Integral Yoga Podcast

How does conscious breathing alter cellular energy, reduce inflammation, and calm the nervous system?In this episode of the Integral Yoga Podcast, host Avi Gordon sits down with Dr. Sundar Balasubramanian (PhD, C-IAYT, E-RYT 500)—biochemist, yoga therapist, Associate Professor in Radiation Medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), and founder of the PranaScience Institute.Dr. Sundar shares insights from his NIH-funded research into the biological mechanisms of Pranayama. He explains how techniques like mindful breathing and humming (Bhramari) impact salivary biomarkers, cellular health, and inflammation—offering practical, evidence-based applications for cancer survivors, stress reduction, fatigue, and healthy aging.Stick around until the end of the episode for a guided Pranayama exercise inspired by traditional yogic wisdom that you can practice right now.In This Episode, We Discuss:02:15 – Understanding Prana and cellular energy08:40 – The science of slow breathing and salivary biomarkers16:05 – Humming techniques (Bhramari) for stress and vagus nerve stimulation24:30 – Clinical findings: Pranayama for cancer survivors, fatigue, and inflammation33:10 – How to build a simple, sustainable daily breath practice41:50 – Overcoming resistance to meditation through breathwork48:15 – Guided Pranayama Practice with Dr. SundarAbout the Guest:Dr. Sundar Balasubramanian, PhD, C-IAYT, E-RYT 500, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Radiation Medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), Director of the Radiation Medicine Wellness Program, and Founder of the PranaScience Institute. As a biochemist, certified yoga therapist, and researcher, he bridges ancient yogic tradition with modern medical science. His NIH-funded work uses biomarkers, digital health tools, and community-based interventions to demonstrate the measurable clinical effects of yogic breathing. He is also the author of multiple books on Pranayama.Learn More: www.pranascience.comFollow Dr. Sundar: instagram: @pranascience. FacebookConnect & Support:Subscribe / Follow: Hit Follow or Subscribe in your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode.Leave a Review: Enjoyed this episode? Please leave a 5-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to help others discover the show.Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

What is the Self beyond identity, and how can yoga and meditation help us experience greater inner freedom?In this episode of the Integral Yoga Podcast, Avi Gordon speaks with Kriya Yoga teacher and author Ryan Kurczak about the deeper teachings of Yoga, meditation, awareness, and spiritual freedom. They explore how meditation helps us step back from conditioned identities without disconnecting from everyday life, and how the Yoga Sutras and Sankhya philosophy offer a practical framework for understanding the relationship between the Seer and our daily experiences.Together, Avi and Ryan discuss: • Unhooking from emotional patterns, trauma, and identity • Applying truthfulness (Satya), discipline, and the gunas (Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas) • Insights from Ryan’s book, The Samadhi of Water, including the practice of samyama • Moving from physical experience toward subtler states of awareness through curiosity and practice🌐 Support & Learn More:To learn more about the Integral Yoga Podcast, or support our work with a donation, visit: https://iyta.org/podcast/📹 Prefer to watch? You can view the full video version of this interview on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSEfQt1CjKo👤 GUEST: Ryan Kurczak was initiated into Kriya Yoga in 2000 and ordained to teach in 2005 by Roy Eugene Davis, a direct student of Paramahansa Yogananda. He is the author of several books on spirituality and astrology, and founder of the 2-Year Kriya Yoga Apprenticeship Program.Connect with Ryan: 🌐 Website for information on programs and books: https://www.KriyaYogaOnline.com 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryan_kurczak ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KriyaYogaOnline🎙️ HOST: Avi Gordon hosts the Integral Yoga Podcast, featuring conversations that explore Yoga philosophy, meditation, self-awareness, consciousness, and practical approaches to living a more meaningful life.If you enjoyed this episode, please follow or subscribe to the Integral Yoga Podcast on your favorite listening app, and consider leaving us a rating or review to help others discover these conversations!Thanks for being you!

Can conscious breathing help us heal, find inner peace, and reconnect with our true selves?In this episode, host Avi Gordon speaks with Heike Amma Farkas about breathwork, self-healing, and spiritual growth. Heike shares her personal journey with pranayama and conscious connected breathing, and how it has deepened her sense of peace, gratitude, and connection to her higher self.Avi and Heike explore why running from uncomfortable emotions doesn't resolve them — and how embracing anger, fear, and pain with compassion can open the door to healing. They also discuss the link between breath and mind, the role of gratitude in emotional wellbeing, and why self-responsibility is key to lasting transformation.In this episode, you'll discover:How breathwork supports healing and personal transformationWhy self-love and self-acceptance are essential for growthHow to embrace difficult emotions instead of avoiding themThe connection between breath, mind, and consciousnessBreathwork as a tool for stress relief and inner balanceThe relationship between breathwork, meditation, and yogaGuest: Heike Amma Farkas has been a certified Integral Yoga Teacher since 1993 and an Integral Yoga Teacher Trainer in Germany since 2002. She's the author of Partner Yoga and leads the Integral Yoga Centre in Augsburg, Germany. Her background as a schoolteacher, massage therapist, and naturopath informs her teaching, and her devotion to Sri Swami Satchidananda — whom she met in Alaska in 1990 — remains her deepest inspiration.Learn more: integralyoga.dePrefer to watch? You can view the full video version of this interview on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zO73tm8mrs0

What if changing your relationship with pain could change the way you experience it?In this episode of the Integral Yoga Podcast, host Avi Gordon sits down with research scientist and yoga therapist Steffany Moonaz for an insightful conversation about yoga, meditation, mindfulness, movement, and living with chronic pain and arthritis. Steffany shares an evidence-informed perspective on how yoga therapy can help people develop greater body awareness, understand their individual limitations, and discover safe and sustainable ways to move.Together, they explore topics including chronic pain, arthritis, yoga therapy, meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, body scan meditation, fear avoidance, radical autonomy, yoga philosophy, gratitude, joy, and the mind-body connection. Rather than focusing on pushing through pain, Steffany explains how learning to listen to the body and changing our relationship with pain can support greater awareness, confidence, and well-being.Whether you're living with chronic pain or arthritis, practicing yoga or meditation, or simply interested in understanding the relationship between the mind and body, this conversation offers practical insights and thoughtful perspectives for developing a more compassionate and sustainable approach to movement and healing.In this episode, you'll hear about:* How yoga therapy can support people living with chronic pain and arthritis* The relationship between the brain and the experience of pain* Using meditation and mindfulness to change our relationship with pain* Breathwork as a practical tool for everyday well-being* Body scan meditation and developing greater body awareness* Fear avoidance and finding safe, appropriate movement* Why listening to your own body is essential* Radical autonomy and honoring individual needs in yoga practice* The role of joy and gratitude in creating sustainable practices* Yoga philosophy and the deeper mind-body connectionGuest: Steffany MoonazDr. Steffany Moonaz, PhD, C-IAYT, is a research scientist, certified yoga therapist, author, and founder of Yoga for Arthritis. Combining over a decade of public health research with deep yogic philosophy, her work focuses on the intersection of yoga, chronic pain, and evidence-informed practice to make yoga safe, accessible, and transformative for everyone.Connect with Dr. Moonaz:🌐 Website: arthritis.yoga📷 Instagram: @yogaforarthritis📘 Facebook: @Yoga4ArthritisHost: Avi GordonAvi Gordon hosts the Integral Yoga Podcast, where he speaks with spiritual teachers, researchers, authors, and practitioners about yoga, meditation, mindfulness, conscious living, personal growth, health, and holistic well-being.If this conversation resonates with you, consider following the Integral Yoga Podcast and sharing this episode with someone who may benefit from its insights.Prefer to watch? You can view the full video version of this interview on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDLxWkgmmcs&t=1171s

What if yoga is more than a physical practice? What if it can become a pathway to deeper self-awareness, spiritual awakening, healing, and discovering the divine within?In this episode of the Integral Yoga Podcast, host Avi Gordon welcomes Sita Severson, Director of Soul of Yoga, for a thoughtful conversation about yoga, spirituality, consciousness, meditation, identity, self-love, addiction recovery, and personal transformation.Sita shares her deeply personal journey through addiction recovery, agoraphobia, trauma, self-loathing, and spiritual struggle, and how yoga and spiritual practice helped her develop a deeper relationship with herself and the divine.Avi and Sita explore the transformative power of Sadhana, mantra, meditation, self-observation, and surrender, and how these practices can help us recognize unconscious patterns and make more conscious choices.The conversation also explores the question of who we are beyond our identities and the roles we play. They discuss the relationship between ego, identity, consciousness, and awakening, as well as Samkhya philosophy, Purusha and Prakriti, Shakti, grace, higher consciousness, Shunya, and ego death.Sita also introduces the idea of becoming a “self-scientist”—learning to observe our thoughts, habits, choices, environment, and experiences so we can better understand ourselves and live with greater awareness.This episode offers an inspiring exploration of yoga as a path not only toward physical well-being, but also toward healing, self-awareness, spiritual awakening, and a deeper connection with our true nature.Guest: Sita SeversonHost: Avi GordonPodcast: Integral Yoga PodcastSita Severson is the Director of the Soul of Yoga Institute and a spiritual mentor known for weaving science and spirit into a grounded path of healing and transformation. As an Ayurvedic Practitioner, Yoga Therapist, author, and longtime teacher on The Shift Network and Wisdom From North, she guides people through the deeper thresholds of their lives so they can live in alignment with their dharma.Her work rests on the knowing that the mind and body are not separate but reflections of one field. She helps people release the stories held in their muscles and bones, uncoil old pain in the nervous system, and soften the patterns that keep the mind in survival mode. Through this, she teaches a relationship with the inner world that is consistent, honest, and strong, creating harmony in the mind, freedom in the body, and a renewed sense of belonging to one’s own life.Her teaching background includes yoga and meditation programs for Johns Hopkins University, Johns Hopkins Hospital, and the Baltimore County Department of Aging. She has supported thousands through Ayurveda, Yoga Therapy, somatic work, and Vedic counseling, offering insight that is both intuitive and precise. Her work is known for restoring core vitality, honoring both the sacred and the ordinary, and helping people understand the different forces shaping their lives.Website On Instagram--Learn more about the Integral Yoga Teachers Association: http://www.iyta.org/Explore. Awaken. Grow.Integral Yoga Podcast — Conversations for a Deeper Journey Within.Prefer to watch? You can view the full video version of this interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/bofSKqUGhLQ

What does it truly mean to live with greater awareness, compassion, and presence?In this episode of the Integral Yoga Podcast, host Avi Gordon sits down with renowned spiritual teacher and kirtan artist Krishna Das for a heartfelt conversation about the inner journey of awakening. Drawing on decades of spiritual practice and the teachings of Maharaji (Neem Karoli Baba) and Ram Dass, Krishna Das shares practical wisdom for navigating everyday life with more love, acceptance, and peace.Together, they explore topics including karma, reincarnation, ego, meditation, bhakti yoga, mantra chanting, mindfulness, unconditional love, gratitude, healing, and the role of spiritual community. Rather than offering abstract philosophy, Krishna Das explains how these timeless teachings can help us meet life's challenges with greater clarity, compassion, and resilience.Whether you're beginning a meditation practice, exploring yoga philosophy, or simply looking for inspiration on your personal path, this conversation offers thoughtful insights into cultivating inner freedom and living with a more open heart.In this episode, you'll hear about:* Karma and how our actions shape our lives* Reincarnation and spiritual evolution* Letting go of ego and attachment* Bhakti Yoga, mantra chanting, and meditation* The influence of Maharaji (Neem Karoli Baba) and Ram Dass* Healing through compassion, gratitude, and presence* The value of Satsang and spiritual community* Finding lasting peace through everyday spiritual practiceGuest: Krishna DasKrishna Das is one of the world's most respected kirtan artists and spiritual teachers. Through his music, retreats, and teachings, he has introduced countless people to Bhakti Yoga and the transformative practice of mantra meditation. His work continues to inspire people around the world to cultivate devotion, compassion, and inner peace.Host: Avi GordonAvi Gordon hosts the Integral Yoga Podcast, where he speaks with spiritual teachers, authors, and practitioners about meditation, yoga, conscious living, personal growth, and holistic well-being.If this conversation resonates with you, consider following the Integral Yoga Podcast and sharing this episode with someone who may benefit from its wisdom.⏱️ Episode Timestamps00:00 – Introduction & Welcome with Avi Gordon02:15 – Maharaji (Neem Karoli Baba), Ram Dass & Spiritual Beginnings08:00 – Bhakti Yoga, Devotional Chanting & Mantra Practice14:30 – Understanding Karma, Reincarnation & Spiritual Growth21:10 – Ego, Attachment & Living in the Present28:45 – The Transformative Power of Mantras & Kirtan35:20 – Unconditional Love, Compassion & Presence42:50 – Grace vs. Personal Effort on the Spiritual Path50:15 – Healing Trauma, Suffering & Finding Inner Peace56:40 – Satsang: The Power of Spiritual Community1:01:10 – Final Wisdom, Gratitude & Closing Thoughts🔗 Connect & ResourcesConnect with Krishna Das:Website: https://krishnadas.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/krishnadasmusicYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KrishnaDasMusicConnect with Host Avi Gordon & Integral Yoga:Integral Yoga Teachers Association: http://www.iyta.orgContact: Director@IYTA.org | 434-969-3121, ext. 159Enjoying the show? Please leave a 5-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to help us share these teachings with more seekers around the world.Prefer to watch? You can view the full video version of this interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/pcfJCtm_4sQ