Welcome to That's So Intimate. I'm Sarah from RAD Intimacy and I'm Bryan from Sadhana Yoga School — we're back from a short break to sit with a word that quietly shapes our days: commitment. We trace it back to its Latin roots (to bring together, to entrust) and chat about how commitment is really devotion made visible — whether it’s to a person, a project, your morning practice, or to the way you want to move through the world.

We push past the narrow romance-only story most of us first think of and talk about commitment as something you can practice moment-to-moment: committing to presence on an evening with a partner, to self-care in a tired season, or to small steps toward a new career. We share tools like a simple commitment statement — "I am a commitment to ___ for the sake of ___" — that helps you get clear on what matters and why.

We also get real about the sticky parts: fear of being pinned down, the heartbreak of broken trust, how a single mistake doesn’t necessarily cancel decades of care, and why recommitment — honest, ongoing check-ins — can be the healthiest move. There’s room for persistence and grief, for ceremony and repair, and for reshaping commitments as life changes.

Practically, we suggest baby commitments (test the waters with small actions), value-driven commitments (commit to care, presence, or truth), and remembering that commitment can be both grounding and fluid — a container, not a cage. Whether you’re clearing space to start a morning practice, realigning work and family, or learning how to be more honest and whole in relationships, there’s a way to make commitments that honor who you are now.

If this episode sparked something in you, jot down a commitment statement, try one small step this week, and lean into presence over certainty. Hit subscribe, share with someone you care about, and send us a word or topic you want us to unpack next — we love hearing from you.

Hey friend — today on That's So Intimate Bryan and I dig into the fiery topic of Passion. We open with Khalil Gibran: “Your reason and your passion are the rudder and sails of your seafaring soul,” and then wander into what passion really is: a fierce ache, a yearning, and yes, historically, a kind of suffering (passio). That history makes sense — sometimes wanting something deeply hurts — but passion has also evolved into our aliveness, creativity, and erotic spark.

We talk about passion as the sacral-center energy: sensual, creative, messy in the best way. When it’s balanced, it’s vitality, joy, and erotic imagination. When it’s out of balance it can be obsession, apathy, or distraction. That’s where the “riverbanks” metaphor comes in — structure and safety help channel the flow so passion can bloom without drowning practical life.

Think of masculine energy as structure or riverbanks and feminine energy as flow. We all carry both. The trick is to stop treating them like gender rules and start treating them as tools: curiosity, reason, and container-setting paired with surrender, feeling, and movement. Together they give you both meaning and safety.

We push back on the idea that logic is superior and passion is reckless. You can be wildly passionate and wise — and you can be logical and hollow. The sweet life is the one where you check in: is this desire aligned with my values? Is it rooted in fear or genuine longing? Sometimes the answer is “let’s go,” and sometimes it’s “let’s set riverbanks.”

Practical, tiny ways to invite more passion: start small. Cook a beloved meal slowly, dance in your living room, journal what lights you up, try a sensory fast so the next bite or breath feels electric. Boredom can be a gateway to creativity; deprivation can sharpen desire. These are experiments, not dramatic declarations.

On sexuality and shame: if your erotic life has been tamed or shamed, that energy can leak into other parts of life. Do the inner work — shame work, somatic practices, hip-openers, slow movement — to reclaim pleasure as information, not something to hide. Your body knows things; listen to it gently.

Relationship dynamics matter: one partner’s passion can be another’s chaos unless there’s clear communication and agreed-upon riverbanks. When someone creates safety, the other can open. Vulnerability + a grounded container = the chance to blossom.

We also dig into culture: a capitalist, patriarchal system often prizes logical, measurable success while mistrusting the feminine fire. That’s a loss. Passion can’t be bought — it’s the kind of joy that makes a battered Jeep feel richer than a polished SUV. Don’t wait to “retire” your life of feeling — weave small sparks into the everyday.

To wrap: passion is a gift and a compass. Let it inform you, then bring reasoning, curiosity, and boundaries so it can serve your life instead of sabotaging it. So tell me — what lights you up right now? What would a tiny, brave step toward that passion look like today?

Connect with Us:

• Sarah Koch: @radintimacy | radintimacy.com
• Bryan Russell: @sadhanayogaschool | sadhanayoga.com
• 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. 💛

Welcome back, dear listeners, to That's So Intimate. Today Bryan & I unpack the big, often scary word: change — what it means, why we so often resist it, and how to move with it rather than against it. We talk about that familiar sting of the unknown, the comfort of stability, and why both safety and flow are essential for a healthy life.

We wander through nature metaphors (seasons, strawberries, butterflies) and human ones (identity, golden handcuffs, the runner who becomes something else). Change can be beautiful and terrifying: sometimes it’s a graceful falling away, sometimes it’s messy, awkward, and loud. That messy middle is normal — and where most real growth happens.

Practical stuff, friend: start small. Try a different route home, change the order of your morning, say yes to an invite you’d usually skip. Treat life like an experiment — curiosity beats fear. Picture the most beautiful outcome you can imagine and let that image pull you through the hard parts. And recruit a cheerleader or two; having someone in your corner makes all the difference.

We also dig into relationships and how change shows up there. Think of the relationship as its own third entity worth tending: weekly check-ins, honest requests, and focusing on the bond (not just the other person) can hold space for both people to evolve. Nobody wins when we force someone to become someone else — but everyone wins when we practice compassion, curiosity, and clear communication.

Listen to your body. Sometimes the change you resist is the body screaming for rest, or movement, or a new routine. Aging, injury, panic, and stress are all feedback — use them as signals to adapt, not reasons to shrink. Practices like yoga, breathwork, and a steady community can be your anchor through transitions.

And here’s a perspective tweak with huge power: the story you tell about a thing often moves mountains more than the thing itself. Shift the narrative, notice growth points instead of framing everything as failure, and hold gratitude alongside the hard stuff. If you’re stuck between options, remember: often both are fine — pick one, move, learn, pivot if needed.

Change is inevitable, but it doesn’t have to be punishing. Get curious, get playful, and remember you don’t have to go it alone. There’s room for aching and joy, cocooning and flying — and we’ll be here to witness it with you.

Connect with Us:

• Sarah Koch: @radintimacy | radintimacy.com
• Bryan Russell: @sadhanayogaschool | sadhanayoga.com
• 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. 💛