The Yoga Sutras name 5 hidden blocks to your inner peace — and 3 kriya practices to dissolve them. Akshay Bhat makes Patanjali simple.

What if the joy you keep chasing is already inside you, and only five hidden blocks stand in the way?

This conversation goes deep into the second chapter of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. The guest, who started studying the Yoga Sutras at just 11 years old, makes this ancient text simple and easy to follow.

He begins with the three habits Patanjali names before any real practice: discipline (tapas), self-study (svadhyaya), and surrender (ishvara pranidhana). Together these form kriya yoga, the inner preparation. Without them, even strong practices can push your energy the wrong way.

From there he opens the five kleshas, the inner blocks that hide our natural joy: forgetting who we really are, getting stuck in the ego, chasing pleasure, pushing away what we dislike, and the fear of death. Using everyday examples — a morning coffee habit, a stuck elevator, a frightening mountain drive in Nepal — he shows how the kleshas shape daily life, and how to loosen their grip.

Still inside the Yoga Sutras, he explains the difference between Hatha Yoga and Raja Yoga (the king of yogic practice), how to clear the energy channels (nadis), and shares the Mahamrityunjaya Mantra for meeting the fear of death.

If your life looks fine on paper but you still feel lost, the Yoga Sutras offer a clear map. This episode is your starting point, and the doorway to the kriyas themselves.

Episode Chapters:

00:00:00 Introduction

00:01:01 What Are the Yoga Sutras?

00:02:11 The Four Chapters of Patanjali

00:03:48 The Second Chapter & Kriya Yoga

00:04:18 Tapas, Svadhyaya & Ishvara Pranidhana

00:09:49 What Are Kriyas?

00:11:59 Cleansing the Nadis: Ida, Pingala, Sushumna

00:14:55 Hatha Yoga vs Raja Yoga

00:16:27 Building a Daily Practice

00:21:01 The Five Kleshas, Introduced

00:23:13 Avidya: Forgetting Your True Self

00:26:30 Impermanence & Growth

00:35:03 Asmita: The False Ego

00:41:40 Raga: Attachment & Desire

00:45:21 Dvesha: Aversion & Resistance

00:48:44 Abhinivesha: The Fear of Death

00:54:23 The Mahamrityunjaya Mantra

01:00:48 The Eight Limbs of Yoga

01:03:09 Posture for Meditation

01:07:02 Recap: The Five Kleshas

01:09:41 Closing & What's Next

Resources:

• Michael Henri’s Instagram

• Akshay Bhat’s Instagram

• The IN Movement Instagram

• • Texts: Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (196 sutras, four chapters — Samadhi Pada, Sadhana Pada, Vibhuti Pada, Kaivalya Pada); Bhagavad Gita (Krishna on sukha and dukkha; sitting straight for meditation)
  • Teachers / lineage: Thich Nhat Hanh (impermanence — the flower growing from the earth); the Buddha (desire as the root of suffering); Mahavatar Babaji (Kriya yoga lineage)
  • Practices / concepts: Mahamrityunjaya Mantra; Shambhavi mudra; the three nadis (Ida, Pingala, Sushumna); the eight limbs; Vipassana
  • Places: Annapurna Circuit, Nepal (the mountain-drive story); Uluwatu, Bali
  • Prior / upcoming episodes: earlier episode with Akshay on mantras (referenced — link it for topical authority per Practice 3); next episode teased on Raja Yoga, "the king of yoga"

What if the most powerful tool to change your life has been right under your nose this whole time — literally?

This guest spent his twenties as a high-stress TV producer in New York. On paper, life looked great. Inside, he felt empty and burned out. Getting fired became his turning point. Yoga, meditation, and breathwork pulled him out, and he built a career leading wellness retreats around the world.

Now in his 40s, he shares an honest story about change. After a serious back injury forced him to stop teaching yoga, he had to slow down, heal, and rethink everything. He talks about dropping his "masks," saying no to what no longer serves him, and treating your time and energy like a careful investment.

His big message is simple: real change starts inside you. Feeling safe in your own body comes first. The breath is the doorway. You don't need apps or gadgets — just a few quiet minutes a day.

He also explains why you can't force others to change, and why even difficult people teach us something. The episode ends with a short, calming breathwork practice you can follow along with.

Episode Chapters:

00:00:00 Introduction

00:03:04 Who Is the Guest

00:08:29 Reflecting on Change and Evolution

00:12:32 The Psychology of Aging

00:14:14 Energy as an Investment Strategy

00:18:19 Instagram, Dopamine, and Earning Rest

00:23:45 Swapping Habits Instead of Quitting

00:26:38 Lessons From Retreats: Self-Limiting Beliefs

00:28:02 Why Feeling Safe Comes First

00:31:06 The Excuse of "No Time"

00:36:55 The Guest's North Star

00:38:11 Breathwork: The Tool Under Your Nose

00:47:49 Simplicity Over Data and Gadgets

00:48:55 A Renaissance? Technology, Generations, and Alcohol

00:56:26 You Are Responsible for You

01:02:32 Why You Can't Force Others to Change

01:12:00 The Pebble and the Ripple Effect

01:14:02 Finding Gratitude in Hard Lessons

01:16:57 Guided Breathwork Practice

01:23:03 Closing

Mentions & Resources:

• Michael Henri’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelyoga.pt/

• John Quirk’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_johnquirk_/

• The IN Movement Instagram: https://www.instagram/com/the_in_movement/
  

• James Nestor — Breath (book; guest says he's read it three times)

• Joe Dispenza (breathwork influence)

• Wim Hof Method (breathwork influence)

• Andrew Huberman (podcast mentioned re: dopamine)

• Michael Singer (author referenced by the guest)

• Morgan Freeman ("don't let the old man in" quote, raised by the host)

Tags: breathwork, meditation, mindfulness, personal growth, self-development, nervous system, healing journey, burnout recovery, back injury, habit change, dopamine, authenticity, retreats, wellness, mental health, presence, somatic practice, stillness, self-awareness, energy management, yoga, inner work, spirituality, life transformation

A single yoga class made him question everything he thought success was supposed to look like.

In this episode, Marc Laws shares the unexpected path that took him from professional soccer and sports therapy into a much deeper exploration of yoga, purpose, and human connection. What began as physical training slowly became something far more personal after witnessing burnout, pressure, and disconnection in the people around him, and in himself.

He speaks about the moment yoga stopped being just movement, the teacher who completely shifted his perspective, and why he believes slowing down may be one of the most powerful things a person can do. The conversation moves through fatherhood, play, community, spirituality, and the strange way life keeps pulling us back toward what feels true.

If you have ever felt successful on the outside but disconnected underneath, this episode will leave you thinking long after it ends.

Episode Chapters:

00:00:00 Introduction

00:01:20 From the UK to Professional Soccer

00:02:11 Sports Therapy and Burnout

00:02:50 The Yoga Class That Changed Him

00:04:03 Ego, Handstands, and Self Inquiry

00:05:01 Leaving the Clinic Life

00:05:23 Arriving in Bali

00:08:12 Soccer as a Philosophy Teacher

00:09:50 Yoga, Community, and Dharma

00:11:10 Favorite Yoga Poses

00:13:25 Teaching Style and Stillness

00:15:58 Fatherhood as Spiritual Practice

00:17:30 What Kids Really Want

00:18:14 Why Life Should Include Play

00:19:46 Three Words for His Teaching

00:21:29 “How to Make Love” Class Story

00:22:34 Dharma Talks and Storytelling

00:24:00 Building Community Through Purpose

00:27:34 What He’s Nerding Out On

00:28:41 Jungle Keeper Book Mention

00:31:01 How to Connect

Mentions & Resources:

• Michael Henri’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelyoga.pt/

• Marc Law’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marclawsii/

• The IN Movement Instagram: https://www.instagram/com/the_in_movement/
  

• Book: Jungle Keeper by Paul Rosolie

• Teacher mentioned: Stuart Gilchrist

• Platform mentioned: Glo

Tags: yoga, mindfulness, burnout, purpose, community, fatherhood, spirituality, dharma, soccer, sports therapy, Bali, self inquiry, playfulness, awareness, embodiment, stillness, vinyasa, philosophy, conscious living