Ram and Bhavani Davies - From Sivananda to Surf

This episode was recorded in my hometown of New Plymouth with duo Ram and Bhavani Davies who together run the Sivananda Yoga center. Before we jump into the conversation however, here is a little a background about New Plymouth. New Plymouth is a small town on the West Coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is the capital of Taranaki province, colloquially known as "The Naki". It also happens to be the town where I was born. It is a small town with a population of less than 50,000, and it is a rural center in a dairy producing region, which is also fueled by the local oil and gas industry. As you will hear during this interview, Back beach is a very popular surfing spot, right under the ever present watch of the beautiful Mount Taranaki. In fact the Lonely Planet recently selected Taranaki as the second best region in the world, which has attracted a wave of backpacker tourists, drawn by the surf and snow. While I grew up, New Plymouth was a fairly conservative place, so I was pleasantly surprised when I came back recently and discovered that there was a thriving yoga and meditation scene! The last I counted there are at least 6 Yoga and Meditation studios in the small seaside town. I attended a class with Bhavani at Barclay Hall a while back, and it was a gentle traditional and meditative practice which left me feeling fantastic, so I was really looking forward to catching up with them. In this conversation we will learn about what lead the two of them to yoga, to each other and to New Plymouth! We will discover their philosophy on teaching and finding your own voice in a traditional style, and they offer advice on those who are thinking of starting teaching, or opening their own studio! Links: Sivananda Yoga Center - https://www.sivanandayoga.co.nz/ Sanctuary Hill Yoga Yoga and Retreat Center - https://www.sanctuaryhill.co.nz/ Picks of the Week Rane - Shining Light Yoga Mens Classes - http://www.shininglightyoga.com.au/events/