Transforming Grief through Practice and Connection
Harmony Slater is joined by Angela Jamison, a certified Ashtanga Yoga teacher with over two decades of practice. Together, they reflect on the recent passing of their beloved guru, R. Sharath Jois, who left his body during a serene walk in the forest. Angela shares her profound experience of being present during his final moments, offering a unique perspective on grief, community, and the enduring legacy of a teacher’s spirit.
The conversation delves into the teacher-student relationship, the sacredness of embodied practice, and how grief can open pathways for deeper connection. Angela and Harmony explore the power of community in navigating loss, reflecting on their shared experiences in Mysore and how they were shaped by Sharath’s teachings. This episode is a beautiful reminder of the importance of joy, simplicity, and love in practice and in life.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
- Angela’s personal journey in Ashtanga Yoga and her spiritual connection with R. Sharath Jois.
- How the Ashtanga community came together after Sharath’s passing to support one another in profound ways.
- Insights into the spiritual and emotional aspects of grief, and how yoga can help navigate this journey.
- The transformative power of embodiment and its role in accessing deeper states of consciousness.
- Sharath’s legacy: the simplicity, joy, and love he infused into his teachings and community.
Connect with Angela Jamison:
- Visit Angela’s yoga studio, Ashtanga Yoga Ann Arbor: Website
- Read Angela’s writings on her blog: Inside Owl
Connect with Harmony!
Find your Spiritual Archetype!
- What is your Spiritual Entrepreneur Archetype? Take the Quiz!
- Sign up for the Free Spiritual Entrepreneur Class! https://harmonyslater.as.me/Spiritual-Entrepreneur-Archetype-Class
Connect with Us (We love to hear from you!)
- Harmony Slater's Website: http://harmonyslater.com
- Finding Harmony Community
- https://harmonyslater.com/harmony-slater-coaching
- Find Harmony on Instagram
- Follow the Finding Harmony Podcast on IG
- Two Minute Breathwork Session
The reflections and teachings in this episode are shared in loving memory of R. Sharath Jois and are intended to inspire listeners to embrace the depth and beauty of their practice.
00:00 - Introduction
00:48 - Welcoming Angela Jamieson
02:26 - Reflecting on Sherat Joyce’s Legacy
04:02 - Personal Stories and Memories
07:17 - The Spiritual Connection
09:24 - The Power of Community
10:54 - Navigating Grief and Acceptance
22:38 - The Simplicity and Joy of Life
25:43 - The Collective Effervescence
34:20 - The Universal Experience of Grief
43:30 - Understanding the Mind’s Duality
45:48 - The Happiest Moment in 24 Years
46:22 - Accessible Yoga and Mutual Trust
48:39 - Embracing Emotions in Practice
54:11 - The Importance of Connection
01:01:57 - Avoidance and Taking Action
01:09:05 - Final Reflections and Community
01:15:45 - Conclusion and Invitation to Inner Circle
Angela Jamison
Ashtanga Teacher
Angela is a certified teacher who directs Ashtanga Yoga Ann Arbor. This shala which has been open daily without a break since 2010.
She left an academic career to open the shala. Her background in historical research, economic sociology and immigrant rights advocacy has shaped her teaching. Most importantly, those fields of study offer great ideas to sustain a strong and diverse yoga community in a small Midwestern town.
She has written an online diary at insideowl.com since 2007. It's on substack too.
Angela first found ashtanga in 2000 in Seattle, and became very focused on the practice after a near-fatal car accident in 2002. He mentor, since 2006, is Dominic Corigliano. She met Sharath Jois in 2002 and began intensive study with him in 2009. In addition to asana stuff, she has been doing serious sitting practice for about 20 years. Her meditation teacher Shinzen Young has always taught in a way concordant with the Yoga Sutras. Her primary interest in all of this is the physical body. She is fascinated by physical practice as a doorway to deep feeling and concentration, and considers all embodied practice as potentially sacred. Practice is not about learning to execute techniques or looking a certain way; it is about opening up personal degrees of freedom through the body.
Angela grew up on a sort of ranch in rural Montana. There was a lot of time in the Beartooth Mountains, and a lot of outdoor work. This simplicity initially drove her to a cosmopolitan, intellectual life. But in 2020 she moved to the woods outside Ann Arbor. An … Read More
