Yoshio Hama: Why Discipline Matters More Than Motivation

In this episode, Yoshio Hama shares why discipline—not motivation—is the key to a lasting yoga practice.

If you’ve ever struggled to stay consistent, felt too busy to practice, or found your motivation fading, this conversation offers a grounded and honest perspective on what it really takes to keep showing up.

Todd McLaughlin and Yoshio dive into the deeper meaning of tapas (inner fire), how practice evolves over time, and the reality of maintaining commitment through life’s challenges. This isn’t about perfection—it’s about building a sustainable, lifelong relationship with yoga.

You’ll learn:
• Why discipline matters more than motivation
• How to stay consistent when life gets busy
• The role of tapas in personal growth
• How your yoga practice evolves over time
• Practical insights for maintaining a daily practice

Whether you're new to yoga or have been practicing for years, this episode will help you reconnect with your purpose and keep moving forward—one practice at a time.

Visit Yoshio: https://www.instagram.com/activemeditation/

Listen & subscribe for more conversations on yoga, healing, and personal growth.

🎧 Practice with Native Yoga:
8IN8 Ashtanga Yoga Course (FREE coupon):
https://info.nativeyogacenter.com/8in8-ashtanga-yoga-for-beginners-8-limbs-in-8-days/

Daily Online Classes (Code: FIRSTMONTHFREE):
https://nativeyogacenter.teachable.com/p/today-s-community-class

About the Podcast:
The Native Yoga Toddcast explores yoga, meditation, mindfulness, and personal growth through conversations with teachers, creators, and thought leaders.

https://info.nativeyogacenter.com/8in8-ashtanga-yoga-for-beginners-8-limbs-in-8-days/

Transcript

Todd McLaughlin: 0:33

Welcome to Native Yoga Toddcast, so happy you are here. My goal with this channel is to bring inspirational speakers to the mic in the field of yoga, massage, body work and beyond. Follow us at @Nativeyoga and check us out at nativeyogacenter.com. All right, let's begin. Hello, welcome to Native Yoga Toddcast. I'm your host, Todd McLaughlin, and today my special guest is Yoshio Hama. Please go visit Yoshio on Instagram at@activemeditation. You can also visit him at @yogaloftMunich. He's currently located in Germany, but his Instagram page at @activemeditation is the best place to find him, and he is really passionate about yoga, music, art, culture, sharing and learning and growing. I hope that you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. Remember share with your friends. If you get a little motivation inspiration from this conversation, we'd love to hear any feedback that you have. All right, let's begin. I'm so excited to have Yoshio Hama here with me today. Yoshio, how are you feeling?

Yoshio Hama: 2:08

I'm okay. Thank you so much for having me here. It's a great, great pleasure, and thank you so much for you know, help the yoga community to get inspired with the practice.

Todd McLaughlin: 2:21

Oh, thank you. Yoshio, really excited to have this chance, because I just really respect when practitioners and teachers like you are dedicated and stay with yoga for a long time. Can you tell me a little bit about how your yoga practice is feeling today or these days lately?

Unknown: 2:46

Yeah, you know, as a father, you know, as you know, we encounter a lot of challenges. I if I just look back a little bit, 20 something years ago, you know, like it was very easy, because you have a lot of time, yes, and you can take two classes and relax and do your own practice in the morning and then not get bothered with a lot of responsibilities and little ones looking for, you know, mommy And Daddy. And now, even though, if I probably sometimes I may get interrupted, I try to keep that fire, and quite often I talk with the students about tapas. This is one of my favorite that, you know, I always think about keep the inner fire lit that fire to put you into work. And you know, sometimes can be more intense, sometimes little less intense, but it's there. The fire never stop, and that's what make you wake up. Because what I felt when you have more responsibility is you have to do the practice when everyone is sleeping.

Todd McLaughlin: 3:59

Yes, I agree. What time do you? What time do you wake up in the morning typically?

Unknown: 4:04

Well, that depends, you know, because it depends of the routine with family and work. But ideally, I liked, you know, the traditional way of get up at four, Brahma time in between four and six, and at least get done the most important household practice, which is pranayama and kriyas, yes, and then keep the mind proof in a good place, yes. And Asana. Anyways, we teach Asana. You know, I would say, better than teach. I try to instruct people how to perform asana and share some tricks, and then somehow you can get it done and sneaking in the asana practice somewhere, see, but definitely to keep the mind in a good place, at least now, because you asked me about now, yeah, Yama and clears is the foundation.

Todd McLaughlin: 4:58

Nice. Do you feel? Feel like you've had a sort like role reversal switch from did you have in the beginning fascination with Asana that evolved into appreciation and now fascination with pranayama and Kriya, because that seems to be a very typical evolution. Or do you feel like right away you had introduction to solid teaching in pranayama and Kriya, and that caught your attention. How what was your evolution in relation to your introduction to yoga?

Unknown: 5:33

You know, like most of us, at least in the West, we get into yoga because of the asanas. And I was suffering a lot from my back, because I have a severe retro scoliosis. Three years having getting better, but I couldn't sleep. And I was somehow working a lot on the art school, because I was studying sculpting cool. And then I have a friend. We do ceramics together. And then I always complain about my back. And he said, No, you should come to stretching. He even though it was yoga, me neither. And then I was doing martial arts, punching, kicking, push ups abs, but never stretch. And then somehow, when I went to that yoga practice that was designed for dancers. Like it was a realization. I want to do this my entire life. I feel so good, even if I was very challenged I couldn't do I would say 75% of of the of the exercises I was sweating, breathing, you know, like I didn't know anything. No, it was completely different approach of the body language than martial arts. But the mental aspect, I got very capped. And then I realized, okay, I need to improve my breathing. And then so I started to see it. Because, you know, the instructor that was leading the class, she always called my attention to the breath. I started to see it and then understand Ujjayi breathing, just Ujjayi breathing itself for years. Just see it, and then try to stay there for at least half an hour, and then, you know, I my bag was bush. I'd have to put the block my knees was very stiff, and then try to find a way to, you know, sit still right with the wall. So create a memory, and that, I think, create a fascination, because the idea to get up early and do the breath as first thing in the morning. It put my mind in a different frequency, yeah. And then combine this knowledge into the asana practice. So my Asana start to evolve into a very different place, far faster than I imagined, even if I was just 22 and now I'm 50. Yes, right? Yes, so, and it was very interesting, I will say back to the question that my fascination, yes, it was the feeling in the first place, like, Wow, I feel my body like someone crack my body and poof. I realign my skeleton, my muscles get stretched, the ligaments, everything went back into position. But then the idea of the breath, the tune the mind and the body into a good place to work together. That even though, in the martial arts, you know, sometimes I was doing things by momentum, yeah, and even I would say, like it took a long time to realize it nowadays, I think that was a great inspiration, the breath working itself, this experience with the asana, and then put this together and create, like a symphony, a melody, like in music, you know, because, you know, I love drumming. I have been drumming also a lot in my life, for dancers with different groups of music. And then, you know, rhythm alone, it's good, but when you put melodies, you know, and tune and put everyone into a frequency, so then it creates something greater. Oh, man, that can change emotions, state of consciousness. And same happened with the breath, the breath and the poses. When you start to hold it for a long period of time, a specific sound on your breath or specific gesture with your body, then poof, you create another state of consciousness. And that's what I like, dharma. When I met Dharma, he was pushing so hard, this idea of compassion, which start from yourself, not hurting yourself, because we tend to push. I want to get this done, and then poof, you're in your yourself, right? Yes, and martial art is very common, you know, the adrenaline, and then you end up, you know, I end up with a hand broke for six months. Knees broke same in dancing this. So somehow, I think, you know, we started to create this feeling, and then Dharma, when he was approaching this concept, be compassionate to yourself, and then learn be to come to be compassion with others and saying, Hold the poses longer, then you open another gate, another door of a different state of consciousness. Yes, yes, that I experienced a little bit before Dharma practicing nayena with a great teacher, even as well too. She went to Pune, and then we was doing basically in an hour and a half, three poses.

Todd McLaughlin: 11:08

Wow, but challenging,

Unknown: 11:11

yeah, no, but you know, we use the chairs a nice bed with the blanket, so it was pretty comfortable, yeah? So five minutes, it was like, okay, I can handle it. Yes. The tricky thing that I like about her, it was that then we came out of the props and then try to find the same comfy place without the prop, and that's when the work start. Yes, because a lot of people just lying on the prop. And yes, it's very comfortable. You maybe have to do 50% of F or even less. But what about when you don't have the prop and the sense of attachment to the prop? And so this also was interesting, and then again, going back to the point with Dharma, holding the poses longer, and then, wow, you know, you have to really focus and concentrate. And the body is shaking. There is no props. And then you are doing something very complicated. Even if you have the talent, you start to shake, and the mind start to go back and forth, yes, but I think the breath is the only way that bring you back to the eternal present.

Todd McLaughlin: 12:32

Well, that's really cool. Yoshio, and it sounds to me like you were like, discovering pranayama through necessity, in the respect that you were talking about, how you could feel like, oh my gosh, I'm sweating and I I'm struggling. And maybe it was even a more beginning style practice and but that then it dawned upon you, okay, if I could control or regulate my breath, I'll be able to get my heart to slow down, and physiologically and mentally feel a little bit more calm. What happened when you started to interact with a traditional, if I could, if I use that word, traditional pranayama practice, did that open up some realizations?

Unknown: 13:16

Yeah, you know, I was lucky. Then, you know, to get involved with some books, because I would say maybe in most of the practices in Caracas, when I start, we didn't really practice pranayama in a deeper level. So you have to figure out it on your own. And one of the friends that he was also a teacher, he hand to me the first Yoga Book, yoga and yogiism. And he was a sublime maestre. And he apparently was established in Venezuela for a little bit. And that book talks about Nauli, kriya uddikana, Banda, Nadi Shodhana, Bashi kapalabhati, you know, like many other books. And then that was fascinating to read, and then try to figure out the way and ask, you know, once when the chance was happening, you know, to the other instructors, and see how the pranayama practice can evolve. But going back to the beginning, I was really focused on uyaji, because I found, like uyagi was a great skill to keep my mind focus just with a simple exercise, because I didn't have too much guidance, see, and then also the sound, regarding to frequency, to to vibration, the sound, I felt like a very tuned with it, and keep my energy very high. So it was early in the morning. I have a long way to go, playing for the dancers my drums. Like leading, instructing people with the yoga practices too, and then so I have to really have a high vibrational energy, yeah, to with people. Yeah, and I found, and then I started to add the retentions in breath and then out breath retention, when uddijana banda started to be more experimental, yeah. And somehow, you know, I would say we were sharing in Caracas because some instructors was traveling to New York, to India, and different locations, see, and we was exchanging basically, and then try to to do it in our own because most of the students just want to do the workout with Asana. So basically, the instructor have to figure out you own your own way.

Todd McLaughlin: 15:40

Yeah, that's okay. That's awesome to bring attention to. That is so amazing to think like what you're saying in terms of yoga 30 years ago, and then like you're explaining what it was like to grow up in Venezuela with maybe not exposure to a lot of information, and the evolution of information availability over the last 30 years, and now what we have access to in relation to online and just the fact that the culture has been kind of propagating and building and growing more and more. I'm curious, do you think that don't you, in some ways, reminisce that stage of not knowing that I could get access to it and the desire to find it like remember that drive to being so excited about yoga but wondering like there's got to be so much More. I wonder how I could find access to more. You know, do Can you talk a little bit about how you feel, how awesome or important that was, and is there a way that we could still create that in our current, modern situation?

Unknown: 16:56

Yeah, it sounds to me Why you asking me, it's like more the idea of being tuned with tapas. Because I think at least from my perspective, this fire to have more knowledge, to do the practice, to discover new ways. Because when you have certain amount of knowledge, also become the curiosity. How can I mix this? How can this make me better as a person? Can improve my own practice? And I think that, you know, I always like to put back Dharma in place, because I love, I love his phrases and the experience you have. And he say, always back in time like that, only the children will enter the kingdom of God. But you know, in his words, is the childish curiosity. When you see a child one year, two years, they are so excited, everything is new. Oh, you know, how can I switch the light on, you know. Oh, how can I eat with my right hand and get messy? Oh, how can I throw away plates away, you know? And then somehow that curiosity of a child, in my opinion, many lose it because we start to perceive we are the knowledge who wants and create some kind of mastery, which, in my opinion, a master, probably like my father, with martial arts. He was committed with martial arts over 65 years, he was a master, a real, you know, like very strong masses, like Dharma, over 55 six years sharing, that's when we really can say, Okay, I have a mastery, but in the meantime, you know, be like a child. I think that's important. And I think maybe our education system, I don't know, the society, it's like somehow, like taking away this childish feeling because we have to be too serious. And you can see when you start to travel, you know, like some place because, especially because I come from Venezuela. Venezuela is a place that you celebrate. You play drums in the street, in the carnival. Now, people was dancing on the street, even if you know, a lot of stuff is happening on the country. See the people play drums and then stay all night. You know, celebrating. We come from that culture. But when you encounter other cultures, like, for example, European or so serious, or Asian, at some point, like, it's hard for Venezuelans to see people so serious, right? And I think somehow this is what happened in our like, an adult process. Us, we stop being connected with this child, child within us. And I think that's something that I will definitely will say is important to be tuned. If you drawing just five minutes a day, or you have an instrument played an instrument, if you have poetry, or if you have mantras, or you like to sing, something that keep us connected with the right side of the brain, like even Pranayamas, like brahmari. See these kind of things that really, when you finish, you connect with this right side. I think this is important, because somehow it feels like the right side of the brain. We are so intellectual, so efficient in the like. How can I say multitasking intellectual things that the right side become mushy is no longer strong as the left side of the brain. Yeah, good point. But yeah, I think it's also, in my opinion, we, as an instructors, we cannot teach people passion.

Todd McLaughlin: 21:18

That's a good point. That's that's a difficult thing to convey, isn't it, because you can, you can be as passionate as the most passionate, but will that? Will that be? Will that move through? That's a good point.

Unknown: 21:34

So you cannot lead the way, or give people steps to be passionate about, something you can lead by example, because your frequency. When I play my drums, I'm there, I present. So whoever is receptive boom, get a hit with that vibration. Same when I'm doing my asana practice breathing or leading it, people feel the passions. Whoever is ready get ahead and then get motivated. But probably it may happen, someones are not receptive. They are completely blocked in their inner world, and that's also fine. They are not ready for that impact, yeah, but I think passion is something important. Like, for example, Japanese people talk about ikigai. And, you know, my father was Japanese, and you know, he always talks about this a purpose of life. That's why I keep you passionate. You keep you connected with the passion you have. Your purpose, whatever it is, you're going to be a carpenter. Carpenter. You want to be a musician. See, they're like, whatever a writer or, you know, like, I don't know welding, but you have purpose, and that's what wake you up and then make you search for more, to be curious, to be better, to improve what you're doing.

Todd McLaughlin: 23:02

Yeah, good point, yo. Show alive. I love your enthusiasm. I can feel it. You're getting me off. You're getting me all fired up, too. I'm, you know, I'm really curious, because I enjoy playing drums as well, and I'm so excited to hear how much you appreciate rhythm. Growing up in Venezuela, you're obviously close to Brazil, where capuera is a real popular form. And what I love about capuera is that the music is kind of driving the dance or the martial art, and then maybe even the martial art, it might be driving some of the rhythm, have you. And I remember one time practicing with dharma. He was here in Fort Lauderdale, and I had a chance to go as like a Yoga Journal conference. And and it was the first time I got a chance to meet him, and I, and I was blown away by the part of the practice where everybody made a circle, and people started clapping and creating a little bit of rhythm, and then one person would go in the middle of the room and do some type of something. And and I remember feeling this like, like nervousness because I wanted to go in there, but I was nervous because I didn't know if I wanted to. And so in that experience of going in the middle and just doing something and having people watch does something that's so powerful and and then I also want to juxtaposition that off of the idea of solitary practice, where there are no eyes, there are no camera, there's no camera, and doing something that is not I'm not doing it because I'm feeling the recognition of other individuals. Can you talk a little bit about this experience of being in a community versus solitary person? Personal experience.

Unknown: 25:03

Yeah, that's a great point, because in this case, we have to think about ishvana pranidhana, and that, you know, quite often people ask me, What do you think about what's Dharma yoga? And this is something that I want to share here, because, you know, I'm surprised in Europe, a lot of people don't know Dharma yoga. And then I say, Okay, now I will try to make the work, to make it more. And when people ask me, what is dharma yoga, Ahimsa, ishvana pranidhana, forget about the sequence the poses. But going back to the point you know ishvana pranidhana, you do everything as an act of offering. It can be in solitude. It can be in front of 1000s of hundreds of people, but you do it with the same love. Now, I understand your point about nervousness, because if you haven't been able or have the chance to step in the front of an audience, that become very challenged. And I remember, even though, as an artist, you know, I did expositions of sculpture and I have to talk, I also play music in front of hundreds of people in theaters in the street. See also, I did martial art exhibitions, you know, for the Japan embassy, and people multitudes come to watch. But even though, when I was doing the maasana with Dharma, and then people was clapping, I feel that the energy was so powerful that my entire body was shaking so and then when I first stand, I felt like, you know, I was in like a earthquake. Was moving very careful about, you know, I I mentioned this because in the beginning I thought, Wow, I'm nervous. I have been playing in front of people talking, well, I have to be nervous here, even in front of, you know, for example, in yoga conference or having doing demonstrations in front of hundreds of people, but it was something, then the realization come, yeah, it's the energy, the Shakti, you know, that people are so devoted here in the Dharma Yoga community that this, like, around this circle, going back to the point of capoeira, this called Roda, the Roda of capoeira, see the Bering bar, play the pandeiro, the Tabaqui, and then, you know, the chanting start. See, and that, I think that when it comes to dharma, the idea to do the Roda in the yoga class, it this is my assumption. Maybe is wrong, yeah, but I love it. 95% sure that this from that, yeah, because Dharma is a part of that culture. And you can see,

Todd McLaughlin: 28:01

I never made that connection show, that makes perfect

Unknown: 28:05

sense, yeah, because I practice Capoeira too in Venezuela. Yeah, we, but we, you know, as you mentioned, Minnesota is close to Brazil, so a lot of masters, see, from Brazil came and visit, and I did Capoeira the Angola, which is a more traditional. See, it's lower, it's smaller. And then Regina, which is Rinca data. See a lot of figures and stuff, you know, a lot of excitement. And it was interesting to see both the energy, how move in each role. One is more intimate. See, we are hiding. They cannot see us because we are working out to create liberation, mentally and physically. We want to stay away from slavery, and the other is celebrating, oh, now we are free.

Todd McLaughlin: 28:56

That's so cool. Yoshio,

Unknown: 28:58

yeah. So energy definitely is completely different, but the intention is the same, because it's a celebration. It's a training for mental and physical like liberation, and somehow, see, when we talk about Mukta, see, we want to become free, and it's a system of liberation is somehow, is a yoga system that people in South America, Afro American descendants, find their way to liberate themselves, yes, mental place, even if there was trapped in a very close space, and also in a physical way, because help them to fight. That's what the story says. I don't know, because I was not there.

Todd McLaughlin: 29:48

Yeah, I know, Yoshi, that's awesome, man. I love hearing it from your perspective, because that makes a lot of sense. I like the idea that even if we were put on a desert. Rhode Island with no access to any other information, and we were seeking liberation, we would potentially be able to tap into a way to generate a feeling of liberation. And it's fascinating to say, see how you're drawing the connection between the way yoga seeks and saw, saw and seeks liberation and then through music and dance and art in different traditions. But it's really kind of the same thing, isn't it?

Unknown: 30:31

Yeah, and I always be being involved with martial arts way before yoga, and have a father that always talks about these things. It's, it's a liberation systems self defense is also is a way to liberate yourself, because you you have to be honest who you really are, and then whoever is trying to, you know, like invade with not a great like intentions you defend yourself could be by words, could be by just walking away, or could be by physically fighting, but it's a liberation system too. And then, for example, you know, in in the shoringi Kenpo that I studied with my father, you know this, the same monk's philosophy is the root, and it's very similar that yamas and Yamas, yeah. So when you put in place all these spirituals, we will say spiritual traditions. See, they seek same thing. And going back to dharmas, words, different roads, same destination, yeah,

Todd McLaughlin: 31:34

yeah, right, yes. Yoshio, I'm so curious. You know, I love hearing I mean, fascinating to think about the fact you're growing up with a Japanese father who's a martial arts master, and you go to Japan and end up demonstrating in in Japan as well. So you had that influence from childhood. Where is that correct? Am I understanding correctly that you did? Did you say that you went back to Japan with your dad?

Unknown: 32:00

Yeah, I went to Japan few times, you know, and studied there. But demonstrations of martial arts was always in Venezuela, got it. Got it. You know, in Japan, you have almost entire population do it. It's like going in Venezuela martial arts in the 70s was not really popular, and that was when my father arrived, yeah, so he established one of the first Lego dojos of martial arts in Venezuela. And then the Embassy of Japan also was very interested to share like in a Japanese week, and then they do a cultural event for a week. So martial arts, drumming, you know, dancing, art and all kind of calligraphy they share. And call the specialist living in Venezuela to do demonstrations. And that's why I end up doing demonstrations Venezuela every single year we prepare a performance of fighting with weapons, with fist and hands and hands and kickings and some many other like disciplines too, see. But I went to Japan also to study drumming, and because my father was living in Japan, so I took the chance way, way later, like to visit Japan. And that was a great, great, great experience, see, but the most important for me was see physically, the, you know, the Earth, the soil. In Japan, you can sense like they are pursuing something a little bit different, very respectful, very spiritual, insightful Venezuela, you stay whatever you want. You celebrate, you like party, you know, you drum, you screaming,

Todd McLaughlin: 34:07

yes, yes.

Unknown: 34:08

End of those. That was something very interesting for me.

Todd McLaughlin: 34:13

That's so cool. Yoshio, that's ah, so what is your feeling and thoughts? Then on, the style of drumming and or spiritual culture, nayabingi, like in in Jamaica and Rasta culture. You know, the drum can be used as a way to create a powerful, I don't know how to explain it, like a spiritual, just a very meditative, almost like a mantra, drumming, like the drumming can be very has this feeling? Can you talk a little bit about it? Because it because you I feel like I really love, like, how you're saying, how the drum can create this like celebration, feeling and and expression through that realm. And how can. Drumming be used as a way to pull consciousness into some sort of deep space, or, I guess it's all deep, or it's all the same. But I'm just curious to hear what you think. Yeah, it's

Unknown: 35:12

interesting because you mentioned Naya binge, and then, you know, back in time, I went to Jamaica to study specifically Naya binge.

Todd McLaughlin: 35:20

Yeah, no way you did. That's crazy. So you're going to Japan to study Japanese drumming. You're, you know,

Unknown: 35:31

I was into, like, really study different culture. And then I born in the Caribbean, and of course, I was playing a reggae band, having dreadlocks all the way below my knees, you know? And get very involved with Rastafari,

Todd McLaughlin: 35:44

yeah, even

Unknown: 35:47

though, if direct, directly, do not belong to Venezuela, but we was very influenced, and I have the lucky time to met a the group mystic revealers. And then so I went to their place, and they bring me into the Bobo camp, the boba Shanti, which is a orthodox Rastafarian people. And then, you know, the the way they play Naya being is so slow, boom, boom. You and it's a four inside, 1234123, and then the bumble boom, boom, and that's how you wake up at 6am every single day you listen there and then the phone there, and they Repeat the start beat, reminding you connect with your heart, and then you know, as we have been trained, somehow in the western society, like, Oh no, the heart is a pump. No, the heart is a bolt that host frequency and bring frequencies. So when you connect with your heart, then you tune into a frequency. And it's very interesting, because when I arrived to Jamaica, I guess it was a little late, because the founders of these movements of Rasta and boashanti already died, but the foundation was interesting when, and it was when I started to resonate with vegetarianism, and then fruity tyrannies, and then their diet basically is on fruits. They will not touch anything that is growing close to the Earth. It have to be an offering. And then I resonate a lot, because it's Ahimsa, the fruit, the plant, the Earth, the universe creates something perfect that then is pending and can do not cause any harm. And then when it's ripe, full or you can just twist it and and just get into your hand without create creating any harm, and have a frequency, have an hour, have colors. It's full of electricity that when you eat this thing, you just get a boost of energy. Let's do more. But yes, realization, Wow, these guys are in a different level. Of course, you see, the ones are corrupted. They was asking me, when we come out of the bubble world camp. Oh, can you buy me fish? Can you guys? Can you give me some beer or a cigarette and say, What about these guys? Why are you talking about? And I start to realize, okay, this is already corrupted. But the foundation, you say, Ah, okay, this come from a deeper realization, understanding, to self realization, for the human to enter in a different frequency. And you know, the point of Naya being here. This is, you know, the main thing on on the celebration. You have to go to the tabernacle at six and then clap and chant. And there is a press reading, you know, all the Psalms and chanting and people getting exciting, and then again at 6pm when the sun is going down, again, everyone sharing that. It's one of the few times during the day that in this kind of community, males, women and children get together in the. Same place, because it's important to gather with the same heartbeat, with the same frequency, then to do the work or then to go to sleep.

Todd McLaughlin: 40:13

Yeah, fascinating. It's so cool, man. I'm so excited to hear and meet somebody that went and did this, that you got a chance to go and participate in, that that is so amazing.

Unknown: 40:27

Yeah, you know, it was I'm very grateful, because I have this somehow, like I would say, callings from the universe that I was asking to do something, and somehow the right people show up, and I was able to travel, you know, and then start to physically present their sense, you know, and perceive this kind of like folklore or traditions and be a part of it. You know, it's very interesting, because just want to mention this, when this idea of the fugitarians present to me, I was not fugitarian. I was in the process to become vegetarian, see. And I was very into because the Rastafarian culture, even without going to Jamaica, yet, they pushed the vegetarians at least, yeah, yeah. And it was interesting, because I was really working hard to get it done. But in Venezuela was hard. The first few years was hard. The culture is involved with cheese and fish and many other things.

Todd McLaughlin: 41:44

Yes, yes, understood well, because

Unknown: 41:47

there is a lot of contraction now, yeah, is that okay?

Todd McLaughlin: 41:50

Oh, it's totally fine. It's totally I don't hear I don't hear construction. No, no,

Unknown: 41:56

why not? Because now I'm become very loud. But you know, these start to resonate a lot. And then by that time, when I started to do yoga as well, you know, the instructor that I was, you know, going to, she used to eat a lot of fruit, and then she introduced me to that, what we call in America, intermediate fast. So I started to stop eating in the morning and then do breakfast, break in the fast in the afternoon. Yeah, yes. And that was also combined with pranayama, boom, like, skyrocket, like, in the practice, yes, let the body rest the entire morning and train with that full energy. And then after, eat only fruit instead of rice or beans or any other thing that was very heavy that basically you have to sit and take a nap, take fruit and then brew continue in the day, and then again, not eating too late and let the body rest. That was something that skyrocket the asana practice and many other like, for example, they come back us. And also the meditation like, start to feel lightness on meditation, very focused, bright lights and stuff like that. And it was very, very interesting. And I take the chance to mention this here, because I know a lot of people don't believe in this, and we have this myth of the protein, and you have to eat this. But in reality, the fruits have all the amino acids and some greens too, that people are looking for so much in animal products and dairies and eggs that you can access direct to the fountain, which is fruits and some greens. And, of course, seeds, and I think that make a huge difference how we perceive reality and how we tune our frequency and commit with our practice and with our interaction with the external world.

Todd McLaughlin: 44:56

Yes. Yoshio, yes. Oh man, you know, I'm still, I feel like I'm still enamored with the realization that you mentioned. We look at the heart like a pump, but in reality, it's more like a vortex. And instead of just feeling like heart, just like pump, pump, but the way that just that idea of more, almost like, there's more of a rhythm to it, not I mean, or that there's a complexity of rhythm to it, you know, it's and to even start thinking about trying to tap into feeling that, and,

Unknown: 45:40

yeah, try. Yes, because when you see some scientists, they put in some kind of frequencies, the salt in a platform, and then the salt itself start to vibrate, and then create a mandalas, you know, and jantras. And that's not random, you know. They're ancient civilizations. If we talk about Tartarian, you know, the Atlantis, or you like anunnakis or the pyramids the Egyptians. There are many, many, many like Civilization way before us that they already know all of this and that why music is always the universal language that tune up us into a higher frequency. And you see when you play going back to the rhythm, when you play different rhythms, when you play in four, when you play in six, when you play in three, you're tapping into a different frequencies, different state of consciousness. But at the end, if you tap into that frequency, and you hold into that frequency, you enter in a state of trance where time is no longer existing. Yes, when you you know, many times I was playing a binge in Venezuela by the river on the mountain. You know, we start at night, the fire, the water, the moon was there. You know, the earth, Oh, almost all the elements there. You know the you know the the metal on the ring of the drum, the wood on the drum, the skin. And then somehow you close your eyes, and you enter in trance, and then pull when you open the eyes again. It was date night, yes. So the the sense of time disappear because you enter in a state of trance. And could be five minutes, could be five hours without notice. It looks the same because you tune into that frequency. And I think that's a power thing, at least, that we still preserve with music in this area of the humankind. And somehow I feel like, always, musicians, are you? Are a musician? Are you? You are lazy, you are like a hippie? No musicians always having having a very important role in the society, because we tune into a higher frequency, we memorize the high end frequency, and then with our instruments, we're going back to that frequency and tune ourself, our mind, our body, into the same place, and then help others to tune to that frequency. Yes, the problem is all the noises, the mental noises that you know, the people around the judgmental mind that do not allow easy in to tongue, to tune into that frequency. But is, I think I found fascinating, because now people start to understand, and that's why the singing, the singing gongs, or the sinking balls, the bath of gongs, become very popular, because these people are returning to these technologies, yes, like it is normal, like we need something that vibrate When we are in a lower vibration to tune back. And then it's like, like, I play my string, and then, okay, let's do, let's play major or minor again. Then I hit my string, and then you have another instrument, and you try to tune up the instrument. And then we are in in the same place to play a song, yeah, you know, I think because you know Dharma always say, tune your mind with a higher mind, yeah, when you find someone, they have a very high frequency, just, we should stay with that person. And that's why i i stayed with Dharma for a long time because it was needed. Now he's my heart. I for many reasons, family reasons I have to leave see, but he's in my heart, and I have that toning, that frequency always here. It's same how we deny a binge, even if I don't play naive for, like, months or years, if you ask me to play naive, I just push the button and I will play right.

Todd McLaughlin: 50:13

That is awesome. Yoshi, I'm so excited to meet somebody as passionate about all this stuff as you. I love it. I love it. I'm stoked that you've been able to blend so many different facets. And I can really feel like, ever since you were a kid, you were just, like, really wanting to, you know, yeah, tapas was was burning, you know, at a young age, and that just caused you to want to go and study this and learn over here. And it. And explore and not put boundaries up, like I can do martial arts and it's okay to now do yoga and and I can explore my diet and let me try all these different aspects. Is, and I think that's what's so fascinating. And I agree. I feel like we're in this time period where these energies are waking up a little bit more, and a little we're a little more fascinated by it now and and maybe because the external drama noise is so loud right now, it's almost like there was chatter before. But now the external drama noise is so seemingly loud that we need to be able to tune our frequency into a vibration that's a little more harmonious. And it doesn't seem to be all that difficult, really. It's not, it's not as hard as maybe we think it might be. It's it's a funny thing, because I remember feeling so like kind of stressed out. And, I mean, I still get really stressed out, to be honest. But, you know, I, you know, I but I feel like now I know I can just go into a quiet space in my own mind and breath and body, and it can switch really fast. It doesn't have to take 20 minutes or a whole a 10 day meditation retreat. Or, you know, we can put these ideas that I have to go for a long time, or have to be really extreme when I do this, or I have to hold my breath longer, or I have to, and I feel like that transition of going like I have to do all these things more is getting easier, because it almost is better if it's less. In a way is that, does that like juxtaposition makes sense. Does that sound?

Unknown: 52:26

Yeah. I think you know, somehow when we tune into different frequencies, or in this case, the sadhana, because for us, sadhana, it's a very important like a word is practice. It doesn't matter what kind of practice, but it becomes like a like a button, like, you know, you push the bottom of the light turns the speed of a light. It's like just a fraction of second. And I think that comes somehow, because also you have been practicing for a long period of time. So then we have access to tune into the frequency almost immediately, in an instant, because we need it. But probably, you know, for some others, is not that like easy, because the practice needs to be done for a more long period of time. See, but what you say that sometimes less, I agree, because the circumstances do not allow you. And then even if you do less, you feel okay, I'm gone, right? Because, you know, that's it. It's over. See, responsibilities, family, work, or because you go so deep into something that again, the trance take place. You know, the infinite space take place that there is no time, and you lose consciousness of time, and then, poof, you get what you need without the need to be entrapped in what we call time, in the earth plane, because in the spiritual realm, this is not, do not exist. So somehow, I guess I'm not want to say I'm the specialist or all this matters, but that's what I perceive. We have the ability to let go the connection with the physicality, the mental space, and then tap or being established in the higher self, in the spiritual realm, and then boom, the right frequency, the right information, it go to our instrument, and then we can continue.

Todd McLaughlin: 54:56

Oh, man, beautifully said. Yo show. Well done. Well done.

Unknown: 55:02

You know, it's funny because that I mentioned this, I was trying to find a different spot because, you know, I was trying to, you know, find a better place with more light, but the situation didn't allow my average, here is a place that I'm borrowing no and then I didn't have my my laptop charges the perfect place that I found I couldn't charge the laptop and it was completely out of battery. So I have to change plan. But you know, the battery takes longer, and for this program, at least, I have to have more than half of. Of the battery, and I say, and say, Oh, no, I want a various place. And then I have to shift that frequency. Okay, it doesn't matter. Let's go whatever. What is a plug? I plug, and I say, okay, at least I have a wide wall. And then I sit here, yes, yes, yeah. It's interesting, because the device also sometimes need the plug, and it takes time and have a specific moment to do it. But going back to the point of the practices, it seems to be that we have now, sometimes the ability to push that bottom,

Todd McLaughlin: 56:26

yeah, then

Unknown: 56:28

get away from the idea of time and be able to tune our frequency very fast, yeah. And I think that's probably what happened some people, some cultures, talk about, like, you know, people travel on time.

Todd McLaughlin: 56:50

Yeah, great point. Like, if

Unknown: 56:54

we again, I'm not saying I travel on time. I'm out of this, but it makes sense.

Todd McLaughlin: 57:01

It makes sense. I remember I moved to Australia when I was 20, and I was fascinated by the Aboriginal culture in Australia. And when I first heard that they had the ability to swing so piece of string with an object on the end and spin it really fast, like twirling like a lasso above the head really fast. And it would make a sound where they could create this kind of conversation. They could communicate and send this sound from one area over to another village area. And they could hear that, and they would then make the sound, and they could actually communicate across the entire continent through traveling sound vibration. And when I first heard that concept, I was like, Whoa, that's like, cell phone, right? Like, so I think now we're like, thinking like our communication through vibration can only be done via this method, and which I'm so grateful for, because I get to talk to you. You're in Germany, and I'm here in Florida, and we can communicate and have, like, a very easy connection, right? Like, or very the freak, the ability for us to do it is, like, very easy. I can see you. You can say, you know, I can hear you. But this idea to say time travel, where, you know, through the astral plane, slash in a meditative trance state that there is no time and we can go anywhere we want to go and communicate. And I just find this is really interesting, because the more technology seems to lasso us into its realm, I think it's almost more important now that, because we understand the concept that it is possible to communicate via a little device, that we should potentially maybe put those down for a little bit every now and again, and practice trying to communicate like even if tonight, if I can, you know, envision Yoshio and just give a little prayer. Thank you, Yoshio. That was so fun today, maybe you might feel it, you know what I mean, or who knows how that vibration will pass through the ether. So I, I agree with you, and I think, I think we're in a time space where it's important that we still try to connect to some of the traditional methods of communicating, even though I'm still going to use all this technology. Why not? I mean, it's no problem.

Unknown: 59:24

Yeah, I think, like the technologies is a tool, how we use it is the little difference. And you know, for example, I would think about one of the greatest lessons in martial arts with my father. He say he have a cool knife, a Japanese knife, very sharp. He always make it sharper. It's almost like a small Katana. And you say, what is important in martial arts? You have all the techniques, all the knowledge. See, you can kill or you can heal someone with the same points. Now, who is behind the knife? That's a little difference. If a child hold a knife, don't know anything, cannot coordinate the hand, end up quoting himself or quitting someone else. Yeah, if you know, like, how can I say a rude boy somewhere without moral and ethical conducts like happened in many of the Third World countries, people don't have education, hungry, don't have a job, they have to use a knife to rob. They don't have any other choice. They don't know, they don't know how to perform a job. And it when you understand this is not that excuse them, but you know, okay, this also a tool to be used. If you give it to a nice carpenter or sushi man, they will do a nice culture and a nice plate of food, almost like an art, like an exhibition, but is the same knife, and I think that will happen with the tools. Now, we have to be very careful with our you know, foundation, in the case of yoga, yamas and Yamas, right? And be established in the yamas and the Yamas, and be very aware how we are using the tools. So if we are helping people, for sure, but in the moment we create discomfort or hurt people, that's when we have to observe and restrict it a little bit more. Yes, the idea of the collective consciousness. I love that idea, because Dharma love it move like a school of fish all together. And then, if you go to the, you know, Tartarian times, how these, like, so called churches, or go, I don't know, like these kind of very beautiful cathedrals, like very advanced technology buildings, it was built in different countries with, I don't know, artists, Architects, genius, I don't know how to call them, but there was present all over the world. And you see the same phenomenon happen with music, people that never meet before, even in the art, find art never meet before, and then poof, they are going through the same collective conscious. And they create, they give a message with the same like frequency, because they tune their mind without knowing each other physically, they perceive that message, and then they use the instrument to give the message. And that's for me, it's fascinating too. Like, how can we also understand this kind of device is a computer, the phone, but also how we use our psychic abilities to create and also to tune ourselves with others, and then, you know, share and give messages, not because we are the chosen one, because everyone is chosen by the Divine, is just because we share, and then somehow we help each other by sharing. But yeah, definitely, you know, it's that always resonate with me, also as as an instructor. You know how much you know you can share, because the knife will be the knife, but who is holding the knife, then that's when you have to be careful how much you share.

Todd McLaughlin: 1:03:53

Yeah, that was the real that was a really good analogy. Yoshio, that really was perfect. Oh, man, I can't tell you how grateful I am to have had to have this opportunity to meet you, and I can't wait to hopefully meet you in person, but at the same time, I feel so satisfied and grateful and thankful for this, for what will I have been able to achieve with you here. And to to have this introduction, Thank you, Andrew for for making this happen.

Unknown: 1:04:29

And I also have a chance to say thank you to Andrew is a very, very great brother.

Todd McLaughlin: 1:04:40

Oh, man, I know I loved it when we were communicating prior, you said, Look, I I love Andrew. And if he invite, if he introduces us and I'm ready to go, let's do it.

Unknown: 1:04:50

So in the Dharma community, I would say, This is my, my greatest brother, I would say, and without, you know, saying that the other part of the community, you know, I love all of them, but we have the chance to, you know, tune up together as we talk about the collective conscious. Sometimes Andrew and me, we was practicing in the same room, you know, for over two hours, and you see he was sitting doing pranayama, psychic development, completely still, and I was moving for two hours, legs behind the head, kapotasana, twist leg handstand, you know, we was completely doing, physically, something different with their camera. You will say, wow, these two guys are doing. In the same room, but our mind was tuned. And then it was funny, because we have the picture of dharma and yo Yuta in front. So we was also practicing with the gurus.

Todd McLaughlin: 1:05:55

Yeah, yes.

Unknown: 1:05:56

And you know that when we started to have, again, a such a nice, like communication. Sometimes we even didn't talk. We just turn our frequencies in the same square, practicing what he needs, what I need, and then proof exit.

Todd McLaughlin: 1:06:16

And that's it. Yes, yes, yeah.

Unknown: 1:06:19

But that create a so great connection. And, you know, this is, I think, something very important. And I take the chance because I know a lot of people struggle, and I see now in Germany, people are very cold and not really nice, comparing with how we are in the tropic, for example, the hospitality, the sense of humor, also, I guess the sun make a difference. But the yoga community, for those are listening, this program is so important. No matter what school is, just find a community that make you feel great. And I'm pretty sure, you know, I take the chance to because I know you run a studio like I'm pretty sure you do a great work. And this is the I always respect all of you that have a yoga studio, because you create a space for people, like a spiritual home that many people don't have the skills to create a spiritual home in their own home, and then somehow, the yoga studios, the community, create a space where you feel family, you feel supported, and then you can continue on your journey with a lot of support, physically, mentally, spiritually, emotionally. And I think that's, you know, a great thing that I found, like the in in the Sangha, like when we find the right Sangha, we should always stick because this is always needed on the beginning, then you can walk along. And sometimes it's better to be alone. I find like, you know, like, Okay, now finally, I'm alone, you understand, but Well, that's a

Todd McLaughlin: 1:08:16

beauty of show stoke in the community and so happy alone, right? So grateful in my family, so happy to be just floating in the ocean, you know, or wherever, wherever I know. Yoshi, well, that's Well, thank you, man. I can't wait to charge through today. I'm feeling like I can't wait to see what happens here with all this good energy.

Unknown: 1:08:45

Good, good, yeah, I'm sorry. You know, we have been talking about different things.

Todd McLaughlin: 1:08:48

No, it's good. I like it. I think that's the

Unknown: 1:08:50

beauty yoga, yeah. But for the audience, I think, you know, yoga is unification, yeah, art is science. So everything related with art, science and unification is yoga, yes, and that's why we open and hot host the space for all of the things.

Todd McLaughlin: 1:09:15

Yes. Yoshio, well, man, thank you. Thank you. I can't wait till the next time. Thank you so much. Thank you

Unknown: 1:09:25

so all my love. Respect to you, your family, the people are listening this, and then please keep practicing and stay with the fire lit. That's what I may say.

Todd McLaughlin: 1:09:41

Thank you, Michelle. So now, Namaskar, my friend, native yoga, Todd cast is produced by myself. The theme music is dreamed up by Bryce Allen. If you like this show, let me know if there's room for improvement. I want to hear that too. We are curious to know what you think and what you want more of what I can improve. And if you have ideas for future guests or topics, please send us your thoughts to info at Native yoga center. You can find us at Native yoga center.com and hey, if you did like this episode, share it with your friends, rate it and review and join us next time you.