Mahasoma Podcast

Mahasoma

Feminine-led Vedic wisdom shared through in-depth conversations, real talk, and experts in the field of the Vedic sciences, mind-body connection, spirituality, and cultural change. Come be part of our Mahasoma journey, as Laura Poole, Sarah O’Brien, and Kathleen O’Brien explore the living of Vedic meditation in daily life and share their personal journeys of embodiment. Find out more about Mahasoma and learning Vedic meditation at www.mahasoma.com or follow us @mahasoma

  1. Living as a steward of Vedic wisdom with Amy Landry

    08/17/2025

    Living as a steward of Vedic wisdom with Amy Landry

    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

    1h 11m
  2. Let’s Not Start a Cult: Red Flags, Power, and Ethical Leadership with Sarah Steel

    05/04/2025

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

    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 leaderImpact of cults on its membersCoercive behaviours, power, and controlCults evolving from communities Why cults are present in spirituality and religionCult ‘Red Flags’ to look out forSupporting ex-members of cultsMedia coverage and public awareness of cultsThe business of spirituality and cult-like tendenciesHow to not become a cult leaderFostering healthy community and leaders in the spiritual spaceConnect 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

    1h 10m
  3. A fresh perspective on menopause with Ayurveda practitioner Erandati Benjamin from Inner Soma

    01/25/2025

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

    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

    1h 13m
  4. The dharma and karma of teaching Vedic meditation in prisons with Joh Jarvis from The Light Inside

    04/22/2024

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

    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 54How 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 SelfTrust and surrenderThe huge shift that takes place when you let go and allow life to move through youIt’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 PenitentiaryJoh 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, AlabamaDoing Time, Doing Vipassana - Meditation program in New Delhi's Tihar prisonThe 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 rehabilitationUnlocked: 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 behaviourGod Save Texas: Hometown prison - Richard Linklater documentaryStep 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 supportRead 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

    1h 52m
  5. When your worst nightmare becomes a path to freedom with Yeojin Bae

    01/14/2024

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

    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

    2h 47m
  6. The process is the solution: embracing challenges with grace and ease with Kathleen O’Brien

    11/01/2023

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

    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 leadershipCollaboration and co-creation without goal orientationThere's no final destination only the process of lifeSeeing growth and possibility rather than ‘problems’Nature as our greatest teacherHow Vedic meditation teaches process orientationConnect with Kathleen kathleen@mahasoma.com@kathleenobrien_Learn Vedic meditation with Kathleen CastlemaineMelbourneAdelaideLearn to meditate with us at Mahasoma --- follow us @mahasoma --- hello@mahasoma.com Learn to meditate with us at Mahasoma --- follow us @mahasoma --- hello@mahasoma.com

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

    07/11/2023

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

    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

    1h 5m
  8. Guru Purnima - honouring our spiritual teachers on this special full moon night with Blaine Watson

    06/21/2023

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

    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 PurnimaDifference between a teacher (acharya) and a GuruHow Guru Purnima is celebratedMaharishi Mahesh Yogi and Guru PurnimaThe purpose of devotion and awakening the heartLineage and traditionTranscendence and the GuruLove and the GuruGuru-shishya relationshipWhen the Guru falls from the pedestalIs the age of the Guru dead?Is it possible to find a true Guru?The path of the GuruThe day of the Guru – spiritual practice for this dayHow to observe Guru Purnima and gain the auspicious blessingsShow notes. BOOKS The Ocean of Love: The Anurag Sagar of KabirThe Collected Works of Ramana MaharshiAutobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda KINDLE or PAPERBACKA Search In Secret India: The classic work on seeking a guru by Paul BruntonOTHER Neem Karoli BabaAnanda MayimaPurnamadah MantraLearn to meditate with us at Mahasoma --- follow us @mahasoma --- hello@mahasoma.com

    1 hr
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4.9
out of 5
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About

Feminine-led Vedic wisdom shared through in-depth conversations, real talk, and experts in the field of the Vedic sciences, mind-body connection, spirituality, and cultural change. Come be part of our Mahasoma journey, as Laura Poole, Sarah O’Brien, and Kathleen O’Brien explore the living of Vedic meditation in daily life and share their personal journeys of embodiment. Find out more about Mahasoma and learning Vedic meditation at www.mahasoma.com or follow us @mahasoma

Information

  • Creator
    Mahasoma
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2025
  • Episodes
    40
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Mahasoma Podcast
  • Show Website
    Mahasoma Podcast

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