June 6, 2025 • 61 mins
Sandra Petra Pintaric is a dedicated yoga teacher and owner of a Dharma Yoga studio located in Zagreb, Croatia. With a passion for yoga that spans over two decades, Sandra has helped foster a vibrant yoga community in her region. She has trained under esteemed teacher Dharma Mitra in New York and has developed a yoga practice that integrates spiritual philosophy, yoga asana, and yogic lifestyle. Sandra is known for her commitment to spreading authentic yoga teachings, her ability to incorporate spirituality in daily practice, and her expertise in helping others connect deeply with their practice.
Visit Sandra on her website: https://www.dharmayogazagreb.com/
Key Takeaways:
- Soulmate Concept in Yoga: Sandra explores the belief in soulmates within the yoga community, emphasizing shared energy and spiritual connections.
- Teacher-Student Relationship: The depth of connection with one's yoga teacher is vital, transcending geographical distances through meditation and shared devotion.
- Adapting Yoga in the Digital Age: Sandra highlights challenges in maintaining studio discipline and community amidst the rise of digital yoga classes and technology distractions.
- Integral Yoga Practice: Blending various yoga aspects like pranayama, meditation, and mantra is crucial for a holistic practice.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Todd McLaughlin (00:33):
Welcome to Native Yoga Toddcast. So happy
you are here. My goal with thischannel is to bring
inspirational speakers to themic in the field of yoga,
massage, body work and beyond.
Follow us at @nativeyoga andcheck us out at
nativeyogacenter.com. All right,let's begin.
(01:04):
Yes, so happy to have you here.
This is Native Yoga Toddcast. Myname is Todd McLaughlin. If it
is your first time listening,welcome to the show. For those
of you that return regularly,each week, I put out a new
episode every Friday morning,around 7am on Friday, Eastern
Time. And this week, my specialguest is Sandra Petra Pintaric,
and Sandra is located inCroatia. Check her out on her
(01:28):
website, dharmayogazagreb.com,the link is in the description.
You will very easily find it.
Click it. Follow her. She's sosweet. I'm so excited for you to
get a chance to meet her. I canfeel the genuine yogini quality
coming from her. She seems sodedicated, so passionate to
(01:50):
teach, to share. And I thinkthat is what it is all about.
And so that's why we are here.
Thank you for your support.
Reach out to us. Let us knowwhat you think. Let's begin. I'm
very honored to have the chanceto meet and speak with Sandra
Petra Pintaric, Sandra, you'rejoining me from Croatia. Thank
(02:13):
you so much for taking time outof your day. I can't wait to
hear about your journey withyoga. How are you feeling today?
Sandra Petra Pintaric (02:24):
I'm very good. Thank you. I wait this
podcast all day, mostly preparemyself a little bit, and I'm
very honored to be here on thepodcast and to share some of my
experience. And also, I'mgrateful for those who suggested
me to you, and I'm happy toshare this time with you.
Todd McLaughlin (02:46):
Thank you, Sandra. I appreciate it. I have
never been to Croatia before,but I hear it's very beautiful.
Where are you? Are you nearwater? Or are you up in a
mountain?
Unknown (03:00):
No, I'm in the main city of Croatia, the Zagreb it's
continental area. So I alsodream about the summertime and
to go close to the sea.
Todd McLaughlin (03:12):
Nice, nice. And do you believe in soulmates?
Unknown (03:20):
I believe, yeah, I believe a group, group of soul
mates, not just maybe some oneperson, but I believe that we
all have some soul mates in mylife, some people who are very
close to us, some people who arein the some of the groups we
have me sharing the same energy.
I believe in that yes, and Ibelieve also the way met some
(03:46):
people back in our future lives,to share something, to finish
something or begin something. Ibelieve that's
Todd McLaughlin (03:59):
cool. Have you found that yoga practice has
opened you up to seeing thepeople that you meet in your
life as having a deeperconnection than just a random
chance meeting?
Unknown (04:17):
Yeah? For sure. Yeah.
Yoga. Yoga brings me a lot ofclose souls, which I I share my
life with them on many levels.
Some of them are like myhusband. They are very close to
me. I have some very closefriends, and I also began yoga
(04:42):
one time ago with my friendsfrom previous let's say life,
yeah, and we all start topractice yoga together. We, I
have few close friends. We, weused to live together, and we
all practice. Yoga at the sametime, we share everything from
(05:03):
yoga practice, spiritualknowledge, bhajans, yoga,
nidras. When yoga nidra wasn'tso popular, we just have a one
Cas, I don't know how to say inthe old
Todd McLaughlin (05:21):
that's correct, like a cassette, like a
cassette, yeah, yeah. And
Unknown (05:26):
my friends came to our place, and we all lay down on
the back and wisdom the thevoice of the teacher, nice. That
was before and almost 25 yearsago. Nice, something, 23 okay,
yeah, and yeah, he gave me somany people. Some people are
short terms related to me. Somepeople are in like in my studio.
(05:51):
There are long term we build upour friendships and our soul
friendship for a long time, andwe share many beautiful things
together, also some which arenot so beautiful, but to share
the life together, let's saylike that. Yeah.
Todd McLaughlin (06:09):
Do Do you own a yoga studio in Zagreb?
Unknown (06:14):
Yes, I own a yoga studio. This is my third
position I start 2009 when Iopened with my friend, and now
I'm living by my own, but I havea lot of people to who helps me
in our community. Nice, nicethat we are blooming with the
(06:38):
yoga practice and everything forsharing. Wonderful
Todd McLaughlin (06:42):
Did you, I know you're a student of dharma.
Mitra, when did you firstpractice with dharma?
Unknown (06:54):
Before dharma? I was like, say, like a 10 years in
yoga, and I wanted to find ateacher to to progress in my
yoga practice, to be I finishedthe 200 I wanted to find some
teacher to to give me moreknowledge. And I explore a
(07:18):
little bit. And I remember itwas 2010 and I saw his So
picture of sridharma Mitra, veryhumble, full of bliss in his
eyes. And I was very curious,who this man is, this teacher
is. And then I saw that he's inNew York. I told maybe New York,
(07:43):
it's too far away from from us,but somehow I decide to go on
his teacher training 205 100,and that was my first meeting
with him, and my firstimpression was so high that I
(08:06):
immediately, I felt in my heartthat this is my teacher.
Sometimes we we are wrong, but Itruly believe and felt him in my
heart, very deeply, like I sawin the in his picture. And that
was my first time I saw him inin New York, 2000 in the
(08:29):
beginning. I remember, it's aJanuary in 2011
Todd McLaughlin (08:36):
Nice, nice. Can you talk a little bit about you
made mention that you felt goodvibes when you saw the picture.
You were intrigued, just throughthe energy that you saw in the
picture. Then when you met him,you didn't really question
(08:57):
whether or not he's yourteacher. You've just felt it.
Can you talk a little bit about,a little more about what, what
that is like.
Unknown (09:09):
I think that we can really felt in our heart, but we
need to clean up a little bitour hearts to to be truthfully
believe that is the right personfor us. Uh, sometimes we have
mistake, you know, but I don'tcare about mistake, okay? I try
(09:35):
to follow my heart and if Imistake, okay, so what we are,
move forward. But I believe inmy feelings. I believe in my
intuition. But if I came to thedeep state of consciousness, you
know, through the meditation,through the humble way. Of view
(10:00):
things. Then you got someanswers, and then you got some
light to show you the way, toshow you the way, the people you
know, if it's if I go deeperthen, then I felt my intuition,
(10:21):
much, much better.
Todd McLaughlin (10:23):
Nice. Do you have a way of tapping into your
intuition or a way ofexplaining, maybe, to those of
us that are wanting to deepenour intuition? Do you have some
strategy or advice of how todevelop intuition.
Unknown (10:49):
Yes, it's so many strategies I tried before and
even before yoga, I was so muchin the esoteric way of eating to
explore through that area, and Iwas also pretty much in
astrology. So astrology is alsosome way of to see things and
(11:12):
but most importantly, when Iwant to use my intuition to see
is some way good for me or not,I really need to go deeper. And
if it's some area of life whichis very important, then I gave
myself time to see, to check myfirst feeling. And I gave this
(11:41):
like offering to God, let's sayto the that He guides me. I
offer him this idea, thequestion, or my way to some to
go somewhere, to meet someone,and then I feel much
comfortable, because I thinkthen I done my my things and
(12:04):
everything else I want that Godsurprised me in some way not to
be controller of the situationof to checking every time, is it
right? Was it is it wrong? Justa problem with that. So that way
of thinking brings me to yogatoo. I think of some things
(12:28):
maybe a longer way, or I havesome visions, or I want to
choose some part, and then I godeep down in my meditation.
Sometimes I have more days thansometimes life days sometimes
ago, like a 40 days to see whatwill goes on from that idea and
(12:54):
when I got the answer in myheart. And I'm pretty sure I
don't, I don't care so much whatwill come, because I will do my
best, and whatever comes that,that's it. Now also, when you
choose a teacher, it's so manyteachers today. And if you are
not deep inside you, if you arenot looking for the truth, then
(13:17):
you will met many teachers whomaybe are not so familiar with
your point of view in life, andmaybe they're not strong
connection with them. I alsofelt that in some area when I
before Dharma, I wanted to finda teacher who is good for me,
(13:39):
and I didn't want to travel sofar to New York. I was traveling
through Europe, very close, andthen I realized that that the
distance is not the problem. Isthe problem, my way of that
distance, that's the that'sblocked this idea. So the
(14:01):
distance, New York, Croatia,it's really not problem. The
month, not the problem. The timeis not a problem, nothing. And
then you open yourself for anykind of experiences.
Todd McLaughlin (14:15):
So well, that's cool. Sandra, I'm I'm thinking
that you are referencing thefact that you can practice in
Croatia, your teacher can be inNew York City. And at the same
time that you're apart, you canbe together.
Unknown (14:34):
Yes, we are. I think that in my heart always
together, because I want to feelteacher from my heart, not from
my mind, and I connect with myteacher now through my
meditation, through the pictureon my altar, through the today,
(14:58):
okay, we have so much. A mediaand Instagram, Facebook. So it's
always here from somewhere, butdeep inside, what's what is most
important for me. It's myfeeling for the teacher, not
just that I have a teacher Idon't care for that. It's my
(15:21):
feeling, my connection, my trueconnection with him.
Todd McLaughlin (15:26):
Can you That's That's amazing. I hear you can
in, you know, being afacilitator of a yoga studio,
slash, you're a yoga teacher,and you have students. Do you
feel like you are within a chainor like a connection point
(15:49):
between you and your teacher toyour student? Or do you feel
like they could kind of godirectly to him around you,
like, Well, how do you envisionor feel or into it, the role
that you play with your studentsand the connection that you have
(16:09):
to your own personal teacher?
Did that make sense? Yeah,
Unknown (16:14):
yeah. So, like, I have a studio, and when I came to
after my teacher training 500this first one, I came to
Croatia, and I used to lead likeI was, like a five years in, I
start with a Shanga yoga, myfirst style. Then I explored
(16:36):
through the vinyasa systems allkind. In that time that was not
so much in vinyasas. And thattime we have, like a power
vinyasa, vinyasa flow, geo Muktiyoga, I don't know some this
kind of yoga practice. And inthe Croatia was very strong
community. And I came withDharma yoga. And also I changed
(16:59):
my practice. And I came becauseI shared the studio with the
sangies. And I came like fromthe space, you know, like from
the universe, come with theDharma yoga from nowhere. And
everything was different,different side with the leg,
different structure of theclass, you know, different point
(17:21):
of view on the athanas, outerrich, the inner rich, you know,
many things. And it was littlebit confusing for the regular
classes. But somehow I, I wasnever so much in that that I
have problems with that, youknow? I just try. I just want to
(17:45):
serve and to share my experiencewith Dharma, yoga and dharma as
a teacher, and I don't know Ihad a smile and just go through
all that. And in the beginning,I was alone long, like from for
(18:05):
many years, like maybe for fewfive years, I was alone in the
like one teacher in the Croatiaand the students, I was like a
bridge for them, because theydidn't know nothing about Dharma
Mitra, Dharma, Dharma, it's notso on the exposing himself on
(18:29):
the media. You know, they evendon't have how the practice
looks like. We in that time wehad just like, a few videos on
YouTube, and it was like amystery what Dharma yoga is, you
know, and I was like a bridge tothem. Many of them come to my
classes. They stay. They fell inlove in the practice. Then they
(18:54):
start to to see who is behindit, how I am like a devotional
in that way, and I don't knowwhen everything happens happen
in like on the track, andslowly, step by step, with our
(19:14):
nice Energy, the some of theother teachers I so then go to
New York. Be respect.
Respectful. If you like thispractice, if you want to share
this practice, go there in NewYork, finish the teacher
training, share the yoga andslowly, slowly the community
(19:36):
grow up. And I send, let's say,many teachers to New York today.
They all have wish without me.
You know, they practice yoga.
They are here in community, andthey that it's like a normal
they want to go to finish withhim, because he is little bit
older, and they have. Greatopportunity to be here in life,
(20:00):
to learn from the legendaryyogi, you know, and so I think
it's very respectful to givesome honor to the teacher and to
go there. Nice.
Todd McLaughlin (20:17):
And so what time is your first class?
Unknown (20:24):
How you mean? Like,
Todd McLaughlin (20:26):
yeah, like, do you what's the first time class?
The first class time that youoffer at your studio? Do you
have people starting at like,6am or in Croatia, does everyone
sleep in until 12 and you don'tstart teaching until one or what
is the culture like there inrelation to because I you know
how, like in Ashtanga Yoga, youwould maybe start practice at
(20:50):
like, 430 in the morning, andlike Mysore, would be really,
really early. How have you beenable to adapt teaching Dharma
yoga in Croatia, and what is theculture supportive of in
relation to your first classtime of the day?
Unknown (21:11):
Yeah, we have, so let's say, long term we had, we had,
like four to five classes perday. So the before, when I
shared the studio, it wasAshtanga in the morning. So it
was always the morning forAshtanga and I, myself, I used
(21:32):
to practice, I'm I alwayspractice yoga in the morning,
early in the morning, almostbefore dharma. That's my I know
that's my way how to practicewhen it's not even day, and
that's staying me. Know thatthat is with me, and I really
appreciate practice in the earlyin the morning that you are
(21:56):
almost finished until seven.
That's my favorite time. So whenI came with the Dharma, I didn't
have opportunity to practiceearly in the morning. But I made
some like a 40 days cycles withthe everyday without breaking a
day. We practice like that, andwe and I had the morning classes
(22:17):
like 10pm day 10am then we havelike, two classes in the
afternoon, and almost every day,I used to lead the classes
almost every day, every weekend,or I had a school or some
Workshop master class,everything. So it was, it's
(22:39):
pretty intense, especially inthat days, for many, many years,
until a COVID time, let's say,Yeah, many years. Gotcha. So
they have how I was alone in thepractice so I can I, I was
offering just like a Dharma two,dharma three level. When I
(23:00):
finish a four, then I offerother levels and the practice.
And slowly, other teachers canfinish the school. They share
also with the students. Andtoday, we are just Dharma yoga
studio, and we have many Dharmayoga teachers, not just in my
studio, in whole Croatia, andI'm so grateful on that. So even
(23:23):
from I didn't think so much, itjust came like this. You know, I
that was my wish, of course, butjust came that's
Todd McLaughlin (23:35):
really cool, Sandra. I appreciate how
difficult that is to do. And Imean, I know you're, in a way,
kind of saying, you know, itjust happened one step at a
time. It's not like I set out tohave this be the, you know, the
end goal, but you were just verydedicated in your teaching. But
(23:58):
I definitely can appreciate mywife and I have had our studio
here for the last 19 years, andit does take, like, such
consistent daily attention andeffort to build and maintain and
grow. So I appreciate whatyou're saying, and that is a big
deal. Like to to be able tostart teaching Dharma yoga, and
(24:21):
then have like, a Dharma yogastudio where all the classes are
centered around that, and togenerate enough interest from
the people around I think isclearly to me, it's obvious that
you, you had your whole heartand soul into the experience of
teaching and practicing, orelse, I don't believe that would
(24:44):
have happened.
Unknown (24:46):
Yeah, like you say, I agree with everything. It's not
easy. You came to yoga fromother backgrounds, from like,
when I listen other teachers, weall have like, like, some
similar stories to share. Share.
We all, not all, but most of ushave some background when we
used to work a lot in normaljobs, you know, in the
(25:10):
corporations and or normal jobs,and then you came to yoga.
Maybe, if you think yoga, it'slike just meditating, just to do
nothing. You just do practice ifthey're very wrong. So you do
everything even more than youused to work, I would say. So
it's many obligations, and ifyou want to studio, have a long
(25:34):
term stability. So really, youneed to bring there your heart,
your full heart, like you say,yeah. So you know, you're, I'm
less I'm like a 15 years you're,like a 19 years old. You are
very nice, yeah. And also, Ithink it's, you cannot count
(25:59):
everything. It's like a mercy ofGod. You know it's it's like a
mercy will came to you who willstay here? I
Todd McLaughlin (26:11):
agree. I hear ya and on that theme of soul
mate. And when I asked you ifyou believe in a soul mate, you
said, Yes. I think a lot of usthink about a soul mate, that
means, like the one person thatwe meet that might end up being
either our spouse or our lifepartner. But I noticed that in
(26:34):
our correspondence, prior tothis conversation, that you made
mention of like the group soulmate, that they're like your
yoga community is a part of yoursoulmate and, or your teacher
and, or, like you mentioned,your husband or a life partner.
Can you explain a little bitabout how you see the community
(26:59):
as a soulmate experience?
Unknown (27:04):
I think that we all have like attraction to the
people who are similar like us.
Or in some years there they wehave similar interests on in
yoga, we have also similar part.
So I learned that from the, Idon't know it's like American
(27:27):
Indians, or before yoga, thatthat is a group there exist,
like a group of the soulmatesoul, soul groups, and we all,
we meet each other in eachlifetime. So that was like a
romantic idea in my head. Butthat romantic idea stay in my
(27:47):
head, and I like to see thatway, because I want to see other
people like souls. I try to seethem like a souls, not on the
material level of of our minds,you know, and I see from my
(28:07):
experience that some people,they show us to very important.
Sometimes they save us. Youknow, you never know why some
person is in your life and withtime, time, show us why some
person is important. Soespecially in yoga community, I
(28:29):
think we are all connectedwithin a specific way, not just
for interest in yoga, it'ssharing a life experience with
those people, and we try tofollow the yoga rules. We try to
follow the yoga ethics. And it'sa little bit different than
(28:52):
normal, usual life. We have thehigher standards of the
communication, of the sharingenergy. We all felt filled
energies. You know, we had wesee the subtles, subtle things,
auras and everything. So I don'tknow if explain good, but my
(29:15):
opinion is that I meet somepeople, maybe not just this
lifetime, mainly from theprevious life, and that we have
something to do together.
Todd McLaughlin (29:28):
Yeah. Very cool. Thank you. I appreciate
your insights there. You maymention in our correspondence
that yoga has helped you todeepen your relationship in God.
Can you talk a little bit aboutmaybe how you viewed your
understanding of God and how itnow you view it and and, or what
(29:52):
that evolution has looked like?
Unknown (29:59):
So. I think it was always in me, you know, some
connection with God. I maybe Ididn't before. I didn't know how
to explain myself. I have manyareas where God reflected in my
life, and I realized God muchbetter when was very hard to me
(30:21):
when I had some pain orsuffering. Then was the period
when God, when I saw God moreclearly in my life. And I would
say like that, in in thelifetime, we have some period
when we awaken our souls and Godconnection and this awakeness I
(30:48):
can maybe compare like whenspiritual energy go high and you
are ready To Change yourself.
And through that awakenings, Igot much better connection with
the God. So how through, throughthe real experience, not just
(31:10):
through the religions, throughthe ritual, but just through the
conversation I know to the tofeel him in my life, his
presence in my life. So I hadsome situations in my life with
God came like a miracle to mylife to save me. And when you
experience something like that,you cannot believe he is here,
(31:32):
not maybe visible, but he camethrough the other people,
through the situation, I don'tknow, through the animals, even
sometimes. And I think that Godcame to our lives through this
kind of miracles. And then whenyoga came, I was so impressed,
(31:55):
because I start yoga mostlythrough the philosophy in the
beginning, that was my triggerto yoga, and yoga explains me
how we can see God, how we canconnect with him More and
beautiful, deep knowledge, thatis yoga. Yoga, it's all about to
(32:21):
awaken this connection with theGod our soul, with his soul.
Todd McLaughlin (32:31):
So, yeah, nice.
I hear you. Was the yourexperience of sensing a miracle
due to an accident and or ahealth challenge,
Unknown (32:44):
I had some pretty some dangerous situation, let's say,
in my previous yoga life. And Ireally think God saved me. No,
it's not accident, but fromother things. But I really think
he saved me, and also that wasthis kind of miracles, yeah,
yeah.
Todd McLaughlin (33:05):
Very cool. So then you clearly
Unknown (33:07):
see that God saved you, that you got some time, yeah,
that you do something which isnot usual for you, and something
happened maybe on that place, orsomething that you maybe will be
hurt,
Todd McLaughlin (33:21):
yeah? That's cool. Sandra, what? What is one
of the biggest challenges youfeel that you're facing
currently being a yoga teacherand a studio owner? Oh,
Unknown (33:41):
I think that maybe from the COVID times, let's say that
a lot of things change changes,and that is my challenge.
Because before, we didn't haveso much online interaction, not
almost nothing you had, likeemail, few emails in day. You
(34:02):
know, everything was so easierthan now, let's say that times
bring us a lot of new jobs, newobligations, new interactions.
You know, technology came thedigital area. Oh, my God, and
you want to serve in yoga, andyou get so many stuff to deal
(34:23):
with and for myself that waspretty much not easy to deal
with that, because I'm not thatkind of person. I want to come
to myself and to do my practiceand share, to be in peace, and
this digital area gave us somuch destruction. So you need to
(34:46):
be everywhere to be visible. Youknow, before people just came,
you know, just came, somehow youhave a website, and that was the
main tool for the. Presentyourself to other people. So I
can say this is the mainstressful area in my life to
(35:09):
deal with. So second, maybe thatthe people change the mindset.
So everything came easily beforeif you want to go to the yoga
class. You need to go to studio.
You need to sacrifice your time,your travel. You know, today
everything is here. It's like soeasy to come to the yoga class.
(35:33):
You have everywhere. You know,it's offering everywhere. So the
students, I would say, maybe Isee this little bit of laziness
in the, you know, to come realto see teacher, to practice the
(35:54):
real yoga in the real time withthe real teacher. Otherwise,
also, I think it's a blessingsomehow, because I have
opportunity to practice with myteacher online, who is in New
York. So I think this is thehuge gift in my life, yeah, and
I have time I do my best,because we are not in the same
(36:17):
time, and I'm leading theclasses, and the time when he
have a classes, but that is likea blessing. But people who are
in your area, I think that'shere I see a little bit
laziness, you know, because Ithink that yoga is sacrifice on
some point of view, and it'sgoing out of your comfort zone.
(36:42):
And I'm still thinking that theteacher is very important, not
just that you have two blocksaway the yoga studio. I think
that we all need to haveconnection with the teacher,
with the yoga which you'repracticing. So let's say this
online area, online era. It'sfor me, the the huge stress
(37:07):
sometimes, yeah, much moreobligations, yeah,
Todd McLaughlin (37:16):
I'm gonna agree with you. Sandra, for sure,
there, there's something aboutthe simplicity of the error that
you speak of where you have awebsite, maybe you send out
emails, like even if you weredoing some type of email sending
that was almost I remember atone time a student came in and I
(37:37):
was using an email service whereI could, every month, just send
out, you know, an email toeverybody. And she was like,
Whoa, that's not very yoga ofyou, for you to be like,
marketing your services throughan email. And I thought, well, I
hear you. I mean, this is like,a long time ago, and I was like,
at the point at that time, itfelt almost like you were doing
(37:58):
something wrong if you wereattempting to market yourself
digitally. You know what? Iremember an era where it was
like, even making a yoga videoin some way, was looked at like
you were cheapening the wholeexperience of yoga by trying to
put it onto a Video, Video reelor whatever. So you're right.
(38:19):
There's been such a hugetransition from the sort of
apprehension of digitaltechnology to where we are now.
I agree with you. I appreciatethat you brought that up.
Unknown (38:35):
Yeah, that's that's the way how we need to live now and
to share now. Yes, we need to beevery we have many, many, much
more obligations. According tothe leading studio,
Todd McLaughlin (38:51):
how are you navigating students that are
approaching you and saying,Sandra, I have pain. How are you
navigating teaching yoga asanaand making it accessible and
approachable for people that arelimited in their physical
(39:13):
ability?
Unknown (39:15):
Okay, so first of all, I think that when we came to
yoga, the yoga, when you startto practice yoga, that yoga
bring everything, what is in thebody and mind out. So if you
have some pain in your body, andusually normal poses, you don't
(39:37):
feel it. You don't see it. So inthe beginning of yoga practice.
Yoga brings pain out. So then wesee where we need to bring
attention to heal it. So withthe breath, with the movement,
with the concentration there,with the focus on prana to send
(39:57):
there. Because, my opinion. Isthat we have ability to heal
ourselves. So we bring pain tous we so that's what we did to
ourselves. And also think thatwe have the ability to heal
(40:17):
ourselves on some level. So thisis the one kind of the pain.
Other kind of the pain is ifsomeone practice yoga and go
over his limits and hurt thebody because he doesn't respect
the limits of the body becausehe wants to go more faster in
(40:41):
the samples, more stronger andthe body, it's not ready. So
then I think that is our that weneed to go on the lower level to
practice with more awarenesswith the body. Because yoga,
it's all about awareness. So tobe in in present moment with
(41:06):
full consciousness, to feelyourself also in this physical
level. So this is the second,let's say, type of the pain, and
the third title of the pain isthe people who came on yoga
class to heal themselves. So forthem, I think it's very depends
(41:26):
of our Teacher to Go individualwith that person, to see how we
can make the proper practice forthat person, and also to leave
that person in their practice,that they learn the way, how
can, how they can practice andthat way to deal with the pain,
(41:48):
or some, some, know, somethings, which are, if they have,
Like, something broken, or somelong term diseases. No,
Todd McLaughlin (42:03):
yeah, good point. Good point, great.
Mostly,
Unknown (42:07):
I think that that we got that experience to learn, of
course, something and that wecannot avoid that you know that
the pain is here to bring thetension on that area, on that
place and that yoga, it's like amedicine. It's like a pill. It's
(42:29):
a medicine for the body, and ofcourse, now in the spirit, but
also for the body, because thebody, it's a reflection of our
emotions, of our mindsets. Youknow, the our blood, it's full
of our emotions. Every spellfear, feel our emotion on on our
(42:49):
tote and the body, it's like amirror of our mindset, of our
life, lifestyle, lifeexperience. Yes.
Todd McLaughlin (43:01):
Nice. Sandra, I hear ya. Are you? How many
classes a day are you currentlyteaching? You had made mention
that in the past, you held avery busy schedule every single
day. On the weekends, fourclasses a day. Do you balance
that differently now? Or are youstill just as active?
Unknown (43:24):
Yeah, I balance it differently. Now I'm still
leading classes almost everyday. I have like a four classes,
regular everyday, but then Ihad, like, like a weekend, some
weekend schedule, or I offeringsomething else, but I had now I
have many students, manyteachers, Dharma teachers. I
(43:45):
need to share space for them,that they build up, that
teachers sharing the leadingclasses. So now it's little bit
easier to me. Let's say I havemany other obligation according
to this leading the studio, butalso, I have some private
(44:06):
clients, and most like it's twoclasses per two, not every day,
but two classes. Let's say Icombine that.
Todd McLaughlin (44:16):
That's cool.
How would you relate yogaculture in Croatia to yoga
culture in New York.
Unknown (44:26):
Oh, it's a different but first studio in Croatia was
the studio with New Yorkteachers. Interesting. The first
like this kind with many stylesyoga studio. And so from the
(44:48):
beginning, we had some taste ofthe New York practice of yoga.
And I finished my first schoolin that in that studio, in that
school, and I. When they camefirst time in New York, I saw
yoga in every corner. You know,every corner was a yoga studio.
(45:08):
In Croatia, we have just threein that time, three yoga
studios. So comparing to that isa huge difference. In Croatia
was much more attention to thegroups of the specific yoga
types, like just dentalmeditation, Art of Living,
(45:29):
community, Hare Krishnacommunity, yoga in daily life. I
don't know some others, but wehave different types of the
yoga. And that was around theteacher. And that was the
closest groups we met somehow,sometimes, but that was the
closest, mostly closingcommunity, and the yoga centers
(45:50):
or schools like we have now, wehave just, we had just three in
that time in New York City, inevery corner. And I see the
people in New York very, gooddiscipline. You know, it's like
a normal to go to yoga, yeah,yeah. Even in the business, they
have a break business break inthe daily, yeah. I was so
(46:13):
impressed in that, and I wasimpressed in the discipline, and
especially when I came to DharmaCenter, I was totally impressed
in the first line was, like longterm students of dharma, very
structured, totally but there'sthose people were so humbled and
(46:37):
that I attached to that it'slike a first impression, yeah.
So in Croatia, sometimes we needto work on discipline. But, you
know, like a stronger Sanghacommunity, we have some
discipline. We have the peoplewho have who practice like that.
(47:00):
Also, I had very much disciplinein a previous like a sport life,
and it came to me with Me inyoga. But that is the main
difference. What I saw in NewYork. That's cool.
Todd McLaughlin (47:17):
It's it sounds though like you are cultivating
that type of discipline in yourstudio. I mean, it just based
off everything you've said. Itsounds like you're you're
developing it?
Unknown (47:31):
Yes, I Yeah, the top of my development, let's say
they're like a morning cycles Ihave for many years, like a 40
day cycle every morning, like636 30 in the morning, like for
two hours. And that was the, myway to express the discipline,
because I think the yoga, it'sfirst of all discipline. And
(47:55):
whatever you learn if you don'tpractice, you know, it's it's
nothing. And maybe peoplethrough me saw that kind, that
style of the practice. But fromthe beginning, we have, like, I
say, very strong morningcommunity and discipline, and
(48:16):
that is our way of teaching.
Still today I'm leading theevery like a two, two part two
times or two times per year, I'mleaving the morning cycles, and
it's a strong discipline. We doeverything in two hours. We do a
lot. Yeah, yeah. That's like areflection, and
Todd McLaughlin (48:37):
that's cool.
Sandra, are you blending inmantra and meditation and asana
practice and pranayama. Are youweaving all of these
multifaceted aspects of yoga andteach class
Unknown (48:54):
in the regular class, I don't have enough time, yeah, so
I just do a little bit ofpranayama, short relaxation,
because classes are shorter thanbefore and but then I had, I
have some workshops specific. Ihave, like some online courses
(49:15):
or courses in life where I gowith a higher level of of
practice, like meditation,concentration and, know, some
psychic things. And also throughmy teacher training, 500 I
incorporate all that, but mostlythrough the master classes and
(49:36):
these specific types of thecycles, like like a seven days,
13 days, 21 day. So we have,like a regular meditation,
Pranayamas, Pranayamas, I doalmost in every class, two,
three, Pranayamas, always,because in my personal practice,
(49:57):
the Pranayamas, kriyas, mm.
Mantra meditation, that is apart of my yoga. I do a lot of
it's my practice. It's notcomplete if I don't do this, you
know, yeah, first asanas, theneverything else
Todd McLaughlin (50:15):
do. It sounds to me like you don't have a hard
time translating that to yourstudents that are coming in,
like, so like, imagine when somewhen somebody comes into your
studio and they really don'tknow what anything about yoga is
at all, brand new student, andmaybe they just heard like,
(50:40):
there's this thing called Yoga,and I'm going to go and I'm
going to stretch, and I think Ican touch my toes. I hope, when
I show up for class, maybe I'llbe able to touch my toes in
front of the teacher, and theteacher is going to think I look
really cool. And, you know,maybe like me, you know, like,
like, a really entry level kindof yoga person. Do you have that
often. And if you do, and you'regetting ready to teach
(51:04):
pranayama, maybe involve somemantra chanting and Sanskrit, do
you just like figure, let me letthem just jump in to the deep
end and sink or float, or dowhen you have that new student
that you go, wow, this personreally is coming into a more
(51:24):
advanced environment. Do youever do you think about that?
Unknown (51:31):
Yeah, of course, yeah.
So in studio, we have differentkinds of classes, different
levels, and so that is, for me,the best way to offer, to offer
the yoga practice like we aredoing. And also we have open
level classes. So I think the onthe beginner class, if someone
(51:52):
came to the beginning forbeginner class, he really got
just the basic of yoga, notmantras, not not so much
Pranayamas, just the breathawareness, you know, relaxation
and that. And we have a hugelevels of classes. And the
person who is little bit moreserious, he can go slowly
(52:13):
progress in the practice throughthe other levels. So we do like
this a long time, almost fromthe beginning, we have the range
of the this kind of the classes,but also we have, like an open
level class. So if, if someonewants to see how it's to have a
(52:33):
mixed group with advancedstudents with the beginners, and
that's that can be veryinspirational for someone that
that is like you say that whensomeone jump and got everything
so everyone can choose forthemselves, we have some people
who are always beginner. Youknow, that is good for them. So
(52:55):
I think it's okay to offer therange of the classes different
levels.
Todd McLaughlin (53:06):
Yeah, very cool. That's awesome that you
were able to do that, thatyou've been able to cultivate
that I'm curious. Sandra, Howmany languages do you speak?
Because I know I think you'redoing a phenomenal job with your
English, and when we reached it,when we started getting ready to
do the podcast, you had mademention to me. I'm going to try
(53:28):
to do in English, but I don'tknow how good I'll do. I think
you're doing great, but I'mcurious. How many languages do
you know?
Unknown (53:36):
I know just English. I used to speak Italian in German,
but I forgot I didn't speak along time, but just English. But
like I mentioned you beforepodcast, I really didn't speak a
long time since COVID time onregular, normal conversation, I
only leading the classes inEnglish, because almost every
(54:00):
class that lead in English, wecan we have some English
students in Croatia. There'ssome of them living, living
lives here. Some of them jump tothe class. But almost every
class is English.
Todd McLaughlin (54:14):
Got it. Got it.
Well, you're doing an amazingjob. So well done. Not easy to
do, thank you. Not easy to beinterviewed and in your second
language.
Unknown (54:26):
So it's not it's not easy, because, you know, the
practice is everything, but I domy I really, I'm doing my best.
Todd McLaughlin (54:37):
Well, Sandra, I'm so grateful to have this
chance to meet and speak withyou, I really appreciate it and
and thank you for being willingto go out on the edge and and do
this with me. You know, withthat, with the challenge of
doing in English, is there, isthere anything that you would
like to leave us with in the.
Listener with in relation tomotivation and or inspiration to
(55:02):
continue to practice.
Unknown (55:08):
Oh, it's many, many different kind of inspiration.
But maybe let's say that if youwant to succeed in the long
term, like a yoga student, yogateacher, whatever, let's say
yoga student, just practitionerthat you really need, need to
have very strong inspiration.
So, because if you loseinspiration, you lose
(55:34):
everything. You don't haveenthusiasm more to do the
practice. Because yoga practiceis like ups and downs. No,
you're different in thebeginning, different. You evolve
through the yoga practice. Youchange through that. But you
need to keep the strongdiscipline you need to have,
let's say, almost the samepractice. Just upgrade with the
(55:59):
time and the really clearinspiration, what leads you on
the path of the yoga. And ifyour inspiration is a spiritual
way, targeting that way, thenyou will, you will succeed. You
will, you will keep yoga in yourlife, you know, because it's not
(56:24):
easy. We have so manydistractions from the outside
world that it's not easy to beon the yoga part. But I think
it's the most beautiful way totransform ourselves and to
transform our mindset, transformmy our health, and also that we
(56:44):
transform our relationship withthe divine connection. And if
you have a teacher who is stilllive lives in this earth, this
is the really huge blessing. Sobe with that teacher. Share your
time with him. On with yourpossibilities, you know, and
(57:09):
also, don't wait to becomeperfect, to share the knowledge.
So let's say, fix yourself alittle bit, be happy with
yourself and share it. So it'smany people outside who are
suffering still, and I thinkthat our, that we that are
service, like a teachers, it's ahuge, huge blessing to help
(57:35):
others. You forgot on yourselfand you just go through that
that's your like a mission,that's your mission in your
life, and that it's a beautifulmission to be on that way. Don't
be afraid. Just go. Don't worry.
(57:56):
Just do yourself, do your heart,and everything will will be
okay. So, but first, because fixyourself a little bit. So we are
not fixed even this lifetime.
But do your best and don't,don't wait to become perfect to
serve. You know,
Todd McLaughlin (58:13):
yeah, yes, yeah. Oh, beautiful Sandra,
thank you so much. I reallyappreciate it. I enjoyed hearing
about your yoga journey. Thankyou for sharing it with us. I'm
honored to have thisopportunity, and thank you, Pam
and Andrew for the introduction.
And very much. Yeah, they spokeso highly of you, and Andrew was
(58:33):
so excited when when we got achance to connect. So I really
appreciate them, and I amthankful for this opportunity,
and I hope I get a chance tovisit Croatia one day.
Unknown (58:47):
Oh, you're invited,
Todd McLaughlin (58:49):
and same here.
If you ever come to Florida,please come see us.
Unknown (58:53):
Oh, yeah, who knows?
Maybe New York. Finally, after,after, like a COVID time, and
before that, I was almost everyyear in New York for 10 years.
And I'm very glad that youinvited me and for PAM and
Andrew to suggest me, and I, Ihope that we will have that we
(59:16):
will have opportunity to sharesome experience at some global
event, one day that we all fromevery kind of yoga that we I
didn't know, meet each other, orsome events, some festival, or
some, something like that. Yes,
Todd McLaughlin (59:36):
to share live.
I agree. Sandra, I like that.
Wish.
Unknown (59:40):
Thank you very much.
Thank you for inviting me. I'mreally honored to share it.
Thank you. Sandra,
Todd McLaughlin (59:47):
thank you.
Thank you.
Native yoga. Todd, cast isproduced by myself. The theme
music. Is dreamed up by BryceAllen. If you like this show,
let me know if there's room forimprovement. I want to hear that
(01:00:07):
too. We are curious to know whatyou think and what you want more
of what I can improve. And ifyou have ideas for future guests
or topics, please send us yourthoughts to info at Native yoga
center. You can find us atNative yoga center.com, and hey,
if you did like this episode,share it with your friends, rate
(01:00:30):
it and review and join us nexttime
Unknown (01:00:42):
you
Welcome to Native Yoga Toddcast. So happy
you are here. My goal with thischannel is to bring
inspirational speakers to themic in the field of yoga,
massage, body work and beyond.
Follow us at @nativeyoga andcheck us out at
nativeyogacenter.com. All right,let's begin.
(01:04):
Yes, so happy to have you here.
This is Native Yoga Toddcast. Myname is Todd McLaughlin. If it
is your first time listening,welcome to the show. For those
of you that return regularly,each week, I put out a new
episode every Friday morning,around 7am on Friday, Eastern
Time. And this week, my specialguest is Sandra Petra Pintaric,
and Sandra is located inCroatia. Check her out on her
(01:28):
website, dharmayogazagreb.com,the link is in the description.
You will very easily find it.
Click it. Follow her. She's sosweet. I'm so excited for you to
get a chance to meet her. I canfeel the genuine yogini quality
coming from her. She seems sodedicated, so passionate to
(01:50):
teach, to share. And I thinkthat is what it is all about.
And so that's why we are here.
Thank you for your support.
Reach out to us. Let us knowwhat you think. Let's begin. I'm
very honored to have the chanceto meet and speak with Sandra
Petra Pintaric, Sandra, you'rejoining me from Croatia. Thank
(02:13):
you so much for taking time outof your day. I can't wait to
hear about your journey withyoga. How are you feeling today?
Sandra Petra Pintaric (02:24):
I'm very good. Thank you. I wait this
podcast all day, mostly preparemyself a little bit, and I'm
very honored to be here on thepodcast and to share some of my
experience. And also, I'mgrateful for those who suggested
me to you, and I'm happy toshare this time with you.
Todd McLaughlin (02:46):
Thank you, Sandra. I appreciate it. I have
never been to Croatia before,but I hear it's very beautiful.
Where are you? Are you nearwater? Or are you up in a
mountain?
Unknown (03:00):
No, I'm in the main city of Croatia, the Zagreb it's
continental area. So I alsodream about the summertime and
to go close to the sea.
Todd McLaughlin (03:12):
Nice, nice. And do you believe in soulmates?
Unknown (03:20):
I believe, yeah, I believe a group, group of soul
mates, not just maybe some oneperson, but I believe that we
all have some soul mates in mylife, some people who are very
close to us, some people who arein the some of the groups we
have me sharing the same energy.
I believe in that yes, and Ibelieve also the way met some
(03:46):
people back in our future lives,to share something, to finish
something or begin something. Ibelieve that's
Todd McLaughlin (03:59):
cool. Have you found that yoga practice has
opened you up to seeing thepeople that you meet in your
life as having a deeperconnection than just a random
chance meeting?
Unknown (04:17):
Yeah? For sure. Yeah.
Yoga. Yoga brings me a lot ofclose souls, which I I share my
life with them on many levels.
Some of them are like myhusband. They are very close to
me. I have some very closefriends, and I also began yoga
(04:42):
one time ago with my friendsfrom previous let's say life,
yeah, and we all start topractice yoga together. We, I
have few close friends. We, weused to live together, and we
all practice. Yoga at the sametime, we share everything from
(05:03):
yoga practice, spiritualknowledge, bhajans, yoga,
nidras. When yoga nidra wasn'tso popular, we just have a one
Cas, I don't know how to say inthe old
Todd McLaughlin (05:21):
that's correct, like a cassette, like a
cassette, yeah, yeah. And
Unknown (05:26):
my friends came to our place, and we all lay down on
the back and wisdom the thevoice of the teacher, nice. That
was before and almost 25 yearsago. Nice, something, 23 okay,
yeah, and yeah, he gave me somany people. Some people are
short terms related to me. Somepeople are in like in my studio.
(05:51):
There are long term we build upour friendships and our soul
friendship for a long time, andwe share many beautiful things
together, also some which arenot so beautiful, but to share
the life together, let's saylike that. Yeah.
Todd McLaughlin (06:09):
Do Do you own a yoga studio in Zagreb?
Unknown (06:14):
Yes, I own a yoga studio. This is my third
position I start 2009 when Iopened with my friend, and now
I'm living by my own, but I havea lot of people to who helps me
in our community. Nice, nicethat we are blooming with the
(06:38):
yoga practice and everything forsharing. Wonderful
Todd McLaughlin (06:42):
Did you, I know you're a student of dharma.
Mitra, when did you firstpractice with dharma?
Unknown (06:54):
Before dharma? I was like, say, like a 10 years in
yoga, and I wanted to find ateacher to to progress in my
yoga practice, to be I finishedthe 200 I wanted to find some
teacher to to give me moreknowledge. And I explore a
(07:18):
little bit. And I remember itwas 2010 and I saw his So
picture of sridharma Mitra, veryhumble, full of bliss in his
eyes. And I was very curious,who this man is, this teacher
is. And then I saw that he's inNew York. I told maybe New York,
(07:43):
it's too far away from from us,but somehow I decide to go on
his teacher training 205 100,and that was my first meeting
with him, and my firstimpression was so high that I
(08:06):
immediately, I felt in my heartthat this is my teacher.
Sometimes we we are wrong, but Itruly believe and felt him in my
heart, very deeply, like I sawin the in his picture. And that
was my first time I saw him inin New York, 2000 in the
(08:29):
beginning. I remember, it's aJanuary in 2011
Todd McLaughlin (08:36):
Nice, nice. Can you talk a little bit about you
made mention that you felt goodvibes when you saw the picture.
You were intrigued, just throughthe energy that you saw in the
picture. Then when you met him,you didn't really question
(08:57):
whether or not he's yourteacher. You've just felt it.
Can you talk a little bit about,a little more about what, what
that is like.
Unknown (09:09):
I think that we can really felt in our heart, but we
need to clean up a little bitour hearts to to be truthfully
believe that is the right personfor us. Uh, sometimes we have
mistake, you know, but I don'tcare about mistake, okay? I try
(09:35):
to follow my heart and if Imistake, okay, so what we are,
move forward. But I believe inmy feelings. I believe in my
intuition. But if I came to thedeep state of consciousness, you
know, through the meditation,through the humble way. Of view
(10:00):
things. Then you got someanswers, and then you got some
light to show you the way, toshow you the way, the people you
know, if it's if I go deeperthen, then I felt my intuition,
(10:21):
much, much better.
Todd McLaughlin (10:23):
Nice. Do you have a way of tapping into your
intuition or a way ofexplaining, maybe, to those of
us that are wanting to deepenour intuition? Do you have some
strategy or advice of how todevelop intuition.
Unknown (10:49):
Yes, it's so many strategies I tried before and
even before yoga, I was so muchin the esoteric way of eating to
explore through that area, and Iwas also pretty much in
astrology. So astrology is alsosome way of to see things and
(11:12):
but most importantly, when Iwant to use my intuition to see
is some way good for me or not,I really need to go deeper. And
if it's some area of life whichis very important, then I gave
myself time to see, to check myfirst feeling. And I gave this
(11:41):
like offering to God, let's sayto the that He guides me. I
offer him this idea, thequestion, or my way to some to
go somewhere, to meet someone,and then I feel much
comfortable, because I thinkthen I done my my things and
(12:04):
everything else I want that Godsurprised me in some way not to
be controller of the situationof to checking every time, is it
right? Was it is it wrong? Justa problem with that. So that way
of thinking brings me to yogatoo. I think of some things
(12:28):
maybe a longer way, or I havesome visions, or I want to
choose some part, and then I godeep down in my meditation.
Sometimes I have more days thansometimes life days sometimes
ago, like a 40 days to see whatwill goes on from that idea and
(12:54):
when I got the answer in myheart. And I'm pretty sure I
don't, I don't care so much whatwill come, because I will do my
best, and whatever comes that,that's it. Now also, when you
choose a teacher, it's so manyteachers today. And if you are
not deep inside you, if you arenot looking for the truth, then
(13:17):
you will met many teachers whomaybe are not so familiar with
your point of view in life, andmaybe they're not strong
connection with them. I alsofelt that in some area when I
before Dharma, I wanted to finda teacher who is good for me,
(13:39):
and I didn't want to travel sofar to New York. I was traveling
through Europe, very close, andthen I realized that that the
distance is not the problem. Isthe problem, my way of that
distance, that's the that'sblocked this idea. So the
(14:01):
distance, New York, Croatia,it's really not problem. The
month, not the problem. The timeis not a problem, nothing. And
then you open yourself for anykind of experiences.
Todd McLaughlin (14:15):
So well, that's cool. Sandra, I'm I'm thinking
that you are referencing thefact that you can practice in
Croatia, your teacher can be inNew York City. And at the same
time that you're apart, you canbe together.
Unknown (14:34):
Yes, we are. I think that in my heart always
together, because I want to feelteacher from my heart, not from
my mind, and I connect with myteacher now through my
meditation, through the pictureon my altar, through the today,
(14:58):
okay, we have so much. A mediaand Instagram, Facebook. So it's
always here from somewhere, butdeep inside, what's what is most
important for me. It's myfeeling for the teacher, not
just that I have a teacher Idon't care for that. It's my
(15:21):
feeling, my connection, my trueconnection with him.
Todd McLaughlin (15:26):
Can you That's That's amazing. I hear you can
in, you know, being afacilitator of a yoga studio,
slash, you're a yoga teacher,and you have students. Do you
feel like you are within a chainor like a connection point
(15:49):
between you and your teacher toyour student? Or do you feel
like they could kind of godirectly to him around you,
like, Well, how do you envisionor feel or into it, the role
that you play with your studentsand the connection that you have
(16:09):
to your own personal teacher?
Did that make sense? Yeah,
Unknown (16:14):
yeah. So, like, I have a studio, and when I came to
after my teacher training 500this first one, I came to
Croatia, and I used to lead likeI was, like a five years in, I
start with a Shanga yoga, myfirst style. Then I explored
(16:36):
through the vinyasa systems allkind. In that time that was not
so much in vinyasas. And thattime we have, like a power
vinyasa, vinyasa flow, geo Muktiyoga, I don't know some this
kind of yoga practice. And inthe Croatia was very strong
community. And I came withDharma yoga. And also I changed
(16:59):
my practice. And I came becauseI shared the studio with the
sangies. And I came like fromthe space, you know, like from
the universe, come with theDharma yoga from nowhere. And
everything was different,different side with the leg,
different structure of theclass, you know, different point
(17:21):
of view on the athanas, outerrich, the inner rich, you know,
many things. And it was littlebit confusing for the regular
classes. But somehow I, I wasnever so much in that that I
have problems with that, youknow? I just try. I just want to
(17:45):
serve and to share my experiencewith Dharma, yoga and dharma as
a teacher, and I don't know Ihad a smile and just go through
all that. And in the beginning,I was alone long, like from for
(18:05):
many years, like maybe for fewfive years, I was alone in the
like one teacher in the Croatiaand the students, I was like a
bridge for them, because theydidn't know nothing about Dharma
Mitra, Dharma, Dharma, it's notso on the exposing himself on
(18:29):
the media. You know, they evendon't have how the practice
looks like. We in that time wehad just like, a few videos on
YouTube, and it was like amystery what Dharma yoga is, you
know, and I was like a bridge tothem. Many of them come to my
classes. They stay. They fell inlove in the practice. Then they
(18:54):
start to to see who is behindit, how I am like a devotional
in that way, and I don't knowwhen everything happens happen
in like on the track, andslowly, step by step, with our
(19:14):
nice Energy, the some of theother teachers I so then go to
New York. Be respect.
Respectful. If you like thispractice, if you want to share
this practice, go there in NewYork, finish the teacher
training, share the yoga andslowly, slowly the community
(19:36):
grow up. And I send, let's say,many teachers to New York today.
They all have wish without me.
You know, they practice yoga.
They are here in community, andthey that it's like a normal
they want to go to finish withhim, because he is little bit
older, and they have. Greatopportunity to be here in life,
(20:00):
to learn from the legendaryyogi, you know, and so I think
it's very respectful to givesome honor to the teacher and to
go there. Nice.
Todd McLaughlin (20:17):
And so what time is your first class?
Unknown (20:24):
How you mean? Like,
Todd McLaughlin (20:26):
yeah, like, do you what's the first time class?
The first class time that youoffer at your studio? Do you
have people starting at like,6am or in Croatia, does everyone
sleep in until 12 and you don'tstart teaching until one or what
is the culture like there inrelation to because I you know
how, like in Ashtanga Yoga, youwould maybe start practice at
(20:50):
like, 430 in the morning, andlike Mysore, would be really,
really early. How have you beenable to adapt teaching Dharma
yoga in Croatia, and what is theculture supportive of in
relation to your first classtime of the day?
Unknown (21:11):
Yeah, we have, so let's say, long term we had, we had,
like four to five classes perday. So the before, when I
shared the studio, it wasAshtanga in the morning. So it
was always the morning forAshtanga and I, myself, I used
(21:32):
to practice, I'm I alwayspractice yoga in the morning,
early in the morning, almostbefore dharma. That's my I know
that's my way how to practicewhen it's not even day, and
that's staying me. Know thatthat is with me, and I really
appreciate practice in the earlyin the morning that you are
(21:56):
almost finished until seven.
That's my favorite time. So whenI came with the Dharma, I didn't
have opportunity to practiceearly in the morning. But I made
some like a 40 days cycles withthe everyday without breaking a
day. We practice like that, andwe and I had the morning classes
(22:17):
like 10pm day 10am then we havelike, two classes in the
afternoon, and almost every day,I used to lead the classes
almost every day, every weekend,or I had a school or some
Workshop master class,everything. So it was, it's
(22:39):
pretty intense, especially inthat days, for many, many years,
until a COVID time, let's say,Yeah, many years. Gotcha. So
they have how I was alone in thepractice so I can I, I was
offering just like a Dharma two,dharma three level. When I
(23:00):
finish a four, then I offerother levels and the practice.
And slowly, other teachers canfinish the school. They share
also with the students. Andtoday, we are just Dharma yoga
studio, and we have many Dharmayoga teachers, not just in my
studio, in whole Croatia, andI'm so grateful on that. So even
(23:23):
from I didn't think so much, itjust came like this. You know, I
that was my wish, of course, butjust came that's
Todd McLaughlin (23:35):
really cool, Sandra. I appreciate how
difficult that is to do. And Imean, I know you're, in a way,
kind of saying, you know, itjust happened one step at a
time. It's not like I set out tohave this be the, you know, the
end goal, but you were just verydedicated in your teaching. But
(23:58):
I definitely can appreciate mywife and I have had our studio
here for the last 19 years, andit does take, like, such
consistent daily attention andeffort to build and maintain and
grow. So I appreciate whatyou're saying, and that is a big
deal. Like to to be able tostart teaching Dharma yoga, and
(24:21):
then have like, a Dharma yogastudio where all the classes are
centered around that, and togenerate enough interest from
the people around I think isclearly to me, it's obvious that
you, you had your whole heartand soul into the experience of
teaching and practicing, orelse, I don't believe that would
(24:44):
have happened.
Unknown (24:46):
Yeah, like you say, I agree with everything. It's not
easy. You came to yoga fromother backgrounds, from like,
when I listen other teachers, weall have like, like, some
similar stories to share. Share.
We all, not all, but most of ushave some background when we
used to work a lot in normaljobs, you know, in the
(25:10):
corporations and or normal jobs,and then you came to yoga.
Maybe, if you think yoga, it'slike just meditating, just to do
nothing. You just do practice ifthey're very wrong. So you do
everything even more than youused to work, I would say. So
it's many obligations, and ifyou want to studio, have a long
(25:34):
term stability. So really, youneed to bring there your heart,
your full heart, like you say,yeah. So you know, you're, I'm
less I'm like a 15 years you're,like a 19 years old. You are
very nice, yeah. And also, Ithink it's, you cannot count
(25:59):
everything. It's like a mercy ofGod. You know it's it's like a
mercy will came to you who willstay here? I
Todd McLaughlin (26:11):
agree. I hear ya and on that theme of soul
mate. And when I asked you ifyou believe in a soul mate, you
said, Yes. I think a lot of usthink about a soul mate, that
means, like the one person thatwe meet that might end up being
either our spouse or our lifepartner. But I noticed that in
(26:34):
our correspondence, prior tothis conversation, that you made
mention of like the group soulmate, that they're like your
yoga community is a part of yoursoulmate and, or your teacher
and, or, like you mentioned,your husband or a life partner.
Can you explain a little bitabout how you see the community
(26:59):
as a soulmate experience?
Unknown (27:04):
I think that we all have like attraction to the
people who are similar like us.
Or in some years there they wehave similar interests on in
yoga, we have also similar part.
So I learned that from the, Idon't know it's like American
(27:27):
Indians, or before yoga, thatthat is a group there exist,
like a group of the soulmatesoul, soul groups, and we all,
we meet each other in eachlifetime. So that was like a
romantic idea in my head. Butthat romantic idea stay in my
(27:47):
head, and I like to see thatway, because I want to see other
people like souls. I try to seethem like a souls, not on the
material level of of our minds,you know, and I see from my
(28:07):
experience that some people,they show us to very important.
Sometimes they save us. Youknow, you never know why some
person is in your life and withtime, time, show us why some
person is important. Soespecially in yoga community, I
(28:29):
think we are all connectedwithin a specific way, not just
for interest in yoga, it'ssharing a life experience with
those people, and we try tofollow the yoga rules. We try to
follow the yoga ethics. And it'sa little bit different than
(28:52):
normal, usual life. We have thehigher standards of the
communication, of the sharingenergy. We all felt filled
energies. You know, we had wesee the subtles, subtle things,
auras and everything. So I don'tknow if explain good, but my
(29:15):
opinion is that I meet somepeople, maybe not just this
lifetime, mainly from theprevious life, and that we have
something to do together.
Todd McLaughlin (29:28):
Yeah. Very cool. Thank you. I appreciate
your insights there. You maymention in our correspondence
that yoga has helped you todeepen your relationship in God.
Can you talk a little bit aboutmaybe how you viewed your
understanding of God and how itnow you view it and and, or what
(29:52):
that evolution has looked like?
Unknown (29:59):
So. I think it was always in me, you know, some
connection with God. I maybe Ididn't before. I didn't know how
to explain myself. I have manyareas where God reflected in my
life, and I realized God muchbetter when was very hard to me
(30:21):
when I had some pain orsuffering. Then was the period
when God, when I saw God moreclearly in my life. And I would
say like that, in in thelifetime, we have some period
when we awaken our souls and Godconnection and this awakeness I
(30:48):
can maybe compare like whenspiritual energy go high and you
are ready To Change yourself.
And through that awakenings, Igot much better connection with
the God. So how through, throughthe real experience, not just
(31:10):
through the religions, throughthe ritual, but just through the
conversation I know to the tofeel him in my life, his
presence in my life. So I hadsome situations in my life with
God came like a miracle to mylife to save me. And when you
experience something like that,you cannot believe he is here,
(31:32):
not maybe visible, but he camethrough the other people,
through the situation, I don'tknow, through the animals, even
sometimes. And I think that Godcame to our lives through this
kind of miracles. And then whenyoga came, I was so impressed,
(31:55):
because I start yoga mostlythrough the philosophy in the
beginning, that was my triggerto yoga, and yoga explains me
how we can see God, how we canconnect with him More and
beautiful, deep knowledge, thatis yoga. Yoga, it's all about to
(32:21):
awaken this connection with theGod our soul, with his soul.
Todd McLaughlin (32:31):
So, yeah, nice.
I hear you. Was the yourexperience of sensing a miracle
due to an accident and or ahealth challenge,
Unknown (32:44):
I had some pretty some dangerous situation, let's say,
in my previous yoga life. And Ireally think God saved me. No,
it's not accident, but fromother things. But I really think
he saved me, and also that wasthis kind of miracles, yeah,
yeah.
Todd McLaughlin (33:05):
Very cool. So then you clearly
Unknown (33:07):
see that God saved you, that you got some time, yeah,
that you do something which isnot usual for you, and something
happened maybe on that place, orsomething that you maybe will be
hurt,
Todd McLaughlin (33:21):
yeah? That's cool. Sandra, what? What is one
of the biggest challenges youfeel that you're facing
currently being a yoga teacherand a studio owner? Oh,
Unknown (33:41):
I think that maybe from the COVID times, let's say that
a lot of things change changes,and that is my challenge.
Because before, we didn't haveso much online interaction, not
almost nothing you had, likeemail, few emails in day. You
(34:02):
know, everything was so easierthan now, let's say that times
bring us a lot of new jobs, newobligations, new interactions.
You know, technology came thedigital area. Oh, my God, and
you want to serve in yoga, andyou get so many stuff to deal
(34:23):
with and for myself that waspretty much not easy to deal
with that, because I'm not thatkind of person. I want to come
to myself and to do my practiceand share, to be in peace, and
this digital area gave us somuch destruction. So you need to
(34:46):
be everywhere to be visible. Youknow, before people just came,
you know, just came, somehow youhave a website, and that was the
main tool for the. Presentyourself to other people. So I
can say this is the mainstressful area in my life to
(35:09):
deal with. So second, maybe thatthe people change the mindset.
So everything came easily beforeif you want to go to the yoga
class. You need to go to studio.
You need to sacrifice your time,your travel. You know, today
everything is here. It's like soeasy to come to the yoga class.
(35:33):
You have everywhere. You know,it's offering everywhere. So the
students, I would say, maybe Isee this little bit of laziness
in the, you know, to come realto see teacher, to practice the
(35:54):
real yoga in the real time withthe real teacher. Otherwise,
also, I think it's a blessingsomehow, because I have
opportunity to practice with myteacher online, who is in New
York. So I think this is thehuge gift in my life, yeah, and
I have time I do my best,because we are not in the same
(36:17):
time, and I'm leading theclasses, and the time when he
have a classes, but that is likea blessing. But people who are
in your area, I think that'shere I see a little bit
laziness, you know, because Ithink that yoga is sacrifice on
some point of view, and it'sgoing out of your comfort zone.
(36:42):
And I'm still thinking that theteacher is very important, not
just that you have two blocksaway the yoga studio. I think
that we all need to haveconnection with the teacher,
with the yoga which you'repracticing. So let's say this
online area, online era. It'sfor me, the the huge stress
(37:07):
sometimes, yeah, much moreobligations, yeah,
Todd McLaughlin (37:16):
I'm gonna agree with you. Sandra, for sure,
there, there's something aboutthe simplicity of the error that
you speak of where you have awebsite, maybe you send out
emails, like even if you weredoing some type of email sending
that was almost I remember atone time a student came in and I
(37:37):
was using an email service whereI could, every month, just send
out, you know, an email toeverybody. And she was like,
Whoa, that's not very yoga ofyou, for you to be like,
marketing your services throughan email. And I thought, well, I
hear you. I mean, this is like,a long time ago, and I was like,
at the point at that time, itfelt almost like you were doing
(37:58):
something wrong if you wereattempting to market yourself
digitally. You know what? Iremember an era where it was
like, even making a yoga videoin some way, was looked at like
you were cheapening the wholeexperience of yoga by trying to
put it onto a Video, Video reelor whatever. So you're right.
(38:19):
There's been such a hugetransition from the sort of
apprehension of digitaltechnology to where we are now.
I agree with you. I appreciatethat you brought that up.
Unknown (38:35):
Yeah, that's that's the way how we need to live now and
to share now. Yes, we need to beevery we have many, many, much
more obligations. According tothe leading studio,
Todd McLaughlin (38:51):
how are you navigating students that are
approaching you and saying,Sandra, I have pain. How are you
navigating teaching yoga asanaand making it accessible and
approachable for people that arelimited in their physical
(39:13):
ability?
Unknown (39:15):
Okay, so first of all, I think that when we came to
yoga, the yoga, when you startto practice yoga, that yoga
bring everything, what is in thebody and mind out. So if you
have some pain in your body, andusually normal poses, you don't
(39:37):
feel it. You don't see it. So inthe beginning of yoga practice.
Yoga brings pain out. So then wesee where we need to bring
attention to heal it. So withthe breath, with the movement,
with the concentration there,with the focus on prana to send
(39:57):
there. Because, my opinion. Isthat we have ability to heal
ourselves. So we bring pain tous we so that's what we did to
ourselves. And also think thatwe have the ability to heal
(40:17):
ourselves on some level. So thisis the one kind of the pain.
Other kind of the pain is ifsomeone practice yoga and go
over his limits and hurt thebody because he doesn't respect
the limits of the body becausehe wants to go more faster in
(40:41):
the samples, more stronger andthe body, it's not ready. So
then I think that is our that weneed to go on the lower level to
practice with more awarenesswith the body. Because yoga,
it's all about awareness. So tobe in in present moment with
(41:06):
full consciousness, to feelyourself also in this physical
level. So this is the second,let's say, type of the pain, and
the third title of the pain isthe people who came on yoga
class to heal themselves. So forthem, I think it's very depends
(41:26):
of our Teacher to Go individualwith that person, to see how we
can make the proper practice forthat person, and also to leave
that person in their practice,that they learn the way, how
can, how they can practice andthat way to deal with the pain,
(41:48):
or some, some, know, somethings, which are, if they have,
Like, something broken, or somelong term diseases. No,
Todd McLaughlin (42:03):
yeah, good point. Good point, great.
Mostly,
Unknown (42:07):
I think that that we got that experience to learn, of
course, something and that wecannot avoid that you know that
the pain is here to bring thetension on that area, on that
place and that yoga, it's like amedicine. It's like a pill. It's
(42:29):
a medicine for the body, and ofcourse, now in the spirit, but
also for the body, because thebody, it's a reflection of our
emotions, of our mindsets. Youknow, the our blood, it's full
of our emotions. Every spellfear, feel our emotion on on our
(42:49):
tote and the body, it's like amirror of our mindset, of our
life, lifestyle, lifeexperience. Yes.
Todd McLaughlin (43:01):
Nice. Sandra, I hear ya. Are you? How many
classes a day are you currentlyteaching? You had made mention
that in the past, you held avery busy schedule every single
day. On the weekends, fourclasses a day. Do you balance
that differently now? Or are youstill just as active?
Unknown (43:24):
Yeah, I balance it differently. Now I'm still
leading classes almost everyday. I have like a four classes,
regular everyday, but then Ihad, like, like a weekend, some
weekend schedule, or I offeringsomething else, but I had now I
have many students, manyteachers, Dharma teachers. I
(43:45):
need to share space for them,that they build up, that
teachers sharing the leadingclasses. So now it's little bit
easier to me. Let's say I havemany other obligation according
to this leading the studio, butalso, I have some private
(44:06):
clients, and most like it's twoclasses per two, not every day,
but two classes. Let's say Icombine that.
Todd McLaughlin (44:16):
That's cool.
How would you relate yogaculture in Croatia to yoga
culture in New York.
Unknown (44:26):
Oh, it's a different but first studio in Croatia was
the studio with New Yorkteachers. Interesting. The first
like this kind with many stylesyoga studio. And so from the
(44:48):
beginning, we had some taste ofthe New York practice of yoga.
And I finished my first schoolin that in that studio, in that
school, and I. When they camefirst time in New York, I saw
yoga in every corner. You know,every corner was a yoga studio.
(45:08):
In Croatia, we have just threein that time, three yoga
studios. So comparing to that isa huge difference. In Croatia
was much more attention to thegroups of the specific yoga
types, like just dentalmeditation, Art of Living,
(45:29):
community, Hare Krishnacommunity, yoga in daily life. I
don't know some others, but wehave different types of the
yoga. And that was around theteacher. And that was the
closest groups we met somehow,sometimes, but that was the
closest, mostly closingcommunity, and the yoga centers
(45:50):
or schools like we have now, wehave just, we had just three in
that time in New York City, inevery corner. And I see the
people in New York very, gooddiscipline. You know, it's like
a normal to go to yoga, yeah,yeah. Even in the business, they
have a break business break inthe daily, yeah. I was so
(46:13):
impressed in that, and I wasimpressed in the discipline, and
especially when I came to DharmaCenter, I was totally impressed
in the first line was, like longterm students of dharma, very
structured, totally but there'sthose people were so humbled and
(46:37):
that I attached to that it'slike a first impression, yeah.
So in Croatia, sometimes we needto work on discipline. But, you
know, like a stronger Sanghacommunity, we have some
discipline. We have the peoplewho have who practice like that.
(47:00):
Also, I had very much disciplinein a previous like a sport life,
and it came to me with Me inyoga. But that is the main
difference. What I saw in NewYork. That's cool.
Todd McLaughlin (47:17):
It's it sounds though like you are cultivating
that type of discipline in yourstudio. I mean, it just based
off everything you've said. Itsounds like you're you're
developing it?
Unknown (47:31):
Yes, I Yeah, the top of my development, let's say
they're like a morning cycles Ihave for many years, like a 40
day cycle every morning, like636 30 in the morning, like for
two hours. And that was the, myway to express the discipline,
because I think the yoga, it'sfirst of all discipline. And
(47:55):
whatever you learn if you don'tpractice, you know, it's it's
nothing. And maybe peoplethrough me saw that kind, that
style of the practice. But fromthe beginning, we have, like, I
say, very strong morningcommunity and discipline, and
(48:16):
that is our way of teaching.
Still today I'm leading theevery like a two, two part two
times or two times per year, I'mleaving the morning cycles, and
it's a strong discipline. We doeverything in two hours. We do a
lot. Yeah, yeah. That's like areflection, and
Todd McLaughlin (48:37):
that's cool.
Sandra, are you blending inmantra and meditation and asana
practice and pranayama. Are youweaving all of these
multifaceted aspects of yoga andteach class
Unknown (48:54):
in the regular class, I don't have enough time, yeah, so
I just do a little bit ofpranayama, short relaxation,
because classes are shorter thanbefore and but then I had, I
have some workshops specific. Ihave, like some online courses
(49:15):
or courses in life where I gowith a higher level of of
practice, like meditation,concentration and, know, some
psychic things. And also throughmy teacher training, 500 I
incorporate all that, but mostlythrough the master classes and
(49:36):
these specific types of thecycles, like like a seven days,
13 days, 21 day. So we have,like a regular meditation,
Pranayamas, Pranayamas, I doalmost in every class, two,
three, Pranayamas, always,because in my personal practice,
(49:57):
the Pranayamas, kriyas, mm.
Mantra meditation, that is apart of my yoga. I do a lot of
it's my practice. It's notcomplete if I don't do this, you
know, yeah, first asanas, theneverything else
Todd McLaughlin (50:15):
do. It sounds to me like you don't have a hard
time translating that to yourstudents that are coming in,
like, so like, imagine when somewhen somebody comes into your
studio and they really don'tknow what anything about yoga is
at all, brand new student, andmaybe they just heard like,
(50:40):
there's this thing called Yoga,and I'm going to go and I'm
going to stretch, and I think Ican touch my toes. I hope, when
I show up for class, maybe I'llbe able to touch my toes in
front of the teacher, and theteacher is going to think I look
really cool. And, you know,maybe like me, you know, like,
like, a really entry level kindof yoga person. Do you have that
often. And if you do, and you'regetting ready to teach
(51:04):
pranayama, maybe involve somemantra chanting and Sanskrit, do
you just like figure, let me letthem just jump in to the deep
end and sink or float, or dowhen you have that new student
that you go, wow, this personreally is coming into a more
(51:24):
advanced environment. Do youever do you think about that?
Unknown (51:31):
Yeah, of course, yeah.
So in studio, we have differentkinds of classes, different
levels, and so that is, for me,the best way to offer, to offer
the yoga practice like we aredoing. And also we have open
level classes. So I think the onthe beginner class, if someone
(51:52):
came to the beginning forbeginner class, he really got
just the basic of yoga, notmantras, not not so much
Pranayamas, just the breathawareness, you know, relaxation
and that. And we have a hugelevels of classes. And the
person who is little bit moreserious, he can go slowly
(52:13):
progress in the practice throughthe other levels. So we do like
this a long time, almost fromthe beginning, we have the range
of the this kind of the classes,but also we have, like an open
level class. So if, if someonewants to see how it's to have a
(52:33):
mixed group with advancedstudents with the beginners, and
that's that can be veryinspirational for someone that
that is like you say that whensomeone jump and got everything
so everyone can choose forthemselves, we have some people
who are always beginner. Youknow, that is good for them. So
(52:55):
I think it's okay to offer therange of the classes different
levels.
Todd McLaughlin (53:06):
Yeah, very cool. That's awesome that you
were able to do that, thatyou've been able to cultivate
that I'm curious. Sandra, Howmany languages do you speak?
Because I know I think you'redoing a phenomenal job with your
English, and when we reached it,when we started getting ready to
do the podcast, you had mademention to me. I'm going to try
(53:28):
to do in English, but I don'tknow how good I'll do. I think
you're doing great, but I'mcurious. How many languages do
you know?
Unknown (53:36):
I know just English. I used to speak Italian in German,
but I forgot I didn't speak along time, but just English. But
like I mentioned you beforepodcast, I really didn't speak a
long time since COVID time onregular, normal conversation, I
only leading the classes inEnglish, because almost every
(54:00):
class that lead in English, wecan we have some English
students in Croatia. There'ssome of them living, living
lives here. Some of them jump tothe class. But almost every
class is English.
Todd McLaughlin (54:14):
Got it. Got it.
Well, you're doing an amazingjob. So well done. Not easy to
do, thank you. Not easy to beinterviewed and in your second
language.
Unknown (54:26):
So it's not it's not easy, because, you know, the
practice is everything, but I domy I really, I'm doing my best.
Todd McLaughlin (54:37):
Well, Sandra, I'm so grateful to have this
chance to meet and speak withyou, I really appreciate it and
and thank you for being willingto go out on the edge and and do
this with me. You know, withthat, with the challenge of
doing in English, is there, isthere anything that you would
like to leave us with in the.
Listener with in relation tomotivation and or inspiration to
(55:02):
continue to practice.
Unknown (55:08):
Oh, it's many, many different kind of inspiration.
But maybe let's say that if youwant to succeed in the long
term, like a yoga student, yogateacher, whatever, let's say
yoga student, just practitionerthat you really need, need to
have very strong inspiration.
So, because if you loseinspiration, you lose
(55:34):
everything. You don't haveenthusiasm more to do the
practice. Because yoga practiceis like ups and downs. No,
you're different in thebeginning, different. You evolve
through the yoga practice. Youchange through that. But you
need to keep the strongdiscipline you need to have,
let's say, almost the samepractice. Just upgrade with the
(55:59):
time and the really clearinspiration, what leads you on
the path of the yoga. And ifyour inspiration is a spiritual
way, targeting that way, thenyou will, you will succeed. You
will, you will keep yoga in yourlife, you know, because it's not
(56:24):
easy. We have so manydistractions from the outside
world that it's not easy to beon the yoga part. But I think
it's the most beautiful way totransform ourselves and to
transform our mindset, transformmy our health, and also that we
(56:44):
transform our relationship withthe divine connection. And if
you have a teacher who is stilllive lives in this earth, this
is the really huge blessing. Sobe with that teacher. Share your
time with him. On with yourpossibilities, you know, and
(57:09):
also, don't wait to becomeperfect, to share the knowledge.
So let's say, fix yourself alittle bit, be happy with
yourself and share it. So it'smany people outside who are
suffering still, and I thinkthat our, that we that are
service, like a teachers, it's ahuge, huge blessing to help
(57:35):
others. You forgot on yourselfand you just go through that
that's your like a mission,that's your mission in your
life, and that it's a beautifulmission to be on that way. Don't
be afraid. Just go. Don't worry.
(57:56):
Just do yourself, do your heart,and everything will will be
okay. So, but first, because fixyourself a little bit. So we are
not fixed even this lifetime.
But do your best and don't,don't wait to become perfect to
serve. You know,
Todd McLaughlin (58:13):
yeah, yes, yeah. Oh, beautiful Sandra,
thank you so much. I reallyappreciate it. I enjoyed hearing
about your yoga journey. Thankyou for sharing it with us. I'm
honored to have thisopportunity, and thank you, Pam
and Andrew for the introduction.
And very much. Yeah, they spokeso highly of you, and Andrew was
(58:33):
so excited when when we got achance to connect. So I really
appreciate them, and I amthankful for this opportunity,
and I hope I get a chance tovisit Croatia one day.
Unknown (58:47):
Oh, you're invited,
Todd McLaughlin (58:49):
and same here.
If you ever come to Florida,please come see us.
Unknown (58:53):
Oh, yeah, who knows?
Maybe New York. Finally, after,after, like a COVID time, and
before that, I was almost everyyear in New York for 10 years.
And I'm very glad that youinvited me and for PAM and
Andrew to suggest me, and I, Ihope that we will have that we
(59:16):
will have opportunity to sharesome experience at some global
event, one day that we all fromevery kind of yoga that we I
didn't know, meet each other, orsome events, some festival, or
some, something like that. Yes,
Todd McLaughlin (59:36):
to share live.
I agree. Sandra, I like that.
Wish.
Unknown (59:40):
Thank you very much.
Thank you for inviting me. I'mreally honored to share it.
Thank you. Sandra,
Todd McLaughlin (59:47):
thank you.
Thank you.
Native yoga. Todd, cast isproduced by myself. The theme
music. Is dreamed up by BryceAllen. If you like this show,
let me know if there's room forimprovement. I want to hear that
(01:00:07):
too. We are curious to know whatyou think and what you want more
of what I can improve. And ifyou have ideas for future guests
or topics, please send us yourthoughts to info at Native yoga
center. You can find us atNative yoga center.com, and hey,
if you did like this episode,share it with your friends, rate
(01:00:30):
it and review and join us nexttime
Unknown (01:00:42):
you
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