Finding Harmony Podcast

What if your heart has its own intelligence and has been quietly guiding you your whole life? Harmony Slater and Russell Case sit down with Howard Martin, co-author of The HeartMath Solution and a longtime leader at HeartMath, to explore heart-brain coherence, heart rate variability and the research behind both. Howard shares how a rock drummer left the music business in his early 30s to help build HeartMath, why the team chose science as the bridge between heart wisdom and daily life, and the simple three-step technique at the core of the HeartMath system. You will also hear about the study in which participants' bodies responded to an image seconds before it appeared, why chronic stress has become so normal, and why Howard believes self-compassion is an act of service.

In this episode:

How HeartMath began in 1990 and became a nonprofit institute in 1991

Howard's path from rock drummer to heart-based research and training

Why the heart is an information processing center, not only a pump

The heart's electromagnetic field and the pre-stimulus picture study

The three core HeartMath steps: heart focus, heart-focused breathing, a regenerative emotion

Heart rate variability, coherence scores and the difference between measurable and operational coherence

Moving from "sky to street" so your practice shows up in daily life

Self-compassion, stress and why Howard wants love to "go viral"

 

Resources: heartmath.com (free resources) | heartmath.org (research and the nonprofit's work with educators, children, parents and first responders) | HeartMath app and Coherence Plus sensor | The HeartMath Solution by Doc Childre and Howard Martin | Harmony's free Manifestation Activation meditation and the 21 Day Money Magic Manifestation Challenge, starting November 1 

Guest bio: Howard Martin is co-author of The HeartMath Solution and has worked alongside HeartMath founder Doc Childre for more than 50 years as a friend and collaborator. Before HeartMath, he was a professional rock drummer. He has spent 36 years in Northern California helping bring heart-based tools to education, business, the military, government agencies and everyday people.

Purple Valley Retreat WEEK 1: https://yogagoa.com/harmony-slater/ 
Purple Valley Retreat WEEK 2: https://yogagoa.com/harmony-slater-2/   Ancient Breathing 2.0 Master Class - https://harmonyslater.com/free-90-minute-pranayama-masterclass

FIND Harmony online: https://harmonyslater.com/
Harmony on IG: https://www.instagram.com/harmonyslaterofficial/
Finding Harmony Podcast on IG: https://www.instagram.com/findingharmonypodcast/

FREE Manifestation Activation: https://harmonyslater.kit.com/manifestation-activation

What if your heart has its own intelligence and has been quietly guiding you your whole life? Harmony Slater and Russell Case sit down with Howard Martin, co-author of The HeartMath Solution and a longtime leader at HeartMath, to explore heart-brain coherence, heart rate variability and the research behind both. Howard shares how a rock drummer left the music business in his early 30s to help build HeartMath, why the team chose science as the bridge between heart wisdom and daily life, and the simple three-step technique at the core of the HeartMath system. You will also hear about the study in which participants' bodies responded to an image seconds before it appeared, why chronic stress has become so normal, and why Howard believes self-compassion is an act of service.

In this episode:

How HeartMath began in 1990 and became a nonprofit institute in 1991

Howard's path from rock drummer to heart-based research and training

Why the heart is an information processing center, not only a pump

The heart's electromagnetic field and the pre-stimulus picture study

The three core HeartMath steps: heart focus, heart-focused breathing, a regenerative emotion

Heart rate variability, coherence scores and the difference between measurable and operational coherence

Moving from "sky to street" so your practice shows up in daily life

Self-compassion, stress and why Howard wants love to "go viral"

 

Resources: heartmath.com (free resources) | heartmath.org (research and the nonprofit's work with educators, children, parents and first responders) | HeartMath app and Coherence Plus sensor | The HeartMath Solution by Doc Childre and Howard Martin | Harmony's free Manifestation Activation meditation and the 21 Day Money Magic Manifestation Challenge, starting November 1 

Guest bio: Howard Martin is co-author of The HeartMath Solution and has worked alongside HeartMath founder Doc Childre for more than 50 years as a friend and collaborator. Before HeartMath, he was a professional rock drummer. He has spent 36 years in Northern California helping bring heart-based tools to education, business, the military, government agencies and everyday people.

Purple Valley Retreat WEEK 1: https://yogagoa.com/harmony-slater/ 
Purple Valley Retreat WEEK 2: https://yogagoa.com/harmony-slater-2/   Ancient Breathing 2.0 Master Class - https://harmonyslater.com/free-90-minute-pranayama-masterclass

FIND Harmony online: https://harmonyslater.com/
Harmony on IG: https://www.instagram.com/harmonyslaterofficial/
Finding Harmony Podcast on IG: https://www.instagram.com/findingharmonypodcast/

FREE Manifestation Activation: https://harmonyslater.kit.com/manifestation-activation

Deep rest is a birthright, and daily ritual can be the way back to it. Author and teacher Tracee Stanley joins Harmony Slater and Russell Case to talk about retreat, ritual, and reclaiming your attention in a world built to distract you.

Tracee is the author of Radiant Rest and The Luminous Self, and her new book, Living Ritual, answers the question she hears at the end of every retreat: how do I bring this home? She shares the story of her spiritual awakening in Cape Town, her years as a film producer, her donation-based yoga studio, and a simple evening and morning ritual you can try for seven days. She also leads a short guided practice to call your attention back to you.

In this episode

How the yoga nidra book Radiant Rest came to be, from a Shambhala editor's request to a sign at a Wanderlust workshop in Whistler

Why The Luminous Self goes beyond asana into the yamas, niyamas, kleshas, and samskaras

The question "What lessons are you tired of learning?" and what it reveals about seeing other people's potential instead of your own

A spiritual awakening on a balcony in Cape Town, and the books a friend handed her afterward

Leaving a career as a film producer, opening a donation-only yoga studio, and moving to Mount Shasta

Studying with teachers from the Himalayan tradition and the Sri Vidya Tantra lineage

Living Ritual and the idea of micro rituals for the householder

Why our attention is being monetized, and how to build an "analog cocoon" around sleep and waking

Turning the dishes into a sadhana

A guided two-minute practice to reclaim your attention

What to expect on a retreat, and why some practices need to be taught in person

Harmony's invitation to the Purple Valley retreat in Tenerife

If you're feeling called to experience deep rest and rejuvenation while deepening your spiritual practice. 
Join Harmony in 2027! 

Harmony will be hosting a 1 or 2 week retreat in Tenerife, Canary Islands, through Purple Valley Retreats: 

Week one, February 20 to 27: https://yogagoa.com/harmony-slater/

Week two, February 27 to March 6: https://yogagoa.com/harmony-slater-2/

About Tracee Stanley 

Tracee Stanley is the author of the upcoming book Living Ritual: Infuse Each Day with Purpose and Spirit (St. Martin’s Essentials 2026) and the bestselling books Radiant Rest: Yoga Nidra for Deep Relaxation and Awakened Clarity and The Luminous Self: Sacred Yogic Practices & Rituals to Remember Who You Are - (Shambhala Publications). Tracee is the founder of Empowered Life Circle, a sacred community and portal of practices, rituals, and Tantric teachings inspired by more than 30 years of studentship in Sri Vidya Tantra and the teachings of the Himalayan Masters. Tracee is devoted to sharing the wisdom of yoga nidra, rest, meditation, self-inquiry, nature as a teacher, and ancestor reverence. Tracee holds certificates from Pacifica Graduate Institute in Advanced Eco-Therapy, New Thinking, Best Practices, and Emerging Modalities, and a certificate in Advanced Ecopsychology. Tracee is devoted to illuminating the magic and power found in liminal space and weaving devotion and practice into daily life.

Links and resources

Tracee Stanley: https://www.traceestanley.com/

https://www.amazon.com/Living-Ritual-Infuse-Purpose-Spirit-ebook/dp/B0FLYQWTR1/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0

https://www.instagram.com/tracee_stanley

Books: Radiant Rest, The Luminous Self, Living Ritual 

Purple Valley Retreat Center, Tenerife, Canary Islands, with Harmony: Week one, February 20 to 27, and week two, February 27 to March 6 

About Harmony Slater
Harmony Slater is an ICF Professional Certified Coach (PCC), a somatic-energy healer and breathwork trainer, and one of only twenty women in the world to hold the highest level of Ashtanga Yoga certification. 
For twenty-five years she has helped high achievers who look like they have it all together but feel like they're just getting by, stop over-functioning and reconnect to the life they truly want to live. 
She integrates energy and breathwork with somatic and emotional coaching, helping clients release what talk alone never could and come home to themselves. 
She hosts the Finding Harmony podcast and founded the Lightworker Mastermind, where coaches and healers grow their visibility and their business without losing themselves. 
Book a Somatic Energy Session and find out how to work with her at harmonyslater.com

Purple Valley Retreat WEEK 1: https://yogagoa.com/harmony-slater/ 
Purple Valley Retreat WEEK 2: https://yogagoa.com/harmony-slater-2/   Ancient Breathing 2.0 Master Class - https://harmonyslater.com/free-90-minute-pranayama-masterclass

FIND Harmony online: https://harmonyslater.com/
Harmony on IG: https://www.instagram.com/harmonyslaterofficial/
Finding Harmony Podcast on IG: https://www.instagram.com/findingharmonypodcast/

FREE Manifestation Activation: https://harmonyslater.kit.com/manifestation-activation

Deep rest is a birthright, and daily ritual can be the way back to it. Author and teacher Tracee Stanley joins Harmony Slater and Russell Case to talk about retreat, ritual, and reclaiming your attention in a world built to distract you.

Tracee is the author of Radiant Rest and The Luminous Self, and her new book, Living Ritual, answers the question she hears at the end of every retreat: how do I bring this home? She shares the story of her spiritual awakening in Cape Town, her years as a film producer, her donation-based yoga studio, and a simple evening and morning ritual you can try for seven days. She also leads a short guided practice to call your attention back to you.

In this episode

How the yoga nidra book Radiant Rest came to be, from a Shambhala editor's request to a sign at a Wanderlust workshop in Whistler

Why The Luminous Self goes beyond asana into the yamas, niyamas, kleshas, and samskaras

The question "What lessons are you tired of learning?" and what it reveals about seeing other people's potential instead of your own

A spiritual awakening on a balcony in Cape Town, and the books a friend handed her afterward

Leaving a career as a film producer, opening a donation-only yoga studio, and moving to Mount Shasta

Studying with teachers from the Himalayan tradition and the Sri Vidya Tantra lineage

Living Ritual and the idea of micro rituals for the householder

Why our attention is being monetized, and how to build an "analog cocoon" around sleep and waking

Turning the dishes into a sadhana

A guided two-minute practice to reclaim your attention

What to expect on a retreat, and why some practices need to be taught in person

Harmony's invitation to the Purple Valley retreat in Tenerife

About Tracee Stanley 

Tracee Stanley is the author of the upcoming book Living Ritual: Infuse Each Day with Purpose and Spirit (St. Martin’s Essentials 2026) and the bestselling books Radiant Rest: Yoga Nidra for Deep Relaxation and Awakened Clarity and The Luminous Self: Sacred Yogic Practices & Rituals to Remember Who You Are - (Shambhala Publications). Tracee is the founder of Empowered Life Circle, a sacred community and portal of practices, rituals, and Tantric teachings inspired by more than 30 years of studentship in Sri Vidya Tantra and the teachings of the Himalayan Masters. Tracee is devoted to sharing the wisdom of yoga nidra, rest, meditation, self-inquiry, nature as a teacher, and ancestor reverence. Tracee holds certificates from Pacifica Graduate Institute in Advanced Eco-Therapy, New Thinking, Best Practices, and Emerging Modalities, and a certificate in Advanced Ecopsychology. Tracee is devoted to illuminating the magic and power found in liminal space and weaving devotion and practice into daily life.

Links and resources

Tracee Stanley: https://www.traceestanley.com/

https://www.amazon.com/Living-Ritual-Infuse-Purpose-Spirit-ebook/dp/B0FLYQWTR1/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0

https://www.instagram.com/tracee_stanley

Books: Radiant Rest, The Luminous Self, Living Ritual 

Purple Valley Retreat Center, Tenerife, Canary Islands, with Harmony: Week one, February 20 to 27, and week two, February 27 to March 6 

Purple Valley Retreat WEEK 1: https://yogagoa.com/harmony-slater/ 
Purple Valley Retreat WEEK 2: https://yogagoa.com/harmony-slater-2/   Ancient Breathing 2.0 Master Class - https://harmonyslater.com/free-90-minute-pranayama-masterclass

FIND Harmony online: https://harmonyslater.com/
Harmony on IG: https://www.instagram.com/harmonyslaterofficial/
Finding Harmony Podcast on IG: https://www.instagram.com/findingharmonypodcast/

FREE Manifestation Activation: https://harmonyslater.kit.com/manifestation-activation

What if your symptoms aren't the problem? What if they're a message?

Harmony Slater and Russell Case welcome Allison Lorne, a certified nurse midwife with 25 years in women's health who guides women through perimenopause and menopause as a sacred passage rather than a set of symptoms to silence. Allison is also a spinal energetics practitioner, so the conversation moves between the clinical and the energetic: what hormones are doing, what the body is asking for, and how to come home to it.

Allison explains why she calls perimenopause "adolescence in reverse," how the history of hormone therapy shaped what women were told for two decades, and why emotional symptoms like anxiety, irritability, and sleeplessness often arrive first. She shares her own first symptom, why it took her years to recognize perimenopause, and how a lifetime of intuitive healing work led her from hospital nursing to private practice. Along the way: the grandmother hypothesis, a coven on California's Central Coast, dandelions, and a simple practice for tuning in to your inner wise woman.

In this episode

Why perimenopause can feel like adolescence in reverse, and what the big feelings are asking you to look at

How hormone therapy went from widely prescribed to widely feared, and what Allison says the reanalysis of the Women's Health Initiative data showed

Why Allison describes hormone therapy as comparable to insulin or thyroid medication, and why she says the decision is case by case

The emotional symptoms that often come first: anxiety, irritability, sleeplessness, a sense of doom, rising feminine rage

Allison's own first symptom, and why she did not recognize perimenopause for about ten years

How relationships change when children leave home, and why communication and intimacy matter in midlife

The grandmother hypothesis, orcas, and why menopause may be about purpose rather than decline

How spinal energetics keeps a client alert and engaged, and why that matters for lasting change

Why empaths need to learn "what's mine and what's not mine"

A simple daily practice for meeting your inner wise woman, using the elements of water, fire, earth, air, and ether

Key takeaways

Perimenopause is a whole-systems transition, not only a hormonal one. Emotional symptoms are information.

Allison's view: hormone therapy decisions are individual, and the greatest benefit is seen when it starts before 60 or within ten years of the last period. Talk with your own provider.

Midlife is an opportunity to take inventory of what has been pushed down and to choose embodiment, self-awareness, and nervous system regulation.

Women's health research has lagged behind, and community is part of the remedy.

Time in nature, even gazing at the sky, helps the brain settle into the states where insight arrives.

Guest bio
Allison Lorne, CNM, is a certified nurse midwife with 25 years in women's health. After two decades in hospital and clinical practice, she opened a private practice three years ago, where she guides women through perimenopause and menopause with a blend of clinical education, somatic work, and spinal energetics. She leads a three-month coaching program for women in midlife and lives on five acres on California's Central Coast.

Connect with Allison

Website: https://www.healwithallison.com/

https://www.instagram.com/spiritualsomatics/

Sensitivity Quiz

 

Purple Valley Retreat WEEK 1: https://yogagoa.com/harmony-slater/ 
Purple Valley Retreat WEEK 2: https://yogagoa.com/harmony-slater-2/   Ancient Breathing 2.0 Master Class - https://harmonyslater.com/free-90-minute-pranayama-masterclass

FIND Harmony online: https://harmonyslater.com/
Harmony on IG: https://www.instagram.com/harmonyslaterofficial/
Finding Harmony Podcast on IG: https://www.instagram.com/findingharmonypodcast/

FREE Manifestation Activation: https://harmonyslater.kit.com/manifestation-activation