For the series finale, we are joined by Sri Dharma Mittra (@dharmayogacenter). The legendary yoga teacher first encountered yoga as a teenager before meeting his guru in 1964 and beginning his training in earnest. Sri Dharma founded one of the early independent schools of yoga in New York City in 1975 and has taught many tens of thousands the world over in the years since. Sri Dharma is the model and creator of The Master Yoga Chart of 908 Postures and the author of ASANAS: 608 Yoga Poses, the LOAY Teachers’ Man

Jules Mitchell MS, CMT, RYT (@julesyoga) is a Las Vegas-based yoga teacher, educator, and massage therapist. She blends the tradition of yoga with her extensive study in biomechanics to help teachers develop their craft and empower them with education. She regularly contributes to yoga teacher training programs and leads workshops worldwide, balancing the somatic aspects of yoga with the most current exercise science. Bringing the most useful and applicable pieces of that science into the yoga community is her passion, even when it invokes a discerning analysis of tradition. Her book, Yoga Biomechanics: Stretching Redefined, is now available through Handspring Publishing.   <span styl

Pedro Luna (@yogawithpedro) and Bryan Holub (@yogi_bryan) are two yoga instructors and dads who took the internet by storm in the past four years creating globally recognized, funny, and relatable yoga/spiritual memes on Instagram. Pedro is the real life human behind the @yogimemes account, and Bryan runs @namaste_af. Together they are the hosts of The Yogi Show (<

Leslie Kaminoff (@leslie.kaminoff), co-author of the bestselling book “Yoga Anatomy” and creator of YogaAnatomy.net, is a yoga educator and internationally recognized specialist with over four decades’ experience in the fields of yoga, breath anatomy and bodywork. His approach to teaching combines intellectual rigor, spontaneity and humor, and is always evolving. In this episode, you’ll hear from Leslie on:  [31.52] The influence of T.K.V Desikachar. Leslie reveals how his outlook on life was transformed when he swapped the spiritual and esoteric teachings of the Sivananda Yoga tradition for the more pragmatic and worldly approach adopted by Desikachar.   <li style

Elena Brower (@elenabrower) is a mother, artist, author, speaker, Double Diamond leader with doTERRA (@doterra), and a teacher of yoga and meditation since 1999. Her first book, Art of Attention, has now been translated into six languages, and her second book, Practice You: A Journal, is now a bestseller from Sounds True. She's contributed to Yoga Journal, Yoga International, Huffington Post, MindBodyGreen and more. Her work spans multiple genres and aims to bring us closer to ourselves. In this episode, you’ll hear from Elena on:  [16.50] Life lessons. Elena regards eve

Amanbir Singh (@yogiamanbir) is a licensed acupuncturist, yoga therapist, astrologer and Kundalini Yoga teacher. He has been teaching in New York and internationally for the last 15 years and participated in training nearly 1,000 teachers on how to teach Kundalini Yoga around the world. Amanbir leads unique cleanse programs combining Kundalini Yoga sets for detoxification with Traditional Chinese Medicine to give each participant a personally tailored diet. He believes there is no single diet or approach that best serves all. In this episode, you’ll hear from Amanbir on:  [09.36] His desire to work in alignment with his highest self. His ambition is to move beyond the fluctuations of his mind and

Janet Stone (@janetstoneyoga) is a global yoga warrior, servant to the breath, and student of this heart journey. Janet’s studentship began at 17 under the meditation teachings of Prem Rawat. In 1996, she traveled to India, the birthplace of her grandfather, and became dedicated to the path of yoga. Janet blends the alchemy of her own practice with decades of study. She aspires not to teach but to allow the practice to emanate from her, letting awareness blend with movement and breath. Based in San Francisco, she leads immersions, retreats, workshops and more locally and internationally.   In this episode, you’ll hear from Janet on:  [09.20] Embracing her humanity. Rather than reaching f

Derrick “DJ” Townsel (@dade2shelby) is a former NFL athlete and currently an Orlando-based yoga teacher, health coach, and personal trainer. DJ recently competed on Season 1 of NBC’s The Titan Games with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, where much to his modest embarrassment, DJ was introduced as a “yoga master.” By sharing his journey and practice openly and enthusiastically, he inspires countless individuals worldwide, especially men and people of color, to take up a yoga practice for its physical, mental, and spiritual benefits.   In this episode, you’ll hear from DJ on:  [09.52] Carving out his own path. He recounts his unconventional route from NFL athlete to inspirational yoga teacher. He i

Ajeet Kaur (@ajeetmusic) is a world music artist weaving inspiration from traditional Irish folk to mystical and meditative soundscapes. She and her band have assembled from Spain, Ireland, and the United States to offer a musical experience which transcends boundaries and takes listeners on a journey through melody and sonic texture. Collaboration is central in her work, and some of her collaborators include Trevor Hall, Aisling Urwin, Sukhmani Rayat, Rising Appalachia, Snatam Kaur, Seamus Egan and Peia. Her newest album, “Indigo Sea” was self-produced and engineered, and was released independently with support from fans and listeners. Celebrated as #1 on the iTunes World Chart and Billboard Top 10 New Age Chart, Ajeet Kaur’s music continues to be embraced by communities across the globe. <span style="font-weig

Laruga Glaser (@larugayoga) is a Level 2 Authorized Teacher from KPJAYI of Mysore, India with over 20 years of personal experience practicing Ashtanga yoga. Fascinated by the mind-body connection and spiritual philosophy from a young age, Laruga is dedicated to cultivating transparency to this tradition and the deeply rich lineage from which the practice originates. Through it all, Laruga teaches as an act of sharing and love for what yoga develops in each individual, facilitating space to open, challenge, and inspire students to step into the center of their own being and experience their inherent potential. Laruga currently heads the Mysore program at Yogayama in Stockholm, Sweden and teaches workshops and retreats internationally.   In this episode, you’ll hea

Francisco Morales-Bermudez (@francisco.mba) is the founder of Synergy Yoga (@synergy.yoga). After an athletic childhood that culminated in a wrestling scholarship to university, Francisco broke his spine at 18 and then turned his focus to healing modalities. He and a small team of roommates developed a new style of partner movement that would come to be known as Acro Yoga. Now, he resides in Perú where he brings groups on retreats centered around yoga, nature, and Native American philosophy. He loves getting upside down and leads Thai Massage certifications to assist people to remove pain from their bodies. Francisco travels the world sharing yoga, leading Thai Massage programs, and ru

Gianna Purcell (@giannayoga) and Carolina Villalba (@caro_lokah) are the co-owners of Original Hot Yoga 305 (@originalhotyoga305) in Miami and co-founders of Queer Retreats LLC (@queerretreat). In the hopes of inspiring interest and providing access to holistic wellness within the LGBTQ+ community, Gianna and Carolina offer queer-inclusive retreats centered around fun, food, and yoga, as well as education for allies committed to opening their spaces to a broader range of humans. Gianna and Carolina are working hard to make the practice of yoga accessible, safe, and

Audrey Sarquilla (@audreysarquilla) is a bhakta, tantrika, and yogini sharing yoga from 26 years of multi-lineage experience. Her premise and mission when sharing yoga is to empower each participant to remember ultimately this is ‘your’ unique yoga journey. Audrey created a Bhakti-Vinyasa school called White Peacock Yoga (@whitepeacockyoga) in 2013, owned a yoga studio in Encinitas, California for several years, and now calls Ubud, Bali home.   In this episode, you’ll hear from Audrey on:  [12.52] Her yoga journey. She recounts the steps on her spiritual path, from her introduction to chanting during her teacher training in Costa Rica to her present role as a Bhakti Yoga practitioner and kirtan leader in Bali.   [17.36] Her passio

Carmen Aguilar (@cyogalife) started teaching yoga twenty one years ago in Chicago. In her over two decades in the world of yoga, Carmen has passed through most of the phases a practitioner and a teacher can experience. She started teaching after only a few years practicing, she taught privates for 11 years, owned a studio for 9, and has taught 18 teacher training programs and even more workshops all over the world. Now, she offers online classes and a new online teacher training course, and she continues to be recognized for her social media platform. Carmen currently lives in Hawaii while traveling the world sharing her passion for yoga. In this episode, you’ll hear from Carmen on:  [09.45] Her mission to make yoga accessible to everyone, regardless of their physical ability, and to encourage the habit of a regular and long-lasting practice.  </li

Jeff Krasno (@jeffkrasno) is the founder of Wanderlust (@wanderlustfest), a global series of wellness events, and CEO / founder of Commune (@onecommune), an online education platform featuring spiritual and wellness-oriented thought leaders. In all his work, he focuses on fostering community and connection as a means to heal and transform. He is the author of 2 books and the host of the Commune podcast.  In this episode, you’ll hear from Jeff on:  <span style= "font

In this episode, Henry tackles the following topics:   [09.42] The definition of dharma and how to find our purpose. He refers to the Japanese concept of ikigai and explains how we can use it to build our lives around doing something we love and that makes a positive contribution to the world.   [17.53] The possibility of averting climate change disaster. Henry points to the work of regenerative agriculture movements such as Kiss the Ground and Farmer’s Footprint and praises their efforts to raise awareness of environmental issues and highlight the important role of the soil in capturing carbon from the atmosphere.    [24.45] Using yoga to overcome addiction. Henry concedes that exchanging o

Jacob Manning (@jacobmanningyoga) is a yoga teacher living in Southern California, who believes in finishing what you start. Underneath the mesmerizing movements and impressive strength of his own practice, the deeper message of Jacob’s teaching is to show how God or a higher power is working in his life, in the hopes that others may see the same in their own. Jacob thrives on sharing the mood-altering and mind-transforming practice of yoga at retreats and festivals, and in more intimate settings with his private clients. In this episode, you’ll hear from Jacob on:  [10.54] Karmic retribution. Jacob reflects on his past behaviour and reveals how he feels he experienced a karmic payback for th

For more than four decades, Ana Forrest (@forrestyoga) has been bringing her particular brand of Fierce Medicine to the Yoga world. An internationally-recognized pioneer in Yoga and emotional healing, Ana created Forrest Yoga while working through healing from her own life’s trauma and experience. Jose Calarco, her co-director of Forrest Yoga, also comes from a long history with Shamanism and healing – just in a different sphere – that of music and the performing arts. Forrest Yoga is renowned as a powerfully physical, internally-focused practice that emphasizes how to carry a transformative experience off the mat and into daily life.   In this episode, you’ll hear from Ana and Jose on:  [09.55] Walking through the fear a

Bee Bosnak (@beebosnak on Instagram) is a New York City based healer/teacher/mentor and the creator of Heal Yourself, a method that merges shadow work, somatic studies, sound, yoga, and meditation to connect with Spirit and heal past trauma. Bee has been studying the human condition for the past decade and continues to study philosophical and psycho-spiritual aspects of the practice from various disciplines. Her transformational and heartfelt Heal Yourself workshops and retreats around the globe give her students the courage to take back their power, lean into discomfort, and learn how to rise with bravery.    In this episode, you’ll hear from Bee on:  [10.52] Facing the shadows. The focus of Bee’s transformative Heal Yourse

Joseph Armstrong (@josepharmstrongyoga) is a Level 2 Authorized Ashtanga yoga teacher and practitioner, who runs the morning Mysore program at Miami Life Center and offer courses on OmStars.com. He credits the spiritual inquiry of yoga paired with recovery philosophy for pulling him out of a life of generational trauma, IV drug use, and despair. Joseph is an animal lover, sci-fi junkie, and newlywed.   In this episode, you’ll hear from Joseph on: [19.15] Listening to his inner voice and letting intuition guide his life choices. After a long period of drug use and

Tiffany Cruikshank (@tiffanycruikshank) is the founder of Yoga Medicine (@yoga_medicine), a community of teachers focused on fusing anatomy and western medicine with traditional yoga practices to serve the medical communities. She has trained thousands of teachers around the world, graced the cover of over 15 magazines, been featured regularly in major media outlets, authored 2 books, and released over 150 classes on various topics on YogaGlo.com. With a background in Acupuncture and Sports Medicine, Tiffany has worked with celebrities, athletes, and corporate professionals alike in her own private clinics and Nike World Headquarters. Tiffany also founded and continues to run two

After a successful twenty-year career as an executive and entrepreneur, Vish Chatterji (@thebusinesscasualyogi) is paying it forward as an East-meets-West Executive Coach. He is a certified meditation, Ayurveda, and yoga teacher and believes the wisdom of yoga offers answers to many of the leadership questions of our day. His insights and experiences have culminated in his book, The Business Casual Yogi, which launched this month.   In this episode, you’ll hear from Vish on:  [21.07] The beginning of his spiritual journey. Vish recalls losing his way during a terrifying solo trek in the Himalayas before recovering in an ashram and finding comfort and wisdom through his friendship with Yogrishi Vishvketu, a renowned Himalayan yoga master and philosopher.   <ul

Dylan Werner (@dylanwerneryoga) is an international yoga teacher from Southern California. He pioneers a unique style of vinyasa yoga centered around myofascial meridian sequencing and emphasizes the exploration of a physical journey to deepen the inner energetic connection. His extensive knowledge of anatomy and physiology and deep understanding of eastern philosophy lend a unique perspective to his teaching methodologies.     In this episode, you’ll hear from Dylan on: [08.35] The meaning of dharma in the Buddhist and Hindu traditions. Dylan suggests that the concept of dharma can be damaging if it is perceived as predetermined and is used to limit an individual’s life choices.   [35.58] Removing the ego through service to other

Lamonte Goode (@cyberyoga on Instagram) is the founder and creator of Cyberyoga, a new-age, futuristic, spiritual movement practice. In this episode, you’ll hear from Lamonte on:  [10.26] The creation of Cyberyoga. Lamonte reveals how his background in breakdance and circus arts influenced his unique hybrid yoga style which specializes in advanced arm balances and creative movement.    [16.28] The philosophy of Cyberyoga. Lamonte emphasizes that, although Cyberyoga is physically demanding, it is essentially a spiritual practice, a fusion of ancient and modern disciplines, intended to produce an elevated level of consciousness and create a mind open to receiving information from higher dimensions.      <li st

Bernie Clark has been traveling the yogic path for over 40 years, starting with a daily meditation practice that he established in his mid-twenties, in order to deal with growing stress. In his early forties, he was introduced into the physical practices of Hatha yoga, which assisted him greatly in his meditation practice. Throughout his first career in high-tech business, he continued to feed an intense curiosity about psychology, mythology, anatomy and philosophy. Today, Bernie is a yoga teacher and published author offering classes, teacher trainings, and workshops in Vancouver, Canada.     In this episode, you’ll hear from Bernie on:    [14.03] The definition of Yin Yoga. Bernie explains that yin and yang are relative terms and that nothing is either completely yin or completely yang. However, more muscular and

Taylor Hunt (@taylorhuntyoga) is a Level 2 Authorized Ashtanga Yoga teacher, published author, podcast host, and executive director of the Trini Foundation, which brings Ashtanga Yoga to people in recovery. Taylor wrote his memoir A Way from Darkness and hosts the Heartbreak Kids podcast to help inspire others to continue finding healing through yoga, even in the darkest of times. Taylor operates Ashtanga Yoga Columbus out of his home base in Ohio.   In this episode, you’ll hear from Taylor on:    [11.03] The family trauma that led to his addiction to alcohol, painkillers, and eventually heroin. Taylor reveals that he had his first drink on the day his parents got divorced and continued to use alcohol and drugs as a way of coping with his feelings.   <span

 In this episode, you’ll hear from Henry on:    [1.09] The launch of the Henry Yoga app, a 40-day program of powerful 40-minute classes, designed to bring about physical and mental transformation. The app makes the practice of yoga affordable and accessible for anyone serious about integrating yoga into their lifestyle.   [07.14] Henry’s transition from a career in the corporate world to his work as a yoga teacher, podcaster and the creator of the Henry Yoga app. He explains his decision to develop online programs and shares his experiences of filming video classes and workshops.      [16.46] Henry expands on his mission to use technology to spread yoga worldwide and to make its trans

Jarret Christie (@jarretnyc) is a yogi and health and wellness investor focused on female-founded startups. Prior to providing capital and advisory to entrepreneurs full-time, Jarret spent 13 years as a trader on Wall Street. He credits yoga with helping him to break out of a conventional mold to find greater fulfillment in helping others with his business experience.  In this episode, you’ll hear from Jarret on:    [12.51] His former career as a Wall Street trader. Jarret explains how, as his yoga practice evolved from the occasional class to a dedicated daily routine, he decided to swap the status and financial security of the world of institutional investment for his current role as an independent health and wellness investor.   <span style= "font-weigh

Mathieu Boldron (@mathieuboldronyoga on Instagram) is a traveling yogi and community builder who teaches yoga teacher trainings and continuing education programs around the world. He discovered yoga while pursuing a career in musical theatre and later turned his full attention to the practice as a means for healing after exhausting his vocal cords. Now, he is co-owner of Lomey Yoga School, a yoga studio in Paris that applies modern techniques to ancient yoga.    In this episode, you’ll hear from Mathieu on:   [07.52] His career as a performer in hit musical shows such as The Lion King and Sister Act. He explains how, as an actor and singer, he felt that something was missing f

Dimitri Mugianis (@dimitrimugianis on Instagram) is a drug policy activist, Bwiti spiritual healer, poet, and musician. At the depths of his own heroin and cocaine addiction, Dimitri discovered Ibogaine, a plant sacrament from Central Africa that allowed him to break his habit without withdrawal symptoms. Now he provides a safe and dogma-free container for others, in which to experience psychedelic medicine emphasizing self-love and acceptance. Dimitri is currently N'ganga-in-residence at the New York Harm Reduction Educators (NYHRE), a service-based community working with addicted, homeless, formerly incarcerated, and HIV-positive people in East Harlem and The Bronx.     In this episode, you’ll hear from Dimitri on:    <li style="font-weight:

Aria Crescendo (@aria.official on Instagram) is a musician, singer, and yoga teacher. Her artistic journey brought her to yoga in 2000, after the demands of her career in the entertainment industry challenged her sense of balance. Aria has headlined at Wanderlust Festivals and has represented brands like Nike, Oysho and Loreal. She is the author of two books, “Le Yoga de Ma Vie “ and “The Healthy Book.” She spends her time traveling and teaching, while spreading the high vibrations of yoga and music In this episode you’ll hear from Aria on:  [10.28] Creating her own path in life as a singer, musician and motivational yoga teacher. She talks about her love of performing and her early career as a dancer at the Crazy Horse cabaret in Paris.    <span style= "font-weight: 40

Tony Lupinacci recognized the deep cathartic powers of a consistent yoga practice when he started a decade ago and has since made the pursuit of his yogic path a priority. Tony has been teaching for 8 years, completed 7 teacher training courses, and spent countless hours in self-study and practice.  His teaching style weaves elements of Ashtanga, Bikram, Forrest, Dharma, and Katonah Yoga. He values breathwork, kriya meditation, and mantra practice and incorporates them into his teaching to help his students better understand themselves.   In this episode, you’ll hear from Tony on:  [09.16] The search for his truth and his desire to live it on a daily basis. Tony elaborates on his deep-seated yearning to connect with others, to listen and to share the adventure of life.     <span style

Kyle Weiger is a traveling handstand coach and online entrepreneur on a mission to show people that they are capable of way more than they think. His workshops and online courses are built on the idea that the biggest changes happen through a combination of hard work, focus, and fun!   In this episode, you’ll hear from Kyle on: [09.31] His transition from college baseball player to online handstand coach via a career in the corporate world. He explains the importance of following your path, listening to your calling and understanding how that calling will change at different points in life.     [12.50] His progression from yoga to gymnastics to the discovery of hand-balancing as its own distinct art. Kyle explains how he approaches hand balancing with

Bibi Lorenzetti is a Level 2 Authorized Ashtanga Yoga Teacher & Holistic Health Coach. She has been sharing the practice of yoga for the past 10 years with people all over the world. She provides a space for people to research, explore, and learn about themselves both at her home studio in the Hudson Valley and on her retreats. Bibi wishes to share her journey of healing anorexia through Ashtanga yoga in the hopes to inspire others to come into a state of health by building stability, discipline, and awareness through practice. In this episode, you’ll hear from Bibi on: [8.27]  Her belief that our first dharma is to learn to take care of and feel comfortable in our physical bodies. Only once Bibi had accepted her body and developed a compassionate relationship to herself was she able to fulfill her second dharma and do her duty in the world by sharin

Andrew Sealy is an embodied heart leader, yoga artist, and connection catalyst. He is known for his transformational teachings of self-love that remind students of their true power for transformation and embodied purposeful living. Andrew’s creative approach to teaching Yoga as a healing art has earned him the role of guiding celebrity clients, spotlight at conscious music festivals, and the opportunity to lead transformative luxury retreats worldwide.  He is known globally as a mindful life enthusiast and a wellness activist. Andrew embodies prolific knowledge while positively influencing and empowering his students. Andrew Sealy’s teachings aim to answer the question: How can we adapt to create and evolve to sustain?  In this episode, you’ll hear from Andrew on: [11:25] How to align to your purpose and the imp

Zoey Gong is a Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner and dietitian in NYC. She specializes in TCM cuisine, herbalism, moxibustion, and holistic food therapy. In this episode, you'll hear from Zoey on: Facing severe health problems, including breast tumors and chronic skin rashes, after moving to the US and adopting an American diet, and how her journey toward self-healing brought her back to her Chinese roots The key differences between the Western clinical and Eastern traditional approaches to nutrition and medicine at large Using TCM herbs and natural supplements to regulate hormonal imbalances and feel better in daily life Pairing foods of a particular energy with a matching yoga practice to create a specific effect in the mind-body continuum Announcements: Reconnect to your divine Self this December. Join me and Veronica Lombo on

Sean Langhaus has been teaching yoga and movement for the past seven years in NYC and is the founder of Warrior Bridge in downtown Manhattan. In Sean’s journey, he has practiced and trained with acclaimed yoga teachers, lineage holders, martial arts masters, and circus acrobats. He specializes in teaching holistic movement practice, hand balancing, and acroyoga and always has an eye open for inspiration from any source. In this episode, you'll hear from Sean on: Yoga, martial arts, and acroyoga — the role each plays in Sean's self-reflection and relationship to other people Adapting a yoga practice to meet one's personal goals The long journey to one-arm handstand, and the elements of training and mindset Sean considers essential to keeping a commitment Announcements: Celebrate my one-year Veganniversary with yoga, plant-based piz

Dr. Scott Lyons is dedicated to teaching embodiment as a way of exploring human development, healing and transformation. Scott is the co-creator of Embodied Flow™ — a school of yoga and therapy — and developer of Somatic Stress Release, a process of restoring our biological adaptation system.  Scott is also the director of the Embodied Consciousness Immersion, as well the Mind-Body Therapy Training Program and the Diamante Vida Holistic Retreat Center. Scott teaches internationally and has a private practice integrating his background as a Clinical Psychologist, Osteopath, and somatic movement therapist. In this episode, you'll hear from Scott on: Agency, embodiment, and deriving meaning from life as components of our holistic health Reconciling physical embodiment and somatics with non-dual philosophy or unity consciousness Finding ease, flow, and fluidity even through hardships by constru

Dustin Brown is the visionary and founder behind Warrior One Yoga, bespoke bayside yoga studios in Australia. Now a dedicated yogi, vedic meditator, and wellness warrior, Dustin grew up in Kauai, Hawaii and first traveled the world as a professional surfer. Also a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt athlete and coach, Dustin brings a background in martial arts to his yoga practice, as well. Through these complementary practices, Dustin has found strength, flexibility, increased recovery, body awareness, and an overall balanced lifestyle. Dustin is an ambassador for global brand Lululemon Athletica and Boys of Yoga, a global movement helping to bring more guys to the mat. In this episode, you'll hear from Dustin on: Being given permission and freedom to live his dream life at the most unexpected time and circumstance Why Dustin used to refused to say "namaste" as a student in class, and why he is now very

Amina Taha is a yoga teacher and practitioner, mother, and co-founder of Living Room Yoga Sessions, a platform to encourage a daily practice of love, non-attachment, and faith. To Amina, yoga is about uncovering the infinite possibility within your body and mind. In this episode, you'll hear from Amina on: Learning true presence from practicing yoga through the unpredictable changes of pregnancy What postpartum recovery training has in common with Ashtanga yoga The inspiration for Living Room Yoga Sessions, and how to develop a home practice if you don't have access to a yoga studio Advice for yogis who have just become pregnant or who are planning to become pregnant Announcements: Celebrate my one-year Veganniversary with yoga, plant-based pizza and ice cream, and prizes — all benefiting Woodstock Farm Sanctuary: <a href

Danni Pomplun turned to yoga when there was nothing left. Just when he needed it most, yoga met him where he was — not judging him but demanding his attention. Now as a teacher, Danni prioritizes fun, function, and authenticity, and he hopes to lead students to a greater appreciation not only for what the body is capable of but also for how their practice can support them at even the most trying times. In this episode, you'll hear from Danni on: Recovering from addiction and a suicide attempt through the acceptance of a yoga community Why contrary to popular opinion, yoga *is* about the destination, not just the journey A short and powerful journaling routine you can implement to get connected to mind, body, and spirit Danni's four pillars of interacting in the world as a teacher and human, and a few ways you can go deeper with him from near or far Announcemen

Tonya Papanikolov is the founder of Rainbo, a medicinal mushroom brand and product line that just launched. She’s a holistic nutritionist and the creative force behind The Well Woman, where she inspires and educates on plants, fungi, and food as medicine. In this episode, you'll hear from Tonya on: Walking into the unknown, and how yoga helped Tonya move through a difficult but pivotal transition period in her life Mushroom consciousness, mycoremediation, and how fungi can heal our planet and our human bodies Mycophobia and sorting out rational caution from unconscious social conditioning when it comes to fear of fungi Psychedelic mushrooms, microdosing, and the potential of psilocybin for therapeutic use The new product Tonya has created for you to absorb the balanced benefits of medicinal mushrooms conveniently and efficiently  Announcements:</stron

Dov Vargas, also known as Yogi Varuna, was born into a family of yogis. As the son of Sri Dharma Mittra, he has been teaching and practicing yoga for over 9 years. In 2014, Dov created the Dharma Yoga Wheel with his business partner, Raquel Vamos. Together, they have developed and inspired the now popular wheel yoga. In this episode, you'll hear from Dov on: Growing up surrounded by yoga as a child, and later making the conscious decision to practice, teach, and live yoga as an adult Learning to see his father as both a family member and a teacher Psychic development techniques and why they are kept secret The origin of the Dharma Yoga Wheel, creating a business out of duty rather than intention, and difficult lessons learned from shrewd business  Announcements: Come support Woodstock Farm Sanctuary and their animal rescue efforts at a do

We know the stories about the men from India who taught yoga. What is still missing, as is often the case with history, are the stories of the women. These women were yogis, strong women, circus performers, teachers and authors, yet they have been forgotten. If history had been written differently, they would be the ones we know and celebrate. Ida Jo is a yoga acharya. She is the co-author of the Ghosh Yoga Practice Manuals and has edited and published several historic yoga manuals from Kolkata, India. She works closely with Ghosh's Yoga College in Kolkata and teaches yoga internationally. Check out Episode 018 for Ida’s first appearance on Dharma Talk, where shared her dharma here for the first time. In this episode, you'll hear from Ida on: The mission of the Women of Yoga project, and how surprising discoveries in Kolkata, India have opened the doors

[BONUS EPISODE] This week, the tables have turned, and I'm in the hot seat for an interview with Amy McDonald, spiritual business coach, yoga teacher, and host of the Abundant Yoga Teacher Podcast. Our wide-ranging conversation covers topics including but not limited to: The origins and mission of modern-day yoga championships Reconciling the reality of abuse and trauma in the yoga system with the value of the underlying teachings Why I created Dharma Talk, and what I love about podcasting Embracing entrepreneurship as a yoga teacher, and integrating yogic values into a conscious business Links from this episode: Listen to the original episode of the Abundant Yoga Teacher

Alena Wertalik is the head of East Coast Operations for Yoga to the People, a unique yoga studio that aims to make yoga available to everyone. She also serves as Director of YttP Teacher Trainings and a Lead Instructor for Science of Self Teacher Trainings. Her yoga journey has been quite unexpected and at the same time it feels divinely planned. In this episode, you'll hear from Alena on: Ever-changing convictions around what yoga is and isn't, and celebrating yourself in your yoga practice Connecting to others through serendipitous, shared experiences of profound suffering Tantra Talks — taking risks and 'making truth trendy' through hosting open conversations about intimacy, sex, and death  Testing the universality of the practices of yoga by bringing a system of teaching across international borders Announcements: Join me for upcoming

Hiro Landazuri connected with yoga about 20 years ago to relieve injuries from running and was immediately drawn to the challenging and stress-relieving aspects of the practice. Since leaving a career in heart transplant surgery to pursue his passion for teaching yoga, Hiro has gained a following for his anatomy-focused approach to teaching. He inspires people to understand their bodies better and find a deeper connection to themselves through a functional approach to yoga practice. In this episode, you'll hear from Hiro on: The emotional impact of doing healing work on humans at the end of life, and the heart-wrenching moment that made him walk away from a career in cardiac surgery Functional movement as a door to emotional intelligence and, ultimately, toward making positive life changes Marrying a western medical perspective with "yoga anatomy" knowledge to make informed decisions as a t

David Kyle is owner of Ashtanga Yoga Puerto Rico and founder of the Progressive Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga which honors the traditional practice of Sri K. Pattabhi Jois and embraces the revolutionary philosophy of Larry Schultz. Progressive Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga was established in 2004 to promote an Ashtanga based practice that holds no dogmas or bias towards the asana practice. David's teachings brings a sense of ease into the subtle teachings of yoga and the experience of finding perfection no matter where we are. In this episode, you'll hear from David on: Larry Schultz, the Grateful Dead, and the story of the birth and blast off of The Rocket A fourth prong above and beyond Ashtanga's Tristhana (breath, gaze, and body) that has become signature of The Rocket The difference between a Parsva Koundinyasana and a Baby Freeze, and how practicing familiar movements within a yoga context for David

Tim Senesi is a YogaWorks teacher trainer and has garnered a dedicated following on YouTube for his teaching, humor, and loveable dog, Ollie. His sequences are an intelligent blend of his experience in Iyengar and Ashtanga yoga, as well as his insight into functional movement and anatomy. His love for yoga shines through each class he teaches. In this episode, you'll hear from Tim on: How a Chiquita Banana spokesman turned Tim onto the path of yoga What Tim learned about tempering the internal fire of asana practice through injury and recovery, and how that lesson has affected his teaching and health A few functional adjustments to traditional sequences that can make all the difference in the longevity of your practice How you can practice with Tim online, for free, from anywhere Announcements: Join me for upcoming workshops in NYC and Bu

Eddie Stern is a yoga teacher, author, and lecturer from NYC. He is known for his expertise in teaching Ashtanga Yoga, as well as for his work in furthering access to yoga and meditation in underserved populations. He is the creator of The Breathing App, and his latest book, One Simple Thing, is out now. In this episode, you'll hear from Eddie on: What researchers have learned from the breathing patterns of cosmonauts, yogis, and monks, and how Eddie has helped over thousands of people benefit from so-called Coherence Breathing for free How bringing our breath into an ideal frequency hacks the autonomic nervous system and keeps us from defaulting to stress overdrive The one simple thing, or underlying connection between all yoga practitioners, no matter their lineage or school of choice

Melanie C. Klein is a thought leader and influencer in the areas of body confidence, authentic empowerment, and visibility. She is also a successful writer, empowerment coach, speaker, and professor of Sociology and Women’s Studies. She has published several books on yoga and body image and how this intersects with social justice. She co-founded the Yoga and Body Image Coalition in 2014 and is the co-founder of The Joy Revolution with her partner, Marc Cordon. In this episode, you'll hear from Melanie on: Why Melanie is shying away from the word yoga at this stage of her work and practice The breakthrough Melanie experienced in an "advanced" class that allowed her to process buried emotional exhaustion The dangers of social media and a system that lends credibility through the currency of likes and followers Recognizing the personal agency to effect individual transformati

Jana Roemer has come to devote her life to the practice of yoga, meditation, yoga nidra, and astrology because these were the exact medicines she needed. An overly critical, busy mind paralyzed her abilities at different times in her life, but through study and practice, she has experienced a complete rebirth of her mind space. Jana has facilitated numerous trainings, intensives, and retreats over the years, and has since devoted her service to training guides of the ancient practice of yoga nidra, as well as her own signature blend of astrology and yoga nidra, Astro Nidra. In this episode, you'll hear from Jana on: Our inner genius, which exists beyond our mental comprehension, and serves to create and heal our personal ecosystem How to systematically traverse and unpack the five koshas through guided yoga nidra and effect life-altering change Mastering the endocrine or glandular system in

Marcus Antebi is a native New Yorker who founded Juice Press in the East Village of New York in 2010. Prior to Juice Press, he founded a skydiving equipment and training business called PIER Media. Marcus fought competitive Thai boxing for several years, and today at age 50, he considers himself to be an obsessive yoga athlete. He is currently building a yoga school, slated for a 2019 opening in New York. In this episode, you'll hear from Marcus on: Upholding yogic values in one's life, while playing by the rules of modern-day society The difference between being "fully realized" and "self realized" and the role of the teacher in guiding people to the latter What's missing from most yoga businesses, and Marcus's vision for a new, commercially viable school that embodies holistic and compassionate yoga Announcements: Join me for a weekend in Buceri

Deuce Bennett is a vinyasa, rocket, hatha, and yin yoga teacher operating in Austin, TX. He is also a working musician, songwriter, composer, audio engineer, and producer. Yoga helped him overcome heroin and alcohol addiction and heal from career-threatening carpal tunnel syndrome. Now, he understands his purpose in life is to spread joy and healing through his various enterprises and to teach students to tap in to their inner strength and grace. In this episode, you'll hear from Deuce on: How the sex, drugs, and rock n' roll lifestyle sucked Deuce into a pattern of self-destructive behavior, and how yoga helped him recover The timely spark of intuition that literally saved Deuce's life and sent him down the path of yoga, reflection, and spirituality Finding creative inspiration from yoga as an artist, and bringing the essence of yoga into his musical collaborations to lift others up <

Sarah Platt-Finger is the Co-founder of ISHTA Yoga and the private yoga teacher of Deepak Chopra. She is one of the most sought after teachers in NYC, and has created one of the most highly respected teacher training programs in the industry. Sarah also leads trainings and workshops internationally. She is a legacy ambassador for Lululemon and the Board Chair for Exhale to Inhale, a non-profit organization that teaches yoga to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. In this episode, you'll hear from Sarah on: What it means to inhabit a yoga posture, and how connecting to energy can get you out of your head Approaching hatha, tantra, and ayurveda from a scientific lens, and eschewing dogma in favor of results Expanding the reach of yoga to traumatized women Why Sarah made the shift from "teaching" to "sharing" these practices, and a few things she's learned from her time

After a successful career as an international executive in the corporate world, Ulises Calatayud is now dedicated to helping people become the best version of themselves through mind, body, and soul techniques at his yoga studio, YogaCare, in downtown Manhattan. He helps people express their maximum human potential with the objective of living the best life we can possibly live. Ulises is President of the International Yoga Sports Federation; founder of The Full Circle, a transformative yoga philosophy program; Senior Bikram Yoga and Dharma Yoga and Skydancing Tantra Teacher; and Reiki Master. In this episode, you'll hear from Ulises on: Certain universal laws that, if we accept, will allow us to live in harmony with nature Learning various traditions from native peoples and respected teachers, and maintaining the integrity of these practices in combination Turning his human experience into

Andrei Ram is a world renowned yoga master who travels worldwide sharing his unique yoga approach and making accessible to all the most mystical aspects of the Yoga Science. He spent over ten years with Sri Dharma Mittra, from whom he received acharya initiation in the yoga lineage. In this episode, you'll hear from Andrei on: How Andrei approaches teaching in different parts of the world, and his techniques for reaching people from different cultural backgrounds and assumptions The essence of Andrei's practice, Prana Nidra, and how it differs from yoga nidra or pranayama  How to upgrade karma to dharma through body intuition The sixth kosha, and the role of nature in helping us find true freedom from ideology  Announcements: [SPONSOR] Come with me to the upcoming 50-hour Rocket Yoga practice intensive with David Kyle at

Katy Peetz is an award winning and published pastry chef (most notably of Roberta's and 2-Michelin starred Blanca) and yogi (sometimes-teacher) who is forging her path to create real on-the-go food that empowers people to feel their best with her new company, Keetz & Co. She just launched Plant Bites, energy bites made only with real plant based foods and without preservatives, fillers or refined sugars, as a vision of a better way to snack. In this episode, you'll hear from Katy on: Facing a critical juncture that challenged her identity as a pastry chef, and how she used yoga to find her path forward Creating a brand that stands for taking care of yourself — body, mind, and spirit How Katy is breaking the status quo to bring a new type of plant-based snack to a growing population of conscious consumers  Announcements: [SPONSOR] 

Cassandra Lam is on a mission to change the way we live and work from the inside out. After a series of traumatic work experiences followed by healing through yoga and meditation, she found the courage to listen to her own voice and create her own career path. A former consultant turned entrepreneur, activist, and wellness advocate, Cassandra is passionate about creating spaces that empower people of color. She currently serves as CEO and cofounder of The Cosmos, a community that creates content for Asian women to flourish and thrive. In this episode, you'll hear from Cassandra on: What each of us brings into our yoga practice, and how yoga can inspire us to embrace our ancestral identities 3 simple steps People of Color can take to feel more confident and valid in uncomfortable environments, including homogenous yoga studios What it means to flourish and thrive vs simply survive, and how t

Pedro Luna is a South Florida-based yoga instructor, co-coordinator of the largest outdoor yoga event in South Florida YogaFestFL, and the creator of the hilarious and globally recognized Instagram account @yogimemes. Ever since Pedro took his first yoga class, he knew he wanted to teach yoga and serve the world. His classes are geared towards all levels, as he believes yoga is for anyone and everyone. Pedro’s mission in life is to share the gift of yoga with the world. In this episode, you'll hear from Pedro on: How infusing lightness and humor into the online yoga conversation has led Pedro to some of the more profound benefits of yoga Balancing professional duties with creative expression, and striking the right balance to create space for new rewarding opportunities The idea of holding space, and how the path to healing others can be much simpler than we think  Ann

Ksenia Voropaeva is a yoga student, creator, and business owner. She’s the founder of Ananday, a sustainable yoga and wellness company with a zero waste mission. She believes in the power of yoga to transform, and in the potential of individuals to create the change they want to see. She started Ananday because she saw the waste produced by the yoga and wellness industry and wanted to find a better way—a way to practice that supports us and our planet. In this episode, you'll hear from Ksenia on: The big sustainability problem Ksenia saw in the current state of the yoga industry, even amongst the most eco-conscious yoga companies 5 easy lifestyle changes you can make to drastically reduce your footprint on the environment How we can take back the power from major corporations, be kind to our planet, and be compassionate with ourselves in the process   Announcements:</s

Gokulacandra is a student and teacher of yoga and the founder of Gokul Yoga. Born Jani Jaatinen in Finland, Gokulacandra Das started exploring the practice with Janne Kontala, a friend and lifelong teacher. He has been practicing yoga everyday for 17 years and has integrated those spiritual practices into his life. In September 2012, Gokulacandra moved to Malaysia with his wife Jaci to open the Gokul Yogashala. In this episode, you'll hear from Gokulacandra on: The concept of Yukta Vairagya — using our physical matter to connect to the deep spiritual essence Our natural condition state of resistance, and the importance of going against the current Hidden knowledge, and why Gokulacandra is careful about the methods and channels through which he transmits the lessons of his teachers  Why Gokulacandra's yoga teacher told him not to quit creating electronic music, and how we can use th

During his years in prison, Emmett Tatter discovered that yoga has the power to change, to heal, and to transform. In this episode, you'll hear from Emmett on: The importance of finding your purpose in a difficult situation, especially when it comes to overcoming negative self-talk and doubt How Emmett applied the lessons of yoga to overcome rage and fear in prison, and how his practice was put to the test inside a physical cage Why Emmet began teaching others, and how despite prison staff's pressure to shut it down, Emmett's yoga program grew to a waitlist of literal hundreds Announcements: [SPONSOR] Come with me to the upcoming 50-hour Rocket Yoga practice intensive with David Kyle at Yoga East Austin. Save on early bird registration through Feb 17th: yo

Glenn Brown is a poet, artist, college professor, founder of Lionflow Yoga, and owner of Array Yoga in New Albany, Indiana. While battling depression as a teenager, he found art and poetry to be his most effective coping mechanisms, and kung fu, meditation, and yoga became additional expressions of those very healing practices. Glenn is certified in Hsing-I kung-fu & Qi-gong, Bikram Yoga, and Sun-style Tai Chi. He is also a USA Yoga National Champion, a self-published author, and an adjunct professor working to integrate yoga and tai chi into the health and wellness programs at Indiana University Southeast. In this episode, you'll hear from Glenn on: Healthy skepticism, and what Glenn took away from being raised Southern Baptist and getting thrown out of a Kung Fu school Why Glenn continues to integrate forms from different disciplines, and what he considers the most important 'skill' to master

Yancy Scot Schwartz took his first yoga class in the Dominican Republic while on a skate tour. Yancy currently resides and teaches yoga in Los Angeles, California. He believes that through the yoga practices and techniques, we can free ourselves from the constraints of the body and the mind. Yancy is trying to lead a simple life. In this episode, you'll hear from Yancy on: How yoga has provided Yancy a healthy counterbalance to the physical strain of skateboarding and skate culture Surrendering to and seizing opportunity — from hiding in the back of class to receiving free teacher training to being hand selected to open a new studio What constitutes a simple life, and the benefits to be gained from living one Announcements: Join me for upcoming workshops at Three Jewels and Yoga Herald Square in NYC: <a href="http://henrywins.com/events" target= "

Jordan Lydia is a student and teacher of yin and Bikram yoga. Through these complementary practices, she has overcome the physical effects of scoliosis and fed both her “soul” and “spirit” sides. She has co-led teacher trainings, co-authored yoga manuals, developed a community of practitioners of the Advanced 84 Asana series in Seattle, and won first place in the Washington state USA Yoga championships twice. Outside of yoga, Jordan is trained as an archivist, and she believes in chasing down one’s dreams while keeping a day job. In this episode, you'll hear from Jordan on: How practicing yin yoga and Bikram yoga have provided Jordan contrasting yet complementary meditation practices and paths of healing  Karma yoga, and what it means to be a standard bearer for the broader community How to integrate yoga into a busy lifestyle and career outside the yoga and wellness industry, both theoreti

Jerome Burdi had a series of life changing events before finding the path of yoga. He was shot in the leg with a stray bullet just two streets away from where he'd discover his yoga teacher more than a decade later. He then became a newspaper crime journalist in New York City and South Florida. After eight years, the light of the yoga path was awakened for Jerome during a shamanic retreat in Brazil. He finally found his life's work, so he quit his job and went to India to do his first yoga teacher training. In this episode, you'll hear from Jerome on: Witnessing and processing other people's suffering as an "ambulance chaser" Vipassana meditation and ayahuasca ceremonies — parallels and differences between two paths toward heightened consciousness Developing the intuition to recognize willpower and rigidity as separate from addressing suffering at its root Announcement

Tim Feldmann is a yoga practitioner. Tim teaches traditional ashtanga yoga around the world in the lineage of Pattabhi Jois and Krishnamacharya. He is the co-founder of the yoga shala Miami Life Center. In this episode, you'll hear from Tim on: Moving from a career in dance to practicing and teaching yoga full time, and what Tim learned in the transition How Tim used a fine arts grant from the Danish government to further his yoga study The most significant difference between being an artist and running a small business The two things all yoga teachers must focus on in order to have the most beneficial impact on our current and future students Announcements: Join me for an upcoming workshop at Three Jewels NYC: henrywins.com/events Enroll in the upcoming 200-hour Teacher Training or 30-hour Imm

Gabriel Tavera is Mexican yogi, home grown in Texas. Gabe put himself through the advertising program at UT, started his agency career at age 20, earned an MBA from UTSA at age 22, and was managing multi-million dollar ad campaigns by age 23. When he found yoga at age 24, he immediately turned away from his business endeavors and material possessions. Six years later, Gabe moved back to Austin, TX with nothing to his name and went on to found Yoga East Austin in 2013. Ever since, he has been doing everything possible to help others help themselves unplug and follow their hearts. In this episode, you'll hear from Gabriel on: The lifelong path of self-correction through listening to the quiet voice inside How to get comfortable with fear and use it to catapult you forward The three-phase process inherent to facing and surpassing all inevitable conflicts in life Giving yoga away for f

Dr. Word Smith is a doctor of Medical Qi Gong and has been studying Eastern arts for over 20 years. He is a nomadic yogi, roaming the globe studying language, medicine, philosophy, and the movement practices said to grant liberation in this life. Currently he teaches domestically and internationally in order to help all living beings. In this episode, you'll hear from Word on: Why, at a very practical level, helping others is the key to happiness How to change your life circumstances by working from the inside out The simple and universal 4-step path to creating any change or result you desire One powerful Chinese herb you can find at the supermarket, and how you can learn more from Word about Traditional Chinese Medicine  Announcements: Join me for upcoming workshops in Orange County, CA (YogaWorks Costa Mesa) and NYC (Three Jewels): <a

Adam Sobel has been teaching free yoga classes for the last 15 years to a dedicated sangha of yogis in New Jersey. He spent 16 years studying with Sri Dharma Mittra and has been studying exclusively with Gokulacandra Das for the past three years. Additionally, he is the Chef and owner of The Cinnamon Snail, a vegan food truck and restaurant. Along with his family, he also rehabilitates wounded and abandoned wild animals to give them a better shot at survival. In this episode, you'll hear from Adam on: How and why Adam became a father, a student of particular lineage of yoga, and a vegan at the same time Drawing healthy boundaries between running a food business and maintaining a dedicated yoga practice What he has learned from working in grey legality and black markets to provide mainstream culture with delicious, ethical food Duality, non-duality, and the middle road — and examini

Carolina Villalba is a yoga teacher, student, and rapper. To Carolina, being in the yoga industry looks like and feels like a lot of things. Born and mostly raised in Miami, she has come a long way from an eager yoga student to an active member of the wellness and awareness community. In this episode, you'll hear from Carolina on: Two difficult but transformative feelings Carolina recognized for the first time in her life, when she tried yoga as an angsty and overmedicated teenager What teaching yoga and rapping in a sometimes lewd and crude band have in common Opening a yoga studio in a mechanic's lot, sharing yoga with amputees and gender non-conformers, and breaking the archetype of what yoga "looks like"  Announcements: Join me for workshops in Richmond, Virginia (The Yoga Dojo + Hot Yoga Richmond) and Orange County, California (YogaWorks Cost

Jake Paul White is a designer and yogi, here to help high vibe entrepreneurs elevate their brand and share their passion with the world. In this episode, you'll hear from Jake on: How yoga has become a vehicle for design, and how the design has become a vehicle for the yoga 3 keys to establishing your identity as a yoga teacher and attracting loyal students who stick around The untold dark side of the traveling teacher's nomadic lifestyle, and what pushed Jake to drop everything and move to an Ashram Lifestyle design and an opportunity to reset and rebalance with Jake in Bali Announcements: Help me get to China for the IYSF World Asana Championships! Donate to my travel fund: paypal.me/henrywins Join me for workshops in NYC (Yoga & Fitness Herald Square), Vir

Finlay Wilson gained overnight international recognition for his "cheeky" and viral Kilted Yoga video, which aired on the BBC in 2017. But don't let that first impression fool you. The Kilted Yogi himself is quite serious about yoga. Finlay is a senior Forrest Yoga teacher who owns and operates a studio in his hometown of Dundee, Scotland, and he has also established the Young Yogis Project to bring free yoga to toddlers, children, teenagers and young people with special needs and disability. Finlay is a cook, published author, media activist, and of course, tartan enthusiast. In this episode, you'll hear from Finlay on: The darker side of willpower, and the role yoga played in Finlay's swapping alcoholism for bulimia and other forms of addiction How, if we aren't careful, we can use mental gymnastics to justify self-destructive behavior The validity of human feeling, and the difference bet

Yoshio Hama started practicing yoga in Caracas, Venezuela in 1999. Between 1999 and 2008 he had the opportunity to study Vinyasa Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga, Partner Yoga and Iyengar Yoga Method under the guidance of different yoga instructors. In 2008, he came to New York and started his new life: he found his guru (Sri Dharma Mittra) and aligned himself to a new spiritual family. Now, he spreads the teachings of Dharma and the light of yoga around NYC, guiding students to the path of righteousness. In this episode, you'll hear from Yoshio on: Of the yamas and niyamas, which two to prioritize so that the others fall into place Why it's impossible to make other people happy, and yet the subtle shift in intention you can make to reduce their suffering What happened when Yoshio stopped sampling yoga lineages and dedicated himself to singular practice and teacher Why Yoshio occasionally prete

Born of a background in functional anatomy and blessed by the good fortune of maturing in a traditional Hatha Yoga ashram, international yoga teacher Daniel Rama is known for bringing a powerful balance of both new and old. His story is one of turning tremendous pain and suffering into opportunity for powerful personal transformation. Through a series of what he calls “at-first unfortunate events,” the problem child born with the name Daniel De France became Daniel Rama, teacher of teachers. In this episode, you'll hear from Rama on: The two fundamentally life-altering lessons he learned during his first two weeks living in at the Sivananda ashram What stories, mythology, and poetic language can teach us about ourselves and the philosophy of life How feeling totally and utterly alone set Rama up to receive the teachings of yoga Why Rama changed his mind about the practice of bramac

Hector Marcel is a Buddha-Dharma teacher and the president of Three Jewels, "The Enlightenment Studio,” where he collaborates with a powerful team of yogis, meditation teachers, and social change agents to facilitate transformational experiences to people in the heart of New York City and abroad. He is a social entrepreneur, public speaker, and seasoned organizational change management professional specializing in performance, culture, and service. Hector consults from his base in New York City to a variety of international clients, integrating eastern philosophy into corporate Culture and modern life. In this episode, you'll hear from Hector on: How Hector stumbled into the study and community of Tibetan Buddhism by mistake, and why he never looked back The symbology of the Three Jewels, and the role each one plays in delivering us from a perpetual state of suffering How cultivating an 'in

[BONUS EPISODE] This week, the tables have turned, and I'm in the hot seat for an interview with Grant Crawford and Keith Vartanian of the Twenty Somethings Podcast. Our wide-ranging conversation covers topics including but not limited to: Mindfulness and yoga in the education system, The line between cultural appropriation and cultural exchange, Making a living as a yoga teacher and the side hustle lifestyle, Reframing perspectives around failure and performance, Modern spirituality and balancing faith with a rejection of dogma Links from this episode: Listen to the original episode of the Twenty Somethings Podcast, and be sure to subscribe, rate, and review if you like what Grant and Keith are doing. <a href="http://soundpoll

Josh Biro is the founder of Nomad Business Coaching. After over a decade in the wellness industry gaining first-hand experience teaching and managing, building and owning yoga studios, Josh started traveling with his wife and children as the Nomad Yoga Family. They’ve been roaming in their RV for 2.5 years, and now Josh provides powerful business coaching, best practices, and game-changing studio overhauls internationally. In this episode, you'll hear from Josh on: How yoga studio owners and yogapreneurs can flip the script on their aversion to selling and recognize our system of exchange as a positive A dual-brained self-auditing system all yogapreneurs must use to ensure their decisions will serve their business and clientele at the highest level Why getting new students in the door can't be your main focus, and how to win at internal marketing and create staying power for your studio </l

Talia Sutra (Talia Peretz Baderman) was born in Israel and, as a child, moved to New York with her parents, both of whom have had a deep impact on her spiritually. Yoga and meditation entered her life when she was just 6 years old, when she witnessed her mother’s faith in yoga to help heal her lymphoma. Talia has been teaching yoga herself for about 9 years. More recently, she moved to Jerusalem on a whim, and since then, she’s become a mother and a life partner to her husband, Ezra. She continues to teach around the world, write, and share every day. In this episode, you'll hear from Talia on: Two ways to become a prisoner of your body, and how she manages to stay free A telltale indicator that we are not existing and operating in 'love,' and how to course correct Why many people are afraid of empty space and presence, and how that fear can create fragmentation and dissatisfaction <li

Howard Falco is a spiritual teacher, expert, and coach on human understanding and peak potential. He is the author of two books on mindfulness and self-awareness, I AM: The Power of Discovering Who You Really Are, and Time in a Bottle: Mastering The Experience of Life. Howard teaches individuals how to tap into their true unlimited self, opening them up to a world of new possibilities in the process. In this episode, you'll hear from Howard on: The moment of awakening that revealed to Howard what was important to create peace and happiness, and ultimately led him to leave his lucrative career in finance Why self-awareness is so vital to your ability to create, find peace, and gain wisdom, and how so many people are sabotaging themselves unknowingly in these processes How to reconcile setting intentions with relinquishing expectations, and the final magical ingredient it takes to grow <

Bee Bosnak is the a New York City-based healer/teacher/mentor and the creator of Heal Yourself, a comprehensive yoga system designed to enhance the capacity of the emotional body while exploring the strength of the physical body. Bee has been studying yoga, meditation and the human condition for the past decade and continues to study philosophical, spiritual and biomechanical aspects of the practice from various disciplines. She teaches a vast variety of yoga and meditation classes throughout New York City, as well as leading her heartfelt signature method Heal Yourself workshops and retreats worldwide and offering classes online. In this episode, you'll hear from Bee on: A simple but profound exercise you can use to set personal boundaries and be intentional about your choices How to waste a perfectly good tropical vacation, and the limitations of environment to your mental and spiritual wellbeing<

Jill Weiss Ippolito turned her life around with yoga, after being incarcerated as an adult, and went on to complete over 900 hours of yoga teacher training. In 2011, Jill founded UpRising Yoga (URY) and began teaching yoga life skill classes in youth detention facilities, group homes, hospitals, schools, camps, homeless shelters, and underserved communities. Now, Jill educates hundreds of yoga instructors, childcare providers, mental health professionals, and educators worldwide through her international trauma-informed yoga trainings, and advocates for the reformation of prison and probation culture through yoga. In this episode, you’ll hear from Jill on: What she means by “trauma-informed” yoga, and how she ensures particularly sensitive students feel safe and secure in their first yoga class Her brilliant (and effective) strategy to get a yoga program integrated into the California probation syst

Esak Garcia has been practicing hot yoga for 25 years. He is the creator of the Jedi Fight Club and the e84 yoga training programs. He studied political philosophy at Yale University and for the past 12 years has been a student of Egyptian spiritual teaching with the Institute of Ancient Mysteries. Esak was a founding board member of USA Yoga and the IYSF yoga sports leagues, and since 1994, his family has owned and operated a hot yoga studio in Boulder, Colorado, where he resides. In this episode, you’ll hear from Esak on: How personal experience with Egyptian spiritual teachings, Ivy-league political studies, and Brazilian capoeira have each informed his approach to the path of yoga A pragmatic approach to spiritual work that includes a set curriculum, and how you can borrow it for yourself The painful process of being “ex-communicated” from the Bikram yoga community by Bikram himself, an

When Kim Tang discovered Bikram Yoga in 2003, a fire was lit within her to inspire and empower others in their ability to change their minds, bodies, relationships with themselves, and the consciousness with which they conduct their lives. Her practice borrows from multiple lineages and limbs of yoga, and she believes the body is a learning device for the mind and has worked wholeheartedly to open and strengthen her own body and the bodies of her students. Kim has been a student, teacher, studio owner, presenter, demonstrator, and champion of yoga, and she is here to support your expansion. In this episode, you’ll hear from Kim on: How to develop the skill of intuition and put yourself in a position to receive guidance on what’s next Why it’s so important to forgive everyone, and how to know if you’ve truly reached forgiveness Identifying and embracing your unique “essence,” so that you can

Although Riji Suh has been a New Yorker since the age of 6, she was born in Seoul, South Korea, and raised in Baghdad, Iraq. Brooklyn finally feels like home, after having left NYC repeatedly in search for home in New Mexico and Hawaii. Her education and career paths have taken her from Colgate University to work on television and film, from bartending to corporate advertising, and from yoga (specifically the Bikram, Ghosh, and Dharma lineages) to work with the camera once again. In this episode, you’ll hear from Riji on: Riji’s special skill that she attributes to her dynamic international upbringing, and why she finally felt at home when she landed in New York How she introduced playful movement into a Native American community in New Mexico, and what that experience taught her about teaching before she ever started teaching yoga The dark cloud that loomed over Riji from her childhood thr

Jamie Rissman is a yogi and mother, who has practiced consistently through all 3 of her pregnancies and the births of her four healthy children. After experiencing the positive effects of practicing pregnancy yoga herself, Jamie attended the Rajashree Pregnancy Guide at the Kripalu Institute in 2010, where she learned to skillfully integrate safe prenatal yoga postures and their prescribed modifications into the regular Bikram yoga sequence. Now, she inspires other women to continue their practice and meet the physical, mental, and emotional demands of pregnancy, birth, motherhood. In this episode, you’ll hear from Jamie on: Trusting yourself, standing your ground, and working with a trusted physician who can support you through your decisions How she ended up teaching a group of 10 pregnant women before any formal pregnancy yoga training, and what she gained from sharing in their unique experiences

Michelle Linane is a yoga student and teacher, whose love of yoga has shifted over the years toward a passion for helping fellow yoga teachers. Through her work with Love Teaching Yoga, she is focused on making continued education convenient and affordable for yoga teachers via a variety of resources, including her own podcast. Michelle helps yoga teachers convert dreams into goals and take tangible steps to make those dreams realities. In this episode, you’ll hear from Michelle on: How to gain clarity on your message and whom you want to serve as a yoga teacher, so that you can become the best guide possible 6 ways yoga teachers can diversify their income, by serving their core student base outside the studio How to scale your time and energy as a yoga teacher to avoid burnout and at the same time build deeper, more meaningful connections with your students <strong style= "fo

Joseph Encinia feels the responsibility to share the gift of yoga for the rest of his life. The practice has healed him from a heart attack, kept his rheumatoid arthritis in remission, and assisted him in overcoming tumors. Joseph’s method of practice has brought him success in the yoga championships, and now his main focus is cultivating the mind. More recently, Joseph founded a 501(c)3 non-profit organization called the Yoga Youth Movement which is dedicated to inspiring youth to be strong future leaders who possess the attributes of confidence, determination, and focus in creating global peace through yoga. In this episode, you’ll hear from Joseph on: How Joseph’s long history of chronic health conditions led him to yoga, and how his practice has helped him confront rheumatoid arthritis, a heart attack, and two tumors Why Joseph credits the start of his personal healing to the yoga championships,

Jeff Chen is the Executive Director of PureAction.org, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing the ancient benefits of yoga to mainstream medicine through pilot studies in yoga, continuing education and bringing yoga practice to underserved communities. He has been practicing hot yoga for over 18 years and feels better every day he practices. In this episode, you’ll hear from Jeff on: How Pure Action is gathering scientific proof to back up the anecdotal evidence around the transformation effects we’ve all experienced from yoga Why it’s so important to validate the therapeutic value of yoga with hard data, and whom Pure Action is really trying to convince Why philanthropic yoga outreach has made such a tremendous impact in addiction recovery centers but fallen flat in schools and other avenues of community outreach How yoga teachers can access cutting-edge information live, and get involved in a community

Ida Jo and Scott Lamps are Yoga Acharyas (Masters of Yoga). They are perpetual students of the traditions, methods, and science of yoga and travel internationally to teach. They work closely with Ghosh’s Yoga College in Kolkata, India and have published three Practice Manuals describing more than 100 beginning, intermediate, and advanced asanas, pranayamas and pratyahara techniques, plus an in-depth volume about modifying the 26 postures known as Bikram Yoga. Their research, along with Jerome Armstrong, into the history of the Ghosh lineage has yielded 4 publications from Bishnu Ghosh, Dr. Gouri Shankar Mukerji and Buddha Bose. In this episode, you’ll hear from Ida and Scott on: How a traditional understanding of dharma contradicts the American dream, and how we can reconcile the two and live a yogic life in modern day Stumbling into the historiography of yoga by accident and their journey to Calcut

Benjamin Sears is an international teacher cited as “a master” by Yoga Journal (Feb, 2017). In 2007 he opened LUXYOGA, a legendary retreat center in the South of France, and now leads Sacred Geometry Vinyasa teacher trainings worldwide. Forever a student, Benjamin is a former athlete who used yoga to heal from a litany of injuries and surgeries and is committed to orienting students towards a healing path. He draws upon empathy, experience, and his studies of Forrest, Katonah, Dharma Mittra, Astanga and Bikram Yoga as well as meditation and movement modalities including the Ido Portal Method to teach what works. In this episode, you’ll hear from Benjamin on: How to find (and constantly recalibrate) your path through action and avoid paralysis through analysis Leaving room for improvisation in your life and routine, so that you have a complete arsenal of experiences to draw from, when your circumstances and challenges change Rumi

Rachelle Knowles is an Atlanta-based yoga instructor and the founder of Cultivate Union, a community non-profit organization that promotes sustainability, access, and equity in the Atlanta yoga community. Rachelle’s work is anchored in the belief that mindful movement and awareness practices are the most democratic tools available for collective healing and positive social change. In this episode, you’ll hear from Rachelle on: Why yoga should be treated as a legitimate profession, and what she and her non-profit organization are doing about it What it means to “democratize” yoga at multiple levels, and how yoga teachers with alternative voices, interests, and relationships can access financial resources to continue their education and commitment service How to reroute your brain toward intentionality and away from reactivity by changing a setting on your phone Getting inspired by movers and shakers in your community and

David Danon is a multi-faceted yogi with 40 years of practice and over 20 years of teaching experience. In that time, he has founded a clothing line, earned a pilot’s license, built motorcycles, and followed a number of other creative pursuits, perhaps all fueled by his deep questioning of authority and the status quo. After a cancer diagnosis in 2012, he embarked on a journey of research and experimentation into the world of traditional and alternative treatments of cancer, which has recently culminated in the release of his new book, Life, Yoga and Cancer: Lessons From the Battlefield. In this episode, you’ll hear from David on: What yoga, dharma, and improvisational jazz have in common, and why children have a unique advantage to progress in almost anything Why creativity is overrated when it comes to sequenci

Jered Seibert is the founder of Warrior Wear LLC. Last year in 2017, he left his mutual fund sales work to become a full-time entrepreneur, creating yoga products for men. Drawing upon inspiration from yoga service, and frustrated by the lack of brands and stereotypes of male practitioners, he decided to start his own company. In this episode, you’ll hear from Jered on: Why he’s made it his mission to change the narrow image of yoga for male practitioners, and the importance of finding your “why” as an entrepreneur in any space How he struggled to take off the mask he wore for years as an insurance salesmen, and why authenticity is especially important in the yoga community How developing a quality of sensitivity has helped him build connections and create a movement larger than himself <strong style= "font-size: 16px; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu,

Jared McCann is an international yoga teacher, two time national and 2013 world asana champion. He has studied yoga extensively with Dharma Mittra, Anna Forrest, and Mary Jarvis and has decades of practice in Ashtanga, Bikram, Dharma, Forrest, and Iyengar yoga combining all disciplines together in his signature vinyasa series. Jared is the founder of Lighthouse Yoga School in Brooklyn, New York. He leads teacher trainings year round and can be found teaching classes at home and across the globe. In this episode, you’ll hear from Jared on: The words Jared’s guru (his grandmother, Honey) spoke to him to pull him out of an existential crisis during which nothing in life mattered How yoga asana complicated his childhood meditation practice, and how asana can prepare all of us for the challenges of life and death Deciding when to “wake the sleeping” and when to be patient and allow people to have their own process Why Jared

Jeanne Heaton’s journey began with the deep realization that if she were to save her life she would need to change it, entirely. After years of debilitating heroin addiction and homelessness, a painful attempt at rehabilitation, and eventually surrender, she discovered hot yoga and realized ‘this’ was the missing ingredient to her recovery, and that it could be the missing ingredient to everyone’s recovery. She received a scholarship to Bikram Yoga Teacher Training in 2010 and went on to co-found the non-profit, ‘One Posture at a Time’ with Pure Action.org in Texas and Fuel Hot Yoga in Georgia. Jeanne is currently drafting her upcoming book, From Junkie to Yogi, Finding Freedom One Posture at a Time. In this episode, you’ll hear from Jeanne on: Striking parallels between the 12-step program and the practice of yoga, and how yoga fills a critical missing link in the traditional addiction recovery process Why addiction is not a pr

Michael Fine’s life was tragically altered on the morning of April 14, 2010, when driving to work, he was struck head on by a truck, resulting in the traumatic amputation of his left arm at the shoulder. After the accident, Michael found some relief from Chronic Residual Limb Pain Syndrome through a combination of Hatha Yoga and medical cannabis, both of which he has championed as a teacher and advocate. Michael believes there is no “magic bullet” to pain relief but rather a regular regime of various modalities, all working in unison, to treat the entire person, body, mind and spirit. In this episode, you’ll hear from Michael on: Readjusting to life after a life-altering accident that pushed Michael to a suicide attempt, and the specific yoga sequence that finally provided relief when nothing else could <span

Ainsley Ayres is a silver medalist from the 2015 and 2017 USA National Yoga Championship and in 2016 finished 4th at the World Yoga Sports Championship. Apart from taking her onto the world stage, yoga has helped Ainsley recover from sport injuries and manage depression, anxiety, and ADHD. But above all else, Ainsley finds unending joy in practicing yoga and sees her life’s purpose to spread the practice. In this episode, you’ll hear from Ainsley on: Putting together a cocktail of mantras to overcome self-doubt, build confidence, and find the joy in life Being honest and unapologetic with yourself about your obsessions, regardless of what “normal” looks like to others Why she competes in yoga, and why it has never felt antithetical to the nature of yoga <strong style= "font-size: 16px; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Can

Kino MacGregor was one of the youngest women ever to be certified to teach Ashtanga Yoga under Sri. K Pattabhi Jois, and since then she has inspired countless people worldwide to take up a personal yoga practice. She is the founder of OMStars, the world’s first dedicated yoga TV network, co-founder Miami Life Center, a traditional Ashtanga yoga center which she runs with her husband Tim Feldman in Miami Beach, and the author of several books, all of which aim to make yoga practice and a yogic life accessible to all. In this episode, you’ll hear from Kino on: Overcoming internal resistance around assuming the role of teacher, and giving yourself permission to share your knowledge Failures, surrender, and the power of community to effect change <li style="font-weight