Ep 187. The Spiritual Thread Between Recovery and Yoga, with Mark PurserEp 187. The Spiritual Thread Between Recovery and Yoga, with Mark Purser
Behind The Smile with Ash Butterss
Yoga teacher and long-term sober alcoholic Mark Purser shares how a lonely birthday in the bush led him to AA, and how practices like yoga nidra and tango now support his spiritual and sober life. The conversation focuses on daily sadhana, community and the shared roots between yoga philosophy and the 12 steps.
1:06:19•9 Aug 2026
Sobriety, Stillness and Tango: Mark Purser on the Spiritual Heart of Recovery
Episode Overview
- Daily spiritual practice (sadhana) is Mark’s top non-negotiable, even when life is busy.
- AA and the 12 steps gave him structure, connection and direction he couldn’t create alone.
- Yoga alone, focused on asana, was not enough to address his inner chaos and alcoholism.
- Practices like yoga nidra and tango help him return to deep stillness and balanced energy.
- Fun, community and meaningful service are central to how he sustains long-term recovery.
“"The opposite of addiction is connection."”
How do people find strength in their journey to sobriety? This conversation between yoga and meditation teacher Mark Purser and host Ash Butterss offers a raw yet hopeful snapshot of how spiritual practice and recovery can weave together. Mark shares how years of swinging between intense spiritual retreats and chaotic drinking eventually led him to a lonely birthday in Wollemi National Park, sitting with the choice to buy more wine or ask for help.
That moment became his turning point: instead of driving to the pub, he drove towards AA, rehab and a sponsor, saying he was finally "defeated enough" to follow direction. You’ll hear how Mark’s early love of yoga wasn’t enough on its own to keep him sober; he could have a strong asana practice and still be “really messy inside”.
He explains the spiritual overlap between yoga philosophy and the 12 steps, tracing both back to traditions centred on service, devotion and self-examination. For him, AA provided the structure and community he couldn’t create by himself, while yoga deepened the ongoing inner work. A highlight is Mark’s description of stillness and movement – shiva and shakti – and why he now sees tango and yoga nidra as part of his spiritual life.
His sankalpa, or inner resolve, is simple: "First comes sadhana" – at least one daily practice that brings him closer to the divine, whether that’s a meeting, meditation, breathwork or dance. This episode will likely resonate if you’ve ever tried every "cool" solution before AA, felt too busy for 90 meetings in 90 days, or wondered how to keep recovery at the centre once life gets bigger again.
It gently asks: what daily practices are you willing to prioritise so you can live happy, authentic and free?
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