5. Can We Use the Breath to Regulate Ourselves?

Fireside Ep. 1: Thomas Sharuga & Sean Androsoff

The first episode of Fireside, a new series within the Sapphire Soul Podcast. In this series, Thomas and Sean sit down with people who are living what feels like their life’s work. They explore how they got there, what challenges they’ve faced, what keeps them going, and how they are sharing their gifts with the world. At its core, the series is an attempt to better understand what it means to live a good life. In this opening conversation, Thomas and Sean explore that theme through their own lived experience and friendship. They discuss Sean’s recent breathwork facilitator training and Thomas’s experience participating in a hands-on practice session. The conversation touches on moments of discomfort, especially around vulnerability, touch, and human connection, and how these experiences can challenge social norms while opening space for growth and integration. They also reflect on the intention behind the podcast, the vision for Sapphire Soul Collective, and the challenges involved in building something rooted in purpose and lived experience. Thomas and Sean have been close friends since they were 12. This episode marks the beginning of a series designed to bring listeners into conversations they have been having for years, centered on meaning, health, connection, and how people are actually living their lives Sapphire Soul Collective sapphiresoul.ca

5. Can We Use the Breath to Regulate Ourselves?

In this episode of the Sapphire Soul Podcast, I explore the question: can we use the breath to regulate ourselves? I share simple breath practices I use in everyday life to slow down and reconnect in the middle of a fast and overstimulated environment, including layovers, sleep, stressful days, at home and in aviation. We look at HRV resonance breathing, slower breathing with longer exhales, nasal breathing, the physiological sigh, and a few traditional yogic practices. I also share about my somatic embodiment training through the Somatic Embodiment Academy and my ongoing work with breathwork and nervous system regulation, including learning to facilitate conscious connected breathwork. The episode closes with a guided breathwork practice in the final 20 minutes, complemented by one of my recorded guitar meditation tracks. Research & links: • Stanford / Cell Reports Medicine Breathwork Study https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36630953/ • HRV and Pilot Regulation Research https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38859613/ • Somatic Embodiment Academy https://www.somaticembodimentacademy.ca For a more thorough explanation and guided HRV resonance breathing practice, I’d highly recommend Forrest Knutson’s work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XITejXTj36M Sean & Sapphire Soul Collective https://sapphiresoul.ca

4: Why I Quit Alcohol

Alcohol was a big part of my life, how I connected, how I unwound, how I marked the end of the day. From the outside, things looked fine. I could function, stay disciplined, and keep everything together. But underneath, it had more of a hold on me than I wanted to admit. I found myself in darker places, making decisions I wasn’t proud of, hurting myself, and not showing up well for the people in my life. I couldn’t wait for that next drink, and over time, it started to feel like it was shaping my life more than I was. In this episode, I share what that looked like for me and why I chose to step away. Sapphire Soul Collective Rewilding the human experience in a modern world. Exploring vitality, embodiment, experience, and purpose. Explore more at sapphiresoul.ca

3: The Feeling You Get When You’re in the Right Place

You know that feeling… When nothing is forced, you’re fully present, and everything just feels right. In this episode, I riff on that experience. Where it shows up and what it feels like. Even if you’re not there right now… you’ve felt it before. Explore more about Sapphire Soul Collective at sapphiresoul.ca

2: What It Means To Be Human In This Modern World

What does it actually mean to be human in the modern world? In this episode, Sean explores the gap between how we’re designed to live and how we actually live today. From constant stimulation and screen time to the loss of nature, community, and rhythm. If you’ve ever felt disconnected, overwhelmed, or like something is missing… it’s not just you. Sean ends the show with an unplugged version of his song Divine Mother. Explore more about Sapphire Soul Collective at sapphiresoul.ca