURCES PRACTICAL INTEGRATION SHARE & CONNECT: Thank you for listening to the Om Som Yoga & Ayurveda Podcast. Please share this episode with someone it might support, and connect with us on social media or via our website.Instagram: @OmSom.yoga Website: OmSom.yoga We operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We'd love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey. OM | |||
| The Science of the Doshas: How to Work with Your Nature, Not Against It | 07 Sep 2025 | 00:41:59 | |
PRACTICE WITH US: 365 Sadhana Sangha https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join 100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharma https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto Bali Retreat https://omsom.yoga/bali-retreat-2025 200 Hr Berwick https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-berwick-2025 ON THIS WEEK’S EPISODE: This week we explore one of the most widely known, and often misunderstood, aspects of Ayurveda: the Doshas. Through conversation and lived experience, we unpack what Dosha really means, where this framework comes from and how to move beyond pop-Ayurveda stereotypes. This is an episode for anyone curious about Ayurveda as a deeper system of health and for those ready to engage in real self-study beyond the memes and online quizzes. DEFINITION AND ETYMOLOGY OF DOSHA In Sanskrit, Dosha means “that which becomes imbalanced.” Dosha is not your personality or your identity, it's a tool for observation and self-regulation. KEY CONCEPTS COVERED The meaning and origin of the word Dosha. TEXTUAL SOURCES Referencing the Charaka Samhita, one of Ayurveda’s foundational medical texts. PRACTICAL INTEGRATION How to observe your current state rather than obsess over your fixed Dosha. Using food, movement and routine to balance the elements within. SHARE & CONNECT: Thank you for listening to the Om Som Yoga & Ayurveda Podcast. Please share this episode with someone it might support, and connect with us on social media or via our website. We operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We'd love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey. OM | |||
| Akasha: the Subtle Power of Stillness & Sound | 31 Aug 2025 | 00:29:56 | |
PRACTICE WITH US: 365 Sadhana Sangha https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join 100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharma https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto Bali Retreat https://omsom.yoga/bali-retreat-2025 200 Hr Berwick https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-berwick-2025 ON THIS WEEK'S EPISODE DEFINITION AND ETYMOLOGY OF AKASHA KEY CONCEPTS COVERED
Excess and deficiency of space in your doshic and emotional constitution. The unique relationship between spaciousness and spiritual liberation. TEXTUAL SOURCES Traditional association of Akasha with the Vishuddhi Chakra, Ham bija mantra, and sound as a sense. Commentary on subtle sound practices from yogic and tantric traditions. PRACTICAL INTEGRATION
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We operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We'd love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey. OM | |||
| The Breath of Life: Understanding Vayu Tattva | 24 Aug 2025 | 00:25:59 | |
PRACTICE WITH US: 365 Sadhana Sangha https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join 100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharma https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto Bali Retreat https://omsom.yoga/bali-retreat-2025 300 Hr India & Berwick https://omsom.yoga/300-hour-advanced-hatha-yoga-training-2025 200 Hr Berwick https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-berwick-2025 ON THIS WEEK'S EPISODE: VAYU TATTVA (THE AIR ELEMENT) This week we explore Vayu Tattva, the air element, and its role as the animating force that moves life itself. From the subtlety of breath to the invisible currents that shape our emotions and thoughts, Vayu is a reminder of how vital movement and space are to our wellbeing. KEY CONCEPTS COVERED
TEXTUAL SOURCES Insights from classical texts including the Gheranda Samhita and references to the heart chakra (Anahata) and the bija mantra YAM PRACTICAL INTEGRATION Discover how to integrate the air element into your daily life through breath awareness, backbending asanas, pranayama techniques like kumbhaka and bhramari, and embracing spontaneity to cultivate lightness and clarity. SHARE & CONNECTThank you for listening to the Om Som Yoga & Ayurveda Podcast.
Instagram: @OmSom.yoga We operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We'd love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey. OM | |||
| Ignite Your Inner Fire: Exploring Agni Through Yoga & Ayurveda | 17 Aug 2025 | 00:30:31 | |
PRACTICE WITH US: 365 Sadhana Sangha https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join 100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharma https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto Bali Retreat https://omsom.yoga/bali-retreat-2025 300 Hr India & Berwick https://omsom.yoga/300-hour-advanced-hatha-yoga-training-2025 200 Hr Berwick https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-berwick-2025 ON THIS WEEK’S EPISODE: AGNI – THE FIRE ELEMENT In this episode, we explore Agni Tattva, the third of the five great elements (Pancha Mahābhūtas) and one of the most revered forces in the Vedic tradition. Agni is not only the fire that warms, digests, and transforms—it is also the divine mouth of the gods, the spark of tapas, and the igniting force of transformation in both body and mind. KEY CONCEPTS COVERED Agni (अग्नि) is the Sanskrit word for fire and refers to both the physical element and its divine embodiment as Agni Deva. Agni is seen as the bridge between the human and the divine, transforming offerings into subtle fragrance and intention into sacred action. The symbolism of Agni Deva: riding a ram, body of flame, two faces for creation and destruction Fire as messenger between humans and gods in Vedic ritual Ayurvedic gunas of Agni: uṣṇa (hot), tīkṣṇa (sharp), laghu (light), rūkṣa (dry), and sūkṣma (subtle) Fire as the basis of digestion (Jatharāgni), clarity, intuition, and transformation Tapas as the friction required for growth Signs of excess fire: inflammation, aggression, impatience, burnout Signs of depleted fire: sluggish digestion, low confidence, lack of clarity or motivation How to work with fire through asana (twists), pranayama (Kapalabhati, Bhastrikā, Ujjāyī), meditation, and lifestyle habits The power of fire ceremonies, Agnihotra, and candle-gazing as practices of purification and presence TEXTUAL SOURCES Gheraṇḍa Saṁhitā 5.12 – “Visualise a red triangle that blazes like fire, radiating heat and flame. This is the subtle essence of the fire element.” Chakra reference: Maṇipūra — the “City of Jewels” associated with fire and personal power Elemental seed sound: Ram — the bija mantra to ignite transformation and willpower INTEGRATING IN PRACTICE Asana: Emphasise twists and core-strengthening poses to stimulate digestion and personal power Pranayama: Try heating practices like Kapalabhati and Bhastrikā to energise; or use Ujjāyī for slow, steady heat Meditation: Candle gazing (Trāṭaka) or meditating on the red triangle at the navel centre DAILY LIFE: Prioritise warm, well-spiced meals to tend digestive fire Maintain a daily rhythm with built-in challenge (tapas) Reconnect with the sun’s cycles and track your local sunrise/sunset Use fire as a teacher: observe its qualities, sit by a fire, cook with flame, and engage with transformation mindfully SHARE & CONNECT Thank you for listening to the Om Som Yoga & Ayurveda Podcast. Please share this episode with someone it might support, and connect with us on social media or via our website. Instagram: @OmSom.yoga Website: OmSom.yoga We operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We'd love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey. OM | |||
| Water as Teacher: Understanding Jala in the Yogic Tradition | 10 Aug 2025 | 00:29:52 | |
PRACTICE WITH US: 365 Sadhana Sangha https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join 100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharma https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto Bali Retreat https://omsom.yoga/bali-retreat-2025 300 Hr India & Berwick https://omsom.yoga/300-hour-advanced-hatha-yoga-training-2025 200 Hr Berwick https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-berwick-2025 ON THIS WEEK'S EPISODE: JALA – THE WATER ELEMENT IN YOGA & AYURVEDA Water is life. It nourishes, connects, and flows within and around us. In this episode, we explore Jala Tattva (the water element) as part of our series on the five great elements (Pancha Mahabhuta). KEY CONCEPTS COVERED The meaning and qualities of Jala – liquid, unctuous (snigdha), cool, soft, and flowing The personification of water as Varuna Deva, the compassionate guardian and judge of the oceans How imbalance in water shows up – from emotional overwhelm and fluid retention to dryness and disconnection Yogic practices to cultivate balance in water: fluid asana, cooling pranayama (like Shitali), and meditation on the crescent moon Ayurvedic tips for hydration, from drinking living water to self-oil massage (abhyanga) This episode is both philosophical and deeply practical, helping you weave the nourishing qualities of water into your yoga practice and daily life. TEXTUAL SOURCES REFERENCED Gheranda Samhita (Chapter 3: Dharanas on the elements) Yogic association of Jala with Svadhishthana Chakra Ayurvedic concepts of Snigdha (unctuousness) and Kapha dosha SHARE & CONNECTThank you for listening to the Om Som Yoga & Ayurveda Podcast. We operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We'd love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey. OM | |||