Here is where you get in touch. Work with me, share your experience or requests > this is how to reach me. Love, - Sara

What happens when a decade-long yoga teacher takes a hard look at her own industry? Brace yourself for some uncomfortable truths about Western yoga.

From my teaching space in Austria's yoga loft, I'm serving up this episode with a side of birthday cake and a heavy dose of honesty. Yoga—this practice I've devoted my life to—has become a complex love-hate relationship as I've watched it transform from ancient spiritual tradition to Instagram-worthy commodity.

Let's get something straight: yoga comes from Hinduism, not Buddhism, and it means "to yoke" or create connection. While science confirms why yoga feels so good (those magical myokines flooding your brain!), the Western yoga industry—projected to reach a staggering $288 billion by 2034—has often stripped away yoga's sacred roots and repackaged it in expensive leggings.

As a white Western woman teaching yoga, I acknowledge my role in this problem. I've watched countless teachers pass on perfectionism rather than liberation, creating mini cults of personality instead of honoring the tradition. When we dress up cultural appropriation in spirituality without accountability, we perpetuate harm. Meanwhile, the power dynamics in yoga spaces have led to widespread abuse that rarely gets addressed.

Teaching yoga isn't just about crafting the perfect sequence; it's about having the capacity to hold space for trauma, vulnerability, and transformation. That's why my teacher trainings focus on developing authentic teachers who honor yoga's lineage while making it relevant to modern life.

Despite all its contradictions, I remain in this messy industry because yoga's magic lies in forming connections deeper than our minds could create alone. The practice has shaped who I am, and I'm committed to sharing it with the reverence it deserves.

Want to continue this conversation? Share this episode with a fellow yoga enthusiast or teacher and let me know your thoughts. Then join me next week for another serving of Salty Bake Love!

say "hi" and hang out with me on IG: @saltybakeclub

Here is where you get in touch. Work with me, share your experience or requests > this is how to reach me. Love, - Sara

"Hormones are the ego." This powerful statement from hormone expert Pauline Giselle captures the essence of our conversation about the profound yet often ignored connection between hormonal cycles and every aspect of a woman's life.

Pauline shares her remarkable journey from aspiring doctor to hormone health advocate after discovering the devastating gaps in conventional medical education regarding women's health. After years of suffering from debilitating menstrual symptoms and depression while on hormonal birth control, she experienced a transformative awakening upon learning about the four distinct phases of the menstrual cycle – knowledge that had somehow eluded her despite extensive pre-med studies.

We dive deep into how society has forced women to operate within a male-centric "24-hour cycle" world while ignoring our natural moon-based rhythms. This disconnect creates unnecessary suffering as women attempt to maintain consistent energy, emotions, and productivity throughout their monthly cycle – an expectation that works against biology. Instead, Pauline teaches how embracing each phase (menstruation/winter, follicular/spring, ovulation/summer, and luteal/autumn) allows women to optimize their health, relationships, and effectiveness in all areas of life.

The conversation takes a stunning turn when discussing hormonal birth control's far-reaching impacts – from decreasing clitoris size by 20% to altering sense of smell (affecting partner selection) and disrupting gut health. We explore how environmental factors like plastics, synthetic clothing, and fragrances disrupt hormones, while emotional patterns manifest as physical symptoms in conditions like endometriosis and PCOS.

Whether you're experiencing painful periods, struggling with hormonal imbalances, or simply curious about harnessing your natural rhythms for greater well-being, this episode offers life-changing insights about reconnecting with your authentic self through cycle awareness. Ready to discover who you really are beyond synthetic hormones and societal expectations?

MORE RESOURCES

Find Pauline's treasure chamber of Recoures, including Workshops, Masterclasses, and an e-book (which I personally LOVE!) RIGHT HERE

Follow Pauline on Instagram

& if you are in the Yoga Game, I made a 10h course that guides you through asana & practical knowledge around these 4 CYCLE PHASES we talked about on the podcast. ( the course material is in German)

Here is my 10h Yoga Course

say "hi" and hang out with me on IG: @saltybakeclub

Here is where you get in touch. Work with me, share your experience or requests > this is how to reach me. Love, - Sara

The invisible system we've all been breathing our entire lives shapes everything from our love relationships to who gets silenced in society. Patriarchy isn't some abstract concept relegated to history books; it's an active force keeping women pinned down while simultaneously teaching men to swallow their emotions and vulnerability.

What happens when we define this omnipresent system that feels as natural as air? Through powerful analogies like "the boot on a woman's neck," we explore how patriarchy persists despite advances in women's rights. From conservatives who deny the problem exists to well-meaning allies who try not to alienate those with power, various perspectives keep this system firmly in place. The deeply personal impacts range from workplace discrimination to sexual violence, with shocking statistics revealing that one in three women experience sexual assault in their lifetime.

Yet this conversation goes beyond women's oppression to examine the "silent depression of men." With over 75% of suicides in America being male, we unpack how patriarchal expectations create isolation, emotional suppression, and dependency. The most powerful men aren't those performing strength but those brave enough to embrace vulnerability. Whether you're someone who experiences misogyny firsthand or someone looking to be part of the solution, this episode invites you to examine the air we're all breathing and take courageous steps toward change. Share your experiences, challenge harmful norms in your circles, and remember that fear isn't weakness—it's the raw material of courage. Join us as we work toward liberation from systems that limit all of us, regardless of gender identity.

say "hi" and hang out with me on IG: @saltybakeclub

Here is where you get in touch. Work with me, share your experience or requests > this is how to reach me. Love, - Sara

Every friendship constellation is unique. Just like my compost cookies—filled with seemingly mismatched ingredients that somehow create something magical—our closest relationships form a perfectly imperfect combination of personalities, histories, and connections.

During a recent trip to Berlin with ten friends, something clicked. Despite being someone who typically feels guarded in larger groups, I found myself dancing freely as the sun set, stretched out over the evening sky. I noticed once again how important it is to nurture bonds with people I unconsciously trust and not the ones that keep me guarded. I hope I can shine some light on these complex structures while sharing my experience.

say "hi" and hang out with me on IG: @saltybakeclub

Here is where you get in touch. Work with me, share your experience or requests > this is how to reach me. Love, - Sara

This one’s for the brave hearts and the boundary-builders. In this episode, I’m taking you on the hero’s journey (yes, the one after Joseph Campbell) — the path that starts in the cozy comfort of your cradle, leads through the sharp edges of family triggers, and pushes you toward becoming the human you always wanted to be. The space between cinnamon buns and self-liberation is messy, sweet, and sometimes seriously tricky. But I’m here for you — and I’ll share my own crumbs and lessons from walking this path. Let’s talk about the courage it takes to release old “truths,” handle disapproval, and grow into the human you were always meant to be.

say "hi" and hang out with me on IG: @saltybakeclub

Here is where you get in touch. Work with me, share your experience or requests > this is how to reach me. Love, - Sara

Welcome to the very first episode of Salty Bake Club! Surrounded by a pile of croissants in my living room, I'm finally launching this podcast after three years of waiting for the "perfect" moment that never came. Today, I'm embracing what Brené Brown calls an FFT—a "Fucking First Time"—because sometimes you have to choose between doing something perfectly or doing it at all.

Throughout this episode, I share my journey from a child with crippling insecurity (too scared to even raise my) to becoming the woman I am now: Living a life the way I want it.

say "hi" and hang out with me on IG: @saltybakeclub