About Eddie Stern

Eddie Stern is a yoga teacher, author, researcher, and community activist based in New York City. A long-time student of Pattabhi Jois, Eddie helped bring Ashtanga Yoga to a global audience, but over time shifted his focus toward devotional practice, mantra, breathwork, and the deeper spiritual currents behind yoga. He is the creator of the Breathing App and founder of Manhattan’s first vedically consecrated Ganesh temple. Eddie’s work bridges ancient wisdom with modern science, making inner practices accessible for a new generation.

Key Topics Covered

Eddie’s early spiritual awakening and his influential high school teacher

First trip to India and the slow process of cultural immersion

Training with Pattabhi Jois and the deep dive into Ashtanga Yoga

The tension between tradition, evolution, and authenticity in yoga

Moving beyond physical practice toward breath, mantra, and ritual

Eddie’s reflections on breaking from lineage without losing reverence

Founding a Vedic temple in Manhattan and embracing a Hindu identity

How slow, resonant breathing can transform health — and life

Advice for seekers starting their spiritual journey today

Notable Quotes

💬 “You need to spend a little time each day attending to the invisible part of yourself.”
💬“We ripen at our own pace. You can’t force it — just like you can’t ripen a fruit before it’s ready.”
💬“Traditions that survive are the ones that allow themselves to evolve without losing their spirit.”
💬“The guru is not a person. The guru is a stream of knowledge that flows through people.”
💬“Everything we call tradition was created by someone who simply thought it was a good idea. Respect that — but don’t mistake it for something it’s not.”

Timestamps

00:03 — Introduction to Eddie Stern and his journey

02:50 — Eddie’s early spiritual awakening in high school

06:50 — First experiences traveling and studying in India

11:00 — From Shivananda Yoga to Ashtanga Yoga

14:00 — The ripening process: why we change only when ready

19:10 — Breaking from guru structures and lineage identities

24:00 — The evolving nature of yoga traditions

30:00 — Founding a Vedic temple in Manhattan

34:30 — Breathwork, health, and the creation of the Breathing App

38:40 — Eddie’s personal meditation and ritual practices

40:55 — Advice for people beginning their spiritual journey

Links and Resources

Eddie Stern’s Website

The Breathing App (iOS)

The Breathing App (Android)

Healing Through Breathing on Audible

One Simple Thing: A New Look at the Science of Yoga

Urban Yogis — Yoga and Meditation for Underserved Communities

London Meditation Centre — Learn Vedic Meditation

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Speaking of Meditation is written and produced by Michael Miller, with direction by Jillian Lavender and assistance from Emma Rae.

Original music by Rich Jacques.
https://www.richjacques.com

Graphics by Elle and Elle.
http://www.elleelle.com

Speaking of Meditation… What are you noticing? Who is benefitting? And how are you staying inspired?

Joh Jarvis — Letting Go, Starting Over, and Teaching Meditation in Prisons

Guest Bio

Joh Jarvis is a former senior executive media producer and journalist with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, where she led current affairs programs and large teams of content makers. After a 23-year career in media, she became a teacher of Vedic Meditation and moved to New York in 2015 to teach full-time. In 2021, she founded The Light Inside, a nonprofit delivering meditation programs to incarcerated people and correctional staff across the U.S. Her work includes programs at Rikers Island, the North Dakota State Penitentiary, and other correctional facilities, helping hundreds discover calm, connection, and purpose from within.

Key Topics Covered

• Joh’s early spiritual intuition and resistance to conventional paths

• Her media career, personal struggles, and turning point after loss

• The impact of meditation on her recovery and reinvention

• Moving to New York at 49 and starting a new life

• Founding The Light Inside and teaching in maximum-security prisons

• How incarcerated people respond to meditation—and transform through it

• What it means to bring softness, freedom, and humanity into hard places

Notable Quotes

💬 “I didn’t realize what I was looking for in drugs and alcohol was a spiritual experience.”

💬 “Meditation uncovered something in me I didn’t know existed—spontaneous joy.”

💬 “You don’t want to feel soft in here… but that’s what meditation gave me.”

💬 “What made me feel good wasn’t just valuable—it was critical.”

Links & Resources

🔗 Watch: Joh Jarvis & Meditation Inside Rikers Island (YouTube)

🔗 The Light Inside – Learn More or Donate

🔗 Learn to Meditate – London Meditation Centre

Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction to Joh Jarvis and her work bringing meditation into prisons

06:40 – Coming out, intuition, and learning not to care what people think

14:05 – Grief, addiction, and the breakdown that led to real change

21:20 – Discovering Vedic Meditation—and a surprising first teacher

24:00 – “I’ve never felt like this”: a radical inner shift after learning to meditate

39:00 – Moving to New York at 49: two suitcases, no safety net, full reset

45:10 – Founding The Light Inside and entering Rikers Island

51:30 – A student’s transformation: “I feel soft—and that’s dangerous in here”

59:20 – What drives her now: feeling useful, staying connected to purpose

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Speaking of Meditation is written and produced by Michael Miller, with direction by Jillian Lavender and assistance from Emma Rae.

Original music by Rich Jacques.
https://www.richjacques.com

Graphics by Elle and Elle.
http://www.elleelle.com

Speaking of Meditation… What are you noticing? Who is benefitting? And how are you staying inspired?

Marie Farenc: Meditation, Vision Loss & Finding Strength in Stillness

Guest Bio

Marie Farenc is a former film translator and voiceover artist whose life took an unexpected turn when she was diagnosed with myopic macular degeneration (MMD). Facing vision loss, stress, and anxiety, she turned to meditation in search of relief. What she found was more than just calm—it was a new way of living. Now, Marie shares her journey of resilience through her YouTube channel, I Have MMD, and helps build a support network for others navigating vision loss.

Key Topics Covered

• Marie’s journey from film translator to MMD advocate

• How stress and anxiety impacted her condition

• The moment she realized she needed a change

• How meditation transformed her mental and emotional state

• The ripple effects of meditation on her family and relationships

• Creating a YouTube channel to share her story and support others

Notable Quotes

💬 “Meditation didn’t just help me—it found me.”

💬 “I was an emotional mess. Now, my husband says I’m the most stable I’ve ever been.”

💬 “At first, I couldn’t even look at other people’s stories about vision loss. Meditation helped me accept mine.”

💬 “Despite losing my sight, I’ve gained something deeper—a sense of inner clarity.”

Links & Resources

🔗 Marie’s YouTube Channel: I Have MMD

🔗 Marie’s Instagram (Little Crochet)

🔗 London Meditation Centre

Timestamps

• 00:00 – Introduction to Marie’s story

• 04:30 – How a childhood obsession with English led to a career in translation

• 10:50 – The diagnosis that changed everything

• 17:40 – Meditation enters the picture: what finally made it click

• 24:00 – The shift in Marie’s mental state and its impact on her family

• 30:15 – Sharing her journey online: why she started her YouTube channel

• 36:00 – Finding acceptance, strength, and a new sense of purpose

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Speaking of Meditation is written and produced by Michael Miller, with direction by Jillian Lavender and assistance from Emma Rae.

Original music by Rich Jacques.
https://www.richjacques.com

Graphics by Elle and Elle.
http://www.elleelle.com

Speaking of Meditation… What are you noticing? Who is benefitting? And how are you staying inspired?