A Curious Yogi with Bobbi Paidel

Today I’m joined live in Sainj Valley, Himachal Pradesh, with a wonderful teacher, satsangee and great human being who I’m honoured to call my friend - Vijay Shyam. Check out season 1 episode 5 for the first conversation we had on the podcast, where Vijay shares his stories and insights and his meeting with Baba Vivekanand almost 40 years ago. As Vijay and I adventured for a few days in the Himala...

“Nothing can teach us more about yoga than being in the presence of a yogi.” Today’s guest is the founder and director of AyurYoga Eco-Ashram Krishna Chaitanya. Having lived and studied in ashrams, seeking the wisdom of Guru's for 12 years, he has been trying to understand what it means to be spiritual from a realistic standpoint and made it his mission to unlearn everything he learned over the ye...

“Life as the unfoldment of bliss through the journey of self enquiry - this was the only thing that made sense to me.” Today’s brilliant conversation is a peek into the lesser-known and profound Avadhoot Gita with a very special yogi, author, musician and teacher, Seegla Vistar Brecher. The Avadhoot Gita of Dattatraya : Song of the Unborn is a deep, meditative exploration of a 9th-century Advaita...

“Patience, finding your teacher, and a community, a community that is led by a higher goal, led by purpose, by empathy, togetherness - will help you.” In this episode, I talk to the ever-fresh and brilliant Prasad Rangnekar. Humble and humorous with a way of connecting the listener to the underlying essence of yoga is, with total clarity, Prasad has been teaching and living those teachings of yoga...

Swamiji's words ring true today; "Saadhaana, or practice, is only relevant when you as your source are united to the Whole, and that is called Yog." Today I share thoughts on the nature of the mind, resolutions or Sankalp, and how social media can keep us in conflict. I invite you to contemplate the following in your sadhana; ➖ How does your mind work? Why do you think, feel, act, and relate the...

“There’s no peace until we truly know ourselves; until we know the unchanging being.” It is a total delight to share the Satsang space with friend, seeker, creator and teacher Sundaram. Originally from Poland, Sundaram has been studying and sharing Advait Vedant (non-dualism) teachings for 15 years. Today, we get into his story, along with the ancient wisdom from stories in Indian scriptures, how...

“Bring all your attention to the nature of your “I.” Study it, examine it, become doubtless.” In this episode, I’m talking to my dear friend Devon Pipars, a masterful meditator & teacher with years of experience exploring our topic today of self-inquiry. We share our thoughts and experiences of arriving at a place of wholeness through inquiring deeper through mediation. Here’s what we discuss:...

This weeks guest is the one and only Ira Trivedi. She shares a little insight into her journey of growing up in a yoga family to travelling the world in private jets to arriving in the yoga space on her own terms. Here’s a few gems we pack into the conversation; ➖04:50 Shunning rituals and rediscovering yoga ➖11:10 Ira’s quest from material success to a deeper purpose ➖16:05 Finding teachers in...

How can your life get better with yoga, or how can your yoga get better with your lifestyle? Today, I touch on 5 non-yoga habits that have skyrocketed my practice and give you some insight into how they might look in your life. Check out all the shoutouts I mentioned in the episode: ➖ 10-week sadhana and satsang meetup beginning December 5th. Join here: momence.com/s/97481981 ➖ Book: Why We Slee...

“If we can begin to see that there is a power and deep soul connection to that concept which really rings true in all of our hearts at some level, if we clear away or dust away that baggage that gets in way of that reality that we want freedom. All of us. Spiritual and political. And the only way to get there is justice and equality for all peoples.” This weeks episode is an important one as I sha...

“The most profound experiences we can have, or developments we can have, are from visiting our meditation practice regularly.” Today, I sit down with skilled teacher and sweet soul Virginia Edmond-Kent, whom I met on Lake Atitlan in 2020. Virginia has dedicated a decade to practicing and sharing the transformative power of yoga. She believes in the synergistic potential of combining plant medicine...

“There’s always someone looking for help, whether we notice it or not. I think that we don’t need to create a reality separate from the actual reality.” Such a meaningful conversation today with Tejal Patel, a first-generation Indian American yoga teacher, writer, podcaster, and community organizer. Tejal aims to educate and empower individuals and groups worldwide to practice yoga holistically an...

“You’re Free! Freedom has nothing to do with being free or not free, freedom, in this sense, is the essence, the fabric, the substrata, the fibre of everything. Freedom alone is.” Today I share an elevated and joyful conversation with Kevin Hewitt. Master meditator, teacher and friend, Kevin has been living and teaching the principles of meditation for over 40 years. We dive into the connection of...

“I know it is possible to get through the darkest times. To overcome suffering. There is always an ember to ignite.” *Trigger warning: this episode mentions suicide. If you or someone you know is suffering from mental health and concerned with suicidal ideations, please know that help is available to you. Here are resources in Canada; Talksuicide.ca Suicideprevention.ca Wellnesstogether.ca Mentalh...

“Surrender all that changes to your higher Self, then you will always be guided and know how to live your life. And that is your victory you will achieve in your lifetime.” This weeks guest, Shelley Astrof is a master of meditation, educator, author and self proclaimed peace pioneer - love that! Today we explore the Bhagavad Gita and Shelley’s extraordinary vision of how we can take the profound t...

“Spirituality exists in daily life. In the bowl of oatmeal, in the cup of tea.” Today I’m joined by author, sommelier, and practicing Buddhist Keith Robinson. Since childhood, Crohn’s disease has been his life-long nemesis, companion, and teacher. Over his lifetime, Crohn’s brought him to the brink of death many times. Keith began to practice and study Nichiren Buddhist teachings at the age of 13....

“If you meditate and you become calm and are at peace with the world, then you can arrive at an answer to the problem that is worrying you.” Today's enlightening conversation with Philosopher Madhuri Santanam Sondhi is a total privilege. At nearly 90 years old, she’s lived an extraordinary life. Madhuri has spent her life as a devoted wife to a celebrated politician, a mother to two children and a...

“ Belonging is a deep acceptance as who you are where all parts of you are welcome as a result of the human experience.” This week’s guest is yogi, educator, leader and speaker Jess LeBlanc. She aims to inspire others to build a healthy connection and interaction between the mind and body – two equally important entities in the pursuit of true health. This is a beautifully insightful conversation...

This is a special interlude from the regular podcast programming to extend my most heartfelt invitation to you to join me at the upcoming sadhana and yoga retreat held in our jungle beachfront home in San Juan Del Sur Nicaragua. An all-inclusive week of yoga, meditation and self-care starting September 16th, 2023. Retreat info: bobbipaidel.com/retreat Retreat registration: bobbipaidel.com/retreat-...

"Our yoga and pranayam practice clears the clouds so I keep going; the sun is who I am, the space is who I am, that love is who I am." This week's seeker of freedom is again my dear friend and a great teacher Noah Heney. Noah was on the show in season one, episode 6, where he shared his brilliant story of transforming his life from one of self-destruction to one of freedom & bliss. In this epi...

Students often question is sadhana different from a daily yoga or asana practice, and the answer is YES! It's so much deeper and brings so much more lit and clarity to life. In this weeks solo episode I explore: ➖what is sadhana ➖who is sadhana for ➖what sadhana unfolds ➖and how to "do it" (or not) If you're ready for a focused study of sadhana join my upcoming virtual group for living yoga an...

“When we’re distracted and not in tune with our authentic selves we don’t hear sound and magic around us. Let’s come back home and remember there’s this beautiful side of you.” Gurnimit Singh is a 3rd generation kirtan singer from Chandigarh India who determined to share his lineage teachings and help practitioners evolve into their authentic selves through Bhakti Yog. He began his intense study o...

What an entertaining and delightful conversation with Jesse Stirling, a broadcast Executive, Television Host,Journalist, Writer Meditation Teacher & Family Man. 20 plus years of hosting the NTV television show “Meetings with Remarkable People”, along with growing up in a spiritual family with an Indian Guru, has illuminated Jesse’s deep capacity to share all the wisdom he’s learned in his life...

“Do your sadhana. On the days you like it, on the days you don’t. It is essential. It’s like that boat that brings you across the ocean.” Today’s guest is a true spark of delight and wisdom all packed into one. Rohini Manohar describes her quest for joy as one that began with curiosity and winded up bringing her into a lifelong love affair with yoga. She shares palatable and memorable stories with...

“It’s an infinite well of Love waiting for us inside ourselves, just ever ready for us to put our attention there and turn towards it and recognize it for the treasure that it is.” In this episode, I’m sitting together in India with one of my favourite satsangees and devotees Sinja Anna Baumann. We go deep into self-inquiry and explore what meditation is. Sinja generously offers a guided meditatio...