In this episode of Escaping Samsara, Nathan Thompson sits down with Susi Sweeney—a lifelong yoga practitioner, teacher, mother, and now grandmother. Her path runs deep through 30 years of practice and cuts across the raw terrain of anxiety, eating disorders, motherhood, and aging. 

She trained with Pattabhi Jois. She now works through the sixth series. Every movement, she says, pulls something loose—grief, joy, memory. 

Susie explains how she raised children while maintaining her practice, how her mat held steady through births and breakdowns. Now a grandmother, she reflects on change—not as decline, but as deeper awareness.

We discuss how the mat can be altar, battlefield, and therapist’s chair. Susie reminds us that yoga doesn’t ask for perfection. Just honesty. And repetition.

In this episode, Nathan sits down with Gregor Maehle to explore the deeper patterns that shape a lifetime of spiritual practice. Rather than focusing on technique or lineage, this conversation travels into the inner terrain—what changes as we mature in our practice, what stays hidden until we’re ready to see it, and how we relate to disembodied knowledge and the teachers who carry it.

Gregor speaks candidly about moving through different phases of yoga—physical, philosophical, devotional—and the quiet shifts that signal growth. The conversation turns to the Yoga Sutras, not as a rulebook, but as a living inquiry: What is spiritual maturity? How do we move beyond surface-level understanding into direct experience?

We also touch on:

• Why certain teachings only reveal themselves at the right time

• The role of intuition vs. tradition

• Disembodied teachers and mystical messaging

• The role of avidya (ignorance) in Yoga vs Buddhism

• Is someone "tending the light at the end of the tunnel"?

This is one for listeners who are walking the long path—those in the middle of a cycle, or perhaps sensing the end of one.

What does it mean to walk a path across lifetimes, through lineages, and into the heart of divine practice?

In this intimate and powerful episode, we sit down with Sat Inder Khalsa, a teacher of Ashtanga Yoga, student of Tantra, and dedicated seeker who has traveled many spiritual paths—including Wicca, Sikhism, Hinduism, and more—to uncover deeper layers of truth.

Sat Inder shares his mission to help others integrate yogic and tantric wisdom into everyday life—guiding students through Sanskrit, philosophy, temple life, and the very human challenges of spiritual growth. With warmth and honesty, he opens up about his life journey, the mentors who shaped him, and what it means to truly embody practice.

✨ Whether you're a curious beginner or a long-time practitioner, this conversation is a heartfelt transmission of lived experience and grounded wisdom.

📿 Follow Sat Inder: @in_her_lap

Known simply as Darby, his story is one of movement, devotion, and surrender, which led him to India in 1979. There, in Mysore, he met Ashtanga guru Pattabhi Jois and embraced the transformative rigor of the practice. Darby’s experiences reflect a deep commitment to both physical and spiritual growth. 

Today, as a husband, father, and teacher, Darby shares how he balances family responsibilities with his practice, emphasizing surrender as the key to fulfillment.

Whether you’re a seasoned practitioner or new to yoga, this episode offers wisdom on integrating Chinese Medicine, Hatha, and Kriya yoga into daily life while staying true to your spiritual core.

We cover:

• Life in the original Mysore shala
• The original classical Ashtanga and the modern version
• Kriya yoga and integrating original hatha practices into modern practice
• Coming back to practice after parenthood
• What it really means to walk the yogic path

Kim Allen’s journey into Buddhist practice began in 2003, sparked by a period of deep personal change and suffering. Guided by her primary teacher, Gil Fronsdal, she devoted herself to intensive retreat practice, sutta study, and a life aligned with the Eightfold Path. With over 1,000 days of silent retreat, including practice in Sri Lanka and Buddhist centers across Asia, Kim brings a depth of lived experience to her teaching.

She has studied with renowned teachers like Shaila Catherine, Bhikkhu Anālayo, and Bhikkhu Bodhi, and now offers teachings on classical texts, sutta study, and the integration of deep Dharma into daily life. In 2020, she took formal commitment as a Lay Contemplative, receiving the Dharma name Sumatimitta—a "wise friend" on the path.

Kim’s teaching is rooted in direct experience—the willingness to meet reality as it is, with clarity, compassion, and wisdom. Her approach blends the profound depth of early Buddhist wisdom with the simple beauty of the present moment—whether it’s the sound of a hawk’s call or the ripple of aspen leaves.

I’m honored to welcome Kim to the podcast today as we discuss the Dharma, the power of retreat practice, and what it means to live a contemplative life in the modern world.

In this episode we're once again joined by Richard Josephson for a Dharma discussion centred around family life as a vehicle for practicing Buddhist and general liberation teachings. With over 50 years of practice experience both as a monk and a family man, Richard Josephson is perfectly placed to give a wise perspective on how we can best practice, whatever our circumstances. 

1. Listen for insights on:

• Why you should or shouldn't become ordained
• The challanges of being a monk or nun
• How to find time in family life to practice well
• How to cultivate an attitude and find motivation to pursue the noble path
• How to find stillness and release from stress no matter what 

What does it mean to be truly happy? In this episode of Escaping Samsara, I sit down with teachers Richard Freeman and Mary Taylor to explore the deeper layers of practice beyond asana and into meditation and philosophy.

Drawing from their decades of experience in spiritual practice, they discuss the subtle intersections of yoga, Buddhism, and embodiment—revealing how happiness is not just an emotion, but a fully integrated state of being.

We dive into the challenges of modern yoga, the pitfalls of spiritual ego, and how to navigate tradition without becoming dogmatic. Richard shares candid insights on guru culture, the Westernization of yoga, and the fine line between devotion and delusion, while Mary offers grounded wisdom on cultivating joy through breath, presence, and compassionate awareness.

Join us for an illuminating conversation on the art of practice, the paradox of happiness, and what it really means to escape Samsara.

Check out Richard and Mary's new book: Feeling Happy: The Yoga of Body, Heart, and Mind

Find more info about Richard and Mary here.

In the latest episode of Escaping Samsara, I sit down with Spiros Antonopoulos and Barry Silver in person on the banks of the Ganga River in Varanasi to explore their incredible project, Gently Down: Bathed, Beaten, and Blessed — a 20-year journey of artistic and spiritual collaboration rooted in the sacred energies of the Ganga and the Maha Kumbh Mela festival.

Spiros and Barry first met as yoga students in New York City, unaware that their paths would intertwine for decades, leading them back—again and again—to the ancient flow of India’s most sacred river. 

We discuss: 🔹 The power of consecration—how objects, spaces, and even moments can be transformed into sacred vessels 🔹 The ritual journey of Bathed, Beaten, and Blessed 3.0 at the Kumbh Mela festival 🔹 How purification, intention, and devotion anchor us in deeper realities 🔹 The intersection of yoga, esoteric traditions, and artistic expression

In this episode, we discuss the positives and drawbacks of different ways of practising Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga.

Tiaga covers thoughts and perspectives from his diverse backgrounds studying with Ramaswami, Dharma Mittra, and his experience teaching Mysore style for over 20 years.

We also cover the core Tristana method, getting into the technique of breath and bandha, and how mudra exploration can enhance a regular asana practice.

So if you enjoy Ashtanga or any form of Vinyasa yoga and want a good geek-out with two long-term practitioners, prepare a cup of chai, sit back and listen in.

Ajahn Kovilo joins me from the Clear Mountain Podcast and Richard Josephson - a lay yogi living in a California temple.

We discuss the intersection of yoga, Buddhism, and mysticism in general. We cover Emptiness, pranayama, and the different paths of the renunciate and the layperson and how they can both lead to awakening.

This is a deep-dive discussion covering the transformative effects of sadhana in the modern world. We wonder what Samsara is and if we escape from it.