Good Company with Vijay Shyam | S4 Ep 5

Embracing the Paradox. Hi Curious Yogis,I’m here with my friend Vijay and fellow meditator, and I’m so excited to share the first rendition of a new podcast format I'm calling Good Company. It’s a part of The Curious Yogi Podcast, created to offer something a little different: spontaneous, live-streamed satsang that invites you, the community of listeners and Patreon members, into deeper connection and active participation.In this inaugural conversation, recorded live in Copenhagen, we dive straight into the heart of what it means to walk the spiritual path while still being fully human. It’s a real, unscripted exchange. Just two seekers exploring the paradoxes of life and truth together.We touch on the nature of mind, the illusion of control, the role of desire and attachment, and reflect on timeless teachings like the Bhagavad Gita, all while holding space for not-knowing and being present with what is.Most of all, this episode is a celebration of satsang, the kind of good company that nourishes and supports true inquiry.In this episode:The paradox of being human and awareHow desire and attachment shape our experienceWisdom from the Bhagavad Gita and other sacred textsThe deep value of spiritual friendship and satsang🎧 About this Format Good Company is for all of us who want more live, engaged spiritual dialogue. It’s about presence over perfection, connection over performance. And it’s a way to offer more value and opportunities to get involved, especially for our Patreon supporters and Curious Yogi community.🙏🏽 Thanks for being here. If this conversation resonates, we’d love to hear from you. Your presence and reflections are part of what makes this offering come alive.In oneness,BobbiThanks for listening!💭Support the podcast and join monthly satsangs and live streams at patreon.com/acuriousyogipodcast💭 If you liked this episode, please leave a review – it really, really helps the show reach more people, plus I love reading each one.💭 Share your biggest takeaway on Instagram stories @bobbipaidel💭Join me in northern India for the Yog Sadhana Retreat Himalaya March 2026 bobbipaidel.com/himalayan-retreat💭 If you’d like to chat about the show, be a guest, or practice together find me at bobbipaidel.com/connect 🙏♥️✨

"A Sankhya Yogi loses ego every day. A Scholar gains ego every day.” In this episode, I chat with Ram Jain — a fifth-generation yogi and founder of Arhanta Yoga, with ashrams in both India and the Netherlands. Ram’s journey began at a Vedic school at age 8, and his life has since been dedicated to teaching yoga as a path to self-realization and empowerment.We talk about his evolution from aspiring dancer to spiritual teacher, how yoga is perceived differently across cultures, and the deeper meaning behind practices like Sankhya and Gyan Yoga. Ram has a beautiful way of flipping questions back on me, sparking some deep reflection on identity, ego, and the dance between individuality and oneness.He also shares practical advice on choosing a yoga teacher training, including the value of hands-on teaching and staying rooted in tradition.Takeaways from our conversation:➖ Yoga is ultimately about coming home to yourself.➖ Our background shapes how we understand and experience yoga.➖ Some Western students find ideas like karma and reincarnation a bit unfamiliar at first.➖ Sankhya Yoga brings a logical lens to deep questions about who we are.➖ Life unfolds in its own perfect timing — things come when we’re ready.➖ Each soul is unique, yet part of something greater.➖ Yoga invites us to explore who we are beneath all the labels.➖ A strong yoga teacher training should include real-world teaching practice.➖ Experiencing yoga in its cultural roots can bring deeper insight and connection.Find Ram: 🌐 www.arhantayoga.org 📸 IG: @arhanta.yogaThis conversation made me smile, stretch my brain, and sit with some big, beautiful paradoxes. I’d love to hear what stood out to you.In oneness, Bobbi Thanks for listening! 💭Support the podcast and join monthly satsangs at patreon.com/acuriousyogipodcast 💭 If you liked this episode, please leave a review – it really, really helps the show reach more people, plus I love reading each one. 💭 Share your biggest takeaway on Instagram stories @bobbipaidel 💭Join me in northern India for the Yog Sadhana Retreat Himalaya March 2026 bobbipaidel.com/himalayan-retreat 💭 If you’d like to chat about the show, be a guest, or practice together find me at bobbipaidel.com/connect 🙏♥️✨

“Consciousness is love, it is who I truly am.” Today I chat with celebrated yoga teacher and author Reema Datta who is on a mission to change that with her recent book The Yogi’s Way: Transform Your Mind, Health, and Reality, which offers a twelve-week self-guided course that empowers readers to break free from the destructive tendencies of their minds and experience lasting peace.Reema shares insights from her own sadhana and of course, her book, exploring the profound influence of family on her spiritual journey, the importance of inner peace, and the foundations of yoga practice. She emphasizes the teachings of Advaita Vedanta, the interconnection of service and spirituality, and the need for cultural sensitivity in yoga.Here are some highlights I took away with me; ➖The essence of yoga goes beyond physical practice➖The real teachings focus on mental purification, which requires meditation & contemplation➖Service & spirituality go hand in hand➖Cultural sensitivity is crucial in sharing yoga practices➖It's okay to mispronounce Sanskrit; focus on intention & authenticity ➖All-day yoga emphasizes breath awareness throughout daily life➖Yoga and Ayurveda work together for self-realization and healing➖Community & friends on this path are essentialVisit Reema online and join her 12-week Yogi’s Way Course Starting September 21st www.ReemaYoga.comBuy the book HEREConnect with Reema on IG @reemayogaI really enjoyed Reema's book and this beautiful conversation. They highlight the need for a broader, more enriched narrative about the teachings of yoga and how we live them daily. I’d highly recommend both as support for your yoga, wherever you are in your journey. In oneness, Bobbi Thanks for listening! 💭Support the podcast and join monthly satsangs at patreon.com/acuriousyogipodcast 💭 If you liked this episode, please leave a review – it really, really helps the show reach more people, plus I love reading each one. 💭 Share your biggest takeaway on Instagram stories @bobbipaidel 💭Join me in northern India for the Yog Sadhana Retreat Himalaya March 2026 bobbipaidel.com/himalayan-retreat 💭 If you’d like to chat about the show, be a guest, or practice together find me at bobbipaidel.com/connect 🙏♥️✨

"The only important thing is peace, and peace is your true nature.”In this enlightening episode, I’m talking to a friend and master yogini, Deep Priya, who has been teaching Patanjali Yog Sutras since 1986. Deep Priya shares her profound journey through yoga, dance, and meditation, exploring the interconnectedness of these practices.The conversation delves into the essence of the witness self, the nature of the mind, and the path to liberation through meditation and self-awareness.Deep Priya explores and emphasizes the importance of being present in the moment, understanding the nature of thoughts, and the journey towards achieving peace through meditation. The discussion delves into the differences between samadhi and kevalya, the significance of Patanjali's wisdom in modern life, and the transformative power of meditation in accessing deeper states of consciousness.Here are some key takeaways:➖Authenticity in dance and yoga comes from deep self-awareness➖Patanjali's teachings serve as a guide for meditators seeking liberation➖The witness self is a crucial aspect of understanding one's true nature➖Meditation is essential for comprehending Patanjali's teachings➖The mind's perception can be both beneficial and detrimental➖Kundalini represents a deeper connection to the universe➖The journey of self-discovery is ongoing and requires patience➖The essence of yoga is to achieve peace, and peace is the ultimate goal of spiritual practiceMake sure to head over to A Curious Yogi Patreon page to listen to Deep Priya's full audio track of Sanskrit singing Patanjali’s first Paad.And join me for Living Yoga Sadhana 6-week Immersion beginning May 18th HEREI truly enjoyed and was delighted by this conversation and all the inspiration and wisdom Deep Priya shared. I promise you will, too.In oneness,BobbiThanks for listening!💭Support the podcast and join monthly satsangs at patreon.com/acuriousyogipodcast💭 If you liked this episode, please leave a review – it really, really helps the show reach more people, plus I love reading each one.💭 Share your biggest takeaway on Instagram stories @bobbipaidel💭Join me in northern India for the Yog Sadhana Retreat Himalaya March 2026 bobbipaidel.com/himalayan-retreat💭 If you’d like to chat about the show, be a guest, or practice together, find me at bobbipaidel.com/connect 🙏♥️✨

“Be curious about the right stuff. Who are you really? Ask yourself, what’s the truth that never changes its truthfulness?” Today I’m joined by a real modern-day yogi and meditator live from the Himalayas. Mr. Richard Taylor became Dikpal when he met Swami Shyam in 1973. He’s been meditating ever since, and in this delightful and illuminating conversation, Dikpal shares his wisdom from living and studying with a Self-realized teacher for 50 years and coming to understand the purpose of this human life.We touch on a lot here, but here are just a few of the highlights: ➖ Journey from having it all and still being miserable to having an experience of “regaining the innocence and seeing the truth behind the appearances” ➖ “The experience of perfection, it’s like when you hear it, you know it in the deepest depths of your being as the truth”. ➖ Dikpal answers my question: What is that power that covers the sense of perfection in a human being? ➖ “The essence of sadhana, spiritual practice, to be this, that, no, it’s to know that you are pure being, untouchable by any event.” ➖ Yogastah: to be established in Yog ➖ Method of inquiry, meditation and mantra to open the direct experience ➖ “When you’re meditating, you let go of holding onto individual perception. The life, the awareness, is eternal, it is out of time.” You can’t really find Dikpal on the internet, but let us know what you think of this talk and how your meditation practice is going. I really enjoyed this conversation, both when we had it live in Dikpal's living room and then again when I listened to it, when I really needed it, back here in Sweden. It was refreshing to hear again about the inevitable covering power of the human being and how to always know how to return to that Pure Being in the practice of meditation - and of course, Satsang. Thanks for being here with me for another season of a Curious Yogi Podcast. In appreciation and oneness, Bobbi Thanks for listening! 💭Support the podcast and join monthly satsangs at patreon.com/acuriousyogipodcast 💭 If you liked this episode, please leave a review – it really, really helps the show reach more people, plus I love reading each one. 💭 Share your biggest takeaway on Instagram stories @bobbipaidel 💭Join me in northern India for the Yog Sadhana Retreat Himalaya March 2026 bobbipaidel.com/himalayan-retreat 💭 If you’d like to chat about the show, be a guest, or practice together find me at bobbipaidel.com/connect 🙏♥️✨

Curious Yogis! Wow! Such a treat to compile these key moments and threads of knowledge that have been woven throughout the past season of a Curious Yogi Podcast.Today I give my thoughts on everything picked up in the past season and share my reflections on the endlessly inspiring topics to support our continual unfoldment in sadhana.Enjoy special moments of wisdom shared by Daniel Simpson, Stewart Gilchrist, Sheena Sood, Acharya Shunya, Magnust Fridh, Prasad Rangnekar, Mayank, Lars Ims and Shaarda. Let me know what your thoughts have been for season 3! What did you love? What do you want more of? And how is your sadhana unfolding?See you soon and take care of each other. In love and oneness, BobbiThanks for listening!💭Support the podcast and join monthly satsangs at patreon.com/acuriousyogipodcast 💭 If you liked this episode, please leave a review on Apple podcasts – it really, really helps the show reach more people, plus I love reading each one. 💭 Share your biggest takeaway on Instagram stories @bobbipaidel 💭Join the waitlist for the Yog Sadhana Retreat Himalaya March 2026 bobbipaidel.com/himalayan-retreat 💭 If you’d like to chat about the show, be a guest, or practice together find me at bobbipaidel.com/connect 🙏♥️✨

“Be patient with your spiritual journey. I believe that when you stop looking at spirituality as one more project to fuel one’s ego it finds its own pace. Natural, effortless growth happens.” Another great, illuminating conversation with the ever generous, one and only Prasad Rangnekar. You may know him from his popular Instagram account with his 30 years of teaching and mentoring wisdom under his belt that he delivers in digestible, relatable nuggets. Today my intention was to “get deep” with Prasad and we definitely hit that for all you spiritually curious seekers out there. We discuss the real purpose behind spiritual work and the willingness to actually approach it with commitment, faith and dedication. Here’s what we touched on; ➖ “The end all be all of yoga is refine the mind” ➖ “We are co-creators, always impacted and intersected by different variables”➖ “You have to be willing to do the work, to go through the fire of tapasya”➖ “The world is not your cheerleader, it’s your audience”➖ Abhyasa, vairagya and viveka ➖ “The ideal Guru is not the fantasy you think it is” You can find Prasad on his IG page @yogaprasad_institute or on his website: prasadrangnekar.com This conversation left me remembering that this is a long game, the short wins may come but there certainly are no shortcuts to refining the mind and realizing the truth of who we are. Prasad sprinkles knowledge bombs in the form of epic one-liners throughout this episode and I know you’ll find some takeaways to contemplate in your own sadhana. in oneness, Bobbi Thanks for listening! 💭 Find the full show notes at bobbipaidel.com/podcast-s3-ep22-prasad-rangnekar💭Support the podcast and join monthly satsangs at patreon.com/acuriousyogipodcast 💭 If you liked this episode, please leave a review on Apple podcasts – it really, really helps the show reach more people, plus I love reading each one. 💭 Share your biggest takeaway on Instagram stories @bobbipaidel 💭Join me in northern India for the Yog Sadhana Retreat Himalaya March 2025 - 1 spot left! bobbipaidel.com/himalayan-retreat 💭 If you’d like to chat about the show, be a guest, or practice together find me at bobbipaidel.com/connect 🙏♥️✨

“Sadhana is to realize the embodied being and know the difference. This human incarnation is something we have, it’s not what we are. Avidya is mistaking what we have for what we are.” Lars Ims is a meditator and author who has spent his life immersed in sadhana under the guidance of his Guru, Swami Shyam. He is also a friend, so he is the perfect yogi to discuss the real meaning of Sadhana. It’s such a great joy to share in the Satsang space, where he delivers the true meaning of sadhana, the importance of “sattwifying” our lives so the light of the Self can shine through, and ultimately, how meditation is the way. I love this conversation because it centers around freedom. Whether in the spiritual paths we explore, how we apply our critical thinking or how we move through the world with our dharmas - whatever we do, the Self is always free. Here are a few points we touched on; ➖ The goal of sadhana is to know the state which is always free➖ The final step of sadhana cannot be an effort from your human side➖ Vivek, vairagya, abhyasa ➖ The mind is not the problem - it’s how we relate to the mind ➖ Exploring sadhana and finding your own way to express your spiritual life Find Lars book HEREConnect with Lars on IG HEREThanks for listening! 💭 Find the full show notes at www.bobbipaidel.com/podcast-s3-ep21-lars-ims 💭Support the podcast and join monthly satsangs at patreon.com/acuriousyogipodcast 💭 If you liked this episode, please leave a review on Apple podcasts – it really, really helps the show reach more people, plus I love reading each one. 💭 Share your biggest takeaway on Instagram stories @bobbipaidel 💭Join me in northern India for the Yog Sadhana Retreat Himalaya March 2025 bobbipaidel.com/himalayan-retreat 💭 If you’d like to chat about the show, be a guest, or practice together find me at bobbipaidel.com/connect 🙏♥️✨

"Yoga is pointing towards the possibility of an impersonal approach to everything that is experienced." Hey yoga nerds! This one is for you.Daniel Simpson makes timeless insights accessible and relevant. He’s the author of The Truth of Yoga, an engaging overview of history and philosophy. He also hosts the Ancient Futures podcast. His latest course is a year-long immersion, The Path of Knowledge – you can find out more and join here.In today’s engaging, informative and light-hearted conversation, Daniel offers up so much inspiration from ancient yogic knowledge to applied modern practice. He shares his journey of “so many wrong turns to find the right path” and eloquently speaks to the misconceptions of yoga. Amidst the confusion of yoga in modern times, Daniel invites us to keep asking questions and “ come back to the basics”.We discuss Sankhya Yog and Advaita Vedanta as well as the defining elements of “Yoga” as meditation according to Patanjali and other Vedic scriptures like the Bhagavad Gita.A few good laughs for those into yogic humour as Daniel illuminates the teachings with humility, kindness and humour.I know you’ll love this one.Thanks for listening!💭 Find the full show notes at bobbipaidel.com/podcast-s3-ep20-daniel-simpson💭Support the podcast and join monthly satsangs at patreon.com/acuriousyogipodcast💭 If you liked this episode, please leave a review on Apple podcasts – it really, really helps the show reach more people, plus I love reading each one.💭 Share your biggest takeaway on Instagram stories @bobbipaidel💭Join me in northern India for the Yog Sadhana Retreat Himalaya March 2025 bobbipaidel.com/himalayan-retreat💭 If you’d like to chat about the show, be a guest, or practice together find me at bobbipaidel.com/connect 🙏♥️✨

"Your practice is meant to remind you that you’re free."Today I’m graced with the presence of the one and only master Padma Yogi. Padma is a certified advanced meditation teacher from the International Meditation Institute in India and one of Canada’s most respected teachers.In today’s satsang conversation, Padma brings the ancient knowledge of yoga to life with eloquence and clarity, answering my questions with knowledge and presence.Padma makes the teachings accessible so all the curious yogi’s listening can begin to inquire and unfold the knowledge and meditation practice for themselves.Learn more about Padma’s India Retreat 2025: padmameditation.com/product/retreat-in-india-early-bird/Connect with Padma on FB: www.facebook.com/PadmaYogaTVThanks for listening!💭 Find the full show notes at bobbipaidel.com/podcast-s3-ep19-padma💭Support the podcast and join monthly satsangs at patreon.com/acuriousyogipodcast💭 If you liked this episode, please leave a review on Apple podcasts – it really, really helps the show reach more people, plus I love reading each one.💭 Share your biggest takeaway on Instagram stories @bobbipaidel💭Join me in northern India for the Yog Sadhana Retreat Himalaya March 2025 bobbipaidel.com/himalayan-retreat💭 If you’d like to chat about the show, be a guest, or practice together find me at bobbipaidel.com/connect 🙏♥️✨