RUNGA Radio – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode, Joseph sits down with legendary chakra teacher and psychotherapist Anodea Judith, PhD to explore how the chakra system provides a practical map for healing, embodiment, and manifestation. They unpack what “core” really means, how blocked energy shows up in the body as posture, pain, and patterns, and why Anodea uses the word “charge”to describe our life force. The conversation moves from personal stories and somatic therapy to the two energetic currents of liberation and manifestation, and finally into the deeper work of rebalancing the masculine and feminine to create “heaven on earth.”

Anodea Judith, PhD is one of the world’s most recognized teachers on the chakra system, energy psychology, and the bridge between body and spirit. A somatic therapist, yoga teacher, and spiritual teacher, she holds advanced degrees in psychology and mind–body health and has spent decades integrating Western clinical psychology with yogic, somatic, and mystical traditions. 

Timestamps 

0:00 – Introduction & Anodea’s Origin Story
How psychology, yoga, and the chakra system came together in her early life.

6:20 – What Chakras Really Are & How Blocks Form
The body–mind connection, childhood conditioning, and why energy gets stuck.

14:10 – Charge: Understanding Life Force Energy
“Consciousness Having a Really Genuine Experience,” somatic cues, and how charge moves through the body.

22:40 – Excess & Deficiency: How to Diagnose Your Own Chakras
Patterns of overdoing vs. underdoing, posture, emotion, and behavior.

23:55 – The Two Currents: Liberation vs. Manifestation
The upward path of freedom and the downward path of bringing dreams into form.

44:20 – The Rise of the Feminine & Restoring Balance
Archetypes, partnership models, and how men and women can co-create a more heart-centered world.

57:10 – Closing & Where to Find Anodea’s Work
Courses, books, and upcoming programs.

• Sacred Centers Academy – Online courses, certifications, and in-person trainings on chakras, charge, and chakra therapy. 
• Creating on Purpose – Anodea's chakra-based manifestation framework and book, co-authored with Lion Goodman.
• She Rises Movement – Feminine archetype deck and teachings on women’s leadership and collective awakening.
• Anodea’s Books
  • Wheels of Life
  • Eastern Body, Western Mind
  • Charge and the Energy Body
  • Creating on Purpose

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In this episode, Dr. Martha Havenith—neuroscientist, Oxford graduate, and one of the world’s leading researchers on Conscious Connected Breathwork—joins Joseph and Richard for a deep exploration of what breathwork actually does to the brain and body. They unpack the science, the lived experience, and the ethics of a rapidly growing field, providing an essential conversation for anyone who wants a grounded, evidence-based understanding of breath-induced transformation.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Why Martha is leading the most important research on Conscious Connected Breathwork
• What her first major study revealed about breath-induced altered states
• The bridge between neuroscience and transformative breathwork experiences
• How laboratory insights connect to real-world breathwork sessions
• Why breathwork lacks regulation — and why that’s dangerous
• The rise of “unfalsifiable explanations” in wellness (e.g., “You were meant to have that psychotic episode”)
• Why blaming clients for negative experiences is unethical and unscientific
• The difference between spiritual framing and scientific accountability
• What researchers are finding about breathwork safety, trauma, and emotional activation
• Why breathwork is not just hyperventilation
• What actually happens in the brain during conscious connected breathing
• The future of breathwork studies: what Martha is working on next
• Why the field desperately needs more evidence-driven voices
• Joseph’s and Richard’s reflections on modern breathwork culture and responsibility

• Why she’s leading the most important research on Conscious Connected Breathwork
• What her first major study revealed about breath-induced altered states
• The bridge between neuroscience and transformative breathwork experiences
• How laboratory insights connect to real-world breathwork sessions
• Why breathwork lacks regulation — and why that’s dangerous
• The rise of “unfalsifiable explanations” in wellness (e.g., “You were meant to have that psychotic episode”)
• Why blaming clients for negative experiences is unethical and unscientific
• The difference between spiritual framing and scientific accountability
• What researchers are finding about breathwork safety, trauma, and emotional activation
• Why breathwork is not just hyperventilation
• What actually happens in the brain during conscious connected breathing
• The future of breathwork studies: what Martha is working on next
• Why the field desperately needs more evidence-driven voices
• Joseph’s and Richard’s reflections on modern breathwork culture and responsibility

Dr. Martha Havenith is a neuroscientist and breathwork researcher with an academic background spanning Oxford University, University College London, and the Max Planck Institute. She is one of the leading scientific voices studying Conscious Connected Breathwork, conducting some of the most rigorous and insightful research the field has ever seen. Her work blends neuroscience, physiology, and real-world breathwork experience to bring clarity, nuance, and grounded science to a rapidly expanding — and often misunderstood — domain.

• The Breathwork Handbook: Understanding, Practicing and Facilitating Breathwork 
• Martha's Instagram
• Martha's Research Studies & Published Papers

Interested in breathwork? Check out The RUNGA 90-

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In this episode, Dr. Richard Blake (@the_breath_geek) and Joseph Anew (@TheRUNGAGuy) go deeper than the usual therapy vs. fitness debate — questioning whether traditional therapy is even the best first-line treatment for many people.

We explore:

– Why SSRIs might not be the magic bullet we were promised
– How exercise could act as the “missing ingredient” in emotional healing
– The dangers of weaponizing “intention vs. impact” culture
– How plastic surgery affects mental health
– The real reason social connection predicts longevity
– Why men’s mental health needs movement, not just talking circles

With honest reflections, real studies, and no sacred cows, this conversation is a much-needed reality check for anyone navigating modern mental health culture.

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TIMESTAMPS
00:00 – Facelifts: The new PED for biohackers?
04:17 – Plastic surgery and its unpredictable impact on mental health
06:56 – Why your perception shapes your reality more than you think
08:32 – How outrage culture is making us miserable
13:05 – Does therapy really work? A harsh look at the evidence
19:45 – The dangers of therapy if you don’t actually need it
24:15 – Exercise, SSRIs, and therapy: Which one wins for mental health?
37:31 – Why men might need exercise even more than women
43:34 – Longevity and friendship: It’s not what you think
48:10 – New Age spirituality and narcissism: a slippery slope
55:06 – SSRIs: The dirty secrets no one talks about
01:08:04 – Why therapy needs to integrate sleep, food, sunlight, and fitness

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Dan Brulé is a master of pranayama and a firm believer in the transformative power of the breath. He’s been teaching breathing techniques for over fifty years, and he’s personally trained over 250,000 people, including elite warriors, martial artists, and Olympic athletes. Dan is the author of Just Breathe: Master Breathwork for Success in Life, Love, Business, and Beyond.  His mission is to spread the word about using the breath as a tool to enhance our potential and promote emotional healing using a variety of breathing techniques that were previously only known to a select group of mystics, warriors, and gurus. 

We chat about how the breath acts as a bridge between the conscious and the unconscious mind, and we discuss how conscious breathing helps open up the heart. Dan also explains how the breath can release deeply stored trauma, help cure depression, and activate our hidden potential.

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 Today, I talk about brain health, spiritual growth, and EMF protection with Lance Schuttler. Lance is the CEO and owner of EMF Harmonize, an electromagnetic field (EMF) protection company. He’s also the co-founder of Ascent Nutrition, which provides high-quality holistic nutritional supplements to support optimal physical, mental, and spiritual health. 

We discuss neurogenesis (the process through which new neurons are formed in the brain) and compare notes on the best ways to boost brainpower through the strategic use of nutraceuticals. Lance considers how certain plants can raise consciousness, and he clarifies the significance and function of the pineal gland, which is traditionally considered to be the seat of the soul.

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Welcome to my first Instagram Live Q&A podcast, where I answer a bunch of your questions. Amongst other health-related topics, I talk about the benefits of walking after meals, consider whether you should walk fast or slow, and explain how long you should wait after eating before you walk or exercise. I dive into the difference between fasting for health and fasting for weight loss and respond to your questions about which foods break a fast. I reveal my favorite fan bike/kettlebell workout, my favorite breakfast, and my favorite running shoes, and I give some guidance about building recovery into your marathon plan. Plus, I explain how to improve proprioception, get better sleep, calm your nervous system, and detoxify your body.   

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This week I welcome holistic growth coach Alvey Thompson Junior onto the show.  Alvey and I first met when he was a guest at a RUNGA event, and we’ve been friends ever since. He’s a certified professional coach whose heart-centered approach to health focuses on emotional as well as physical well-being. He’s also an enthusiastic speed walker who took up the practice during the pandemic and posts inspirational speed-walking videos on his mryoucan2 Instagram account.

We chat about Alvey’s training principles and the methods he uses to help people be the best versions of themselves. He highlights the importance of setting clearly defined goals and celebrating the small successes along the way. Plus, we discuss daily routines, self-care rituals, and speed-walking techniques.  

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This Friday, I focus on healing the mind as well as the body.  At a time when many of us are experiencing stress and anxiety, my advice is to create a little more stillness in your life. If you can, try to avoid checking your phone or scrolling through social media for the first two hours of the day. Instead, I recommend going inwards and aiming to live a more heart-centered life free from unnecessary drama, negativity, and fear. Just like everyone else, I know how difficult it can be to stop your mind from drifting off during meditation, but I encourage you to be patient and persevere with your practice. I firmly believe that our wellness is connected to the energy we put out into the world, so remember to be kind to yourself and others and take time to celebrate life and the small successes you achieve every day.

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Today, I talk kettlebells with my guest Karen Smith, a certified master instructor for the StrongFirst School of Strength founded by Pavel Tsatsouline. Karen teaches on StrongFirst’s kettlebell and bodyweight courses, and she is also about to release her own e-book on bodyweight training. As one of the first women to claim the Iron Maiden title (awarded on successful completion of a pistol squat, a press, and a pull-up with a 24kg kettlebell), Karen is an inspirational trainer who helps people train smarter and get stronger.

We chat about some of the outdated and limiting beliefs that still persist about women and weight training, and Karen completely debunks the myth that lifting heavy weights makes women bulky. Instead, she explains that lifting heavy provides a full-body strength and conditioning workout that tones and shapes the body, improves health, and increases self-confidence.

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In this solo show, I speak about how important it is to take a preventative and proactive approach to health rather than simply relying on doctors and pharmaceutical drugs to make us feel better. At a time when obesity rates are rising and physical fitness levels are declining, I believe we each have a personal responsibility to prioritize our health and fitness.

Of course, if you’re a regular listener to this show, I’m sure you’re already making a conscious effort to prevent obesity and improve your metabolic health by cutting out junk food and avoiding sugar. You’re probably also supplementing your diet with essential vitamins (such as vitamins C and D), which are both associated with positive Covid outcomes. On top of that, you’ve likely developed a regular exercise program and are keeping well-hydrated. Today, I encourage you to test your cardiovascular fitness by taking the three-minute YMCA step test. I also invite you to try the twenty-eight-minute strength and cardio workout (consisting of seven four-minute rounds of getups, presses, goblet squats, and swings) that I’ve been sharing recently on Instagram. 

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