The Chrysalis Pod

02.06 – "Transformation Happens at the Speed of Trust" with Sara Gallagher Bloom

Transformation Happens at the Speed of Trust: Sara Gallagher Bloom on deep listening, curiosity and finding joy Hosts Dana and Eden sit down with Sara Gallagher Bloom to explore what it means to remain a student — even decades into teaching — and how deep listening has shaped her past year of study and practice. After opening with a guided meditation, Sara reflects on mentorship, the role of trust in transformation, and the growing need for more immersive, intentional practices in a world of constant stimulation. The conversation moves through her evolving work with Kundalini, the power of practicing in community, and her approach to teaching through experience rather than theory. Sara also shares the thinking behind her upcoming "Nervous System Overhaul" immersion — a three-day training designed to build resilience, regulation, and capacity through breath, rhythm, and repetition — offering a practical toolkit for navigating modern life with more clarity, energy, and connection.

02.05 – "Remembering Who You Are" with Melanie Richards

SEASON TWO, EPISODE FIVE: "Remembering Who You Are: Melanie Richards on Self-Worth, Teaching, and Building a Life Through Yoga" Hosts Dana and Eden sit down with yoga teacher, trainer, former studio owner, and mental health advocate Melanie Richards to trace her path into yoga. After opening with a guided RAIN meditation, Melanie shares how her first attraction to yoga was shaped by body image pressure and the acting world, and how the practice gradually became a deeper path of healing. She reflects on family instability, discovering a sense of self through yoga, training in Ottawa, and eventually opening Happy Tree in Montreal. The conversation also explores the evolution of her teacher training over the years — including a growing emphasis on accessibility, trauma-informed teaching, inclusion, and mentorship — as well as her belief that yoga is far bigger than physical postures alone. Melanie also speaks about the personal roots of her "Fuck Skinny Movement," a powerful rejection of diet culture and the belief that shrinking ourselves is the path to being enough. Episode guide: 00:00 Intro – RAIN meditation, spring energy & studio catch-up 05:50 Meet Melanie – Happy Tree, teaching, advocacy & what she's building now 07:45 How Yoga Found Her – Acting, body image pressure & the start of a healing path 16:30 Becoming a Teacher – Training, opening Happy Tree & learning on the fly 26:45 Teaching Teachers – How her training evolved through inclusion, accessibility & care 41:20 "Fuck Skinny" – Breaking up with diet culture and body-based worthiness 50:15 What She'd Tell New Teachers – Practice, purpose and where yoga meets real life 53:15 What's Next – Retreats, online offerings & closing reflections Topics covered: * Yoga for healing and self-discovery * Body image, diet culture, and self-worth * The path to becoming a yoga teacher * Building and running a yoga studio * Trauma-informed and accessible yoga * Mentorship and teaching philosophy * Yoga beyond physical practice * Mental health and nervous system regulation

02.04 - "Spirituality Has No Dress Code" with Marianne Larochelle

Spirituality Has No Dress Code Marianne Larochelle on Discernment, Dharma, and the Roots of Yoga The episode opens with a short guided meditation led by Marianne Larochelle — an immediate immersion into her embodied, experiential approach to yoga. From there, Dana and Eden trace Marianne's unconventional path into practice: discovering yoga through an old book while living off-grid in British Columbia, navigating Bikram in San Francisco, encountering spiritual dogma (and a memorable toilet paper turban moment), and ultimately returning to Montreal for teacher training. Marianne shares how yoga led her to leave a restaurant-centered life and step more fully into her dharma — teaching, mentoring, and weaving together art and subtle body philosophy. The conversation explores discernment in an age of gurus, imagination as a spiritual muscle, karma versus dharma, and why yoga is less about belief and more about experimentation. They close with a preview of her upcoming offerings at Morpho Bleu — *Experiments in Consciousness* (March 29) and *The Roots of Yoga* training (April 17–19) — both designed for teachers and non-teachers alike, including caregivers, educators, artists, and anyone curious about going deeper than the mat. 00:00 Intro – Spring energy & upcoming trainings 02:20 Guided Meditation with Marianne 08:30 Marianne's Yoga Origin Story – From BC cabin to Montreal training 16:00 Spiritual Seeking & Discernment – Bikram, Kundalini & finding her way 23:30 Leaving Restaurant Life – Choosing Yoga & teaching "Yoga for the People" 29:00 Art, Subtle Bodies & Embodied Philosophy 37:00 What is Yoga, Really? – Beyond asana, into consciousness 46:00 Real-World Impact – Caregivers, imagination & everyday dharma 57:00 Dharma vs. Karma – Alignment, purpose & living energized 1:02:30 Closing Reflections & Upcoming Workshops

02.03 – "Forever a student" with Melisande Turpin

SEASON TWO, EPISODE THREE: "Forever a student" Melisande Turpin on the architecture of teaching: movement, mentorship, and sustainable yoga practice In this episode, Dana and Eden sit down with Melisande Turpin to explore the evolution of yoga practice and teaching through adaptability, curiosity, and lived experience. Melisande shares her path from early childhood yoga and dance, through Ashtanga training in India, to years of studio ownership, mentorship, and study in functional movement and biomechanics. Together, they discuss progressive sequencing, yoga as a cyclical life-stage practice, and the importance of feedback, authenticity, and staying inspired as both a teacher and a student. Topics covered: * Growing up with yoga and movement * Ashtanga training in India and early teaching years * Adapting traditional practices for real bodies * Injury, sustainability, and long-term practice * Functional movement and biomechanics in yoga * Progressive sequencing and class design * Mentorship, authenticity, and teaching voice * Building a sustainable, diversified yoga career

02.02 - The Cosmic Clock is never wrong: charting the seasons, the sky, and everything in between with Astro Auntie

In this episode, Dana and Eden sit down with Sarah L'Hrar (Astro Auntie) to explore the themes of seasonality and cycles through an astrological lens. Sarah explains how lunar rhythms, planetary timelines, and the four seasons mirror one another, and how observing these patterns can help us understand where we are — emotionally, energetically, and developmentally — at any given moment. The conversation moves through the repetition of cycles, the micro–macro nature of time, and the value of noticing what each season brings. Sarah also offers context for the current astrological moment, including a rare concentration of planets in water signs, and why this particular period invites emotional reflection before the faster, more fiery energies of the coming years. They touch on new moon rituals, living with light and darkness, and the grounding practice of using seasonal markers — equinoxes, solstices, and lunar phases — as moments to pause, reflect, and recalibrate. Episode topics: 00:00 Intro 07:32 Welcoming Back Sarah L'Hrar 08:32 Katonah Practice Magic 21:44 Understanding Cycles and Astrology 31:24 Personal Practices and Rituals 35:12 Reflecting on Seasonal Changes 38:04 Embracing Light and Darkness 40:39 Astrological Insights for 2025-2026 47:20 Emotional Intelligence and Water Energy 51:04 The Semiotics of Style in Astrology 01:05:34 Seasonal Reflections