November 04, 2025

Small Moves, Big Relief: A Practical Guide To Returning To Yoga

1 hour 9 minutes

Harmony and Russell sit down with long-time friend and teacher Krista Shirley to explore what it truly means to feel at home in your body. Krista recounts a devastating shoulder surgery complication that severed her suprascapular nerve, the long journey through pain and medical dead ends, and the mind-body tools that helped her rebuild function and joy. She shares how meditation, mental rehearsal, pranayama, and small, precise movements became a bridge back to daily practice, and why her Body Mechanics classes now offer a soft landing for people who think yoga is out of reach. The conversation gets real about grief in the Ashtanga community, aging, acceptance, and trusting the work you have already done.

Episode breakdown

What it takes to feel at home in your body

A candid account of nerve injury, infection, and the “FU door” moment of choosing a new path

Mental rehearsal, meditation, and pranayama as practical rehab tools

The case for micro-movements, scapular and hip focus, and brain-body connection

Aging with practice, releasing performance pressure, and keeping the joy

Why “trust the investment” can change everything when you return to the mat

Making practice accessible, how Body Mechanics leads people back to Mysore

Community, lineage, loss, and what sustains us now

About our guest

Krista Shirley is a Level 2 Authorized Ashtanga teacher, Pilates instructor, and founder of The Yoga Shala in Orlando, Florida. After a surgery severed her suprascapular nerve, she developed a brain-body approach to rehabilitation that became her Body Mechanics method, helping students reduce pain, restore function, and reconnect with practice. Krista teaches Mysore and Body Mechanics classes, offers tutorials on her YouTube channel, and leads retreats, including a July 10–16 program in Lefkada, Greece.

X / Twitter link: https://www.x.com/kristayogini

Instagram link: https://www.instagram.com/kristashirleyyoga

Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/kristashirleyyoga

YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/@yogawithkrista

Listen to episode 36 with Krista Shirley on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/finding-harmony-podcast/id1508928138?i=1000579088315

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2TISeuK3dGPFxL8nsykLzN?si=675435af5b0847a

Health Disclaimer:

The information shared in this episode of Finding Harmony Podcast is for educational and inspirational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician, physical therapist, or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, injury, or wellness program. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you heard on this podcast.

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By Harmony Slater

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