Sivana Podcast: Eastern Spirituality, Yoga Philosophy, And Conscious Living

As humans, we experience loss. Often, these losses go unacknowledged. Whether it’s the loss of a pet, job, relationship or family member, author Melanie Phillips shares that healing after loss is not a linear process. Melanie opens up about her personal journey after the unexpected loss of her partner. She provides tips about how we can enlist the right kind of support when we’re in crisis, and how we can best support others in need. We discuss loss from the perspective of the chakras energy medicine. Learn how to navigate loss, grief or any challenging life situation from a more empowered perspective. --- Melanie Phillips embraces ayurveda, yoga and intuitive medicine as a primary means of how we can all re-emerge from darkness. As a 18 year full time yoga teacher and member of NAMA - National Ayurvedic Medical Association - Melanie created The Madhuri Method, a method that effectively treats symptoms and diseases of the mind, body, and emotions leading to a truer relationship to joy, acceptance and personal

We continue our conversation with Kundalini yoga teacher and healer, Kerena Virginia. She shares with us how she went through a period of devastating loss, which led to an awakening that changed how she practiced and taught Kundalini yoga. She explains how our energetic body, our intuition and our heart, can work in conjunction with one another. She answers common questions many of us have: Like how do we know if we are coming from our head or our heart? How can we ask for guidance when making difficult decisions? And what if we have a triggering or negative reaction to Kundalini yoga? Listen to learn more!   ---   Karena is a motivational speaker, energy healer, kundalini yogi, inspirational mentor and TV personality who loves sharing simple and transformational tools for healthy and inspired living. Karena’s writing includes articles for the Huffington Post, her wellness blog, and her upcoming book, The Essential Kundalini Yoga, to be released by Sounds True Publishing on January 1, 2017. She is a member of

What if working within the confines of our mind is not enough for personal transformation? According to Kundalini yoga teacher and author, Karena Virginia, we cannot elevate our mindset until we heal our energy field first. For Karena, this was the missing link in all other healing modalities that she tried. Today, Karena breaks down the five energy layers that exist within your auric field. She walks us through each of these energy frequencies and how they relate to acupuncture, tapping, epigenetics, shamanic healing and prayer. If you are interested in the 8th chakra, auric field or energy medicine, this episode is for you! --- Karena is a motivational speaker, energy healer, kundalini yogi, inspirational mentor and TV personality who loves sharing simple and transformational tools for healthy and inspired living. Karena’s writing includes articles for the Huffington Post, her wellness blog, and her upcoming book, The Essential Kundalini Yoga, to be released by Sounds True Publishing on January 1, 2017. She

Continuing our conversation with artist Katherine Skaggs, we dive into the basics of how YOU can start reading Tarot or Oracle cards at home. We cover: How to pick a deck and cleanse its energy. How you can work with one card a day to get in touch with your spirit guides and helpers. Katherine explains a ritual we can use to incorporate readings into our yoga and meditation practice. She also explains the concept of card “spreads” – what are they, how they work, and which basic ones we can start with. We end discussing how cards can sharpen your intuition – cards can be a tool to know who you are at a deeper level. Katherine also speaks to us about the role of the divine feminine – in our society and in her personal work as an artist. Listen to learn more!   ---   Katherine Skaggs is visionary artist, intuitive, author, teacher, spiritual counselor, shamanic practitioner and painter of souls. She is the artist of the Mythical Goddess Tarot, Pocket-full of Goddesses, Pocket Blessing Cards as well as many divin

How can we best incorporate Tarot and Oracle Cards into our spiritual practice? What are the benefits of doing this? What’s the difference between traditional Tarot versus the Oracle and Angel decks that have become popularized in recent years? Today, artist Katherine Skaggs outlines for us how cards are a divination of our subconscious. She teaches us how we can best frame our questions when working with card decks, and why we need to consider (and enhance) the quality of our ask. She explains why our intuitive interpretation of artwork is critical to understanding readings, and how to sharpen this skill. Katherine also shares the “system of symbols” that permeate all card decks, and how you can connect with these to enhance your readings. If you’re currently dabbling in (or want to learn more) about Tarot and Oracle cards, do not miss this week’s episodes! --- Katherine Skaggs is visionary artist, intuitive, author, teacher, spiritual counselor, shamanic practitioner and painter of souls. She is the artist

How do the Chakras relate to the Medicine Wheel? What are archetypes? What does it mean to create “sacred space?” In today’s episode, we continue our conversation with Shamanic Energy Medicine Practitioner, Olivia Weil. She leads us through an “opening sacred space” ceremony that anyone can practice at home, either before yoga, meditation or to create a context for healing. She explains to us how we can understand archetypes as divine guides and teachers on our journey of transformation. Olivia also shares with us some of her favorite superfoods, as well as why she’s currently abstaining from all social media. There’s so much special knowledge generously offered up by Olivia in this special episode.   ---   Olivia Weil plays the roles of a NY lawyer turned spiritual adviser, Shamanic Energy Medicine Practitioner, personal transformation coach, plant-based nutritionist, and author. She holds post-graduate certification from Cornell University in plant-based nutrition, and is passionate about transforming peopl

Learn about the ancient spiritual practice of shamanism from Shamanic Energy Medicine Practitioner, Olivia Weil. We cover: What is shamanism? What is the Medicine Wheel? How can we use these tools for healing? Olivia guides us through each of the directions (South, West, North and East) and their key components. She shares how she ticked off the boxes of “success,” as a lawyer, yet still felt unfulfilled and unhappy. Olivia helps us understand how this ancient spiritual practice of shamanism is a vehicle for change, available to anyone looking for transformation. If you’ve ever been curious about shamanism or energy medicine, this is a must-listen!   ---   Olivia Weil plays the roles of a NY lawyer turned spiritual adviser, Shamanic Energy Medicine Practitioner, personal transformation coach, plant-based nutritionist, and author. She holds post-graduate certification from Cornell University in plant-based nutrition, and is passionate about transforming people’s lives from a cellular level, with raw foods, sup

What if everything in your life could be boiled down to one simple question: Am I operating from a place of fear? Or love? Today, we go deeper into our conversation with life coach and spiritual teacher, Glenn Ambrose. He tells us about how he “woke up” to spirituality 15 years ago, and how everything looked differently after a good night’s sleep. Glenn explains why our perception dictates our reality and why darkness doesn’t really exist. According to Glenn, the Universe wants us to change, grow and expand. Lastly, we discuss forgiveness: how to practice it and redefine it. In the words of Glenn, “all work is self work.” You will be inspired to work on yourself after listening to this special episode!   ---   Glenn Ambrose's philosophy is that happiness & fulfillment are there for you to have and is attainable by anyone. He is a Life Coach, Spiritual Teacher, Host of the Podcast: "Life, Lessons, & Laughter with Glenn Ambrose," and an Inspirational Speaker. Combining his coaching skills with his finel

If you’ve been struggling to practice self-love or set boundaries, this episode is for you! Life coach and spiritual teacher, Glenn Ambrose, tells us the mental shift we need to make in order to increase our self-esteem. Learn the question you must ask before practicing self-care in order to truly make it worthwhile. Next, discover more about boundaries: What they are, how to set them, that step that’s often missed, and what to do when you can’t distance yourself from negativity. Tons of practical tips you can take into your own life and relationships in this episode!   ---   Glenn Ambrose's philosophy is that happiness & fulfillment are there for you to have and is attainable by anyone. He is a Life Coach, Spiritual Teacher, Host of the Podcast: "Life, Lessons, & Laughter with Glenn Ambrose," and an Inspirational Speaker. Combining his coaching skills with his finely tuned style of getting to the heart of the matter, he inspires the change that is necessary for truly successful living.   Special Gues

Today we continue our conversation with professional coach, Laurie Gerber. She shares how she saved her marriage from the brink of divorce by entering into emotional, spiritual and physical integrity with her husband. Learn what these different categories mean and how to use them to enhance your own relationships in today’s empowering episode.  --- Passionate about personal development, Laurie has been coaching individuals and groups for over 15 years. Her professional and personal mission is to better the world by teaching people to tell the truth and pursue their dreams. Her focus is on maximizing clients’ ability to thrive across all areas of life–health, love, career, money, family, etc. Laurie spreads her message of empowerment through live international events, one-on-one coaching, virtual coaching courses, as a writer, on radio and in TV appearances such as MTV’s True Life Special: I’m Getting a Second Chance, A&E’s The Marriage Test, the Dr. Phil Show and TODAY show. Special Guest: Laurie Gerber w

If you’re single or looking for love, tune into this episode with professional coach, Laurie Gerber. Understand her framework for finding love, called “the 3Hs.” Laurie explains how to use the 3Hs while dating and as tool for self-awareness. Uncover your inner dialogue and subconscious patterning when it comes to love. Laurie also goes over how to be smart about dating online, how to use the 3Hs to find “the one,” and how to know when to abort a relationship if your head and heart are not aligned. Fantastic tips for anyone single or currently dating! --- Passionate about personal development, Laurie has been coaching individuals and groups for over 15 years. Her professional and personal mission is to better the world by teaching people to tell the truth and pursue their dreams. Her focus is on maximizing clients’ ability to thrive across all areas of life–health, love, career, money, family, etc. Laurie spreads her message of empowerment through live international events, one-on-one coaching, virtual coachin

Ever wondered how certain yogis seem to easily flip into inversions and balance on their hands? Today master yoga teacher, Danni Pomplun, joins us as he shares all his tips on how to get upside down and into arm balances. We cover: What inversions and arm balances to master in what order. How to adjust your hands so balancing on them feels more like balancing on your feet. Should we use the wall when learning handstand? Plus, tips and tricks on how to fall. We also talk about cross training. Is it necessary in order to master some of these advanced poses? Listen and find out!   ---   Danni Pomplun runs his own popular 200-hour teacher training in San Francisco, and is the lead teacher for various teacher trainings both in the U.S. and abroad. He has over 700-hours of advanced yoga training with teachers like, Jason Crandell, Noah Maze, and Darren Main. He offers continuing education workshops and tune-up retreats where instructors can refine and deepen their skills - one of which we are offering together in 2

Ever wondered how certain yogis seem to easily flip into inversions and balance on their hands? Today master yoga teacher, Danni Pomplun, joins us as he shares all his tips on how to get upside down and into arm balances. We cover: What inversions and arm balances to master in what order. How to adjust your hands so balancing on them feels more like balancing on your feet. Should we use the wall when learning handstand? Plus, tips and tricks on how to fall. We also talk about cross training. Is it necessary in order to master some of these advanced poses? Listen and find out! --- Danni Pomplun runs his own popular 200-hour teacher training in San Francisco, and is the lead teacher for various teacher trainings both in the U.S. and abroad. He has over 700-hours of advanced yoga training with teachers like, Jason Crandell, Noah Maze, and Darren Main. He offers continuing education workshops and tune-up retreats where instructors can refine and deepen their skills - one of which we are offering together in 2019.

Continuing our conversation with author Michelle S. Fondin, we dive deeper into our exploration of chakras. We discuss the physic energy of the Gunas, and how they relate to each of these seven energy centers. Michelle explains how both the Yoga Sutras and Tantric philosophy weave into our understanding of the chakras. We also talk about awakening Kundalini energy, the role of Ida and Pingala nadis, and the association of Ida and Pingala nadi with each chakra.  If you already understand the basics of each chakra and are looking to go deeper, this episode is for you! ---   Michelle S. Fondin, author of Chakra Healing for Vibrant Energy and The Wheel of Healing with Ayurveda is owner of the Ayurvedic Path Yoga and Wellness Studio, where she practices as an Ayurvedic lifestyle counselor and as a yoga and meditation teacher. She holds a Vedic Master certificate from the Chopra Center and has worked with Dr. Deepak Chopra teaching yoga and meditation. Find out more about her work at www.michellefondinauthor.com.  

Positioned along the spinal axis, from the tailbone to the crown of the head, the seven main energy centers of the body are called chakras. In today’s episode, author Michelle Fondin explores and explains each one, demystifying their role in facilitating healing, balance, personal power, and everyday well-being. We discuss what it means to have a chakra that is “blocked,” and how to bring it back into balance. We discuss Ayurveda and each dosha as it relates to the chakra system. Whether you are experiencing an illness brought on by imbalance, feeling sluggish because of seasonal changes, or simply wishing to deepen your study of the subtle body, you will find healing and rejuvenation while discovering the power of these vibrant energy centers. Don’t miss this special two-part episode!   ---   Michelle S. Fondin, author of Chakra Healing for Vibrant Energy and The Wheel of Healing with Ayurveda is owner of the Ayurvedic Path Yoga and Wellness Studio, where she practices as an Ayurvedic lifestyle counselor and

Mark Walsh tells us more about how the transformative practice of “Embodied Yoga” with concrete examples of EYP poses you can try now at-home. This way of practicing yoga can be emotionally intense (and he describes that this looks like). Bringing this additional layer of observation to the practice is a powerful tool for looking at your personal patterns and changing your life for the better. Mark also discusses the role of meditation. While meditation is fantastic for self-awareness, it doesn’t teach us social awareness or interpersonal skills. We also discuss why the Guru-model is broken in the West and why you might want to practice inquiry instead of affirmations. Listen to learn more! --- Mark Walsh, founder of Embodied Yoga Principles, has extensive training and facilitation experience with organizations worldwide, including Unilever, L’Oreal, Shell, Ikea, Virgin Atlantic, NHS, The Institute of Development Studies, The Natural History Museum, The House of Lords, The Met Police, and The Army of Sierra L

What are you choosing to embody when you come to your yoga mat? Are you using the yoga postures to gain awareness of your subconscious patterning? These are the questions Mark Walsh, founder of Embodied Yoga Principals, poses in this powerful episode. EYP blends yoga asana, partner-work, body therapy, and martial arts to create a unique system of yoga for people who want to achieve real-world success. Postures and group exercises are used to explore and develop the body as a way of being, integral to how we live. This kind of yoga is not esoteric. It’s about improving personal freedom, the relationships that matter most in our lives, and effectiveness in making the world a better place. Because Embodied Yoga is a set of principles rather than a style, it can add a new dimension to any form of yoga you choose to practice. Transform the way you view your time on that! You won’t think about your yoga practice the same way after this episode. --- Mark Walsh, founder of Embodied Yoga Principles, has extensive trai

Enhance your life by tuning into the natural rhythm of lunar ebbs and flows. Continuing our conversation with author Ezzie Spencer, PhD, we dive deeper into how we flourish by better understanding the cycles of the moon. Ezzie helps clarify if we need to work with same intention multiple times, or just one per lunar cycle. She also goes through the full 8-phase moon cycle as outlined in her book. Learn what you should (and shouldn’t) focus on in each of these 8 cycles. In a time in which we feel increasingly disconnected from nature, Ezzie’s Lunar Abundance practices offer a path to reconnection.   Dr Ezzie Spencer wants people to flourish. She is a published author, and creator of Lunar Abundance®. She is the host of an iTunes podcast, and the author of the book, LUNAR ABUNDANCE, CULTIVATING JOY, PEACE AND PURPOSE USING THE PHASES OF THE MOON. Ezzie started out as a lawyer and academic researcher. She holds a PhD in therapeutic jurisprudence and women's wellbeing. Together with tracking the moon cycle, this

Create peace, security and purpose in both your personal and professional life, guided by the phases of the moon. Ezzie Spencer PhD, author of “Lunar Abundance,” tell us how we can flourish by better understanding the lunar cycle. She speaks to us about scheduling: Does you current work and social calendar take into account the yang/yin patterns of the moon? We also discuss “intention setting.” What does setting an intention really mean? What rituals and actions surround this? What if your intention is to create LESS, instead of MORE of something? How do yoga and meditation play out within a lunar practice? Listen to find out!   Dr Ezzie Spencer wants people to flourish. She is a published author, and creator of Lunar Abundance®. She is the host of an iTunes podcast, and the author of the book, LUNAR ABUNDANCE, CULTIVATING JOY, PEACE AND PURPOSE USING THE PHASES OF THE MOON. Ezzie started out as a lawyer and academic researcher. She holds a PhD in therapeutic jurisprudence and women's wellbeing. Together wit

Continuing our conversation with author and Poet Laureate, Albert Flynn DeSilver, discover why poetry is the foundation all great writing (and why it couples so well with yoga and meditation). Albert opens up and tells us about his “failed” TedX talk, and why we should allow ourselves to write, even if we think it is “crap.” He shares several breakthrough tips about the editing process, as well as some of his own favorite journaling prompts. You won’t think about poetry, reading or writing the same way after this special interview. Albert Flynn DeSilver is an American poet, memoirist, novelist, speaker, and meditation teacher at the Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, California. Albert teaches nationally at the Omega Institute, Shambhala Mountain Center, the Esalen Institute and at writing conferences nationally. Albert is also an internationally published poet and served as Marin County California’s very first Poet Laureate from 2008-2010. Albert has read and shared the stage with U.S Poet Laureate K