Have you ever been to a meeting, workshop, or dinner party where you felt extra safe, cared for, and able to be your full self? This likely didn't happen by accident, but because the host, leader, or facilitator thoughtfully prepared, consciously led, and made it possible for the magic of gathering to flourish.

Bryan and I consider what it actually looks like to hold a space for others, whether that’s a yoga class, a dinner, a meeting, or even a hike.

We talk about the invisible architecture of connection: those tiny, often unseen details (lighting, temperature, chairs, bathrooms, food, timing) that either let people relax into a moment or yank them out of it. The basics aren’t glamorous, but they’re the foundation — without them nothing else can bloom.

Then we get into the juicy part: how structure creates safety, and how safety makes room for the spirit — the magic that turns a group of people into a real, memorable experience. We riff on Priya Parker’s idea of “purpose first,” share stories (from awkward parties to the Fyre Festival cautionary tale), and talk about simple rituals — a shared breath, a candle, a clear prompt — that lift a gathering into something sacred.

There’s also practical facilitation talk: orient people, set expectations, name roles, offer time boundaries, use go-arounds or timed shares to get everyone involved, and know when to lean into an individual breakthrough versus hold to the agenda. And yes — being the host doesn’t mean being rigid or controlling: it means caring enough to provide a container so others can show up fully.

If this episode stirred something, we’d love to hear it. Record a quick voice memo with a comment or question and send it over — we might play it on the show. And if you’re craving more of this, bring a friend to a space you love, or try curating one yourself — even small acts of intention change how people feel. Thanks for being here — let’s keep practicing and creating magical spaces together.

Connect with Us:

• Sarah Koch: @radintimacy | radintimacy.com
• Bryan Russell: @sadhanayogaschool | sadhanayoga.com
• Yoga Earth & Soul: @yoga_earth_soul | Facebook | Youtube
• Suggest a topic: DM us or email podcast@radintimacy.com

Subscribe & Share: If this episode moved you, subscribe wherever you listen and share it with someone who might love it too. Let’s grow this beautiful, curious, intimate community—together. 💛

How are you at waiting calmly or allowing things to unfold as they will? Sometimes the pace of patience is excruciatingly slow and sometimes we lose our cool when stressors get high.

In this episode Bryan and I dive into the last of our three P’s: Patience. We talk about what patience really is (hint: it’s not passive), why it’s both a virtue and a skill, and how it shows up in messy, real-life moments — like the pressure cooker of event planning, parenting while under the weather, and the long, cyclical work of grief. We share stories about losing our cool (been there), learning to trust others and ourselves, and finding the balance between steady waiting and necessary action.

We also explore the shadow side of patience — when it becomes complacency — and how modern life, with its obsession for speed and instant gratification, is quietly eroding our ability to sit with uncertainty. Along the way we pull in references to nature, spiritual perspectives, and even walking-for-peace monks to remind you that patience can be practiced one step at a time.

If you’ve ever wanted to be kinder to yourself during hard seasons, learn to regulate your emotions under stress, or simply stop letting the external world dictate your internal weather, this chat is for you. Stay curious, be gentle with yourself, and remember: patience is not about inaction — it’s about steady presence, trust, and loving the unfolding.

Connect with Us:

• Sarah Koch: @radintimacy | radintimacy.com
• Bryan Russell: @sadhanayogaschool | sadhanayoga.com
• Yoga Earth & Soul: @yoga_earth_soul | Facebook | Youtube
• Suggest a topic: DM us or email podcast@radintimacy.com

Subscribe & Share: If this episode moved you, subscribe wherever you listen and share it with someone who might love it too. Let’s grow this beautiful, curious, intimate community—together. 💛

When is the last time you really played, just for play sake? Play isn’t just a childhood luxury but a grown-up practice that sparks creativity, calms the nervous system, and opens us to deeper connection.

Sarah and Bryan talk about the difference between unstructured play (think: a bucket and some balls, making up a game as you go) versus structured play (pickleball, salsa, a choreographed dance). The magic often happens when you’re invited to invent and improvise: the brain lights up, time flies, and you remember how to be delightfully ridiculous.

Play asks for willingness and a little bravery. There are stories — handstands in the middle of town, plunges into cold water, truth-or-dare over drinks — that show how risking a little silliness can build trust, spark attraction, and make someone feel like a keeper. Play is a social risk that pays off in deeper intimacy.

There’s real science here too: play raises endorphins, lowers cortisol, lifts mood, boosts resilience and creativity, and is linked to better emotional stability and healthier aging. With anxiety and depression up worldwide, rediscovering play is literally good medicine.

Of course, play needs consent and attunement — jokes, sarcasm, or pranks only land when everyone’s in. Use curiosity to check in: is this playful for both of us? If not, pause. When consent is present, play becomes a kinder, braver form of connection.

They also widen the lens: playing with nature (wandering without agenda, climbing a tree, delighting in small discoveries) and seeing life as divine play — lila — turns routine struggle into playful curiosity. Even spiritual practice, flirting, and foreplay can be reclaimed as sacred, joyful play.

Practical tips: play a little every day — try a silly morning movement, invent a game while cooking, bring a playful prompt to a date, play with your kids, or add a lighthearted ritual at work. Start small, practice when you’re safe, and expand into public as your comfort grows. Journal, improvise, dance, or just throw rocks in a pond — permission to be childlike is a practice, not a costume.

If this episode made you smile, try one tiny playful experiment today and notice how your mood and connections shift. We’re rooting for you — let curiosity lead, laugh loudly, and remember play isn’t frivolous: it’s fundamental.

Connect with Us:

• Sarah Koch: @radintimacy | radintimacy.com
• Bryan Russell: @sadhanayogaschool | sadhanayoga.com
• Yoga Earth & Soul: @yoga_earth_soul | Facebook | Youtube
• Suggest a topic: DM us or email podcast@radintimacy.com

Subscribe & Share: If this episode moved you, subscribe wherever you listen and share it with someone who might love it too. Let’s grow this beautiful, curious, intimate community—together. 💛