Mahasoma Podcast

Living as a steward of Vedic wisdom with Amy Landry

Sun, 17 Aug 2025 17:00:00 +1000

What happens after you’ve learned a life-changing practice? After you’ve been inspired, read the books, attended the retreats? There’s a turning point for many of us, a quiet and natural shift, where the teachings stop being something we ‘do’ and start becoming who we are. This is the path of stewardship. In this episode, Laura Poole and Amy Landry converse around moving from student to steward on the Vedic path: not just holding the knowledge for ourselves, but carrying it forward with integrity, maturity, inspiration, and a deep sense of responsibility. This isn’t an episode about yoga as posture or meditation as another checkbox on your wellbeing to-do list. It’s about what happens when the wisdom becomes your inner compass, your way of moving through the world, your quiet and unshakable ground.

What we talk about.

The meaning of sampradāya, a living, breathing lineage, and how it shapes us.
Navigating cultural appreciation vs appropriation.
Why oral tradition and initiation still matter in a modern, digital age.
How history gives us context, grounding, and discernment.
The balance between sharing your work and performing your spirituality.
The transformative magic of India’s temple culture, away from tourist trails.
What it takes to mature on the path without losing the essence.

Connect with Amy Landry.

Website

Instagram

Shruti School of Yoga by Amy Landry

Pre-order Amy’s book The Ocean of Yoga – coming out March 2026

Resources.

Listen to the Empire Podcast (over 200 episodes!) with William Dalrymple and Anita Anand

Read The Golden Road by William Dalrymple

William Dalrymple Tour in Australia – November 2025

Watch the powerful film on India’s partition – The Viceroy’s House

Listen to Laura Poole share on the Amy Landry Podcast

Get on the list to receive the first announcement of our India retreats for 2026

Learn to meditate with us at Mahasoma --- follow us @mahasoma --- hello@mahasoma.com

Let’s Not Start a Cult: Red Flags, Power, and Ethical Leadership with Sarah Steel

Sun, 04 May 2025 19:00:00 +1000

In this episode, we sit down with Sarah Steel, author and host of Let’s Talk About Sects, an award-winning independent podcast about which the New York Times said, "Come for the satisfying pun in the title, stay for the deeply researched chronicles of all kinds of cults." We discuss a topic that’s often misunderstood but deeply important, especially in the world of spirituality: the nature of cults. With cult documentaries becoming a regular feature on streaming services, and the word ‘cult’ being thrown around to describe different groups, we wanted to open a conversation to unpack what actually defines a cult and to explore the subtle red flags that can emerge in spiritual, religious, or self-development spaces.

FYI - This isn’t an episode on the different cults that exist in the world nor is it about trauma. Sarah’s podcast is a great resource for those conversations and we highly recommend listening if you’re interested. Instead, we wanted this episode to discuss how cultic tendencies are part of many different communities, what to look out for when joining or being part of a community, and essentially how to not become a cult leader and instead build healthy community for all to benefit from.

Whether you’re part of a spiritual community, a wellness circle, or simply curious about the dynamics of power, control, and coercion—this episode offers powerful insights on building integrity into the spaces we share.

What we talk about.

The definition of a cult and cult leader
Impact of cults on its members
Coercive behaviours, power, and control
Cults evolving from communities
Why cults are present in spirituality and religion
Cult ‘Red Flags’ to look out for
Supporting ex-members of cults
Media coverage and public awareness of cults
The business of spirituality and cult-like tendencies
How to not become a cult leader
Fostering healthy community and leaders in the spiritual space

Connect with Sarah Steel.

Website

Instagram

Resources.

Let's Talk About Sects Podcast hosted by Sarah Steel

Do As I Say How cults control, why we join them, and what they teach us about bullying, abuse and coercion (also available on Audible and Spotify)

Cultic bahaviour ‘Red Flags’ checklist

Association for Spiritual Integrity honour code for teachers and students

Learn to meditate with us at Mahasoma --- follow us @mahasoma --- hello@mahasoma.com

A fresh perspective on menopause with Ayurveda practitioner Erandati Benjamin from Inner Soma

Sun, 26 Jan 2025 10:00:00 +1100

We are excited to share with you this conversation on an important subject for many women in our community – the rite of passage known in our modern world as menopause.

We are joined by Ayurveda practitioner and Vedic wisdom holder Erandati Benjamin from Inner Soma. Erandati has a diploma in Ayurveda from the Australasian Institute of Ayurvedic Studies (AIAS) and a Masters in Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine from Maharishi International University (MIU) in Iowa, USA.

Her focus with patients is on health rather than disease and passing on knowledge and tools so each person can take responsibility for their own health. She teaches that through simple but profound changes to diet, lifestyle, behaviour, and exposure to the environment we can realign ourselves with our true nature and begin to address imbalances from the very foundation of our being.

What we talk about.

The Ayurvedic view of menopause as a natural transition in a woman's life.
The 4 x stages of life known as ashramas in the Vedic philosophy.
Menopause as an opportunity for inner growth and evolution, rather than a pathological condition to be ‘fixed’.
Menopausal symptoms as the result of accumulated stress.
Ayurvedic daily practices that can support women during the menopausal transition.
The importance of abhyanga (self-oil massage), dinacharya (daily rhythms), and exposure to sunlight.
Menopause as an exciting new phase of life, rather than something to be feared.
Menopause as a transition for women to tap into deeper wisdom, self-knowledge, and spiritual evolution.

Connect.

Website https://www.innersoma.com.au/

Email info@innersoma.com.au

Follow @inner_soma

Resources.

Ayurveda dinacharya (daily routine)

How to do self-massage ‘abhyanga’

Vata, pitta, and kapha article – the 3 x doshas in Ayurveda

Vedic asramas (stages) of life article

Learn to meditate with us at Mahasoma --- follow us @mahasoma --- hello@mahasoma.com

The dharma and karma of teaching Vedic meditation in prisons with Joh Jarvis from The Light Inside

Tue, 23 Apr 2024 08:00:00 +1000

In this episode Laura Poole speaks with her colleague and friend Joh Jarvis from The Light Inside - a not-for-profit foundation which takes meditation into prisons and jails across the United States. The Vedic perspective is that all change in life begins with a shift in consciousness. This is why meditation is the foundation for bringing us into right action. But those who really need meditation may not have access. This is why Joh and The Light Inside exist.

What we talk about.

Joh’s journey of coming to teach Vedic meditation in prisons at age 54
How did she get there? What is it like?
What stories of transformation has she witnessed?
What challenges has she faced?
The living of dharma and seva (self-less service)
How to live in alignment with your true Self
Trust and surrender
The huge shift that takes place when you let go and allow life to move through you

It’s not every day you end up teaching Vedic meditation at age 54 in prisons. We hope her story will resonate beyond the specifics into what’s possible at any age, the dharma and purpose we can find, and the joy that comes from being of service to our humanity.

Resources.

Follow Joh @thelightinsidemeditation

Subscribe to The Light Inside newsletters for stories of transformation

Donate to The Light Inside to support the teaching of Vedic meditation in prisons

Watch online

The Project on Channel 10 interviewing Joh on The Light Inside's meditation program in the North Dakota State Penitentiary
Joh named New Yorker of the Week March 2024 for The Light Inside's program in Rikers Island jail (camera work was very restricted in Rikers Island)
Dhamma Bros - Meditation program in Donaldson prison, Alabama
Doing Time, Doing Vipassana - Meditation program in New Delhi's Tihar prison
The Work - Set in Folsom State Prison, incarcerated men and men from outside prison together undergo four days of intensive group therapy, revealing an intimate and powerful portrait of authentic human transformation that transcends what we think of as rehabilitation
Unlocked: A Jail Experiment - A social experiment where incarcerated men are given increased autonomy in hopes of creating a community-driven atmosphere and deterring future criminal behaviour
God Save Texas: Hometown prison - Richard Linklater documentary
Step Inside the Circle - Those who experience the Compassion Trauma Circle and learn about Adverse Childhood Experiences and the symptoms of trauma, feel a sense of relief, self-forgiveness and community support

Read People Magazine Article - Only in New York: Australian Writer Becomes Dog Sitter for New York Inmate. Joh’s story of meeting her dog the first week she moved to New

Learn to meditate with us at Mahasoma --- follow us @mahasoma --- hello@mahasoma.com

When your worst nightmare becomes a path to freedom with Yeojin Bae

Sun, 14 Jan 2024 12:00:00 +1100

This content may be emotionally challenging and includes trauma, violence, and sexual abuse. If this doesn’t feel the right time for you to listen, we recommend circling back when you’re ready. We are not providing any professional advice, only sharing a personal story and perspective. Please seek professional help if you need support – we shared some services that you can access via our show notes.

For Melbourne based designer Yeojin Bae, fashion has always been her creative expression for women to enjoy the confidence that comes from wearing beautiful clothes. Back to her earliest memories as a child in Korea, Yeojin was always sketching the most beautiful dresses she could imagine. And with just under three decades working in fashion, she developed a cult following for her stylish silhouettes. Yeojin was living her life as a successful designer, just as she always imagined, when at the beginning of 2020, she walked away with no explanation at all.

For the first time, Yeojin is sharing with us her intimate story of leaving behind what she had spent her whole life becoming, to embark on a deeply transformative and much needed healing journey, supported by Vedic wisdom and practices. Statistically it takes on average 24 years to reveal child sexual abuse, and many never do.

Yeojin thought she was irreparably damaged and for a long time felt a dread that something terrible was about to happen. Yet even at her lowest, she never gave up, some days it was baby steps, and other times a leap, but through this process, Yeojin found a profound acceptance, joy, and trust in life. She hopes by sharing her story today, she can reach out to others who are afraid and help them make progress in their lives too. She admits she experienced a lot of stress release leading up to recording this episode, but it was exactly because of these feelings, she wants to challenge her belief to stay silent and unseen.

RESOURCES:
Learn Vedic meditation with Mahasoma
Rishi Training - advanced Vedic wisdom course
Siddha Training - advanced Vedic wisdom course

SUPPORT LINKS:
https://fullstop.org.au/get-help/our-services
https://www.1800respect.org.au
https://www.beyondblue.org.au
https://www.nasasv.org.au/support-directory
https://blueknot.org.au
https://www.nationalredress.gov.au

Learn to meditate with us at Mahasoma --- follow us @mahasoma --- hello@mahasoma.com

The process is the solution: embracing challenges with grace and ease with Kathleen O’Brien

Wed, 01 Nov 2023 11:00:00 +1100

This time of year can be very full, fast paced, and involve a lot of doing, we thought it would be timely to share this short podcast episode from our teacher Kathleen O'Brien. Our hope is that it softens the busyness this time of year can bring. In this episode you'll be reminded that life is a constant process of unfolding. We need reminding because when everything is rolling along smoothly it can be easy to see the big picture. But when life gets challenging or we’ve been ignoring change, life can get very overwhelming! It’s usually in these moments when the body starts to move into a state of fight or flight that we tend to forget the process is the solution.

When we’re experiencing something we find uncomfortable or we can’t see it in context (meaning we just want it to end and get back to the flow state), we tend to kick ourselves out of the present moment and move into future thinking/solution mode. In this state we can be so focused on a solution and wanting to change the current situation that we move out of the power of the present moment. We miss the opportunity for growth and learning. We resist life by resisting what is.

Life is not really about getting to a final destination. We never will say ‘ahh I’ve done it all! The to-do list of my life is complete! I never have to do anything else again!' We know that life continues and we must keep evolving. But when we’re in outcome mode we can forget life is a process. We miss the now and therefore we miss life! When what we really need is to find greater ease and grace in the process, knowing the process is the solution.

What we talk about in this episode

Feminine leadership
Collaboration and co-creation without goal orientation
There's no final destination only the process of life
Seeing growth and possibility rather than ‘problems’
Nature as our greatest teacher
How Vedic meditation teaches process orientation

Connect with Kathleen

Learn Vedic meditation with Kathleen

Learn to meditate with us at Mahasoma --- follow us @mahasoma --- hello@mahasoma.com

Healing from the loss of a loved one to suicide through Elegy for an Elephant with Ryan Abramowitz

Tue, 11 Jul 2023 10:00:00 +1000

This podcast episode refers to suicide and its impact. Please seek professional help if you need support. A list of mental health and counselling resources can be found in the show notes.

In this episode Laura Poole joined by Melbourne-based artist and storyteller, and fellow Vedic meditator, Ryan Abramowitz to talk about an important subject that can be shrouded in shame and stigma – suicide. Ryan is the author and artist of ‘Elegy for an Elephant’, a picture book he has been working on these past few years, after the loss of his own father to suicide.

There is a severe shortage of suicide bereavement resources available for families and mental health workers to draw upon when supporting those in grief. You may think picture books are just for kids, but they are actually an accessible format for all ages to address this complex subject matter.

An elegy is a lament, a passionate expression that honours those who have passed. Elegy for an Elephant chronicles Ryan’s family’s experience in processing the complexity of post-suicide grief. It has been crafted as a therapeutic resource for readers (aged 7+) who have lost loved ones, and those communities and caretakers supporting them through their mourning. While it touches on suicide, it more universally addresses how we come to terms with bereavement and access shapes of healing following the loss of loved ones.

We asked Ryan to come on the podcast as we wanted to share the journey he has been on creating this book, his own healing that has turned into a gift of healing for the world, and to create a space for him to share the research, love, and divine energy that has gone into it. Elegy for an Elephant is being released on World Suicide Prevention Day - September 10, 2023, but is available for pre-purchase now. If you know of anyone mourning the loss of a loved one, or if you’re a clinician, parent, mental health worker, meditation teacher, or school teacher, may you consider getting this book, which Ryan says is a gentle and warm hug, when needed in tender times.

Show notes.

CONNECT WITH RYAN

www.narrativesofnature.com

@narrativesofnature_

RESOURCES

Pre-purchase Elegy for an Elephant

Mental Health Resources

LIFELINE - Available 24/7 for crisis support - Call 13 11 14 or text 0477 13 11 14

Please see our Mahasoma Journal post for full show notes and images.

Learn to meditate with us at Mahasoma --- follow us @mahasoma --- hello@mahasoma.com

Guru Purnima - honouring our spiritual teachers on this special full moon night with Blaine Watson

Wed, 21 Jun 2023 13:00:00 +1000

Laura Poole is again joined by Vedic astrologer Blaine Watson to talk all about Guru Purnima – the full moon night that occurs once a year where we honour the guru and all teachers in our lives. We go a beautiful journey exploring what a guru is (and is not), the relationship of guru to transcendence and love, stories from Blaine’s time with his guru, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, and other great gurus and saints. We finish with how we can observe the Vedic celebration of Guru Purnima and gain the auspicious blessings of this full moon night.

What we talk about in this episode.

Definition of Guru Purnima
Difference between a teacher (acharya) and a Guru
How Guru Purnima is celebrated
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and Guru Purnima
The purpose of devotion and awakening the heart
Lineage and tradition
Transcendence and the Guru
Love and the Guru
Guru-shishya relationship
When the Guru falls from the pedestal
Is the age of the Guru dead?
Is it possible to find a true Guru?
The path of the Guru
The day of the Guru – spiritual practice for this day
How to observe Guru Purnima and gain the auspicious blessings

Show notes.

BOOKS

The Ocean of Love: The Anurag Sagar of Kabir
The Collected Works of Ramana Maharshi
Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda KINDLE or PAPERBACK
A Search In Secret India: The classic work on seeking a guru by Paul Brunton

OTHER

Learn to meditate with us at Mahasoma --- follow us @mahasoma --- hello@mahasoma.com

Falling asleep while meditating with Laura Poole

Mon, 29 May 2023 11:00:00 +1000

This episode comes from a group meditation Q&A where a student asked about falling asleep in meditation and why it keeps on happening. We explore why meditation is a practice of two-fold revealing and the importance of allowing cosmic intelligence to take the drivers seat in life. If you’ve ever fallen asleep while meditating, we hope this gives you a new perspective to see everything is just as it should be.

We hope you enjoy!

What we talk about:

Why meditation is a practice of two-fold revealing
Surrender and letting cosmic intelligence take the drivers seat
What the true purpose of Vedic meditation is
Why we need to accept and allow all experiences in meditation

Show notes

Connect with Laura

Learn Vedic meditation with Laura

Learn to meditate with us at Mahasoma --- follow us @mahasoma --- hello@mahasoma.com

Yoni steaming – rituals for fertility and healing gynecological conditions with Chasca Summerville

Tue, 09 May 2023 15:00:00 +1000

Something we’re passionate about in our community is women’s health, and in this episode Laura Poole is joined by Ayurveda practitioner and author Chasca Summerville who some of you may know from Instagram as Alchemy of Ayurveda.

Chasca’s real speciality is Ayurveda for women sharing holistic ways to rejuvenate and wisdom to empower women to be their own healers. In this episode we explore all of this, with a focus on one ritual – yoni steaming - which changed Chasca’s life and healed her from chronic endometriosis. We speak about what yoni steaming actually is, how, when, and why to do it, the deeper purpose and how we can use ritual to heal, embody, and empower ourselves as women. As we share in the podcast, we recommend connecting with a practitioner to begin your journey into the rituals we share. We acknowledge the history and traditional cultures that yoni steaming has come from, and we honour the women who have passed down the ritual in its wholeness for all women to benefit from today. We hope you enjoy this episode on Yoni steaming with Chasca Summerville!

What we talk about in this episode:

Chasca’s journey into Ayurveda
Menstrual cycle education (or lack thereof)
Rituals for fertility
What is a yoni?
Yoni steaming – what is it all about?
How to use yoni steaming in your menstrual cycle
Healing from Endo, PCOS, infertility, hormonal imbalances and more with yoni steaming
The deeper purpose of yoni steaming and healing
Connection of vata imbalances and the womb space

Show notes.

Connect with Chasca

Yoni Steaming

Learn to meditate with us at Mahasoma --- follow us @mahasoma --- hello@mahasoma.com

How do I trust life with Kathleen O'Brien

Mon, 01 May 2023 10:00:00 +1000

This is a new offering on our podcast of shorter wisdom sessions shared from our teachers. Of things we have been exploring in group meditations, mentoring sessions, and in our personal lives. This episode came from a question at group meditation: ‘How do I trust life? How can I surrender and have faith when things just don’t see to be going ‘my way’ or as I had hoped they would go?’

Kathleen explores a different take on trust, shifting our perspective from a life based in faith, trust, and belief, to a new paradigm of knowing. She shares how life is in-fact a very knowable experience, rather than something occurring externally.

Initially we may not have this relationship with life so we need to employ faith, trust, and belief. These can be functions of the mind that help us move forward. We can begin by telling ourselves, “It’s OK, I've got this, even though this feels big or scary, I’m going to put all of my fear aside and trust that it will be ok. I’m going to take the leap of faith.” But the next step we want to take is building a direct and unfiltered relationship with life. We want to know from within.

What we talk about in this episode.

What is trust?
How Vedic meditation is the tool to move from trusting to knowing
Why we would prefer to know than trust
The importance of direct experience
The innocence of forgetting
The necessity of compassion and playfulness when learning new skills

Show notes.

Connect with Kathleen

Learn Vedic meditation with Kathleen

Learn to meditate with us at Mahasoma --- follow us @mahasoma --- hello@mahasoma.com

Can meditation cause you to avoid doing the ‘real work’? with Laura Poole

Thu, 30 Mar 2023 06:00:00 +1100

This is a new offering on our podcast of shorter wisdom sessions shared from our teachers, of things we have been exploring in group meditations, mentoring sessions, and in our personal lives.

This episode is about the idea that meditation can cause you to avoid doing the ‘real work’ - the harder, emotional, deeper work of change. Laura Poole shares a perspective that helps us understand what’s really going on when people use meditation to spiritually by-pass what’s needed, and how we can empower ourselves to use our practice in the way it was intended.

What we talk about in this episode.

What is spiritual by-passing
Why meditation can be seen as avoiding doing the ‘real work’
What meditation actually is
The real purpose of a daily practice
How to harness the full power of meditation as a tool for real, long-lasting, and integrated healing

Show notes.

Connect with Laura
- laura@mahasoma.com
- @laura_poole
Learn Vedic meditation with Laura
- Noosa
- Melbourne

Learn to meditate with us at Mahasoma --- follow us @mahasoma --- hello@mahasoma.com

Bliss consciousness - the life story of Pandit Baskaran

Sun, 12 Mar 2023 11:00:00 +1100

This is a special episode for everyone who knows and loves Pandit Baskaran AKA Panditji. Panditji is a Vedic meditation teacher, pandit, and man of bliss consciousness. You may have had the great blessing of being on retreat with him in India, experiencing the bliss and joy of being in his presence.

This episode is devoted to sharing Panditji’s life story and wisdom. We hope you enjoy and get sore cheeks from smiling as much as we did.

What we talk about in this episode.

Panditji’s life story
Training as a meditation teacher with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
Who is Shiva
The deeper meaning and purpose of abishekam ceremony
Tamil Nadu temples
Living a life of bliss

Show notes.

Connect with Pandit Baskaran
- panditbaskaran.com
- @panditbaskaran
Rameshwarum Temple
Brihadisvara Temple, Thanjavur
Vedic meditation teacher training with Mahasoma and Pandit Baskaran

To see photos of all the places and experiences we talk about in the episode, head to our journal post for more.

Learn to meditate with us at Mahasoma --- follow us @mahasoma --- hello@mahasoma.com

Deep surrender and the 3 types of karma with Kathleen O’Brien

Fri, 11 Nov 2022 12:00:00 +1100

Welcome back podcast family!

This week we’re sharing an empowering and vulnerable conversation between two of the Mahasoma team, Laura Poole and Kathleen O’Brien.

Kathleen has a story that is both unique to her journey but also relatable for so many of you out there. Kathleen openly shares with us her experiences with health and challenges living with chronic conditions like eczema and allergies. We explore what to do when nothing is working, being your own healer, and healthy ways to relate to using practitioners to support your wellbeing. And, because it’s the Mahasoma podcast we can’t help but take deeper dive into Vedic wisdom around the two sides of surrender, the three types of karma, and we share a discourse by Swami Brahmananda Saraswati, our Guru Deva.

"This body hasn’t always been a comfortable home to inhabit. But it has also been my greatest teacher. It taught me to listen, to pay attention, to live well. Through years of fragility, sensitivity and discomfort I ended up finding strength. I have moved from from frustration to acceptance. Resistance to surrender. Weakness to resilience. I’ve learnt that discomfort is temporary and a gift of transformation - there’s no final end point here, simply a dynamic process of finding balance in each moment. " - Kathleen O’Brien

What we talk about in this episode.

Being your own healer
Why meditation – the missing piece
The healthy way to relate to using practitioners to support your wellbeing
The two sides of surrender
The 3 x types of Karma
A discourse by Guru Deva – Swami Brahmananda Saraswati

Show notes.

Connect with Kathleen.

kathleen@mahasoma.com
More about Kathleen
@kathleenobrien_
Learn to meditate with Kathleen - Castlemaine, Albury, Adelaide, Melbourne

Resources.

Learn to meditate with us at Mahasoma --- follow us @mahasoma --- hello@mahasoma.com

Siddha Medicine for Enlightenment with Dr Janani

Mon, 07 Nov 2022 15:00:00 +1100

This episode was recorded while we were in the south of India, in Tamil Nadu, staying at the Sri Narayani Holistic Centre for Ayurveda and Siddha Medicine.

Our Vedic meditation teacher Laura Poole had the honour of speaking with the head doctor there – Dr Janani – all about Siddha Medicine for spiritual enlightenment and how you can experience this healing for yourself at the Sri Narayani Holistic Centre.

The centre is one of the many projects of Sri Sakthi Amma, who is an avatar, an incarnation of the goddess Sri Narayani. It sits within the town of Thirumalikodi, where Amma’s ashram and Sri Purum Golden Temple are. The centre opened in 2019 continuing Amma’s mission of alleviating those suffering from pain, disease, or imbalance in the body, mind, or soul.

Before Dr. Janani came to work with Amma at the centre, she worked as a personal Siddha physician for the president of India for 4 years. She has written 21 research articles on a variety of topics related to Siddha medicine, she is a mother, devotee of the Divine Mother, and a vibrant woman who loves to share her love of the ancient system of Siddha medicine. We hope you enjoy this episode and please check out the show notes for links to everything we speak about!

What we talk about in this episode.

What is Siddha medicine and its true purpose
How Dr Janani came to Siddha Medicine and to work at Sri Narayani Holistic Centre with Sri Sakthi Amma as her Guru
Relationship of Sri Sakthi Amma and the Siddhas
Connecting to the Divine for deep healing
Panchakarma detox and rejuvenation at the Sri Narayani Holistic Centre
Siddha Medicine nanoparticle formulas and how they differ from other medicines
The purpose of puja (ceremony)
Navapashanam – special Siddha formula
Varma technique (vital energy points) in Siddha Medicine
King Bodhi Dharma – the Siddha from Tamil Nadu that brought the wisdom of Siddha Medicine to China that developed into Chinese martial arts (Shao Lin), Chinese medicine etc.
Maharishi Patanjali – one of the great Siddhas who brought yoga to the world

Show notes.

Read more about Sri Sakthi Amma – the incarnation of Narayani
Stay at the Narayani Holistic Centre and receive Ayurveda and Siddha Medicine treatments (panchakarma)
Read more about Aayurveda and Siddha Medicine
Palani – Navapashanam Idol in south of India
Email hello@mahasoma.com for details on receiving Navapashanam water for healing (a Siddha medicine)

Learn to meditate with us at Mahasoma --- follow us @mahasoma --- hello@mahasoma.com

Becoming a loving disciple of water - hydrating yourself through friendship with Isabel Friend

Sun, 08 May 2022 21:00:00 +1000

In this episode we chat with water researcher, activist and educator Isabel Friend. Isabel’s expertise is bringing modern scientific understanding together with ancient ancestral wisdom. Isabel shares a vision with practical strategies that helps people transform their relationship to water, increasing physical, mental, emotional, and environmental health for all beings. If you don’t yet have a deep reciprocal relationship with water, if your health or the state of our world is important to you, and water is not part of the conversation, then this episode is for you.

For full show notes visit the Mahasoma Journal

What we talk about.

What actually is water?
How to communicate with water and understand her needs
How we are currently abusing water, the impact of this individually and collectively
What is a watershed?
Quantum coherence of water
Harvesting raw wild spring water
The physical, emotional, and psychological benefits of being in relationship with water
Water + energy + meditation
Honouring and learning from our indigenous water protectors
Being an ally, accomplice, and water activist
Falling deeper in love with water

Connect with Isabel Friend.

Water is Life - educational platform + online courses
Email Isabel to have a personalised hydration session
@jenisabelfriend
10% discount code for the Water Shop - use MAHASOMA

Resources.

Learn more about Victor Schaurberger
Watch The Secrets of Water, The Documentary of Viktor Schauberger- Comprehend and Copy Nature
Read more about Theodore Schwenk through his book Sensitive Chaos
Visit the Earth Law Centre website to know more about personhood and legal rights for water
Learn more about the Blue Planet Project
Read up on the work of the Lakota Law Project and their fight for justice
Connect with the vision of International Rivers on their website and Instagram
Read up on the decentralised system of law based on water via the World Water Law Project
Visit the Oak Ridge National Laboratory website to learn about their work and discoveries
If you’re in the USA find your local watershed by visiting the US Geological Society
Find your local spring in your area using findaspring.com
Explore your surrounding water sources using Gaia GPS
Develop a relationship with your local water protectors. Reach out to your local elders to connect with the land/water you live on.
Veda Austin - photographing water in its ‘state of creation’ - this is the ‘hyd

Learn to meditate with us at Mahasoma --- follow us @mahasoma --- hello@mahasoma.com

Who is telling your story? How we came to Vedic meditation with Laura, Sarah, Julia and Kathleen

Thu, 21 Apr 2022 15:00:00 +1000

This episode is a Mahasoma team effort as we come together to answer your questions. We get a lot of inquiry on social media, emails, and group meditations, so we thought podcast episodes would be a great way to share more. We will be exploring your questions, sharing our real life experiences, and tapping into relevant themes/happenings we’re going through as a collective. In this episode we hope to give you some insight into who we are, how we came to meditation, and how the Vedic wisdom can be applied to your everyday life right now.

What we talk about in this episode:

How we came to meditation and what it has given us
The concept of time - past, present and future – where do they exist?
Who is telling your story?
Upgrading our memories to experience immediate liberation

Mahasoma is a feminine-led meditation collective sharing Vedic wisdom and practices to support you in becoming more grounded, present, and creative. Our teachers are Laura Poole, Sarah O’Brien, and Kathleen O’Brien. We teach in-person courses in Melbourne, Castlemaine, Surf Coast, Noosa, Albury, Adelaide, Northern Rivers, Sydney, and travel to teach around the world.

Connect with Mahasoma.

Learn to meditate with us at Mahasoma --- follow us @mahasoma --- hello@mahasoma.com

The Yoga of Time: Navaratri and Goddess Worship with Prashanti de Jager

Thu, 31 Mar 2022 14:00:00 +1100

This episode is all about the Vedic celebration known as Navaratri – the nine nights of worshipping the goddess at the two new moon equinoxes of the year. We wanted to share with you some of the deeper meanings and understandings of this celebration, and how you can tap into this flow of time to create greater health and vitality for yourself, your family and your community.

We asked the wonderful teacher Prashanti de Jager to share some of the wisdom he has gained over the last 32 years of engaging in, studying, teaching, and worshipping the Goddess through Navaratri. Prashanti has deeply studied the Vedic sciences including Ayurveda, Vedic Astrology, Yoga, Vedic Architecture, Advaita and Dhanurveda, and has sat at the feet of many great masters including Sri H.W.L. Poonja.

This is an episode for those interested in deeper Vedic wisdom and understanding the mythology of this wonderful time of the year known as Navaratri. If you’re keen to explore Prashanti’s Navaratri Restorative Cleanse that takes place twice a year, check out the show notes below after you listen for all the details of how to participate.

What we talk about in this episode:

The yoga of time
Who is Durga and Kali
How to live in the goddess flow state
Shiva + Shakti
What Navaratri is actually about and how to engage with it
Goddess Worship
Vedic restorative cleanses
The bi-monthly celebration of Ekadashi – what is it and how to gain its benefit
The mantra of the goddess
The 4 levels of truth
The process of dharma
The purpose of sangha
The goddess known as Tulsi

Connect with Prashanti de Jager

Explore the Veda Mandala to learn more about the Vedic sciences with Prashanti
@prashanti.veda.mandala
Navaratri Restorative Cleanse - this restorative cleanse happens twice every year

Learn to meditate with us at Mahasoma --- follow us @mahasoma --- hello@mahasoma.com

Transcendence with Blaine Watson

Mon, 14 Mar 2022 10:00:00 +1100

In this episode our Mahasoma teacher Laura Poole and the delightful repeat guest on our podcast, our Vedic astrologer Blaine Watson, talk all things transcendence. With both Laura and Blaine teaching Vedic meditation, a transcending meditation technique, we wanted to share the deeper understanding of transcendence, and help you recognise the profound nature of what you may already be experiencing every day.

What we talk about in this episode.

What transcendence actually is
What are thoughts
What the purpose of transcendence is and how to access it through meditation
The biggest misperception in the yogic world
How to live transcendence 24/7
What enlightenment actually is
The work of self-enquiry
Transcendence, trauma and disassociation
Ways to enliven transcendence in daily life
Shivaratri, Shiva and the transcendental field

Show notes.

Learn to meditate and transcend

Mahasoma Vedic Meditation Courses

Connect with Blaine

Sign up to Blaine’s daily inspirational email via blainepw@gmail.com. Please note: Blaine is currently booked for all Vedic astrology sessions for 12 months and isn’t taking any new clients right now.

Books

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi on the Bhagavad-Gita, A New Translation and Commentary, Chapters 1- 6 (try to find a pre-1969 version)
Yoga Sutra by Patanjali
The Manual for Self Realization: 112 Meditations of the Vijnana Bhairava Tantra by Swami Lakshmanjoo (112 ways to transcend)
Śhiva Sūtras : The Supreme Awakening - by Swami Lakshmanjoo
The Ramayana – translated by Ramesh Menon
Anandamayi Ma - Mother of Bliss

Ways to enliven transcendence in daily life

8 Principal Upanishads
Yoga Vasishta – The Supreme Yoga by Swami Venktesananda
All books by Ramana Maharishi
All books by Nisargadatta Maharaj
All books by Rumi
All books by Hafiz
A.H. Almas – The Dimond Approach
The Work as Meditation by Todd Smith
The Work by Byron Katie
Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu (Translated by Stephen Mitchell)
All books by J Krishnamurti

Other

Learn to meditate with us at Mahasoma --- follow us @mahasoma --- hello@mahasoma.com

Life, death, and everything in-between – exploring the physical, psychological and spiritual world of Permaculture with Ian Trew from Noosa Forest Retreat

Tue, 14 Dec 2021 08:00:00 +1100

In this episode we chat with incredible permaculture teacher, psychologist, Ayurveda expert, and barefoot yogi Ian Trew, exploring the physical, psychological and spiritual world that is permaculture. Our Mahasoma teacher Laura Poole completed her permaculture PDC course with Ian at Noosa Forest Retreat and fell in love with the way he spoke about ecology and nature, weaving in psychology, the Vedic worldview, indigenous wisdom, and personal development. It was an inspiring and very intense few weeks training, and we knew we had to share the inspiration with everyone.

What we talk about in this episode:

Ian’s inspiring life story that took him from the country, to the military, to permaculture
What permaculture actually is
How we currently grow food and what needs to change
Holistic habitat design – rethinking and redesigning how we live
Cradle to grave design
The psychological, emotional and sociological aspects of permaculture
The differences between organic, biodynamic, agroforestry and syntropic farming
The need for embodied ecological role models
Accessing the flow state and becoming an everyday super hero
The 1 thing you start doing right now to flow with Nature

Connect with Ian Trew at Noosa Forest Retreat:

@permaculture_community_nfr
Want to take Noosa Forest Retreat's next PDC (Permaculture Design Course)? Connect with Ian and use our affiliate code MAHASOMA to receive $50 off!
Noosa Forest Retreat Permaculture online course

Books and articles:

Documentaries:

Other:

Mushroom ‘Infinity Burial Suit’ by Coeio - creating life after death

Learn to meditate with us at Mahasoma --- follow us @mahasoma --- hello@mahasoma.com

Sustainable fashion – why we need to care about what we wear with Celeste Tesoriero from Sonzai Studios

Mon, 29 Nov 2021 08:00:00 +1100

In this episode we chat with Celeste Tesorerio - a name well known in luxury fashion industry both within Australia and abroad. As Sustainability Manager of Roland Mouret and a member of the British Fashion Council’s Positive Fashion Committee, Celeste has worked with brands including Vivienne Westwood, Stella McCartney, Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Alexander McQueen and Balenciaga as well as big retailers such as Net-a-Porter, Matches and Selfridges. Celeste also spent five years directing her own namesake label with her direct experience in the industry as a designer giving her a wealth of first-hand knowledge about the nuances of sustainability and ethical production. She is now the founder of Sonzai Studios - a sustainable fashion consulting business where she helps brands better their environmental presence with a move toward a brighter future of fashion.

What we talk about in this episode:

What sustainable fashion actually is and if it’s even possible
The shocking unsustainable parts of the fashion industry
The process of how a plain cotton t-shirt is made
The true cost of fashion
Is sustainable fashion a privilege?
Celeste's top ways to become more sustainable in the way we shop
Ways fashion brands can become more sustainable and take greater responsibility
The 1 thing you can start doing right to empower yourself with knowledge to make better decisions when it comes to buying clothes

Connect with Celeste:

Books and Articles:

RIISE Climate Credentials
Sonzai Studio’s Journal - articles on all things sustainable fashion
Sustainable swimwear guide by Celeste Tesoriero
Sustainability By Leslie Paul Thiele
Zero Waste Fashion Design by Timo Rissanen and Holly McQuillan

Resources:

Sonzai Studio’s Journal - articles on all things sustainable fashion
Sustainable swimwear guide by Celeste Tesoriero
RIISE.Shop - all sustainable brands curated by Celeste
Vestiare Collective
The Real Real - hiring clothing
Depop - hiring clothing

Instagram accounts to follow:

Learn to meditate with us at Mahasoma --- follow us @mahasoma --- hello@mahasoma.com

Yajña - Vedic technology for upgrading your DNA and changing the future with Blaine Watson

Tue, 05 Oct 2021 09:00:00 +1100

This episode we have the enlightening Vedic astrologer Blaine Watson back for another juicy session sharing his deep wisdom and experience of the Vedic science and technology known as yajña. On the surface it looks like a fire ceremony, where Vedic pandits are sitting around the fire, offering ghee and other sweet-smelling items, alongside chanting specific Vedic mantras to connect with the desired deity. What may look like an esoteric, occult, or religious practice, is actually a precise Vedic technology that uses consciousness, intention and vibration to resolve our karma and therefore change our future.

What we talk about in this episode:

What yajña actually is, diving into the Vedic wisdom, beginning with a powerful sloka or verse from Rig Veda
A poignant Vedic analogy for understanding how the world is created
Karma + yajña
How to change the future by altering our DNA in the present
How you can engage with yajña
Yajña Q&A

Connect with Blaine and others:

Blaine Watson - blainepw@gmail.com - book in for a Jyotish (Vedic astrology) session or if you need to find your exact birth time, or if you would like a yagya performed on your behalf with the Pandits in India.
You can also email Blaine (above) to sign up for the ‘Auspicious Days’ of the Vedic calendar to be emailed to you monthly
Join Sri Sakthi Amma for the 1000 day Sri Lalitha Yagam - email Beloved Narayani Foundation for details on when the yajña begins

Books:

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s Commentary on the Bhagavad Gita – Chapters 1-6 (chapter 3 – on yajña)
Human Physiology: Expression of Veda and the Vedic Literature by Tony Nadar
Devi Bhagavatam by Ramesh Menon – stories of Ma Durga (Navaratri)
View some amazing old photos from LIFE Magazine in 1944, where Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s teacher, Swami Brahmananda Saraswati (Guru Deva), arranged and presided over a mahayagya (great yajña) to end WWII

Listen:

Durga Sapta Shati – 700 Verses to Ma Durga
Maharishi Veda App for mantra chanting and listening
Vital Veda podcast episode with Dr Svoboda on connecting with our ancestors and how to perform shraddha

Verse from Rk Veda:

Richo akshare parame vyoman
Yasmin devaa adhi vishve nisheduh
Yas tan na veda kim richaa karishyati
Ya it tad vidus ta ime samaasate

The verses (richas) of the Veda exist in the collapse of fullness (the kshara of ‘A’) in the transcendental field, the Self, in which reside all the devas, the impulses of creative intelligence, the laws of nature responsible for the whole manifest universe. He whose awareness is not open to this field, what can the verses accomplish for him? Those who know this level of reality are e

Learn to meditate with us at Mahasoma --- follow us @mahasoma --- hello@mahasoma.com

Egyptian wisdom traditions, the science of imagery and the art of love with Delta Venus

Mon, 20 Sep 2021 13:00:00 +1000

In this episode we speak with the divine Paige Hasaballah, otherwise known as Delta Venus. Delta is a visual communicator and intuitive conduit whose art and offerings are primarily about exploring consciousness. She works with her Egyptian lineage incorporating ancient spiritual practice into her creative expression. Her aim is to create space for the experience of oneness. Each artwork is designed to be lived with, meditated on, and experienced through. You can see her work by following @deltavenus on Instagram, we suggest having a look at Delta’s artwork as you listen to the episode to get a feel for her art.

What we talk about in this episode

Delta’s Egyptian lineage and the Khemetic wisdom tradition she is part of
Her process as an artist communicating these deep spiritual truths of life
The science of imagery and its place in the ancient Egyptian culture
Our favourite topic, LOVE!
We finish with some questions from our community on love as Delta openly and honestly shares from her direct experience.

Connect with Delta Venus

Follow Paige Hasaballah @deltavenus on Instagram
Visit the Delta Venus print shop
Explore Delta's Egyptian astrology prints
Have your ‘energy portrait’ taken/created by Delta Venus
Purchase Delta's Know Thyself 72-card deck of questions for self-enquiry

Books

Serpent in the Sky by John Anthony West
Temple of the Cosmos by Jeremy Naydler
The Opening of the Way: A Practical Guide to the Wisdom by Isha Schwaller de Lubicz
The Ringing Cedars book series by Vladmir Megre - the wisdom of the Russian Vedic tradition through Anastasia

Podcast

A podcast with John Stuart Reid titled ‘The Startling Secrets of Sound’. John speaks about his experiences in the Pyramids with sound and hieroglyphics.

Learn to meditate with us at Mahasoma --- follow us @mahasoma --- hello@mahasoma.com

Sacred birth - from trauma to freedom with Caroline Blanco

Tue, 18 May 2021 16:00:00 +1000

In this episode, we hear from Caroline Blanco - Mother, Vedic Meditation teacher, creative consultant & mentor. She lives and works on Bundjalung country nurturing individuals and teams to create, birth and live with deeper connection, purpose & freedom. After a deep healing journey from her traumatic first birth, Caroline recently free birthed her 2nd child undisturbed at home and in this episode she shares with us her learnings and experience.

* Trigger warning * - In this episode we talk about birth and birth trauma. Please give yourself the time and space needed to listen and reach out for support if you need.

WHAT WE TALK ABOUT IN THIS EPISODE:

The possibilities of birth + breaking down the myths
Medicalised birthing vs. free birthing
What free birthing actually is
The importance of centring the mother and her experience
The role of a midwife
How to create an empowering birth experience
The connection between meditation and birth
Caroline’s direct experience using mantra, Vedic philosophy, breath and Vedic meditation in preparation for sacred birthing.

CONNECT WITH CAROLINE

Visit Caroline’s website to learn more about her offerings and Vedic meditation courses in Byron Bay
Follow Caroline on Instagram @_____love_now
caroline@lovenow.com.au

RESOURCES

Listen

Podcasts:
- Pregnancy Birth and Beyond
- Vital Veda
Narayani Moola Mantra by Edo and Jo
Please email hello@mahasoma.com to connect with us and receive the special Vedic birthing mantra

Read

Instagram

Learn to meditate with us at Mahasoma --- follow us @mahasoma --- hello@mahasoma.com

Making change the Vedic way with Sarah O'Brien

Thu, 04 Feb 2021 09:00:00 +1100

In this episode Mahasoma teachers Laura Poole and Sarah O’Brien come together to talk about Sarah’s journey into Vedic meditation. Sarah’s comes from a background in legal advocacy. After finishing her law degree, Sarah jumped straight into working in human rights and administrative law, which was what she had spent her 7 years at university hoping to do. In a pretty short period of time, she witnessed the way we currently try to make change in the world and it began to feel that for her, the legal industry wasn’t the way she could have the best impact. As Sarah went deeper into Vedic knowledge, travelled to India and really allowed herself to dream, she came to understand that teaching people new (or should we say re-enlivening old) ways of seeing the world was going to have much more of an impact than her current work.

Sarah came to understand that it is through the mind of each person that we gain our community. It is therefore vital to influence the way individuals see the world so that we as a community can be more inclusive, multi-generational, and compassionate. She now understands this is how we can create true change.

What we talk about

How Sarah came to learn Vedic meditation herself
What she learnt about making change, both in career and mindset
Sarah's journey of transitioning from being a lawyer to a meditation teacher
Her passion for creating change in the world which looks a little different to how she thought it would
The three parts of evolutionary change through the Vedic lens (creation, maintenance and destruction)
How to engage with each phase of evolution
The purpose and necessity of compassion
How true compassion often involves strong action but is ultimately a freeing experience
The misinterpretation of wisdom that leads to spiritual bypassing
The dismantling of this misinterpretation and how to correct our vision
Why we shouldn’t get defensive when people point out to us where we need to change
The need for us to collectively dream a better world together

Connect with Sarah

Books to read

Read Maharishi Mahesh Yogi on the Bhagavad Gita: A New Translation and Commentary, Chapters 1-6

Learn to meditate with us at Mahasoma --- follow us @mahasoma --- hello@mahasoma.com

The secrets of Jyotish with Vedic astrologer Blaine Watson

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 15:00:00 +1100

In this episode our Mahasoma teacher Laura Poole speaks with our Vedic Astrologer, Blaine Watson. Vedic Astrology, or ‘Jyotiṣa’ as it is called in Sanskrit, has become an increasingly popular way of taking care of one’s future. Jyotiṣa means the ‘best of lights’. It’s the Vedic science of bringing awareness or light to the evolutionary process of life, predicting what’s coming and revealing that which is hidden from view, so we can adapt, adjust our behaviour, make better decisions and create greater coherent flow for ourselves as individuals and our society as a whole.

Blaine Watson is a Vedic astrologer who has been studying astrology since childhood. On a trip to India in 1980 while spending time with his teacher and Guru, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, he became deeply interested in Vedic astrology and began studying in earnest. After several years of self-study in India, USA, Spain, Netherlands and Switzerland, Blaine was personally certified as an expert in jyotiṣa by the Dean of the Department of Sanskrit at Benares Hindu University in Varanasi, India in 1989. He has been a professional astrologer for over 30 years and has more than 30,000 clients in over 30 countries. People find him only via word of mouth as the Vedic tradition with which he is associated does not permit him to advertise.

What we talk about

The true purpose of jyotiṣa – both on the individual level and the cosmic level
The difference between Western astrology and yyotiṣa
What influences an individual’s chart
Karma and past lives
How to remedy afflictions in our charts
The power of yajña to restructure our DNA
Saturn returns and 'sadi sati'
The 12 zodiac signs personalities and traits
Intuition vs. jyotiṣa
Free will vs. determinism
How to study jyotiṣa and become a Vedic astrologer

Connect with Blaine.

Blaine is currently booked for all Vedic astrology sessions for 12 months and isn’t taking any new clients. However you can sign up to Blaine’s daily inspirational email via blainepw@gmail.com.

Resources

Listen

Listen to Blaine on the Vital Veda Podcast
Ep 49 - Karmic Relationships, Why am I single? & Past Lives
Ep 41 - Celestial Organisation of Life with Vedic Astrology

Online learning

David Frawley's online courses for learning Jyotish

Books

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's Commentary on the Bhagavad Gita (we suggest trying to finder an earlier copy of the book, ideally from the 1960s-1970s)
Light On Life by Hart Defouw
The Greatness of Saturn by Robert Svoboda
A Story Like The Wind (The Collected works of Laurens van der Post) - What Blaine read during his sadi sati that changed his perspective on life forever.

Learn to meditate with us at Mahasoma --- follow us @mahasoma --- hello@mahasoma.com

Ayurveda postpartum doula care for nourishing newborn mothers with Dani and Sol from Soma Shakti

Wed, 14 Oct 2020 11:00:00 +1100

In this episode we are joined by our dear friends, Daniela Prema and Sole De Riccio from Soma Shakti, to talk about postpartum care and how to apply the wisdom of Ayurveda to create greater health, nourishment, and vitality.

What we talk about

What an Ayurveda postpartum doula is
Why it is such important support to have
The sacred window of the 40-days after birth
Foods to eat and avoid
Ayurvedic herbs to take
Massage and belly wrapping
The role of meditation as a newborn mother
How as women we can support each other in this journey
How to become an Ayurveda postpartum doula.

Connect with Soma Shakti

Resources

Become an Ayurveda postpartum doula with Soma Shakti
Become a wise women birthkeeper with Soma Shakti
Discount code for Soma Shakti online store: MAHASOMA10
Soma Shakti Recipe Book for newborn mothers – E-Book & Printed Version
Ojas building hot milk recipe
Ayurveda herbs for postpartum care:
Episode 5 - Ayurveda for menstruation, pre-conception and conscious conception & Episode 6 - Ayurveda for pregnancy, birth and postpartum care
Mahasoma Resources – Conscious Conception, Pregnancy and Birth
Ya Devi Mantra on Spotify
Healing Mantras of the Divine Mother
Find an Ayurveda postpartum doula:
- Australian Birth Stories Directory
- Home Births NSW
Become an Ayurveda postpartum doula with Sacred Window Studies
Conscious Postpartum Care
The Ringing Cedars Book Series

Learn to meditate with us at Mahasoma --- follow us @mahasoma --- hello@mahasoma.com

Meditation + sex + hormonal health: secrets for creating happy, loving and long lasting intimate relationships with John Gray

Sat, 03 Oct 2020 10:00:00 +1000

Up next on the Mahasoma Podcast we have author, speaker and relationship coach John Gray. He is the author of the most well-known and trusted relationship book of all time, Men Are from Mars, Women Are From Venus. It was the #1 best-selling book in the 90’s and one of the top 10 most influential books of the last quarter century. John joins us on the Mahasoma podcast to talk about the world of intimate relationships.

What we talk about

Role-mate vs. soul-mate relationships
Understanding hormones and behaviour differences in men and women
Why so many women are unhappy in the modern world
Why women attract needy men
The intersection of meditation and relationship work
Understanding the female menstrual cycle (both for women and men)
How we can engage in certain behaviours at certain times of the menstrual cycle to increase hormonal balance, sexual intimacy and happiness

Check out our journal post for the full interview

Connect with John Gray

Resources

Listen to more of John on the Lifestylist podcast, then jump into another episode to hear more of his story
Visit John’s blog to hear more of his insights into relationship dynamics. We love the following:
- ‘What leave me alone actually means in a relationship’
- ‘How to balance the burden in a relationship’
- ‘Tired of dating? Here’s how to get excited again!’
- And heaps of great posts on wellness, from tips for working through anxiety to helping create oestrogen and testosterone naturally.

Books

Men Are from Mars, Women Are From Venus by John Gray
Beyond Mars

Learn to meditate with us at Mahasoma --- follow us @mahasoma --- hello@mahasoma.com

Composting capitalism and reclaiming ourselves as empowered ecological creatures of place with Meg Ulman from Artist as Family

Wed, 09 Sep 2020 15:00:00 +1000

Today we have a brilliant, thought-provoking, challenging and just all round awesome episode for you all! Vedic meditation teacher Laura Poole is in conversation with Meg Ulman of Artist as Family. Meg lives with her partner Patrick, their sons Woody and Zephyr and their dog Zero in Daylesford, Victoria on a ¼ acre permaculture plot. It’s home to their ‘School of Applied Neopeasantry’ at Tree Elbow University on Djaara peoples' country. They live a life of deep connection to Nature and community, teaching radical neo-peasant homemaking, community economy making and other accountable living skills.

What we talk about

How to get started living a permaculture life
Unlearning, growing up and up-skilling
Unschooling our kids
Teaching ecological literacy to the next generation
The magic of compost
Learning from our first peoples and their connection to country
The importance of dismantling patriarchy
Capitalism and neo-liberalism to reclaim community and connection
The complexity of living on unceded land
Divesting from capitalist systems
The one thing you can do right now to begin the change

Check out our journal post for the full interview + all the resources mentioned

Connect with Meg + Artist is Family

Websites

Documentaries

Books

The More Beautiful World Our Hearts Know Is

Learn to meditate with us at Mahasoma --- follow us @mahasoma --- hello@mahasoma.com

The misconceptions of modern yoga and how to practice for greater health and vitality with Simon Borg-Olivier

Tue, 25 Aug 2020 15:00:00 +1000

This episode, Vedic meditation teacher Laura Poole is in discussion with Simon Borg-Olivier on 'The Misconceptions of Modern Yoga'. Simon is a biologist, physiotherapist and yoga teacher based in Sydney, Australia. He has spent decades sharing his incredible knowledge of the human anatomy and physiology, and is a master at teaching the foundations of traditional yoga to a modern audience. Simon’s motto for life is “Tense less, stress less, breath less, think less, eat less.” We love this and hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did.

What we talk about

Simon’s personal journey into the world of yoga and meditation
What real yoga is
The difference between modern and traditional practice - the good the bad and ugly!
Static meditation vs. moving meditation
How to live in your body in a relaxed way
The signs to look for that are the expression of 'healthy exercise'
Whether stretching is actually beneficial for us
How get a cardio workout without stressing the heart

Check out our journal post for the full interview

Connect with Simon and learn more

Connect with Simon Borg-Olivier on Instagram
Learn more from Simon on his official Facebook Page

Resources

Get a feel for Simon’s work with these FREE 4 practice video sequences and accompanying PDFs
Find out more about Simon's 'Health Happiness and Longevity' monthly membership
Join Simon for in-person or online for yoga (movement and breath work) classes at Yoga Synergy
Subscribe to Simon’s newsletter via his website for more information on what’s coming up, or check out some practice videos on his website

Learn to meditate with us at Mahasoma --- follow us @mahasoma --- hello@mahasoma.com

Letting the heart speak - healing through Craniosacral with Etienne Peirsman

Mon, 24 Aug 2020 13:00:00 +1000

In this episode Vedic meditation teacher Laura Poole is in conversation with Craniosacral master therapist Etienne Peirsman, sharing with our community his life's work. Etienne has spent over 40 years developing and teaching Craniosacral, which is a profound technique that incorporates meditative depth into therapy.

What we talk about

What craniosacral is - the therapy side and the ‘non-doing’ meditative side
How Etienne’s near-death experience brought him to the practice
How to heal our hearts and let love flow
A new way of working with trauma
The healing power of doing nothing
How craniosacral has changed people’s lives
How we can learn to give craniosacral to ourselves and others
Teaching craniosacral to kids
The importance of birthing our children in non-violent ways

Check out our journal post for the full interview

Connect with Etienne

Resources

Follow Craniosacral Masters on Facebook
Listen to Etienne’s life story on the Craniosacral Podcast
Experience a Heart Flow meditation with Mahasoma

Learn to meditate with us at Mahasoma --- follow us @mahasoma --- hello@mahasoma.com

Down to earth spirituality and the alchemy of parenthood with Nicole Azzopardi

Sun, 26 Jul 2020 16:00:00 +1000

In this episode, Vedic meditation teacher Laura Poole is in conversation with Nicole Azzopardi - a journalist, writer, cook, gardener and devoted parent. Nicole has spent the past 15 years travelling backwards and forwards to her teacher's ashram in the south of India (Sri Sakthi Amma at Sri Purum) where she spends time learning meditation and the value of selfless service. She currently lives with her husband and two daughters in a small country town in Victoria's Surf Coast hinterland. Grab a cup of tea, and wherever you are, sit back and relax as we drink in this healing medicine of shared storytelling.

Check out our journal post for the full interview

What we talk about

Nicole’s journey of going to India and meeting her life-long spiritual teacher
The sacredness of being invited into the Vedic culture and practices
The true purpose of our human births
Using our privilege for good
The spiritual practice of Seva – self-less service
The challenges of motherhood
When your child becomes your Guru
The depths of surrender that are required in parenthood.

Connect with Nicole

Connect with Nicole via Instagram or her website

Resources

Read the July Green Shakti Newsletter here
Read The Alchemy of Parenting feature article in this month’s Mindful Parenting Magazine
Read Nicole’s writing on sustainability ideas - like making eco-conscious dolls and upcycled planter ideas
Visit Sri Purum in India and meet Sri Sakthi Amma
Donate towards a cow and calf to a family in need from Sri Purum
See all the Seva projects that have been initiated by Sri Sakthi Amma
Listen to 'Om Namo Narayani' mantra by our friends Edo & Jo
Listen to our Mahasoma 'Divine Devotion' mantra playlist on Spotify

Learn to meditate with us at Mahasoma --- follow us @mahasoma --- hello@mahasoma.com

Pain, suffering and awakening with Laura Poole and Dylan Smith

Sat, 09 May 2020 15:00:00 +1000

This episode is a little more personal, recorded in 2018 with our dear friend and Ayurveda practitioner Dylan Smith from Vital Veda. Dylan wanted to chat to Vedic meditation teacher Laura Poole about pain, suffering, healing and consciousness, knowing that her journey over the years has been full of these things. As an Ayurveda practitioner, Dylan sees many patients with chronic illness, so called ‘incurable’ conditions, pains in the body & mind, and they are ask him for guidance, knowledge and solutions. In this episode we explore the multi-faceted realm of healing the body through consciousness, and that it may not be what we were expecting and yet, what we are truly desiring.

Check out our journal post for the full interview

Connect with Laura and Dylan

Connect with Dylan and Laura on social media
Learn Vedic meditation with Mahasoma. Or to find a Vedic meditation teacher near you email hello@mahasoma.com

Resources

Find out more about Ayurveda and ways to align yourself with nature at the Vital Veda Journal
Panchakarma Ayurvedic detox and rejuvenation programs - these programs are a powerful way to detox, release years of stress, replenish and move back into greater health and vitality. They are also the foundation for healing chronic illness in the body. In India, we go to the Raju Family for treatments. They have two places you can visit - the larger Raju Family Clinic just outside of Hyderabad city with Dr Krishna Raju and Dr Padma Raju, or the smaller clinic Raju’s Ayurveda right in Hyderabad city with J.R. Raju, Harsha Raju and Pavani Raju. If you need more information on panchakarma please get in contact with the Raju’s or with dylan@vitalveda.com.au
Download the Curable App - the science behind pain and practices to dissolve it
Explore Nicole Sachs' The Cure For Chronic Pain website for online courses and a podcast that explores the mind/body connection to pain
Watch this free 4-part series with Nicole Sachs on healing chronic pain
Download an easy yet powerful spinal yoga sequence by master teacher Simon-Borg Olivier that will change the way you think about and practice yoga, while liberating energy in the spine to help your body naturally heal itself
Read Healing Back Pain by Dr John Sarno
Read The Brain That Changes Itself by Norman Doidge
Read The Body Keeps Score: Mind, Brain and Body in the Transformation of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk
Read

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Radical empathy in action with Sophie Weldon

Thu, 23 Apr 2020 12:00:00 +1000

In this heart-opening episode, Vedic meditation teacher Laura Poole is in conversation with entrepreneur, kindness advocate and woman of the heart, Sophie Weldon. Sophie is the Founder and Managing Director of Humankind Enterprises - a social enterprise which uses the ancient process of storytelling and the modern innovation of StoryTech and StoryData to help create a world that is more connected, inclusive and empathetic.

What we talk about

The creation and participation in a new normal
Sophie’s time in Bhutan learning about Gross National Happiness
Core values as the foundation for change
Healing our current systems
What we could create as humans if we came to the process consciously
Deep radical empathy.
Vedic perspective on governance, politics
Is it really possible to create a social system based on wellbeing, kindness and belonging?

Check out our journal post for the full interview

Connect with Sophie

Resources

Visit the website of the Gross National Happiness Centre in Bhutan.
If you’re curious to learn a bit more about the historical and philosophical underpinnings of Neoliberalism, you can read more in this article published by the Conversation.
Iceland and New Zealand are two countries have have implemented frameworks concerned with wellbeing. You can read a bit more about how they’re doing this here.
Learn more about how Finland solved their homelessness crisis.
Read Australia Reimagined by Hugh Mackay.

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Part 2 – Ayurveda for pregnancy, birth and postpartum care with Dylan Smith and Laura Poole

Wed, 08 Apr 2020 17:00:00 +1000

Welcome to Part 2 of our Ayurveda for conception, pregnancy, birth and postpartum care series. In this episode, Vedic meditation teacher Laura Poole speaks with Dylan Smith, Ayurvedic practitioner and educator from Vital Veda, sharing eye opening yet practical wisdom to understand the power of conscious conception and the journey of the 9 months of pregnancy. Make sure you give both episodes in this series a listen (Part 1 and Part 2) because this wisdom of the Veda and Ayurveda has the ability to bring us back to our innate nature of creative beings who know how to conceive, carry and birth with full health, grace and the authority of inner wisdom.

What we talk about

Conscious conception
The 9 months of pregnancy according to Ayurveda
Month by month breakdown of what's happening and what you can do
The ritual of birthing
The huge importance of postpartum care
How your meditation practice might change during this time
Everything you need to stay vital and radiant as new parents

Check out our journal post for the full interview

Connect with Dylan

Vital Veda Website
Vital Veda Podcast
Vital Veda Instagram account
Book an Ayurvedic consult with Dylan online or in person

Resources

Some cycle/period tracking apps that are used for conception and birth control - Natural Cycles, Daysy and Clue
Read Vital Veda's Ayurveda guide to the 9 months of pregnancy
Read Vital Veda's Ayurveda Post Natal Care Plan
Take a She Births birthing course
See a full list of products Dylan from Vital Veda recommends for a post-natal support
Learn more about why you would want to do abhyanga, a warm-oil self massage you can do from your own home - you can then download a poster to learn how to do it yourself
Podcast on EMF, 5G and building biology via Vital Veda
Check out the Mahasoma Spotify account to listen to soothing mantra playlists
Get the Ayurveda herbal formula that helps with morning sickness during pregnancy - MADIPHALA RASAYANA
Get the special ghee for pregnancy and easy birth - SUKHA PRASAVA GHRITAM
Get the herb that Dylan says is the most important herb for post-natal care -

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Part 1 – Ayurveda for Menstruation, Pre-Conception and Conscious Conception with Dylan Smith and Laura Poole

Wed, 08 Apr 2020 16:00:00 +1000

Welcome to Part 1 of our Ayurveda for conception, pregnancy, birth and postpartum care series. In this episode, Vedic meditation teacher Laura Poole speaks with Dylan Smith, Ayurvedic practitioner and educator from Vital Veda, on Ayurveda and the Vedic perspective on preparing yourself and your partner to conceive, which starts with understanding and honouring the menstrual cycle. These episodes were recorded live in the Himalayas with our team of Vedic meditation teachers. Laura and Dylan are both incredibly passionate about this topic as it as all about the co-creation of life itself. Make sure you give both episodes a listen (Part 1 and Part 2) because this wisdom of the Veda and Ayurveda it has the ability to bring us back to our innate nature of creative beings who know how to conceive, carry and birth with full health, grace and the authority of inner wisdom.

Check out our journal post for the full interview

Connect with Dylan

Vital Veda website
Vital Veda podcast
Vital Veda Instagram account
Book an Ayurvedic consult with Dylan online or in person

Resources

Learn more about the Ayurveda doshas
Listen to the Vital Veda podcast episode on the contraceptive pill
Read more about the Ayurvedic perspective on contraception
Read Hannah Rachel Bell’s book ‘Men’s Business, Women’s Business’
Listen to the Vital Veda podcast episode on water and water quality
Ayurveda recipes from Vital Veda
Check out Dylan’s recipe for an ojas building drink to nourish the whole body and build reproductive tissue
Learn more about the transference of generation trauma
Panchakarma is an Ayurvedic detox and rejuvenation treatment that is available to anyone but is particular beneficial to those looking to conceive. Learn more about Dylan’s recommendation for where to do this treatment.
Period underwear we recommend in Australia - ModiBodi

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Coming back to our nature through Ayurveda, Yoga and Vedic farming practices with Myra Lewin

Wed, 01 Apr 2020 16:00:00 +1100

In this episode Vedic meditation teacher Laura Poole speaks with Myra Lewin from Hale Pule on coming back to our nature through Ayurveda, Yoga and Vedic farming practices. Myra is a vibrant and radiating Ayurveda Practitioner, Ayurveda Yoga Therapist, healer and teacher, who over the last 30 years has spent more than 50,000 hours studying and teaching the art and science of Yoga and Ayurveda.

What we talk about

Myra's journey regenerating land in Hawaii using Vedic farming practices
Ayurveda and yoga as healing practices coming from our own inner nature
Interdependency vs. co-dependency
The importance of interacting with Mother Earth to understand ourselves
How as we heal the environment, the environment actually ends up healing us in return
Practices for getting to know who and what we are
The power of Agnihotra
The future of Ayurveda.

Check out our journal post for the full interview

Connect with Myra

Resources

Read about Yagya - ancient fire ceremonies that are performed to commune with nature's intelligence
Follow Laura @devaloka_bushland
What are the doshas? From the Ayurvedic perspective, everything on the planet (including us) is made up of different combinations of five elements: earth, water, fire, air and ethers. The three doshas – vata, pitta and kapha – each represent two elements and are responsible for various functions in the body and mind. To learn more about how to understand the doshas, have a read of this blog by Hale Pule.
PRAKRITI is a Sanskrit word which means ‘first state or creation’. In this context we are talking about the state of health in which are all first born into
TAMAS, along with RAJAS and SATTVA is one of the three qualities that are present in everything around us, including within our own bodies as well as the foods that we eat. Ayurveda teaches that we need all 3 of these qualities, also known as the MAHA GUNAS, in order to live but we should take care to balance these qualities. Read here for more on what each of these qualities represent and how to balance them.
Listen to the MAHAMRITYUNJAYA MANTRA
To follow up on Laura and Myra’s recommendations for how to learn more about Agnihotra (Vedic fire ceremon) take a look at the Hale Pule website. To purchase your own Agnihotra kit or supplies, and to get a timetable of sunrise and sunset times visit Homa Therapy Australia’s website.
Check out the online 'introduction to permaculture' course with Australian-based Milkwood. They also have a fantastic blo

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Part 2 - Rebel of the Heart with Alice Miller

Wed, 18 Mar 2020 18:00:00 +1100

In Part 2 of this episode, recorded on the banks of the Ganga River in Shivanandi, Northern India, Vedic meditation teacher Laura Poole continues her conversation with Alice Miller, as she shares her personal story and the journey of how she came to be here, now.

Originally born in South Africa, Alice moved to Israel when she was a young child. She had a dream to be a fighter pilot in Israel because she loved the stars. All she wanted to do was be closer to them, to know their secrets and understand her place in the universe.

But she was told that women couldn’t be fighter pilots in Israel. Undeterred, Alice went on to study Aerospace Engineering and returned to South Africa to learn to fly. After being told by the President of Israel that ‘only when he could find a man to mend socks like a woman’ would he let women become fighter pilots, Alice decided that she would sue the Israeli Government. She could not understand why she was unable to fly, and as it turns out neither could the Supreme Court of Israel.

Since Alice won her case, 1268 Israel women have been admitted into the Airforce. Alice was a revolutionary for so many women, and her story is a testament to allowing yourself to dream big and create a reality that you wish to be a part of.

Alice is a rebel, driven by a love of life and deep drive to connect and belong. This is such an uplifting and deeply inspiring episode. Alice’s strength, determination and conviction is something we could stand to see more of in our collective.

Make sure you listen to Part 1 - Creating Community from India to Israel with Alice Miller

For more details head to our Mahasoma journal post

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Part 1 - Creating Community from India to Israel with Alice Miller

Wed, 18 Mar 2020 17:00:00 +1100

In our inaugural 2-part podcast episode, Vedic meditation teacher and founder of Mahasoma, Laura Poole, is in discussion with Alice Miller – mother, traveler, community creator, rebel of the heart and the woman who ‘broke the wall of gender’ in the Israeli Air Force.

Recorded on the banks of the Ganga River in Shivanandi, Northern India, Alice shares with us her journey of creating community in India and Israel, and her unique life experiences as her and her family live between the two.

When in India, Alice dreams. She witnesses the Ganga River and allows herself to observe and be. When in Israel, all the lessons and the learnings she has taken in from India find an outlet, and she builds and creates within her community.

Alice teaches us that after searching for answers and asking where she was supposed to be in life, she discovered that it was all right here, right now. To Alice, everything feels like home whether she is on the banks of the Ganga River or in the desert with the Bedouin tribes of Israel.

Alice dives deep into why establishing a Kibbutz in Israel was a deeply transformative experience for her, and shares that the fundamental ingredient to community is the will to be together.

With what we are creating at Mahasoma, Alice’s insights inspired us further to keep building and shaping community based on unwavering support and the desire to listen to what was needed.

Please join us and share in this powerful, insightful discussion with the force of nature that is Alice Miller.

Make sure you listen to Part 2 - Rebel of the Heart with Alice Miller

For more details head to our Mahasoma journal post

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Welcome to The Mahasoma Podcast

Tue, 17 Mar 2020 11:00:00 +1100

Welcome to our podcast! In this intro episode, we share with you the vision for our podcast, what it's all about, who we are at Mahasoma and what we will be sharing in upcoming episodes. If you'd like to find out more, read the show notes for each episode or simply connect with us then please head to mahasoma.com/podcast. Enjoy listening! Love the Mahasoma Team x

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