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Integral Yoga Podcast

Integral Yoga Podcast

Written by: Integral Yoga
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Authentic stories and profound insights take center stage on the Integral Yoga Podcast. Host Avi Gordon brings together leading experts to discuss yoga, spirituality, and conscious evolution — exploring what it truly means to live a life of integrity, awareness, and inner growth.


Each episode features exclusive interviews with leaders in yoga, spirituality, and mindfulness, drawing from a rich and diverse community of teachers, practitioners, and seekers. Guests come from all walks of life, sharing their unique paths of growth and self-discovery in conversations that challenge, inspire, and delve into the heart of what it means to live a yogic life.


Rooted in the Integral Yoga tradition developed by Swami Satchidananda — a holistic system integrating physical practice, meditation, mantra, selfless service, and self-inquiry — the podcast rests on a foundation of respect for all faiths and the unity found within our diversities.


Whether you are a longtime practitioner or simply curious about the path, this is your invitation to listen, reflect, and grow.


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Integral Yoga Hygiene & Healthy Living Social Sciences Spirituality
Episodes
  • From Surviving to Thriving: Richard Brook on Passion, Purpose & Knowing Yourself

    From Surviving to Thriving: Richard Brook on Passion, Purpose & Knowing Yourself
    Apr 30 2026

    "When people meet you and they can see that you're comfortable moving through all the different parts of your personality — that's actually when you're a really impressive person." ~ Richard Brook


    In this conversation, Avi sits down with Richard Brook — wellness facilitator, acupuncturist, yoga teacher, and author of Understanding Human Nature: A User's Guide to Life — for a deep and honest exploration of what it means to truly thrive.


    Richard shares his personal journey from burnout and chronic fatigue in his early 20s to building a life rooted in passion and purpose. We talk about the difference between surviving and thriving, how to get to know yourself through embodied practice, why identity can be our biggest barrier to inner stillness, and the importance of embracing all parts of who we are — not just the "spiritual" ones. We also get into the retreat center Richard and his colleagues recently acquired in the Algarve, Portugal — a dream a decade in the making.

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    Since 2014, Richard has facilitated at the Moinhos Velhos retreat, combining his expertise in 5 Elements Acupuncture and Dru Yoga. As the founder of Creative Wellness and author of the acclaimed Understanding Human Nature, he provides tailored treatments and corporate wellness programs across London.


    Richard’s holistic approach addresses the physical and emotional "imprints" of stress to restore balance. Drawing on diverse experience—from the Findhorn Foundation to 5 Rhythms Dance—he empowers clients to harmonize their health, relationships, and careers to lead more nourished, vibrant lives.


    Timestamps:

    0:00 - Introduction

    0:09 - What matters to Richard: passion, joy & destiny

    0:53 - Is passion something you're born with or cultivate?

    1:53 - Richard's background & how he came to wellness

    3:23 - Chronic fatigue as a turning point

    4:28 - The direction of your life matters more than the destination

    5:49 - Surviving vs. thriving — and what's missing for most people

    6:31 - Finding your "golden keys" — what lights you up

    7:40 - Individual destiny and the limits of education

    8:40 - When others feel threatened by your growth

    9:47 - Life ebbs and flows — staying calibrated

    10:55 - Getting to know yourself: practices and barriers

    11:24 - Meditation, yoga & accessing deeper creative thought

    13:28 - Identity as an inner barrier to stillness

    15:37 - Embracing all parts of yourself — not just the spiritual ones

    17:33 - The Native American dance chief story

    18:32 - Everything in nature has a purpose

    19:23 - Moving away from hierarchy and judgment

    20:41 - Why we're conditioned to rank everything

    22:49 - Change starts with the individual

    23:48 - Community, focalizers & the Findhorn Foundation

    25:15 - Living in awe and wonder

    26:42 - Moving up and down the inner ladder

    27:52 - How quickly consciousness shifts moment to moment

    29:08 - Meditation, the body & sensation

    31:33 - Deep relaxation expands awareness

    33:32 - Richard's book: Understanding Human Nature

    35:14 - Writing 40,000 words in seven weeks

    37:20 - What happens when a creative idea finally gets out

    40:05 - Internal speed, overstimulation & slowing down

    44:36 - Moinhos Velhos retreat center — a dream come true

    49:15 - Where to find Richard


    Connect with Richard:

    Websites: www.creativewellness.co.uk

    www.moinhos-velhos.com

    Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-brook/

    Instagram: www.instagram.com/richard.brook

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    51 mins
  • Neuroscience of Yoga: Vagus Nerve, Stress Relief & Brain Rewiring | Dr. Mala Cunningham

    Neuroscience of Yoga: Vagus Nerve, Stress Relief & Brain Rewiring | Dr. Mala Cunningham
    Apr 16 2026
    Dr. Mala Cunningham (PhD in Counseling Psychology, senior disciple of Swami Satchidananda, and founder of Neuroscience and Yoga TT, Cardiac Medical Yoga TT, and Mental Health, Neuroscience and Yoga TT) joins us to explore the powerful intersection of ancient yoga practices and modern neuroscience.Learn how yoga and meditation actually change your brain, stimulates your vagus nerve for instant calm, and why giving your brain conscious rest is so important. As well as the role of gratitude and intention in reshaping your neurobiology, micro-resting techniques, learning styles in meditation, body awareness, emotional safety, and much more.This conversation blends Neuroscience with Yoga techniques and strategies you can use immediately for better emotional regulation, stress reduction, emotional health, and peak performance.M. Mala Cunningham, Ph.D., E-RYT-1000, C-IAYT is a licensed psychotherapist, educator, trainer, author, and innovator in Neuro-Yoga Psychology™. With over 30 years of clinical experience, she specializes in integrative mental health, vagus nerve regulation, and psychodynamic therapy. A former Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Virginia, she developed the University of Virginia’s Cardiac Medical Yoga Program and taught Integrative Medicine in the Nursing and Medical School for over 12 years. Dr. Mala is the CEO of Positive Health Solutions, LLC, and leads nationally recognized trainings in medical yoga, neuroscience, and mental health integration. She is an international speaker and consultant for healthcare professionals, yoga therapists, and educators. She lives in Charlottesville, VA. Her website is: www.cardiacyoga.comDr. Mala’s new book:"Neuroscience, Yoga, and Psychology: Tools for Regulating the Vagus Nerve for Health and Peak Performance" (out June 2026). This book can be pre-ordered.Learn more & upcoming trainings:Cardiac Yoga / Positive Health Solutions:https://cardiacyoga.comNeuroscience & Yoga Teacher Training at Yogaville (Integral Yoga Ashram): Check yogaville.org--Timestamps below ⬇️If you enjoyed this episode, please like, subscribe, share, and leave a review — it helps more people discover these tools for healing and well-being.Chapters / Timestamps00:09 Introducing Dr. Mala Cunningham — yoga, neuroscience & counseling psychology01:01 How yoga impacts neurobiology and why technology finally proved it03:40 Yoga is now mainstream in science, business & government04:58 Personal experience: knowledge + practice gives real agency06:59 What is the vagus nerve? (The wanderer — 75% of parasympathetic system)08:12 Activating your inner pharmacy: Dopamine, Oxytocin, Serotonin, Endorphins (DOSE)10:43 Sympathetic vs Parasympathetic balance, dorsal/ventral vagal states & the gunas13:31 Simple ways to stimulate the vagus nerve (neck rolls, eyes, ears, breathing)14:52 Meditation, learning styles & why mantra didn’t work for a visual learner18:29 Giving the brain conscious rest (more powerful than sleep)20:23 fMRI insights: Left prefrontal cortex, pleasure centers & BASS practice22:14 Ego, safety, emotional threat & defensive patterns28:52 Micro-resting technique (eyes, tongue, jaw, shoulders at stoplights)34:54 Gratitude practices — cognitive vs felt sense39:03 Intention (sankalpa), optimism & rewiring the amygdala42:24 Trauma wiring, protection & becoming objective50:38 Reading body language & genuine somatic awareness55:32 The power of a simple smile + deep sigh to activate parasympathetic56:35 Dr. Mala’s upcoming Neuroscience & Yoga Teacher Training at Yogaville + new book Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    58 mins
  • What the Torah Really Teaches About Food, Animals & the Soul | Ep. 145 with Akiva Gersh

    What the Torah Really Teaches About Food, Animals & the Soul | Ep. 145 with Akiva Gersh
    Mar 31 2026
    In this conversation, Akiva shares what Torah actually teaches about animal welfare, environmental stewardship, and our responsibility to all living beings. We explore the Kabbalistic understanding of food and spiritual elevation, why so many rabbis who are vegetarian or vegan keep it to themselves, and what conscious eating has to do with the soul.We also talk about the relationship between inner work and outer activism, the power of silence — in the desert, at the Shabbat table, and in meditation — and the profound Jewish teaching that the sin of Adam and Eve wasn't what they ate, but how they ate.Whether you're Jewish or not, vegan or not, this episode will change the way you think about what you put on your plate — and why it matters.🌿 Topics we explore:• What Torah says about animal welfare and the environment• The Kabbalistic teaching that we are what we eat — spiritually• Why more rabbis don't speak openly about veganism• Eating as meditation and sacred practice• Silence, the desert, and inner listening• Tikkun olam: how personal choices heal the world• Vegan matchmaking in the Jewish communityAkiva Gersh is originally from New York and moved to Israel in 2004. He has a BA from Brown University, an MA in Jewish Education from Yeshiva University and rabbinic ordination from Yeshivat Sulam Yaakov in Jerusalem. Akiva has been working in the field of Jewish Education for 25 years and in 2020 Akiva created the online platform "Vegan Rabbi" to share ancient Jewish teachings that promote compassion for animals and support going vegan in our world today.🔗 Learn more about Akiva's work: www.akivagersh.comInstagramFacebookIf this episode moved you, please share it with someone who might need it.——————————————————————CHAPTERS——————————————————————0:00 Introduction — Akiva's journey from suburban New York to Torah and veganism1:58 Going vegetarian at college, then vegan at 19 — activism as a spiritual calling3:15 Discovering that Judaism had always taught about animals and the environment5:05 What Torah actually says: stewardship, compassion for animals, not wasting7:17 Adam and Eve placed in the Garden "to serve and protect" — the original mandate8:26 Why more observant Jews don't embrace these teachings — and Akiva's honest answer11:33 The role of rabbis: how one big rabbi going vegan could change thousands of lives overnight15:14 Sharing truth vs. protecting community — the tension at the heart of change18:08 Inner work and outer activism — how Judaism holds both in balance21:41 The Rebbe who put out his cigarette — being open to new information23:40 Does eating suffering animals affect our spiritual level? A deep conversation25:37 Kabbalistic teaching: we are what we eat — spiritually. Sparks, soul, and food27:07 The Baal Shem Tov who sat and cried with an animal before slaughter30:24 Eating consciously — chewing, silence, and food as meditation31:51 The teaching that the sin of Adam and Eve was HOW they ate, not what they ate33:08 The month of Shvat and fixing our relationship with food35:17 Closing your eyes while eating — the unexpected power of silence at meals37:34 The desert, the prophets, and why silence speaks — midbar / medaber39:10 Falling in love with Shabbat and the Jewish system of blessings40:55 Gratitude as the foundation of joy — Jewish blessings throughout the day42:32 Fitting in vs. being yourself — navigating community as a vegan in observant life47:25 How Akiva responds when challenged — and why he welcomes the debate51:30 An ultra-orthodox rabbi who says the future is meatless — a surprising source56:15 Animal sacrifice in the Torah — how Akiva makes peace with the difficult parts58:58 Vegan matchmaking — helping Jewish vegans find each other1:00:22 Finding a partner who shares your values around food and living1:02:11 Closing reflections — community, individuality, and thriving as yourself Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    1 hr and 3 mins
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