Ep 187. The Spiritual Thread Between Recovery and Yoga, with Mark Purser - Behind The Smile with Ash Butterss | Lyssna här

My guest this week is Mark Purser, a yoga teacher, meditation guide, and founder of the Yogic Meditation Institute, based in Byron Bay. With over 20 years of study across almost every major yoga tradition, Mark brings a rare depth of knowledge to his teaching. But behind all of that wisdom is a story of years spent swinging between intense spiritual practice and alcohol, trying to find a way out that didn't involve fully surrendering.

In this conversation, Mark shares the moment his last drink became his last, alone in a national park on his birthday with no phone reception and a choice to make. He and Ash explore the relationship between yoga philosophy and 12-step recovery, the power of stillness as a daily practice, and why Yoga Nidra remains the one tool he would never give up. This is a conversation for anyone looking to understand what it really takes to build a life rooted in meaning, community, and presence.

Episode chapters:

00:00 Introducing Mark Purser

03:29 Life in Byron Bay: Surfing, Tango, and Sadhana

07:04 How Tango Became a Moving Meditation

10:00 Scent of a Woman and the Seed That Was Planted

12:07 The Photo: Hiding Behind the Smile in Byron Bay

15:15 Yoga Without the Inner Work

18:31 The Tango Class, the Pub, and the Night It All Unravelled

21:28 Being a Dad and the Shame of a Blackout

26:29 The Last Drink: Alone in the Bush on His Birthday

29:44 Choosing Sydney Over the Pub

31:49 The Balance Between Horror and Hope