Dive into the complete episode list for Keen on Yoga Podcast. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.
Yin Yoga with Ashtanga background | Restorative yoga teacher | Adapting Ashtanga | Teaching at Maty & Chucks | Yoga, food & digestion | Yoga Works first days | Paul Grilley | What is Yin yoga? | Yin & meditation | Accessing chi | Pranic cultivation | Mind training | Viniyoga | What does energy feel like? | Yoga breathing | Insight Yoga Institute (more info below)
This episode is sponsored by Momence, the booking system we use and highly recommend. Momence facilitates online, in-person and hybrid classes and events, it’s ideal for multi-site studios and self-employed teachers. With live support by chat, phone and email Momence is easy to use for yourself and your customers.
Become a Patron:https://keenonyoga.com/membership/ Exclusive content, yoga & lifestyle tips, live Zoom meet-ups & more. €10 per month, cancel at any time.
Sarah Powers is the co-founder of the Insight Yoga Institute as well as the author of Insight Yoga and Lit from Within, which interweaves Yoga, Buddhism, Taoism, and Transpersonal psychology into an integrated practice to enliven the body, heart, and mind.
Sarah began teaching Yoga in the mid-’80s. Today, her yoga style blends a Yin sequence of long-held floor poses to enhance the meridian and organ systems. She often engages in inquiry practice, with an alignment-based slow flow, or yang movement practice.
Sarah has completed all levels of the Internal Family SystemsTherapy training and has been a student of spiritual psychology for over 35 years. She also draws from her in-depth training and long retreats in the Vipashyana, Tantric and Dzogchen practices of Buddhism.
Sarah and Ty Powers created the Insight Yoga Institute (IYI) in 2010. Having both interwoven Yoga, Buddhism and Psychological approaches for three decades in their retreats and trainings, they decided to create a more formal umbrella to draw people together in a like-minded community.
Of particular interest to Sarah and Ty is that participants learn how to commit to an integrated daily home practice for the body, heart and mind through yogic, Buddhist and psychological teachings and methods.
IYI retreats bring together the dynamic and receptive aspects of yoga, the three schools of Buddhism (Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana) and the skilful methods of psycho-dynamic personal and relational work and are held in social silence. The teachers on retreat are not silent but will be leading classes and seeing people individually.
The program can be enjoyed as independent retreats or as a path to Yoga Alliance 500+ hour certification. If you would like to apply for the 500+ hour Yoga Alliance certified program please refer to Program Overview.
26 Nov 2023
#151 Adam Keen - Challenges of a Yoga Teacher
00:27:08
In this solo episode, Adam talks about the challenges facing yoga teachers and how he manages them.
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Danny Paradise Part 2 Teacher to the Stars & Creator of Music ( www.dannyparadise.com @danny_paradise108)
Travelling & Sharing yoga | Doorways opening to countries | Teaching Sting, Madonna & other celebrities | Freedom Fighters | Love Will Rescue You | Children of The Forest | A Song For a Revolution | Ashtanga is not just for kids
(more about Danny below)
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This episode is sponsored by Momence, the booking system we use and highly recommend. For our online, in-person and hybrid classes and events. There are packages to fit self-employed teachers to multi-site studios. With Momence, you can: ·
· Manage your class and workshop schedule
·Organize your appointment types and availability
·Create marketing and win-back campaigns
·Organize your on-demand videos and courses
·See exactly how your business is doing through insightful reporting.
·Have customers self-check-in via kiosks
·Sell products and services with a fully integrated point of sale
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Danny has been practising Ashtanga Yoga since May 1976 and teaching publicly (and occasionally privately) worldwide since 1979. He teaches all levels of students and teachers and was in one of the earliest groups of Westerners to learn all the classical sequences of Ashtanga Yoga.
His first teachers were David Williams and Nancy Gilgoff. David was the first western Ashtanga adept. He began teaching with David Williams in 1979 and was asked to assist him at that time.
Danny introduces the forms to beginning students, experienced, advanced practitioners, and teachers. Many people he has taught are now teaching others and have their own schools. He also introduced the Ashtanga forms to many people who were Yoga teachers in other traditions and styles.
He's taught numerous well-known artists, musicians, dancers, and sports champions and studied with K. Pattabhi Jois in 1978 in Hawaii and 1980 in Hawaii in the USA. This included K.P. Jois' first advanced series of public classes in 1980 which were in Maui, Hawaii.
He's also studied and practised with numerous teachers of other Yoga forms as well as various martial arts including Karate, Kung Fu and Tai Chi. His influences in Spirituality have come from Krishnamurti, teachings of Buddha, Jesus, Shiva, Yoga, as well as numerous Shamanic traditions of Native North and South Americans, from indigenous cultures of the Pacific, Tibet, Africa and Southeast Asia. Some of these traditions also include Mayan, Egyptian, and Hawaiian.
His main objective is to help people develop a sacred, personal, private, safe, healing, meditative, consistent, non-dogmatic Yoga practice.
15 Jan 2021
#32 - Keen on Yoga Podcast with Celest Pereira
01:01:45
Celeste is a trained dancer and martial artist with a BS in Physiotherapy, and over 10 years yoga practice. Her passion has been movement since she was little. She says she would skip around the living room like she was possessed and loved dance more than life itself.
Dance provided her with a movement outlet that loved the fact that she was bendy. However, as life progressed, however, she found herself in a lot of pain and discovered the cause was hyper-mobility.
Celest completed her Yoga Teacher Training in India in 2009 and has been teaching full time since then.
Just as hyper-mobility was glorified in dance, it was also glorified in yoga. During her degree in Physiotherapy, she learned simple tools to help make our bodies work at their best.
Eager to see changes in the yoga world, she now uses biomechanics and strength training as the backbone of how she teaches.
These days her yoga classes and workshops will definitely challenge you, but she believes it’s easier when it’s fun.
Trauma therapy and yoga | Losing our agency | Trauma stored in the body | Yoga releases it | How to create a safer space | Addiction to stress | Trauma can feel normal | It can drive you forward | The truth wants to come out | Signs of suppression | Using yoga to work through trauma | Yoga as a tool of self-discovery |Teaching students with trauma | Use of tristana | Importance of closing sequence | Phraseology | Physical adjustments
This episode is sponsored by Momence, the booking system we use and highly recommend. Use Momence for online, in-person and hybrid classes and events, there are packages to suit all from self-employed teachers to multi-site studios. With Momence, you can: ·
Manage your class and workshop schedule
Organize your appointment types and availability
Create marketing and win-back campaigns
Organize your on-demand videos and courses
See exactly how your business is doing through insightful reporting.
Have customers self-check-in via kiosks
Sell products and services with a fully integrated point of sale
With live support by chat, phone and email Momence is easy to use for yourself and your customers.
Lara Land is a deeply compassionate life coach, consultant and yoga teacher trainer specializing in trauma sensitivity. Her work is in helping to heal trauma both subtle and significant and train others using trauma-sensitive yoga, meditation, mindfulness and breathing practices.
She has spent the last 25 years studying Ashtanga yoga and sharing yoga asana, chanting, meditation, and philosophy directly from her teachers in India. Her commitment is to honor the traditions of yoga by responding to the needs of each individual, using a unique combination of practices and techniques that are appropriate for their personal growth. Some of her many certifications include: trauma-informed mindfulness, life coaching, therapeutic fasting, and mindfulness in nature.
Lara has been featured in and contributed to New York Magazine, Huffington Post, Yoga Journal, Apartment Therapy and on Fox5, CBS, NY1 and SiriusRadioXM. Lara’s book The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga is coming out in the new year.
07 Jan 2024
#157 Adam Keen on Keeping Motivated in Practice
00:34:43
In this conversation, Adam discusses how to stay motivated and inspired in a yoga practice that can sometimes feel repetitive. He explores the challenges of maintaining focus and setting realistic goals, emphasizing the importance of individuality and avoiding comparison. Adam also highlights the need for self-reflection and finding meaning in one's practice. He shares personal experiences and offers practical advice for staying motivated, such as creating a consistent practice space and routine, and being flexible in approach. Adam concludes with New Year's wishes and encourages listeners to continue their yoga journey with confidence and perseverance.
Key Points
Maintaining motivation in a yoga practice requires setting realistic goals and avoiding comparison with others. Finding meaning in one's practice is essential for long-term motivation and perseverance. Creating a consistent practice space and routine can help in staying focused and committed. Building self-trust and confidence is crucial in overcoming challenges and making better choices in practice and in life.
30 Oct 2020
#23 - Keen on Yoga Podcast with Mark Robberds
01:07:19
Welcome to the Keen on Yoga Podcast with Mark Robberds.
Mark went to his first Yoga class in 1997 (it was a mix of Ashtanga and Iyengar) and was hooked from the first day. In 1998 he started to learn Iyengar Yoga from Nicky Knoff (at the time one of Australia’s most distinguished Iyengar teachers)and James Bryant, and this is where he committed to living the Yoga way of life.
Later that year he started Mysore style classes with Eileen Hall and Peter Sanson in Sydney. In 1999 he travelled in north India for two months before going to Mysore to learn from Pattabhi Jois for three months.
As fate would have it later that year he ended up back in Sydney and started his teaching apprenticeship with Mathew Sweeney, and then Eileen Hall until 2005. During that time he took courses in anatomy and physiology, practiced extensively with Simon Borg-Olivier. He made yearly trips to Mysore, and learned from other teachers like Shandor Remete and Dena Kingsberg.
At the time he was teaching the biggest Mysore program in Australia, as well as beginners courses, corporate classes, and privates.
In 2005 I turned down an offer to manage the Yoga studio and decided that in order to truly understand Yoga and to reach my full potential in life I needed more life experiences. I sold all my possessions and took to the road, first to Vipassana in Thailand and then to practice with Rolf Naujokat.
Over the next eight years, he taught Mysore programs in Singapore, NYC, Sydney, and Tokyo, before moving on to teach retreats and workshops all over the world.
He continued to make annual trips to Mysore to study with R.Sharath and was Certified by him in 2010. He was also doing yearly three-week silent retreats with his teacher, Hatha Yogi, Clive Sheridan in India. In 2013 he attended Richard Freeman’s teacher training in Boulder, Colorado.
In that year he decided that it was time to focus more on teaching workshops so that he could reach and help more people and spent the next four years traveling extensively while continuing with the yearly trips to Mysore to practice and also to study Yoga philosophy with Prof. Nagaraj Rao.
In 2015 he began to explore other movement practices – first gymnastics and handstands as a student of Ido Portal. In 2016 he began learning hand-balancing from Yuval Ayalon and Miguel Santana. He now integrates the movement approach into his teaching.
In 2017, Mark and his wife taught their first one-month immersion in Bali and in 2018 made Bali home. Currently, he and his wife Deepika are in her native India due to the Covid-19 situation.
We hope you enjoy the Keen on Yoga Podcast with Mark, you can see more details on his website and follow him on Instagram.
02 Jun 2024
Ep. 174 Daniela Bevilacqua – Hatha Yoga, Tapas and Sadhus
01:08:26
Daniela Bevilacqua, a research associate at the University of SOAS in London, speaks about the Hatha Yoga tradition, the past lack of research and the recent surge of interest in the subject.
·Hatha Yoga texts have been overlooked in the past, with more focus on the philosophical side of yoga.
·The recent surge of interest in Hatha Yoga is due to scholars and practitioners addressing the textual sources with a different curiosity.
·Tapas (austerities) and Hatha Yoga are closely connected, with tapas being a form of inner heat produced through austerities.
·Sadhus practice extreme body modifications for various reasons, including spiritual devotion, burning karma, and the well-being of society.
·Further research is needed to explore the historical development of Hatha Yoga and its connection to tapas. Sadhus claim to possess various supernatural powers, such as mind reading and walking on leaves.
·Teachings and initiations within the sadhu community are often reserved for Indians and not foreigners.
·Certain sadhu groups have a militant nature and have historically been involved in mercenary activities.
·Female sadhus face challenges in a patriarchal society and often have to fight against societal norms and expectations. Women from educated, middle-class families are slowly gaining positions in Sadhu society.
·Being fluent in Hindi and an outsider helped Daniela connect with the Sadhus and gain their trust.
·Hatha Yoga in the Sadhu society has different layers of meaning, including tapas and manipulation of the subtle body.
·Modern technology, such as smartphones and social media, has impacted the lives of Sadhus.
·Daniela formed friendships with some Sadhus and continues to stay in touch with them.
24 Aug 2023
#141 Nicki Doane - Maui Yoga and What Is Happening Now?
Nicki lives in Maui and she recorded this episode from her studio sharing her story of yoga as well as the devastation caused by the fires in the last few days. Links to donate and help the people of Maui are below.
What’s happening on Maui | Mind Blown from Yoga | Yoga via The Grateful Dead | Yoga feeling familiar | Tim Miller | Mysore in 1991 | Thoughts on Pattabhi Jois | Yoga was fun, but it gets deeper | Not being ready for The Yoga Sutras | Teaching style | Ashtanga on Maui | Fires on Maui
Nicki Doane is an internationally recognized yoga teacher, known for her ability to make the practice of yoga accessible to every body. She began her study of yoga at the age of 18 while attending the University of Massachusetts. From her first class, she knew she had found something special and deeply familiar. While she began to practice yoga on a purely physical plane and because it felt good, it became apparent some years later that there was more to Yoga than she originally thought. In 1991, Nicki traveled to Mysore, India to study with Sri K Pattabhi Jois, the master of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. She fell in love with the practice and continued her studies with Pattabhi Jois until his death in 2009.
What she experienced on that first trip was a radical realization that yoga is much more than a physical practice. The yoga affected her deeply on an emotional and spiritual level. After that she was hooked! As she delved deeper into the Ashtanga practice she became curious about her teacher’s teacher and his lineage. She learned that Tirumalai Krishnamacharya had been Pattabhi Jois’ teacher and also the teacher of BKS Iyengar.
This led her to study Iyengar Yoga with Mr. Iyengar, his children and with many of his senior teachers as well including Gabriella Giubilaro and Patricia Walden, at his institute in Pune, India. Nicki has always believed that her practice continued to grow and evolve due to her study and practice of both of these systems of Yoga. Nicki continues to study to study yoga with senior teachers and believes that a great teacher must always remain a dedicated student.
Nicki’s teaching has grown out of her practice and her deep faith in yoga and she chooses to honor her students as individuals first and foremost. Nicki’s style combines asana, pranayama, philosophy, and poetry and her classes are strong and accessible to everyone. Nicki uses humor in her teaching to set her students at ease and she is considered to be very relatable and down to earth. She is known as a Teacher’s teacher and loves igniting the spark of yoga in her students.
Nicki lives on the beautiful island of Maui, Hawaii, where she owns and directs the Maya Yoga Studio on the North Shore of Maui. She has been featured in numerous articles and has graced the cover of Yoga Journal magazine. She is featured in 2 Ashtanga Yoga videos available through Gaiam and in 9 videos entitled Maya Yoga Vinyasa on her youtube channel. She is currently finishing a book on Yoga for beginners.
Nicki teaches workshops and teacher training courses at her studio on Maui and travels all over the world conducting workshops, teacher trainings, and retreats.
28 Jan 2022
#78 – Keen on Yoga Podcast with Dr James Mallinson
01:26:13
Sir James Mallinson, 5th Baronet of Walthamstow (born 22 April 1970) is a British Indologist, writer and translator. He is recognised as one of the world’s leading experts on the history of medieval Hatha Yoga.
Mallinson became interested in India by reading Rudyard Kipling’s novel Kim as a teenager; the book describes an English boy travelling India with a holy man. Mallinson is described as “perhaps the only baronet to wear dreadlocks. He let his hair grow out from 1988 on his first visit to India during his gap year.
He is the co-author with Mark Singleton of Roots of Yoga. Penguin Classics. (A commented collection of translations of yoga practice texts from the Sanskrit traditions).
Currently Dr Mallinson is Senior Lecturer in Sanskrit and Classical and Indian Studies at SOAS, University of London. His interest in yoga grew out of a fascination for India and Indian asceticism. He spent several years living with Indian ascetics and yogis, in particular Rāmānandī Tyāgīs.
Background
He took his BA in Sanskrit and Old Iranian at the University of Oxford, followed by an MA in Area Studies (South Asia), with Ethnography as his main subject, at SOAS. His doctoral thesis, submitted to the University of Oxford, was a critical edition and annotated translation of the Khecarīvidyā, an early text of haṭhayoga.
Dr Mallinson has published eight books. All of which are editions and translations of Sanskrit yoga texts, epic tales and poetry. His recent work has used philological study of Sanskrit texts, ethnography and art history to explore the history of yoga and yogis.
Projects
Between September 2015-2020, Mallinson was the Principle Investigator of The Haṭha Yoga Project (HYP), a five-year research project funded by the European Research Council and based at SOAS, University of London which aims to chart the history of physical yoga practice by means of philology, i.e. the study of texts on yoga, and ethnography, i.e. fieldwork among practitioners of yoga.
More information about Dr Mallinson’s work, his CV and publications, many of them downloadable, can be found here, and on his website: www.khecari.com
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01 Apr 2021
#44 – Keen on Yoga Podcast with Grischa Steffin
01:09:28
Grischa was a hard-working young software architect in the exciting early days of the world wide web and raved through Berlin’s legendary techno scene on the weekends. He was almost 30 when he dropped into a Shivananda Yoga class and confused his physiological fitness and flexibility with yogic qualities. Blessed be his ignorance!
His hunger for more drove him to the only Aṣṭāṅga class in Berlin which left him sore for a week and completely hooked. He soon stopped partying and drinking and started teaching ashtanga to friends. He eventually gave up his IT career and opened Berlin’s first Aṣṭāṅga Yoga Shala. For the first years his excited ego kept rushing him “up” the ladder of the Aṣṭāṅga Yoga series’. However, he started to wonder if it was taking the right path. As he questioned the real meaning of yoga he began to question teachers’ techniques of strong adjustments etc. He felt the unhealthy power structures did not meet traces of yogic ideals.
Ready to give up on Aṣṭāṅga, Grischa met Richard Freeman whose unique teaching approach opened his eyes for the mind-blowing world of the ancient scriptures. In addition he saw how egotistical motivations taint our actions, even Yoga practice. Paradoxically he also realized the Aṣṭāṅga method needed to appeal to my ego to keep him engaged on the path towards self-inquiry. All this fundamentally changed the way he lived his life, practiced, and taught Yoga.
Grischa loves the Aṣṭāṅga Vinyāsa Yoga method. Mysore Style could easily make it the safest traditional Hatha Yoga practice system. However, he feels this yogic toolbox has not always been used wisely. Injuries are the most obvious symptoms of an ego-driven practice and teaching approach.
Just like learning to play an instrument well for music we must practice posture, breath, philosophy etc. with good technique. Yet, both music and Yoga can only arise from effortless concentration and introspection, not from blindly following rituals and rules.
Yoga Sutras & The Environment
Above all, two factors have initiated the most fundamental and most challenging transformation of all. Grischa started using Yoga Sūtra’s Sadhana chapter as the reference of all Yoga practice and teaching principles.
Even more importantly the birth of his two children broadened his perspective on literally everything. He realized that an infinite number of beings will have to live with the effects of our collective war against the planet. Karma is unfailing.
Yoga means looking at all our actions without filters, without ignoring or justifying any of it. He realized he had been fueling global warming with tank loads of kerosene for an obscene yogic self-improvement trip for decades.
Grischa decided to completely stop air travel and started to fight against our collective irresponsibility. His dream is that all Yogis on the planet wake up and become models for a sustainable and selfless lifestyle. Preserving the planet for our children is more important than all yoga poses that have ever been practiced together.
We hope you enjoy this yoga podcast with Grischa Steffin. You can find more about his on his website.
14 Mar 2021
#41 - Keen on Yoga Podcast with Annie Pace
01:02:17
Welcome to the Keen on Yoga Podcast with Annie Pace.
With over 40 years of experience, Annie is one of the most adept practitioners of traditional Ashtanga Yoga. Guruji taught her the first four Ashtanga sequences completely and introduced her to the fifth (Advanced C Section). In 1995, he presented her with a rare “Advanced B” certification to teach.
Annie has a very clear and compassionate teaching style. All levels of practitioners benefit from her ability to distill her decades of experience. Her skill in working therapeutically with students of compromised health, physicality or other adverse situations is one of her most profound gifts.
Annie considers it a blessing and and honor to have been entrusted with carrying on this lineage. It is her primary intention to do so in authenticity.
Annie expresses her heartfelt gratitude to all of her teachers, in particular Guruji (the late Sri K Pattabhi Jois), Aunti-ji (the late Smt Tapti Sinha), and Acharya (Dr KLS Jois). These human lights have exemplified unconditional love and devotion, and have generously provided clear and accessible guidance to so many.
Sattvic Living
Annie's immersion in yogic sciences also expands into Ayurveda, yogic cooking, and Hindustani music.
Shakti Sharanam Yoga Shala is located in the mountain community of Crestone, Colorado, a place known for its many spiritual centers as well as its stunning natural setting at the base of the Sangre de Cristo mountains. Shakti Sharanam is a Sanskrit phrase meaning 'a refuge for sacred energy'.
The center is dedicated to upholding the purity of yogic tradition and exemplifying it as a life practice. Shakti Sharanam embodies a rare synthesis of ancient yogic principles and contemporary environmental sustainability. The project was intentionally designed from the ground up to host students for custom courses of study.
Unplugged from the electrical grid, Shakti Sharanam’s straw-bale structures are sustainably powered and heated by solar energy. The natural building materials provide an exceptionally pure environment conducive to study and practice. Shakti Sharanam has been a long-time feature of the Crestone Energy Fair home tour, as well as part of the Camino de Crestone pilgrimage tour.
08 Feb 2023
#125 Gerald Disse & Linda Munro - Bringing Mysore to Paris
Bringing Mysore to Paris | Teaching as a married couple | Finding Ashtanga in the early 90s | Changes from yoga | Looking for meaning | Being in class with Madonna | Giving up a career in fashion | Becoming a teacher | Teacher-student relationship | Yoga Lifestyle | Building a community in Paris | Pattahbi Jois 1991 | Sharing with other teachers | Eating more chapatis | Start of the Paris shala | Mysore v Led class | Changes in practice | Importance of the series | Importance of leaving the Ashtanga rules | Impact of “Me Too” with teaching
This episode is sponsored by Momence, the booking system we use and highly recommend. Momence facilitates online, in-person and hybrid classes and events, and there are packages to fit self-employed teachers to multi-site studios. With Momence, you can: ·
Manage your class and workshop schedule
Organize your appointment types and availability
Create marketing and win-back campaigns
Organize your on-demand videos and courses
See exactly how your business is doing through insightful reporting.
Have customers self-check-in via kiosks
Sell products and services with a fully integrated point of sale
With live support by chat, phone and email Momence is easy to use for yourself and your customers.
Become a Patron: https://keenonyoga.com/membership/ Exclusive content, yoga & lifestyle tips, live Zoom meet-ups & more. €10 per month, cancel at any time.
Gérald has been practicing yoga since 1989 and teaching since 1996. He discovered Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga in 1991 with Sri K Pattabhi Jois in Mysore, India. He spent 8 years traveling to Mysore spending 4 – 6 months per visit to learn more of the system, then going off to some other exotic location to practice daily what Guruji had taught him. Gérald was taught up to the third series and was one of the first French students to have been personally authorized to teach by Sri K Pattabhi Jois.
In addition to his Ashtanga practice, Gérald continues to cultivate a meditation practice in the tradition of Kriya Yoga. He has a daily pranayama practice and has been certified to teach kriya and pranayama by his teacher, Sri O.P. Tiwari.
LINDA MUNRO
Linda took her first yoga class in 1995 in Toronto, Canada with Ron Reid. But a couple of months later she was in a fairly serious car accident and had to have physical therapy. This is when she decided to use the yoga as a way to compliment the therapy. Soon after she realized that the yoga would be a life time practice. A practice of asana, pranayama and meditation but also a practice of being truthful, a practice of being kind, a practice of being fearless, peaceful and happy. She believes that the practice of “yoga” is continuous; the practice does not stop when you roll up the yoga mat. The practice of yoga includes the way you live your life, the way you relate to your family, friends, co-workers and to the strangers on the street. This is the life long practice of developing yogic awareness.
In 1997 she moved to New York City with her work in the fashion business while continuing a daily ashtanga practice studying under Eddie Stern. The year 2000 brought her to Paris, France. After thirteen years in the world of fashion she decided it was the time to move fully into the direction she had been moving since her first yoga class.
She studied yogic scriptures and philosophy, having completed a 250 hour study program of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra, and a 120 hour course on the Bhagavad Gita under the supervision of Georg Feuerstein. She was one of his 10 mentoring students until he passed away in 2012. Linda is also a student of Sri O.P. Tiwari and is certified by him to teach pranayama. As well she has completed the anatomy for yoga training with Leslie Kaminoff and is a junior yoga anatomy trainer. Not to mention she has studied with the late guru of Ashtanga Yoga, Sri K. Pattabhi Jois in Mysore, India and NYC.
In 2019, Linda and Gerald opened Ashtanga Yoga Golfe Juan, a new location to share their precise teaching of yoga on the Côte d’Azur, in the south of France, their new home.
Pattabhi Jois short form | Western students driving for more | All or nothing mentality | Permission to shorten practice | 10-minute practice can be enough | What time is accessible? | Asana families | Intelligence behind sequences | Something is better than nothing | Being Doctors of our own body | What is happening today? | Feel good about yoga
This episode is sponsored by Momence, the booking system we use and highly recommend. Momence facilitates online, in-person and hybrid classes and events, and there are packages to fit self-employed teachers to multi-site studios. With Momence, you can: ·
Manage your class and workshop schedule
Organize your appointment types and availability
Create marketing and win-back campaigns
Organize your on-demand videos and courses
See exactly how your business is doing through insightful reporting.
Have customers self-check-in via kiosks
Sell products and services with a fully integrated point of sale
With live support by chat, phone and email Momence is easy to use for yourself and your customers.
Become a Patron: https://keenonyoga.com/membership/ Exclusive content, yoga & lifestyle tips, live Zoom meet-ups & more. €10 per month, cancel at any time.
Keen on Yoga Podcast with Peg Mulqueen, the forerunner of the Ashtanga podcast and blog with Ashtanga Dispatch. Starting in 2009 I would credit her for providing a general exposure of many of the well known Ashtanga teachers unique to the time. For, most of us, not lucky enough to attend their workshops, this was a democratising of the scene. Moreover it encouraged an unprecedented sense of community spirit.
Peg is also a mother, teacher and dedicated student of Ashtanga in her own right. She has been practicing for almost 20 years. At the same time, bringing up her daughter and spending time as a writer for Yoga Journal. Living on a farm in rural Montanta, she presents to me the picture of a well-rounded, furthermore, accomplished individual.
Peg has interviewed by now all the well-known ashtanga teachers. In addition she is a voice to be listened to in her own right. She is adamant about presenting the practice in a realistic and approachable light. Moreover to women and mothers who are all too often side-lined in their needs, or assumed to be taught the same as men.
Meghan, Peg's daughter “officially” joined her work in 2017. Though she had always been a part of Ashtanga Dispatch, 4 years ago, she really because her right hand and often better half.
Of course, also in this interview Peg shares a few anecdotes about her time running Ashtanga Dispatch. And we talk about the take home points from running a yoga podcast and how it has affected our own practice.
21 May 2023
#134 Adam Keen - On Teaching Postures You Can't Do Yourself
00:17:06
Adam shares his view on teaching postures that you can't do yourself.
Adam Keen completed the Advanced A sequence of Ashtanga yoga in 2013 with Sharathji in Mysore (authorised level 2 in 2012). He has been a yoga practitioner since 1999, starting with hatha yoga while studying philosophy at university.
He has taught internationally and spent over ten years running a Mysore program in his native London, UK. His style is open, non-dogmatic and eclectic while remaining rooted in an appreciation of the tradition as taught in Mysore. He has a unique way of making everyone welcome and meeting students where they are with humour and kindness.
This episode is sponsored by Momence, the booking system we use and highly recommend. Momence facilitates online, in-person and hybrid classes and events, and there are packages to fit self-employed teachers to multi-site studios.
Become a Patron:https://keenonyoga.com/membership/ Exclusive content, yoga & lifestyle tips, live Zoom meet-ups & more. €10 per month, cancel at any time.
Yan Ong tested at the top 2% of worlds IQ at the age of 16. Joining the Mensa Society, sparked an interest to discover the purpose of intellect. She sought out to gain knowledge through university degrees in science graduating with honours in Biotechnology from the world's 5th ranked university. In attempt to balance both left and right brain function took a second university course in the arts. Although she found solving problems and creating ideas fun, there was still something that corporate life was not fulfilling. 6 years of working in business and I was over it, there had to be more to life. She hit the road for 2 years of backpacking on her own from South America, Africa and ending up in Bali.
She discovered Ashtanga yoga in 2001 with a book and a class for 4 years. In 2008 everything fell into place and the Ashtanga Yoga became her life. In 2010 she found her teacher, Paramagruru Sharath Jois and moved to Mysore. Living in Mysore for 4 years Yan practicing under his guidance and privately studied sacred texts constituting the Upanishads and Yoga Sutras with renowned philosophy expert Professor Najarajao Rao.
Yan and Mysore
In 2012 she was authorised by Paramaguru Sharath Jois to teach Ashtanga Yoga and was fortunate to have the opportunity to travel and teach across the globe in Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines & more. I’m blessed to be Malaysia’s first Level 2 qualified Ashtanga Yoga teacher.
In the 20 years since she found Ashtanga Yoga, she has learned to heal her own spinal, ankle and wrist injuries, manage stress and hypothyroidism within the practice. Thus having a more thoughtful, accepting and compassionate approach towards asana and its ability to be therapeutic.
In conjunction with having dealt with both physical and health struggles during her journey, 10 years study of yoga philosophy scripture which the practice is built upon, has given her understanding of the practice from a deeper yet wider perspective.
Yan is also largely influenced by non-denominational spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle. She has time with him on retreat and completed his 6-month advanced School of Awakening course.
She teaches with her husband Manuel and now plans to spend time between their native countries, Malaysia and Portugal.
Rupert Spira came across the poetry of Rumi at the age of fifteen, in 1975, and soon after this met his first teacher, Dr. Francis Roles, at Colet House in London. Dr. Roles was himself a student of Shantananda Saraswati, the Shankaracharya of the North of India.
Under his guidance Rupert learnt mantra meditation and was introduced to the classical system of Advaita, or non-duality, which formed the foundation of his interest and practice for the next twenty-five years. At the same time he also learnt the Mevlevi Turning, a sacred Sufi dance of movement, prayer and meditation.
During this time he read everything available by the Russian philosopher P. D. Ouspensky and learnt Gurdjieff’s Movements. In the late 1970s he attended Krishnamurti’s last meetings at Brockwood Park, close to his childhood home, and was deeply impressed and influenced by his intellectual rigor and fierce humility. Throughout these years Rupert also studied the teachings of Ramana Maharshi and Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj on a continuous basis.
In the same year that he discovered the poetry of Rumi, Rupert saw a retrospective exhibition of a well-known studio potter, Michael Cardew, at Camberwell Arts Centre in London, an event which was to change the course of his life. Already disenchanted with the scientific path on which he had embarked, he found that pottery provided a new avenue of exploration and experience, and one that was completely consistent with the questions evoked by his encounter with the non-dual understanding.
As a result, in 1977 Rupert left school and enrolled in the Ceramics Department of West Surrey College of Art and Design, under Henry Hammond. In 1980 he moved to Wenford Bridge in Cornwall, where he lived and worked with Michael Cardew, then aged eighty, for the last two years of his life.
Rupert once said that he was completely re-educated during the time he spent with these two founding fathers of the British Studio Pottery Movement, combined with his regular attendance at Colet House. In 1983 Rupert opened his own studio, and over the next thirty years he made pieces that are to be found in private and public collections around the world.
A turning point in the mid-1990s led Rupert to the American teacher Robert Adams, who died two days after Rupert arrived in the US. However, on this visit he was told about another teacher, Francis Lucille, whom he met several months later. The first words he ever heard Francis say were, ‘Meditation is a universal “Yes” to everything’. Although it was the kind of statement anyone might encounter on the spiritual path, this moment was pivotal in Rupert’s life: ‘I realised that I had arrived home, that this encounter was the flowering and fulfilment of my previous thirty years of seeking’. When Rupert asked at that first meeting what he should do next, Francis replied, ‘Come as often as you can’.
Over the next twelve years Rupert spent all the spare time that work and family commitments would allow with Francis, exploring the sense of separation as it appears in the mind in the form of beliefs and, more important, how it appears in the body as feelings of being located and limited. Francis also introduced Rupert to the Direct Path teachings of Atmananda Krishna Menon and the Tantric approach of Kashmir Shaivism, which he had received from his teacher, Jean Klein.
Of the essence of these years, Rupert writes, ‘The greatest discovery in life is that our essential nature does not share the limits or the destiny of the body and mind. I do not know what it is about the words, actions or presence of the teacher or teaching that seem to awaken this recognition of our essential nature as it truly is, and its subsequent realisation in our lives, but I am eternally grateful to Francis for our friendship.’
Rupert lives in Oxford, UK, with his wife, Ellen Emmet, a therapist and yoga teacher in the non-dual tradition of Kashmir Shaivism, and his son, Matthew. He holds regular meetings in the UK, US, Netherlands and Italy, as well as online webinars and Retreats at Home.
15 Jul 2020
#11 - Keen on Yoga Podcast with Edwin Bryant
00:56:39
Edwin is a professor of Indology at Rutgers University, New Jersey. He is the author of seven books including a highly popular translation of The Yoga Sutras Of Patanjali.
He is also, unusually for an academic, a devoted practitioner of Bhakti Yoga in the Vaishnite tradition. Originally British, he travelled extensively around India in the late 1979’s after leaving University after only 1 year of study.
Now an established academic, he has lived in the US for many years, teaching internationally as well as being involved in many charitable projects.
12 May 2024
#171 Adam Keen - Are we practicing Patanjali's yoga?
00:46:08
#171 Adam Keen - Are we practicing Patanjali's yoga?
(www.keenonyoga.com | @adam_keen_ashtanga)
Adam explores the question of what kind of practice we are doing in modern yoga. He discusses whether we are practicing Patanjali's yoga and how it aligns with our current aims and aspirations. Adam highlights that Patanjali's yoga does not focus much on asana and aims to control the senses and transcend the suffering of the world. He also delves into the concept of Dharma and its importance in yoga philosophy. Adam touches on the evolution of yoga and the inclusion of dynamic asana in modern practice. He concludes by discussing the influence of tantric yoga and its emphasis on using the body as a vessel of knowledge.
Key Points
· Modern yoga practice differs from Patanjali's yoga in terms of its focus on dynamic asanas and its aim to live in unity and connection with the world.
· Dharma, the objective principles of life, is the basis of yoga philosophy and guides our actions and attitudes towards the world.
· The inclusion of dynamic asana in modern yoga can be seen as a way to use the body as a vessel of knowledge and to live in harmony with the world.
· Tantric yoga offers a body-positive approach and emphasizes the awakening of energy and the exploration of esoteric practices.
· Modern yoga is an evolution of traditional yoga practices, incorporating elements from Patanjali's yoga and tantric yoga.
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The Dalai Lama befriended Bob in 1964, ordained him as a Buddhist monk, then later forgave him for returning to lay life.
Bob Thurman is known in the academic circles as Professor Robert A.F. Thurman. He is a talented popularizer of the Buddha’s teachings. In addition, Bob is the first Westerner Tibetan Buddhist monk ordained by His Holiness the Dalai Lama,
He is a charismatic speaker and author of many books on Tibet, Buddhism, art, politics and culture. Bob was named by The New York Times as the leading American expert on Tibetan Buddhism. In 2020 he was awarded the prestigious Padma Shri Award for his help in recovering India’s ancient Buddhist heritage.
Time Magazine chose him as one of the 25 most influential Americans in 1997. They describe him as a “larger than life scholar-activist destined to convey the Dharma, the precious teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha, from Asia to America.”
Bob served as the Jey Tsong Khapa Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies in the Department of Religion at Columbia University for 30 years, until 2020. A very popular professor, students always felt his classes were “life-changing”.
Tibet House
Bob is the founder and active president of Tibet House US, a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Tibetan culture. And of the American Institute of Buddhist Studies, a non-profit affiliated with the Center for Buddhist Studies at Columbia University and dedicated to the publication of translations of important artistic and scientific Tibetan treatises.
His own search for enlightenment began while he was a university student at Harvard. After an accident in which he lost the use of an eye, Bob left school on a spiritual quest throughout Europe, the Middle East and Asia. He found his way to India, where he first saw His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 1962.
After learning Tibetan and studying Buddhism, Bob became a Tibetan Buddhist monk and the first Westerner to be ordained by the Dalai Lama. Some years later, however, he offered up his robes when he realized he could be more effective in the American equivalent of a monastery: the university, returning to Harvard to finish his PhD.
Long-term Commitment
As part of his long-term commitment to the Tibetan cause, at the request of H.H. the Dalai Lama, Bob co-founded Tibet House US in 1987 with Tenzin Tethong, Richard Gere, and Philip Glass, a non-profit organization based in New York City and dedicated to the preservation and renaissance of Tibetan culture.
Inspired by his long-time good friend the Dalai Lama, Bob takes us along with him into an expanded vision of the world through the prisma of Tibetan Buddhism. He shares with us the sense of refuge in the Dharma, which unfailingly helps us clear away the shrouds of fear and confusion. He sustains us with the cheerfulness of an enriched gift, and opens a door to a path of realistic hope for a peaceful, kind, and wise future.
Bob has a prolific podcast of 287 episodes to date, which you can find on his website
Changes to practice in Mysore over the years | Sharathji in Mysore now | Use of consent cards | Relationship with Guruji and Sharathji | The intention of teaching | Being an innovator on YouTube | Consent violations | Trauma survivor | Evolution of the Ashtanga community teaching | Softening after dogma | Social justice and teaching | Integrating practice of Vipassana | E-how yoga | Morning routine & personal practice | Spirituality of the practice | New book Act of Love | Travel tips (bio below)
This episode is sponsored by Momence, the booking system we use and highly recommend. Momence facilitates online, in-person and hybrid classes and events, and there are packages to fit self-employed teachers to multi-site studios. With Momence, you can: ·
Manage your class and workshop schedule
Organize your appointment types and availability
Create marketing and win-back campaigns
Organize your on-demand videos and courses
See exactly how your business is doing through insightful reporting.
Have customers self-check-in via kiosks
Sell products and services with a fully integrated point of sale
With live support by chat, phone and email Momence is easy to use for yourself and your customers.
I first met Kino in Crete in 2004 at one of her first international workshops where she taught a small group of students along with life coaching sessions in the afternoon. She has done a lot since then but remains the inspiring and highly energetic presence I first met almost 20 years ago.
A unique and household name in Ashtanga yoga, Kino has a wealth of experience to share, not least her own personal journey - which she speaks about most candidly in this podcast as well as her new book ‘Act of Love’. A Miami native, Kino relentlessly travels the world sharing her knowledge as well as having released several books prior to her new one as well as many popular practice videos.
With over 1 million followers on Instagram and over 500,000 subscribers on YouTube and Facebook, Kino’s message of spiritual strength reaches people all over the world. Sought after as an expert in yoga worldwide, is an international yoga teacher, inspirational speaker, author of four books, producer of six Ashtanga Yoga DVDs, writer, vlogger, world traveller, co-founder of Miami Life Center and the founder of Omstars—the world’s first yoga TV network
23 Nov 2024
Ep 200 Adam Keen – Reflections on 200 Episodes: A Journey Through Yoga
00:36:16
Ep 200 Adam Keen –Reflections on 200 Episodes: A Journey Through Yoga
In this reflective episode marking the 200th podcast, Adam shares his personal journey through yoga, mental health struggles, and the influence of Sharath and the Mysore tradition. He discusses the evolution of his practice, the challenges of teaching, and the balance between personal experience and traditional methods. The conversation highlights the importance of community, authority in practice, and the ongoing journey of self-discovery in yoga.
Key Points
Yoga became a healing tool for my mental health.
The journey to yoga started with a search for meaning.
Ashtanga practice shifted my understanding of yoga.
Mysore offered a sense of authority and accountability.
Teaching requires adapting methods to different students.
The modern yoga landscape is saturated with teachers.
Personal experience in yoga is essential for authenticity.
Sharath's influence shaped my understanding of practice.
Navigating the balance between tradition and personal experience is challenging.
Ritual and practice | Using your body to generate well-being | Karma yoga | Yoga To The People | Hot yoga | Ghosh | 26 and 84 asanas | Love of teaching | Living her dream | Asana championships | Impact of social media | Pain-free backbends | Finding her voice | Love of sharing the practice | Teaching is not about you | A disciplined life | Yoga lifestyle | Motherhood | Making a living as a teacher | Physical and material development
This episode is sponsored by Momence, the booking system we use and highly recommend. Momence facilitates online, in-person and hybrid classes and events, and there are packages to fit self-employed teachers to multi-site studios. With Momence, you can: ·
Manage your class and workshop schedule
Organize your appointment types and availability
Create marketing and win-back campaigns
Organize your on-demand videos and courses
See exactly how your business is doing through insightful reporting.
Have customers self-check-in via kiosks
Sell products and services with a fully integrated point of sale
With live support by chat, phone and email Momence is easy to use for yourself and your customers.
Become a Patron:https://keenonyoga.com/membership/Exclusive content, yoga & lifestyle tips, live Zoom meet-ups & more. €10 per month, cancel at any time.
Born in Israel, Talia, along with her family relocated to New York early in her life. Curious by both nature and nurture, Talia was brought up by soulful, caring parents. She was first introduced to yoga and meditation at age 6, when her mom integrated these practices into her lifestyle to beat lymphoma. Love has always been the flame lighting the way. Talia sees nothing as external to her studies: She has learned impeccable skill and technique from masters of ballet, yoga, and art. Equally, she finds sensitivity, intuition, and insight are to be found through stillness, silence, and connection with the seemingly ordinary world around us and that ultimately no teacher is greater than the one within.
Talia recently relocated to Tel Aviv where she lives with her husband Ezra and their son Akiva. She is excited, humbled and honored to spread her love of yoga worldwide and is grateful for all her teachers and students.
03 Dec 2023
#152 Reema Datta - The Importance of Holistic Yoga
In this conversation, Reema Datta shares her journey of discovering yoga and becoming a teacher. She discusses her background growing up in a family immersed in yoga and Ayurveda. Rima also talks about her experience with Larry Schultz and the perception of yoga appropriation.
She emphasises the need for a holistic approach to yoga, including integrating mind practices. Rima suggests that ancient texts should be translated and made applicable to modern life to deepen the understanding of yoga.
The conversation explores the importance of incorporating mental aspects in yoga and the need to go back to the original teachings of yoga. It discusses the role of translations in understanding yoga texts and the significance of cultural appropriation and respect in yoga.
The meaning and pronunciation of Namaste are explored, along with the importance of respecting yoga traditions and practices. The conversation also delves into overcoming the fluctuations of the mind and the gift of yoga to humanity. It highlights the need to improve the representation of yoga and the use of yoga sequences to work with emotions.
The conversation concludes with discussing the need for a feminine touch in yoga and the mind-body experience in yoga. The chapter ends with a reflection on inspiration and guilty pleasures.
Highlights
Yoga can be practised in various ways and is not limited to asana.
The perception of yoga appropriation can be divisive and counterproductive.
·There is a need for a holistic approach to yoga that integrates mind practices.
·Ancient texts should be translated and made applicable to modern life to deepen the understanding of yoga. Incorporating mental aspects in yoga is essential to honour the original teachings of yoga.
·Translations of yoga texts can greatly impact our understanding and practice of yoga.
·Cultural appropriation in yoga should be approached with respect and understanding.
·The meaning and pronunciation of Namaste can vary, but the intention behind it is what matters.
·Respecting yoga traditions and practices includes understanding the symbolism and significance of statues and other elements.
·Yoga helps overcome the fluctuations of the mind and promotes unity and connection.
·Yoga is a gift to humanity and should be represented with integrity and authenticity.
·Yoga sequences can be designed to work with specific emotions and promote emotional well-being.
·Including more feminine perspectives in yoga can bring balance and depth to the practice.
·The mind-body experience is an integral part of yoga and should not be suppressed or denied.
·Honesty and authenticity are inspiring qualities in yoga and in life.
·Taking time for guilty pleasures, such as watching movies and enjoying snacks, is important for self-care.
You can find links to Reema's book, Sacred Sanskrit Words for Yoga, Chant, and Meditation and her two mantra albums on her website: www.reemadatta.com
Eknath Easwaran's translations of the Bhagavad Gita and Upanishads are excellent. He taught at the University of California, Berkeley for decades, and was an amazing bridge between India and the West. His translations are easy to read and full of relatable stories. Roopa Pai has written The Gita for Children and The Vedas and Upanishads for Children. They are both excellent books if you'd like to share with your kids and learn with them! Even for adults, these books are a great introduction to these texts, which carry the original wisdom teachings of yoga that focus on the mind.
You can learn more about Niguma from H.E. Kalu Rinpoche.
Reema offers a free online community gathering on the last Sunday of each month to discuss aspects of yoga philosophy and engage in a short practice of mantra, pranayama, and meditation together. Everyone is welcome to join.
You can register online and receive a link. She also has a few online courses that combine asana, mantra, pranayama, meditation, and philosophy. www.reemadatta.com
03 Aug 2022
#101 – Keen on Yoga Podcast with Andrew Eppler
00:42:38
Andrew Eppler has been practicing Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga for over 3 decades and is the director of Ashtanga Yoga Studio where he offers a variety of courses, classes and trainings both online and in person.
He has grown up with the practice and witnessed its evolution into world culture first hand. Andrew has spent many years studying the philosophy of the Nathamuni Sampradaya tradition that Sri Krishnamacharya belonged to.
Andrew is also the producer and director of the film Mysore Yoga Traditions. If you are interested in the history and culture that Ashtanga Yoga has come from Mysore Yoga Traditions film will be a beautiful experience! You can listen to the elders, scholars, spiritual leaders and even the Queen of Mysore herself telling the story of the yoga of Mysore.
With the help and support of senior Sanskrit professors in Mysore Andrew has developed an approach to teaching physical postures that fits the modern paradigm. While staying grounded in traditional ideas about philosophy and the sequences of Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga, Andrew believes that there is inevitable evolution in yoga practice and uses a "global fusion" of techniques.
Paul Grilley, known for his work in Yin Yoga, discusses his journey in yoga and the evolution of yoga in the West along with the secularization of yoga and the rise of power yoga in LA. Paul shares his realization that no matter how much he practiced, there were poses he would never be able to do, which led him to explore Yin Yoga. He mentions his encounter with Paulie Zink, who emphasized the importance of holding poses for a longer duration and his experience studying with David Williams.
·Paul Grilley started his yoga journey with Hatha yoga and explored various styles, including Bikram and Ashtanga.
·The secularization of yoga in the West was influenced by the popularity of dance aerobics and the desire for a more intense and dynamic workout.
·Paul Grilley realized that no matter how much he practiced, there were poses he would never be able to do, which led him to explore Yin Yoga.
·Yin Yoga emphasizes holding poses for a longer duration and provides a different approach to yoga practice.
·Paul Grilley's encounter with Paulie Zink further reinforced the importance of Yin Yoga and its benefits for the body and martial arts. David Williams and Polly Zink were influential teachers for Paul Grilley due to their generosity and lack of a guru mentality.
·Yin Yoga originated from Paul's study with Polly Zink, who referred to it as Taoist Yoga.
·The concept of fascia and its role in stretching is important in understanding the body's response to yoga practice.
·Individual variations in skeletal structure can impact range of motion and flexibility.
·Paul emphasizes the harmonization of energy flow in the body as a key aspect of yoga practice. The breath is a tool to become aware of the movement of prana in the body during pranayama and bandhas.
·The ultimate goal is to achieve pratyahara, a state where one is physiologically deaf, blind, and unaware of the physical body.
·Pratyahara allows for conscious experiences detached from the body and leads to true mystical and spiritual experiences.
·Understanding the movement of prana and achieving pratyahara requires a mature understanding and practice of yoga.
26 May 2022
#93 – Keen on Yoga Podcast with Richard Freeman & Mary Taylor
00:59:07
This is the second time Adam has hosted Richard Freeman and Mary Taylor on the Keen on Yoga Podcast. In this episode they focus the discussion on the Bhagavad Gita.
Richard & Mary have been studying and practicing yoga since the early 1970s and were some of the very first students to discover the Ashtanga yoga method.
Together they co-founded the Yoga Workshop in Boulder, Colorado, have produced several highly regarded yoga audio and video recordings, as well as authoring several books, both together and individually.
Their latest title, When Love Comes to Light, is a guide to the Bhagavad Gita and interweaves insight into how these classic teachings are relevant for modern readers struggling with what it means to live responsibly in challenging times.
In this talk with Adam they cover such topics from the book as
Sounds of the battleground
We’re all in this together
There is more to things than the conflict we feel
Identification with the body
Action gives information
Ashtanga yoga giving the embodied experience of karma
Tending to the mind
Identification with the mind
The question of Renunciation
Using our practice for the good of the world
Your responsibility
Right attitude and duty
What is our dharma
Action without attachment to fruits
Devotion
Practice as sacrifice
Expectations
Children and practice
Motivation
You can find Richard and Mary on Instagram @ freemantayloryoga or on their website www.richardfreemanyoga.com
If you enjoy the Keen on Yoga Podcast and would like to support us you can share this post, give us a review on Apple or Spotify or make a donation . We appreciate your help to us keep creating free content for all.
16 Jul 2021
#57 – Keen on Yoga Podcast with Shanna Small
01:02:21
Shanna Small is a writer and Yoga teacher who speaks to the intersectionality of Yoga and social justice. She has practiced Ashtanga Yoga and studied the Yoga Sutras since 2001. She has studied in Ashtanga in Mysore with Sharath Jois. Shanna studied Sanskrit, the Yoga Sutras and the Hatha Yoga Pradipika with Laksmish in Mysore, India.
Shanna finds joy in making the Ashtanga practice accessible for all. She studied with Amber Karnes and Dianne Bondy and is Yoga For All certified. She is a regular contributor for Yoga International, OmStars and the Ashtanga Dispatch.
She teaches diversity and inclusivity, Yoga Sutras as well as accessibility trainings and workshops. She is a founding member of Yoga For Recovery Foundation, a non-profit that helps those recovering from addiction, trauma and systemic oppression. Shanna is also certified in the Trauma Conscious Yoga Method.
Shanna is a graduate of Georgia State University and holds a bachelor’s in business with a concentration in marketing. Before becoming a full time yoga teacher, Shanna was a recruiter and ad account executive.
18 Sep 2020
#20 - Keen on Yoga Podcast with Leslie Kaminoff
01:18:23
Leslie has been described by himself as a ‘yoga educator’, and by others as a ‘yoga cowboy’. This is a very appropriate term, as he really does interest himself in every aspect of yoga; its anatomy, practice, teaching as well as its philosophy.
He is a courageous, honest and unconventional thinker in the yoga-world which is really needed now more than ever.
Having started practice in the 1970s, he later spent a long period as a student of TKV Desikachar (the son of Krishnamacharya - father of modern toga). Having done his time within traditional studies, he went on to co-author with Amy Matthews ‘Yoga Anatomy’, a book that has sold over a million copies worldwide.
He also founded the influential ‘The Breathing Project’, and New York Studio. He now teaches from the wealth of his personal experience accumulated in a lifetime dedicated to yoga informed by his uniquely personal approach.
01 May 2021
#48 – Keen on Yoga Podcast with Harmony Slater
00:58:09
Breathing practice has become increasingly popular, partly at least, as we look for ways to help lessen the anxiety of these most uncertain times we are living through. Harmony is uniquely positioned to guide us in this having studied what she terms as ancient breathing (the subject of a new course she is soon to launch), with both Pattabhi Jois as well as the renowned Sri O.P Tiwariji; the then head of the Kaivalydam Institute for research on yoga near Mumbai in South India.
In this interview, we discussed how best to build up a practice, what breath to start with and the signs or symptoms that we are doing it effectively. We also talk about the fact that – even without dealing with anxiety – pranayama is most helpful to balance of the intensely stimulating affects of our ashtanga practice on our nervous systems.
For, the practice itself often stimulates the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight), which can be helpful in resolving trauma. On the other hand, we also need to balance this with tapping into the calming effect of the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest), which is not adequately found addressed in the way most people practice, and want to practice (ie. with a certain speed and dynamism that is invigorating, yet, also needs balance for this reason).
Finally, Harmony shares some of her own experience with using pranayama to fight inflammation, fatigue and digestive-issues. Here, we delve into the science behind it regarding oxygen and Co2 exchange, as well as considering how to commence breathing if you find yourself resistant or even frightened by the prospect of sitting quietly and focussing on your breath.
26 Feb 2021
#38 - Keen on Yoga Podcast with Mary Taylor Freeman
01:07:55
In this Keen on Yoga Podcast with Mary Taylor Freeman Adam discusses food and diet to support a yoga practice.
Mary began studying yoga in 1971, soon after she came home from France with a grande diplôme from Julia Child’s cooking school, L’Ecole des Trois Gourmandes. She found yoga at first a means of finding equanimity during the stress of University, and it was that thread of balance that got her hooked.
It was not until 1988 and finding her primary teacher, Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, and the Ashtanga Vinyasa system that she experienced the profound and transformative impact that a dedicated and daily practice can have on all aspects of life. She continues to study and practice yoga and Buddhist teachings with great enthusiasm and inquisitiveness, with an eye on how the residue that is produced on the mat (and cushion) through these teachings informs and supports all aspects of everyday life.
Mary travels and teaches with Richard and also within the caregiver and hospital setting as part of the core faculty of the Being with Dying program (Upaya Zen Center) and theUrban ZenIntegrative Therapy Trainings. I
In 1988 she co-founded with Richard the Yoga Workshop. Mary is also the author of three cookbooks and the co-author of What Are You Hungry For? Women Food and Spirituality (St. Martins Press) and The Art of Vinyasa (Shambhala Publications).
01 Aug 2023
#139 Clayton Horton - Living The Yamas and Niyamas
Asian philosophy | Hippy San Francisco | Hatha yoga | Baptiste yoga | Iyengar yoga | Brian Kest | Tantra, meditation | Teaching in Asia | Body types | Individualised teaching | Living the yamas and niyamas | Changes in teaching | Meditation | Diet | Pattabhi Jois | Current practices
Clayton Horton is the Director of Greenpath Yoga. He has been a student of yoga for over 30 years and began teaching in 1996.
Clayton is an experienced and internationally known KPJAYI Certified Ashtanga yoga teacher born in Oklahoma, USA. He discovered yoga at age 21 whilst living in San Francisco, California, when his mother took him to a pranayama class. After several years of practice and a long trip to India, he began teaching in 1996. To Clayton, yoga is a healing path back to the Self, allowing us to experience true peace and happiness. Being kind and living in balance with nature continue to guide his life.
Clayton studied with masters Sri K. Pattabhi Jois and the Greensufi for 14 years, both of whom gave him great inspiration to practise daily and develop a yogic lifestyle. Clayton received formal authorisation to teach Ashtanga Yoga from the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute of Mysore, South India in 2003 and he received Level Two Authorisation in 2010. While attending a course for teachers in Mysore during the summer of 2016, Sharath Jois awarded Clayton with the blessing of ‘Certification’ – the highest level of accreditation for teachers at the institute.
Clayton’s teaching style is traditional, yet light-hearted and relaxed. He believes that by practising and living yoga, we can transform ourselves and the world around us.
According to Clayton, Ashtanga Yoga is a complete and well-balanced system in which an experienced and skilled teacher can help any student ‘find their place’ within its structure regardless of individual challenges, aptitude, and constitution.
From 2001-2006, Clayton operated Greenpath Yoga Studio in San Francisco, California, USA. The studio was one of America’s first Green and Environmental–Friendly yoga studios. It was an inspiration with its progressive yoga programs, philosophies, events, and authenticity. The studio helped to inspire awareness of Earth Friendly yoga practices, philosophies, and products.
Currently, Clayton teaches Daily Ashtanga classes at Pure Yoga in Hong Kong. He teaches workshops, retreats, and courses and presents at yoga conferences internationally. His favourite hobbies are surfing, swimming, singing, and playing guitar. He is committed to making the world a better place by living with eco-awareness, teaching yoga and meditation, serving others with charity work (karma yoga), and offering music & Kirtan chanting (bhakti yoga).
What is our project as yogis? Unyoga yourself | Asana practice v following yogic principles | Going into silence practices | Bodybuilding as an entry to the mind | Importance of devotion | Namaskar = Hindu push-up | Asana is not purely physical |
Yoga of the west vs India | The role of a teacher v guru | 7 layers of teacher | Importance of finding ‘your’ teacher | Guru is similar to therapist | Teaching focused on simplification, deepening of faith, creation of patience | Silence & surrender | Faith matures into surrender | Grateful for the positives, humbled by the negatives | Life is simple but the mind is complicated | Let your breath be the guide
Prasad Rangnekar, E-RYT500, is a Yoga Educator based in India who teaches in over 15 countries for the past 27 years. He has been a student practitioner of Yoga for the last 37 years, studying both in traditional lineages and academically, with a master’s degree in Philosophy.
As a transformation guide using Yogic methods he is regularly invited to speak at Indian Embassies, The European Commission, Yoga conventions, Schools, Corporate bodies, and Charity organizations. He has established multiple close-knit student communities globally and is engaged in various social initiatives, especially through his ‘Women Yogis of India’ seminars that raise funds for women-focused charities.
Prasad has been conducting 200- & 300-Hour Teacher Training for over a decade and also runs a free student resource YouTube channel that has over 350 videos with hundreds of hours of content.
15 Nov 2024
Ep 199 Adam Keen – In Memory of Sharath Jois: A Personal Reflection
Adam reflects on the profound impact of Sharath Jois on his Ashtanga practice and the yoga community. He shares personal anecdotes from his experiences in Mysore, exploring the emotional complexities of practicing under Sharath's guidance, the challenges of teaching, and the legacy left behind. Adam navigates through feelings of admiration, disappointment, and unresolved emotions, ultimately expressing gratitude for the lessons learned and the community built around their shared practice.
Key Points
·Sharath was a pivotal figure in the Ashtanga community.
·Practicing in Mysore evokes deep emotional experiences.
·The journey of growth in Ashtanga is often filled with challenges.
·Teaching in Mysore requires navigating complex relationships.
·Expectations can lead to feelings of dissatisfaction in practice.
·The pressure of performance in Mysore can be overwhelming.
·Sharath's unique teaching style fostered personal growth.
·Conflicted emotions about legacy are common among practitioners.
·Community support is essential in the healing process.
·Moving forward requires reconciling past experiences with present realities.
13 Aug 2021
#60 - Keen on Yoga Podcast with Tyson Yunkaporta
01:11:36
Tyson Yunkaporta is an academic, an arts critic, and a researcher who is a member of the Apalech Clan in far north Queensland. He carves traditional tools and weapons and also works as a senior lecturer in Indigenous Knowledges at Deakin University in Melbourne where he currently lives.
His book Sand Talk was published in 2019 to resounding acclaim. The paradigm-shifting book brings a crucial Indigenous perspective to historical and cultural issues of history, education, money, power, and sustainability - and offers a new template for living.
As an indigenous person, Tyson Yunkaporta looks at global systems from a unique perspective, one tied to the natural and spiritual world. In considering how contemporary life diverges from the pattern of creation, he raises important questions. How does this affect us? How can we do things differently?
In this thoughtful, culturally rich, mind-expanding book, he provides answers. Yunkaporta's writing process begins with images. Honoring indigenous traditions, he makes carvings of what he wants to say, channeling his thoughts through symbols and diagrams rather than words. He yarns with people, looking for ways to connect images and stories with place and relationship to create a coherent world view, and he uses sand talk, the Aboriginal custom of drawing images on the ground to convey knowledge.
In Sand Talk , he provides a new model for our everyday lives. Rich in ideas and inspiration, it explains how lines and symbols and shapes can help us make sense of the world. It's about how we learn and how we remember. It's about talking to everyone and listening carefully. It's about finding different ways to look at things. Most of all it's about a very special way of thinking, of learning to see from a native perspective, one that is spiritually and physically tied to the earth around us, and how it can save our world.
14 Jul 2024
Ep 181 Adam Keen – The Risks and Consequences of Adjustments in Yoga
00:35:08
Adam discusses the difference between physical assistance and physical adjustments in yoga. He explains that physical assistance is essential for developing a yoga practice, while physical adjustments can be harmful and lead to injuries. Adam emphasizes the importance of endorsement, alignment, and breathing in physical assistance.
Adam discusses the complex themes of trust and surrender within the context of yoga practice, particularly Ashtanga. He emphasizes the importance of maintaining personal autonomy and critical thinking when engaging with teachers and the practice itself. Adam warns against the dangers of surrendering blindly to a teacher's authority and advocates for a more inclusive and supportive environment in yoga classes. He highlights the need for trust to be built incrementally and the significance of creating space for individual expression and growth in yoga practice.
Key Points
·Trust should never be given blindly to a teacher.
·Surrendering one's autonomy can lead to negative experiences.
·The teacher-student relationship should be supportive and inclusive.
·Commitment to practice does not equate to surrendering to authority.
·Space in yoga allows for personal growth and self-exploration.
·Adjustments should be approached with caution and respect for individual limits.
·Trust is built through consistent and supportive interactions.
·The Ashtanga method is a tool for personal development, not a strict dogma.
·Critical thinking is essential in the practice of yoga.
·The rules of yoga are guidelines, not absolute mandates.
20 Apr 2023
#131 Manuel Ferreira & Yan Ong - How is Mysore Now?
Catching up after a long time | Assisting in Mysore | How is Mysore now? | A place to heal | Changes with age? | Communication | Projecting your ego | The new shala space | Teaching together | Sharath’s teaching | Space to work on your practice | Differences in teaching | Catching
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This episode is sponsored by Momence, the booking system we use and highly recommend. Momence facilitates online, in-person and hybrid classes and events, and there are packages to fit self-employed teachers to multi-site studios. With Momence, you can: ·
Manage your class and workshop schedule
·Organize your appointment types and availability
·Create marketing and win-back campaigns
·Organize your on-demand videos and courses
·See exactly how your business is doing through insightful reporting.
·Have customers self-check-in via kiosks
·Sell products and services with a fully integrated point of sale
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BERNIE CLARK – YOGA RELATED INJURIES (www.yinyoga.com| @bernieclark7528In this episode, Bernie Clark discusses knee issues in Ashtanga yoga. He explains the anatomy of the knee joint and the role of ligaments in preventing excessive movement. Bernie shares his personal experience with knee injuries and the different approaches to healing, including surgery and non-surgical methods. (more below)
Bernie emphasizes the importance of strengthening the knee muscles and finding a balance between flexibility and stability. Bernie also addresses the idea of symmetry in yoga practice and the need for individualized approaches based on each person's unique body.
This conversation explores the topics of symmetry vs. balance, the cultural protocol of crossing legs, hip structure and range of motion, hip pain and lotus position, hip issues and solutions, understanding pain and discomfort, the impact on personal practice, carrying angles and individual differences, and recognising pain vs. discomfort.
Key Points
·Hyperextension of the knee is a natural movement and is not necessarily harmful.
·Meniscus tears are more common than ACL ruptures in yoga.
·The knee joint does not have a good blood supply, which makes healing difficult.
·Strengthening the muscles around the knee can help support the joint and prevent injuries.
·Asymmetry is natural in the body, and it is more important to focus on functionality rather than achieving perfect symmetry in yoga practice. Seek balance, not symmetry, in your practice.
·Individual differences in hip structure and range of motion can affect poses like lotus position.
·Various factors, including overuse and structural differences can cause hip pain.
·Understanding the difference between pain and discomfort is important for practising safely.
·Personalise your practice based on your body's capabilities and limitations.
#22 - Keen on Yoga Podcast with Kristina Karitinou
01:07:01
Adam talks to Kristina Karitinou.
Kristina has been teaching the tradition of Pattabhi Jois since 1991. She was qualified as an Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga teacher by her late husband Derek Ireland, authorized by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois and certified by his son, Manju Pattabhi Jois in 2012.
After many years of assisting Derek Ireland around the world, Kristina became one of the first Ashtanga teachers in Europe.
While living in the UK she was the main teacher of the Ashtanga Yoga community at the Natural Health Centre in Brighton and the first to teach the method at Brighton’s Evolution Centre.
In 2001, Kristina and Michael Anastassiades established the Yoga Practice in London. Upon her return to Greece, Kristina’s focus shifted to the education of future Ashtanga yoga teachers and has since spread Derek Ireland’s teachings all over Europe, Asia and Latin America.
For the past few years she has been actively involved in the practice of Zen chanting and sitting under the guidance of Zen Master Hyon Gak Sunim. Brought up in an artistic family, Kristina keeps herself in touch with her creative side and believes that knowledge, practice, meditation, arts, music, therapy, healing, healthy relationships, nutrition, nature are the vital elements to a balance life.
As a teacher, Kristina respects and appreciates the honest efforts of practitioners, their choices and the influence of their own teachers. Her mission is to support the Ashtanga method and community with honesty and devotion. Kristina considers herself honoured to belong to the Ashtanga Lineage. She believes that teachers and Gurus belong to the lineage and not the other way around.
Kristina’s work is a continuation of Derek Ireland’s teaching principles and techniques. Derek Ireland was one of the first students of Sri K Pattabhi Jois and is considered one of the most important yoga teachers of our era, having spread the Ashtanga method to and across Europe. Kristina’s work is dedicated to him.
Kristina is currently living on the beautiful island of Crete where her yoga studio is also located. She teaches the Primary, Intermediate and Advanced A Sequence of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga and offers classes, workshops, retreats and teacher training courses all year long around the world.
First yoga for householders | True Holistic Experience | Digesting the remnants to incomplete experiences from the past | Scholar & practitioner | Eastern spirituality upbringing Siddha yoga | Powerful experience during meditation | Exploring psychedelics | Classical Tantra teachings | Seeking in various ways | Nondual tantra provided the context for everything in one | Discipline is required for meaning | Paul Muller-Ortega | Adyashanti | Unpacking transmissions | Tibetan Buddhism v Classical Tantra v modern yoga | Revivalism of the Yoga Sutras | Reincarnation and the soul | Connecting to the subtle body during asana | Feeling the pain | Digesting our experiences to resolve them
His new book Near Enemies of the Truth comes out on November 14 and is available for pre-orders now.
Christopher Wallis, also known as Hareesh, is a Sanskritist and scholar-practitioner of Classical Tantra with thirty years of experience. He was initiated by a traditional Indian guru at the age of sixteen, and received education at yoga āshrams in India and the West.
Hareesh teaches classical Tantric philosophy and Tantric practices, meditation, Sanskrit, and mantra-science to an engaged online community of practitioners. He is the Founder of Tantra Illuminated Online, an online learning portal where all his courses and teachings are available. He also offers workshops, retreats and classes in person in Portugal and around the world.
He combines his practice of more than 25 years with a rigorous inquiry into the original Sanskrit sources to accurately translate and bring this ancient nondual wisdom to modern practitioners. The practices aim to facilitate both spiritual awakening and enhanced well-being for people in all walks of life. His community of students frequently praise his deep love for the tradition and the clarity of thought and expression.
His teachers, mentors, and gurus, in chronological order, include: Gurumayī Chidvilāsānandā (root-guru), Paul Muller-Ortega (Śaiva Tantra and Classical Yoga); Alexis Sanderson (Śaiva and Śākta Tantra and Sanskrit); Marshall Rosenberg (Nonviolent Communication); Somadeva Vasudeva (Śaiva Tantra), Adyashanti (Meditation), and others who wish to remain anonymous.
His degrees include a B.A. in Religion and Classics from the University of Rochester, an M.A. in South Asian Studies from U.C. Berkeley, an M.Phil. in Classical Indian Religions from Oxford, and a Ph.D. in Sanskrit from U.C. Berkeley.
Hareesh is the author of Tantra Illuminated: The Philosophy, History, and Practice of a Timeless Tradition, the first comprehensive and accessible introduction to Classical Tantra in English (also available in Spanish, Portuguese and Romanian), and of The Recognition Sutras, a translation and commentary on a 1000-year-old masterpiece on experiential recognition of oneself as a direct expression of universal divine Consciousness.
#69 – Keen on Yoga Podcast with Kimberly Ann Johnson
01:08:00
Kimberly Ann Johnson is a Somatic Experiencing™ Practitioner, educator, and author. She helps women heal trauma, awaken their power and feel at home in their bodies. So they can then start living life on their own terms.
She’s always had a deep knowing that she was in this world to change things for the better. All of that came into sharp focus when she became a mother. Her whole life changed completely in that moment. She had to learn a new way of being in the world.
She believes that if you can learn to speak your body’s language, and transmute trauma into positive, reparative experiences in the present, if you can make the shift into acting from a stance of your deepest, truest self … everything changes.
Your relationships, sex, and love get infinitely better. Your decisions come from a place of true agency, rather than fear and conditioning. And you tap into a level of power inside yourself that’s deeper than you would have ever believed to be possible.
She is the author of two books.
Call of The Wild, It’s not just you — women all around the world are experiencing record levels of stress, anxiety, depression, and autoimmune issues. The truth is, many women are stuck in a cycle of trauma, with no idea how to heal from it. What’s worse, most of the resources out there for healing trauma are written from a male perspective, which makes them ineffective for women, because they heal differently. Call of the Wild is the answer.
And The Fourth Trimester, a holistic guide that offers practical guidance for women making the physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual transition into motherhood. Deeply impactful on both the individual and global level, it’s shifted the experience of motherhood for women all over the world — and helped make this universal, yet widely-ignored experience of postpartum healing a priority in national policy.
Modern yoga classes | Importance of physical well-being post WW2 | Impact of UK due to past imperial past with India | Desmond Dunn teaching yogism | Theosophical society early human potential movement | Watkins book shop & first translations of Yoga Sutras | Hari Shastri | Krishnamurti | Annie Besant Rhodes
Theosophical Society of India focus on improvement of Indians | Paul Brunton In Search of Secret India | Christmas Humphries | The intertwined history of Buddhism and Yoga in Britain | Gerald York shift toward physical experience | Pierre Bernard teaching yoga in New York | Paul Dukes first person to teach yoga on UK TV 1949 | Yogini Sunita 1960s Birmingham | Wilfred Clark British Wheel of Yoga | BKS Iyengar Light on Yoga | Yehudi Menuhin | Sivananda Yoga | Yogi Bajan | 1990s Pattabhi Jois | Godfrey Deveraux & Shandor Remete
This episode is sponsored by Momence, the booking system we use and highly recommend. Momence facilitates online, in-person and hybrid classes and events, and there are packages to fit self-employed teachers to multi-site studios. With Momence, you can: ·
Manage your class and workshop schedule
Organize your appointment types and availability
Create marketing and win-back campaigns
Organize your on-demand videos and courses
See exactly how your business is doing through insightful reporting.
Have customers self-check-in via kiosks
Sell products and services with a fully integrated point of sale
With live support by chat, phone and email Momence is easy to use for yourself and your customers.
Become a Patron: https://keenonyoga.com/membership/ Exclusive content, yoga & lifestyle tips, live Zoom meet-ups & more. €10 per month, cancel at any time.
Between 2015-2020 she was part of a 5-year project funded by the European Research Council (Horizon 2020) entitled ‘Medicine, Immortality and Moksha: Entangled Histories of Yoga, Ayurveda and Alchemy in South Asia’, see: http://www.ayuryog.org/ for more details.
(2017) Special Issue of Religions of South Asia: Yoga Darśana, Yoga Sādhana: traditions, transmissions and transformations. Religions of South Asia. 11: 2-3. Introduction to the volume available here.
Substantive articles and book chapters relating to modern yoga:
(2020) with Karen O’Brien-Kop ‘Reframing Yoga and Meditation Studies’ Routledge Handbook of Yoga and Meditation Studies. Routledge, pp. 3-12. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351050753
(2020) ‘Yoga and Meditation as a Health Intervention’ in Routledge Handbook of Yoga and Meditation Studies. Routledge, pp. 156-168. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351050753
29 Sep 2024
Ep 192 Adam Keen – The Breath: A Journey Through Yoga
00:47:04
Ep 192 Adam Keen –The Breath: A Journey Through Yoga
Adam Keen the profound significance of breath in yoga practice. He delves into various aspects of breathing, including the traditional ujjayi breath, the role of the diaphragm, and the concept of bandha. The conversation also covers the importance of vinyasa in creating rhythm and awareness in practice, as well as the distinctions between pranayama and modern breath work. Throughout the discussion, Adam emphasizes the need for personal experimentation and understanding in one's yoga journey, particularly regarding breath control and its impact on emotional and physical well-being.
·Breath is fundamental to life and spirituality.
·Ujjayi breath has evolved from a heavier to a lighter practice.
·The diaphragm is the primary muscle used in breathing.
·Bandha helps in controlling breath and energy flow.
·Vinyasa creates a rhythm that mirrors diaphragmatic movements.
·Pranayama is more about breath control than rhythmic breathing.
·Breath reflects emotional states and should not be forced into equality.
·Yoga practice is an individual experiment.
·Understanding the diaphragm enhances pranayama effectiveness.
·Breath work can stimulate or calm the nervous system.
Being an ‘Ashtangi’ | Impact of back pain | Hooked on Ashtanga | Saving herself from herself | Not being a rule follower | Embracing the system | The desire for certificates | Wanting to feel good | Posterior v anterior pelvic tilt | Giving a happy alternative | Current practice | You can’t do what you can’t do | Building strength | Finding the spiritual aspect in every moment | Connecting with yourself | What's optimal? | I am not Ashtanga & Ashtanga is not me | I commit to me / my health
This episode is sponsored by Momence, the booking system we use and highly recommend. Momence facilitates online, in-person and hybrid classes and events, and there are packages to fit self-employed teachers to multi-site studios. With Momence, you can: ·
·Manage your class and workshop schedule
·Organize your appointment types and availability
·Create marketing and win-back campaigns
·Organize your on-demand videos and courses
·See exactly how your business is doing through insightful reporting.
·Have customers self-check-in via kiosks
·Sell products and services with a fully integrated point of sale
With live support by chat, phone and email Momence is easy to use for yourself and your customers.
Become a Patron:https://keenonyoga.com/membership/ Exclusive content, yoga & lifestyle tips, live Zoom meet-ups & more. €10 per month, cancel at any time.
Drawn to the elusive peacefulness and glow that so many yoga practitioners seemed to have while connecting with yogic philosophy, Day Christensen took up the practice of yoga in 2004. Starting out, she took classes that fit her schedule, but quickly became drawn to the Mysore-style practice of Ashtanga yoga, where students were taught in a relatively silent room with one-on-one instruction. There, in this environment, she recognized that the student’s potential for growth superseded what she had experienced in other styles of yoga that utilized the more typical “guided” method of teaching.
It was then that she began to schedule around her yoga practice, and her life of late nights and unhealthy habits did a 180. After immersing herself in Ashtanga and the Mysore method, taking trips to Mysore, India to study where the practice was born within the lineage of those who created it, on her third trip to India, Day was given the blessing to teach as an Authorized Level 2 teacher.
However, shortly after that time, suffering from persistent back pain, Day found that the system with its hierarchy of postures and repetitive movements could be more harmful than helpful. Through the process and years of learning to heal and recover from back pain, Day finally was able to break free of the cookie-cutter method of giving all students the same sequences of postures meant to be learned and repeated 6 days a week, sometimes for years and years on end with no variation in asanas or movement patterns. With this new perspective due to her own pain caused by repetitive movement, she recognized that the system of learning yoga asanas can be improved: groups of asanas should be given according to each student’s current and developing postural needs. “The how” being the Mysore Method of one-on-one instruction where each person in the room is able to work according to their own needs, ability, and pace, was and is the most effective way to learn and grow. But “the what” of specific series and order of postures MUST be re-assessed.
Thus, The DAY1YOGA Method was born: A tailored and customizable practice, minus posture- or series-hierarchy, (zero delineation between “advanced” and “beginner” students), just students, people with issues, all there for the healing and strengthening modality that yoga should be.
30 Jun 2024
Ep 179 Gary Kraftsow – Studying with Kṛṣṇamācārya & Deśikācar
01:05:27
Gary Kraftsow shares his background and experiences studying with Kṛṣṇamācārya & Deśikācar. He discusses the teachings he received and the impact they had on his life. He also talks about the relationship between Kṛṣṇamācārya & Deśikācar and their teaching methods. Kraftsow explains the concepts of Viniyoga and Vinyasa and how they are applied in yoga practice.
Gary Kraftsow studied with Krishnamacharya and Desikachar and shares his experiences and the impact they had on his life.
Krishnamacharya and Desikachar were both revered teachers who adapted and made yoga practices relevant for practitioners.
Viniyoga is the adaptation of yoga practices to suit the needs of the practitioner and apply them appropriately.
Vinyasa refers to the sequence and order in which postures are placed in a yoga practice.
The teachings of Krishnamacharya and Desikachar emphasized the transformation of the body and the practitioner's highest potential. Adapt postures to suit individual needs and functional benefits.
The breath is essential in linking the mind and body during yoga practice.
Yoga is an integrated practice that includes yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, and meditation.
Release valves are compensating mechanisms that occur when the body cannot stabilize a certain part.
Find a sustainable yoga practice that supports overall well-being and prepares for the end of life.
18 Dec 2020
#29 - Keen on Yoga Podcast with Richard Freeman and Mary Taylor
01:26:54
Richard Freeman has been a student of yoga since 1968, beginning with one simple sitting posture in the Zen tradition. He spent nine years in Asia studying yoga asana, Sufism, Sanskrit language, and Indian philosophical texts.
In 1974 he began working with B.K.S. Iyengar, later stumbling upon the late Sri K. Pattabhi Jois of Mysore, India when he taught a week’s intensive at the Feathered Pipe ranch in Colorado.
Richard is well known for being one of the most advanced practitioners of the system to date - having completed The 5th Series with Pattabhi Jois as well as the pranayamas and Sanskrit study.
Richard is equally well known for his metaphorical, often humorous, teaching style. He was the co-founder, with his Mary, of the Yoga Workshop in Boulder, Colorado, as well as having produced many well regarded practice recordings
More recently, he turned his hand to writing has co-authored with Mary, The Mirror of Yoga, The Art of Vinyasa, and Most recently When Love Comes to Light - a fantastic discourse on the Bhagavad Gita.
Mary Taylor began studying yoga in 1971, soon after returning from France with a grande diplôme from Julia Child’s cooking school, L’Ecole des Trois Gourmandes.
She found yoga whilst at university, but in 1988 found her primary teacher, Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. She continues to study and practice yoga and Buddhist teachings as well as being passionate about food and diet.
Mary travels and teaches with Richard and also within the caregiver and hospital setting as part of the core faculty of the Being with Dying program (Upaya Zen Center) and theUrban ZenIntegrative Therapy Trainings.
She has authored three cookbooks and is the co-author of What Are You Hungry For? Women Food and Spirituality as well as working with Richard on the yoga publications.
03 Jun 2020
#5 - Keen on Yoga Podcast with Mark Darby
01:04:57
Known simply as ‘Darby’ to his students, it is truly his crystal-clear, paired-down delivery that makes him a uniquely effective teacher. With Darby there is no room for clutter or flourishes, he delivers his knowledge in the most precise and pragmatic way making the profound depth of insight he has profoundly accessible.
Having been one of the first students of Pattabhi Jois in Mysore in the 1970’s where he lived for 4 years along with his wife Joanne (and where they also had 2 children), the wisdom he has to share reflects his early contact with the Ashtanga system amongst Western-teachers, as well as his length of years he has now practiced it.
His insights speak as a testament to what the practice can do, opening out through a deep understanding of method into a space beyond the mind.
"Some of us need to be putting our leg behind our head daily for a long time to realize, okay I don't really need to put my leg behind my head anymore."
John Scott discusses his journey from being known as John to becoming Jonny. He reflects on his passion for yoga and how it has shaped his life, the importance of mind control and reclaiming one's own sovereignty through yoga. He emphasizes the significance of posture, free breathing, and the counting method in the Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga practice. He also delves into the concept of drishti and the importance of seeing the God spark in oneself and others. Finally, he discusses the different stages of life and the process of letting go. In this conversation, John Scott discusses the importance of making choices from the soul and listening to one's inner voice. He emphasizes the need to let go of unnecessary attachments and beliefs, and to surrender to the wisdom within. John also shares his journey of self-discovery and the role of psychedelics in his transformation. He talks about the phases of his life and the evolution of his teaching style. He encourages practitioners to inquire and find their own answers, rather than relying on external sources. John emphasizes the importance of practicing for oneself and for the benefit of others.
Key Points
·Passion is an important aspect of life and should be nurtured and pursued.
·Yoga can help in reclaiming one's own mind and achieving sovereignty.
·Posture, free breathing, and the counting method are essential in the Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga practice.
·Drishti is about seeing the God spark in oneself and others.
·The different stages of life, from athlete to renunciant, bring different responsibilities and perspectives.
·Letting go is a process that can lead to inner peace and contentment. Make choices from the soul and listen to your inner voice.
·Let go of unnecessary attachments and beliefs.
·Surrender to the wisdom within and practice for yourself.
·Inquire and find your own answers.
·Practice for the benefit of others.
·Be practical and flexible in your practice.
·Embrace freedom and rebel against rigid rules.
·Let go of guilt and focus on self-love.
·Find inspiration in the presence of others.
·Transition from being a teacher to being a mentor.
In this episode, Adam and Theresa discuss their background stories, their journey with Ashtanga practice and teaching, and their experiences before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. They also talk about starting an online presence and the Keen on Yoga Podcast.
Theresa shares her experience working in corporate events and how she transitioned to running a yoga retreat centre. They discuss the benefits of teaching and practicing online, including the autonomy it gives to students.
Overall, they emphasise the importance of adapting and finding new opportunities in challenging times. In this conversation, Adam and Theresa discuss various aspects of yoga teaching and practice. They explore the sustainability of online yoga, the benefits of online teaching for improving in-person teaching skills, and the role of Mysore in yoga practice.
They also discuss the evolution of Ashtanga teaching and the need for flexibility and inclusivity in the approach. Adam shares his desired changes in Ashtanga teaching, emphasizing the importance of encouragement and individualization. They touch on the loneliness of teaching and express their desire for more connections and stability. Adam talks about finding inspiration for his writing and shares his gratitude for inspirational figures in yoga. They end the conversation by discussing their guilty pleasures and expressing their gratitude to the listeners.
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· Online yoga offers sustainability and flexibility for practitioners, allowing them to practice at their own pace without the pressure of competition or strong adjustments from teachers.
· Teaching online can improve in-person teaching skills by providing a broader perspective and allowing teachers to see different bodies and variations in practice.
· Mysore style yoga has its benefits, but it may not be suitable for everyone. It is important to approach teaching with inclusivity and flexibility, allowing students to progress at their own pace.
· The method of Ashtanga should be focused on encouragement and individual exploration, rather than strict adherence to rules and perfecting postures.
· Developing connections and finding stability in teaching and personal life are important goals for Adam and Theresa.
· Adam finds inspiration for his writing through his years of teaching experience and his passion for yoga philosophy.
· Mark Darby and Sharath are inspirational figures for Adam in his yoga journey.
· Adam's guilty pleasure is sitting in a cafe, enjoying a croissant and black coffee while reading philosophy or yoga books.
· Adam and Theresa express their gratitude to the listeners and their hopes for a positive and fulfilling new year.
James Rafael shares his journey from mental health and addiction to health through yoga and meditation. He emphasises the importance of embodiment and finding balance in yoga and meditation practices. James also discusses the role of trauma-informed approaches in these practices. He advocates for incorporating strength training into yoga practice and shares his daily routine.
James addresses common concerns about strength training impacting flexibility and encourages a long-term perspective on physical well-being. In this conversation, Adam and James Rafael discuss various aspects of yoga and movement. They explore the practical applications of yoga in daily life, the techniques used in contortionism, the incorporation of different movement modalities, the relationship between embodiment and meditation, the challenges of addictive tendencies, and the importance of creating kind and compassionate spaces. James shares his journey and emphasizes the need for balance and self-awareness in one's practice.
Key Points
· Embodiment is a key aspect of yoga and meditation practices, allowing individuals to connect with their bodies and address deeper traumas or shame.
· Strength training can be beneficial for yoga practitioners, helping to create balance, and stability, and prevent injuries.
· Finding a balance between different practices, such as yoga, meditation, and strength training, is essential for overall well-being.
· Incorporating trauma-informed approaches into yoga and meditation practices can lead to more holistic and helpful experiences.
· Taking a long-term perspective on physical well-being and training for the body you want in the future can guide your yoga and strength training practices. Yoga can be used as a tool for feeling comfortable in one's body and living a fulfilling life.
· Contortionism involves technique and strength and can be a valuable addition to a yoga practice.
· Incorporating different movement modalities can enhance one's understanding and practice of yoga.
· Embodiment and meditation are interconnected, contributing to a deeper sense of presence.
· Maintaining balance and self-awareness is crucial in managing addictive tendencies.
· Creating kind and compassionate spaces is essential for fostering growth and healing in yoga communities.
19 Nov 2021
#72 – Keen on Yoga Podcast with Zoe Ward
01:03:56
It actually strikes one as quite funny, that despite Zoe’s reputation, she is hardly unruly. Actually, during this podcast she and Adam spend a good majority of their time praising Mysore and Sharathji’s ability to make the general rule specific to individuals.
In fact, neither of them are ultimately rebellious. They like the system, its traditional aspect (respecting the sequences); what they are both outspoken on is the kind of dogma and polarity Ashtanga yoga often enters into when it makes its way out of Mysore, which treats individuals as generalisations, to be fitted into ideal structures.
When, instead, what they really require out of yoga is a practice that serves one’s life and doesn’t cause injury. One that respects the demands of your own circumstances. That is, real life, when we have jobs, families and health issues, as opposed to the idealised picture painted of how Ashtanga should be practiced and taught in Mysore.
Adam and Zoe talk along these lines then. Having met many years ago in Mysore, they re-connected in the online world through their similar opinions
Zoë is a US based cynical observer, writer, and comedian. After a decade of Ashtanga practice in Mysore and around the world, she now directs the sharpness of mind cultivated by the method toward critiquing the policies and politics of the community on her Instagram account, @unrulyascetic.
07 Sep 2022
#105 – Keen on Yoga Podcast with Paul Dallaghan
01:05:55
Paul, a Master of breath-mind-body, scholar & entrepreneur, talks to Adam about his life of yoga.
Paul has devoted the last three decades to developing expertise in the breath-mind-body lifestyle. He has received a PhD from one of the leading universities in the US, covering both the tradition and science of yoga and breath practices. He has been uniquely acknowledged in the Yoga tradition by “Master Yogi-Prānācharya (breath expert)”. He has been a dedicated teacher for 25 years and a pioneering entrepreneur establishing the first sustainably-based yoga-breath-meditation retreat centre in Asia, Samahita Retreat, in 2003. As a teacher, researcher, and presenter, Paul’s continuous effort is to help people improve their mental and physical health.
He is a highly natural and gifted speaker who has taught and spoken at events worldwide.
Nea established Ashtanga Yoga Dubai in 2013 and the yoga shala Nilaya House in 2017, a yoga studio offering a full range of yoga classes which she runs and teaches from. She received level 2 authorisation from Sharathji Jois in 2010.
She also is an avid student of yoga philosophy as well as running an ethical textile business working with local Indian woman to ensure fair conditions and pay.
In this podcast Nea and Adam are discussing the female menstrual cycle. As a man, you may notice him floundering at points. However, as a teacher of many women he thought it an extremely important subject to learn about.
Nea has been personally involved in charting her own cycle for a number of years now to her own benefit. She discusses the importance of honouring her cycle and the natural ebb and flow of life it suggests.
Therefore, instead of trying to gloss over these cycles, to homogonise our lives it makes more sense to use these natural, biological patterns of the body accordingly and follow their guidance. As they say, there is a season for everything. It appears through our conversation, it is only when you respect and even embrace the winter and spring, that you can also then enjoy the summer.
Nea is currently completing a three-year Yoga History and Philosophy program (Traditional Yoga Studies) and one-year certificate in Ayurveda (American Institute of Vedic Studies).
Her aim is to empower and inspire students to learn, explore and grow along their own very personal path of yoga, uncovering what brings balance and joy and keeps the flame of yoga burning bright.
19 Jun 2021
#53 - Keen on Yoga Podcast with Alexander Medin
01:10:31
This is my second interview with Alexander Medin. Alex has had many incarnations, many lives. However, the common thread I feel running through his history has always been the striving for self-understanding - nothing less than yoga.
I would suggest, this was evident in his younger, unsettled years getting into trouble with the police, becoming Norwegian champion boxer, the professional ballet dancer, actor and finally a Certified Ashtanga yoga teacher.
But, this episode focuses particularly on his most recent work; setting up “Back in the Ring”, a foundation teaching yoga to Norwegian prisoners; many of whom are serving long-term sentences.
Even by Alex’s standards, what he has achieved with this is remarkable, leading to government funding to provide yoga teaching across the board in Norwegian prisons.
In this podcast we discuss the practicalities of this, the difficulties and the achievements. Many of the prisoners have gone on to become yoga teachers in their own right. Some are employed in the running of Alex’s yoga hotel ‘Nosen’ high up in the Norwegian fjords.
23 Jan 2021
#33 - Keen on Yoga Podcast with Magnus Fridh
01:07:10
Magnus Fridh grew up as a restless child in Karlshamn, Blekinge, in southern Sweden. When he was seventeen, his life took a surprising and abrupt turn, his family received a visit from Karma, a Tibetan youth they were sponsoring. He was initially sceptical of anything that he deemed ”New Age”.
It didn’t take long before he realized the power of both meditation and mindfulness, and as he grew more interested he travelled to India to practice yoga, and later on specialized in Indology.
Today, Magnus is one of Sweden’s foremost experts on meditation and well-being. He regularly teaches group Ashtanga yoga, mindfulness and meditation classes.
His book THE ART OF STILLNESS IN A NOISY WORLD is a beautifully-packaged, down-to-earth guide. Divided into three parts: The Everyday, in which we learn how to find moments of stillness in daily life; Nature, where we leave the city life behind to ease our tensions; and Meditation, a practical guide to the growing art of meditation.
Magnus instils in us that we do not need to make drastic changes to change our lives, but small ones that will collectively increase our creativity, inspiration, and joy. He mixes personal reflections from his own wealth of experience with in-reading tips and suggestions—meaning, you can read and re-read this small guide to find inner calm and train yourself to become a master of stillness in your own life and surroundings.
The book has a companion playlist of meditative instrumental music, recorded by Magnus and Night Gestalt, searchable on Spotify under the original Swedish title of the book.
Magnus is also one of the founders of the Mindfulness app. The app has become wildly popular around the world, having been translated into 13 languages and involved in a number of ongoing research projects.
13 Oct 2024
Ep 194 Adam Keen – Creating Safe Spaces in Yoga
00:32:27
Adam discusses the pervasive issue of systemic abuse within the yoga community, particularly in Ashtanga yoga. He explores the impact of hierarchy and control, the role of language in perpetuating abuse, and the various forms of psychological and physical abuse that can occur in yoga spaces. Adam emphasizes the need for accountability among teachers, the importance of creating safe spaces for dialogue, and the necessity for change within the community to address discrimination and gaslighting. He concludes with a call to action for teachers and students alike to foster a more inclusive and supportive environment in yoga.
"Language can mean different things to different people."
Key Points
·Systemic abuse exists in the yoga world, particularly in Ashtanga.
·Hierarchy and control can lead to psychological and physical abuse.
·Language used in yoga can have different meanings and implications.
·Psychological abuse is often more prevalent than physical abuse.
·Discrimination and ableism are significant issues in yoga spaces.
·Teachers have a responsibility to create safe environments for students.
·Gaslighting and denial are common responses from teachers when confronted with abuse.
·There is a lack of accountability and transparency in yoga teaching.
·Creating avenues for feedback is essential for improvement.
·We must encourage open dialogue to address these issues.
20 Nov 2020
#26 - Keen on Yoga Podcast with David Keil
01:10:24
David Keil was introduced to yoga in 1989 by his Tai Chi Chuan teacher.
From 1999 to 2003 David was an instructor of Kinesiology (the study of movement and musculoskeletal anatomy) at Miami’s Educating Hands School of Massage where he developed a fun, informal and informative style of teaching.
As he taught incoming students with no prior understanding of anatomy, David was confronted with the problem of making such a complex and beautiful system accessible and understandable to the average person.
In 1999 he was introduced to Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. It was in 2001 whilst presenting his anatomy workshops for the first time overseas in Penzance, UK that he first met John Scott.
Two weeks practicing with John was transformational and he realized that he had found his teacher. This began a relationship of both teacher/student as well as a collaborative colleague relationship that continues today.
John advised David to go to Mysore, India the following year, which he did. David arrived in Mysore in 2002 where he studied with Sri K. Pattabhi Jois in the “old” shala. In fact, it was the last year that the old shala was used for practice.
David was authorized in 2004 and returned yearly for extended visits to Mysore with his wife Gretchen Suarez. They are both Authorized Level 2
MC Yogi (Nicholas Giacomini) shares his journey from a troubled youth to becoming a renowned yoga teacher and musician. He discusses the transformative power of yoga and breath, and how it helped him find peace and purpose in life. MC Yogi also talks about his mentor, Larry Schultz, and the development of Rocket Yoga.
He reflects on the counterculture vibe of early yoga and the cathartic nature of yoga practice. Finally, he shares his experience as a musician and the role of music in his spiritual journey. In this conversation, MC Yogi discusses the power of words and mantras in his music. He explains how he remembers his lyrics and mantras through somatic movement and neural programming. MC Yogi also shares his influences from various genres of music and the cultural influences of growing up in the Bay Area. He emphasizes connecting with the spirit and seeking the inner kingdom. MC Yogi's guilty pleasure is driving fast, and his inspiration comes from the awe-inspiring force of the breath.
Key Points
· Yoga can transform and bring peace and purpose to one's life.
· The breath is a powerful tool for self-awareness and connection.
· The counterculture vibe of early yoga created a sense of community and acceptance.
· Music can be a powerful tool for spiritual expression and connection.
01 Sep 2024
Ep 186 Adam Keen – The Science of Hatha Yoga Using the Body to Change the Mind
Adam explores the concept of emotions in the body in the context of yoga. He discusses the origins of yoga asana as a steady seat for meditation and the use of asana as an ascetic practice to hold the body still against the changing world. Adam explains how yoga, particularly Hatha Yoga, can help change neurological pathways and transform states of mind. He emphasizes the importance of balancing the active and passive aspects of ourselves and the role of the diaphragm in breathing techniques.
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Key Points
·Yoga asana can be used as a steady seat for meditation and as an ascetic practice to hold the body still against the changing world.
·Hatha Yoga is a science of the body that uses the body to change the mind and affect neurological pathways.
·Balancing the active and passive aspects of ourselves is important for emotional well-being.
·Breathing techniques, particularly using the diaphragm, can stimulate the nervous system and affect states of mind.
07 Aug 2020
#14 - Keen on Yoga Podcast with Simon Borg-Olivier
01:09:13
Simon is a true innovator. His style of yoga, yoga synergy is a very thoughtful integration of a number of south-Asian practices under the roof of yoga.
Having been introduced to the benefits of controlling breath at a very young age, he has spent his life learning and teaching sciences of movement - now for almost 40 years.
He combines this work with a firm foundation in Western medicine; having completed his 3rd MSc, he lectures and researches on physiotherapy at a couple of Universities in his native Australia.
05 Mar 2021
#39 - Keen on Yoga Podcast with Marque Garaux
00:58:29
Marque, a US Marine Veteran, long time rock climber and overall outdoor enthusiast, discovered Ashtanga Yoga while seeking different ways to alleviate his lower back pain.
After noticing an almost immediate physical change, Marque then slowly began to see other positive changes happening in his life as well. With no Ashtanga teachers in the area, he found himself with no choice but to get up early and practice on his own before work everyday. During this time Marque also attended a 200 teacher training and several Ashtanga workshops and intensives to deepen his understanding of this beautiful system.
In the fall of 2014 Marque decided to follow in the footsteps of the teachers that he most respected and applied for study at the K. Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute (KPJAYI). Marque was accepted and spent the first 2 months of 2015 in Mysore, India learning under the guidance of R. Sharath Jois. Marque has practiced with Sharath during multipe US tours and has also returned to India each year since and has practiced with both Sharath and Saraswathi. Marque received the blessing (Level 2 Authorization) from Sharath on December 12th, 2017 during his morning practice.
Marque is the owner of Great Lakes Ashtanga Yoga, where he runs a full Mysore program, teaches private lessons and hosts workshops. He, his wife and their adopted Indian street dog travel as often as possible to climb or to share yoga with others.
05 May 2024
Ep. 170 Richard Rosen – Exploring the Meaning of Yoga Beyond Asana
00:58:21
Richard Rosen (www.m-yoga.org/richard-rosen | @richardrosenyoga)
Adam interviews Richard Rosen, a yoga teacher and author, about his background in yoga and his book, Yoga FAQ. They discuss the evolution of yoga texts, the influence of yoga on Western psychology, and the potential for yoga to suppress emotions. They also explore the role of asana in yoga, the trend of yoga anatomy in classes, and the need for assessing students and structuring classes effectively.
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This conversation covers various topics related to yoga, including accessibility and challenges, the importance of beginner's courses, the practice of pranayama, the significance of savasana, meditation and concentration, the relevance of Sanskrit in yoga, and influences on modern yoga. Richard Rosen shares his insights and experiences, highlighting the need for a balanced and patient approach to yoga. He also discusses his guilty pleasure of writing silly poetry and draws inspiration from various writers and books.
Takeaways
Yoga is more than just asana; it is a comprehensive practice encompassing philosophy, meditation, and self-discovery.
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, while a foundational text, can be seen as life and world-denying, and may not fully align with modern yoga practices.
The Vedas, Upanishads, and other ancient texts provide valuable insights into the history and philosophy of yoga, but they can be challenging to read and interpret.
The popularity of yoga has led to the evolution of different styles and approaches, and teachers need to have a solid understanding of the tradition and the needs of their students.
Yoga anatomy can be useful for teachers, especially in therapeutic contexts, but it should not overshadow the broader aspects of yoga practice. Yoga should be accessible to all, but it is important to approach it cautiously and seek proper guidance to avoid injury or discouragement.
Beginner's courses can provide a solid foundation for yoga practice and help new students ease into the practice gradually.
Pranayama, the practice of breath control, can be challenging to teach and may require patience and perseverance from both the teacher and the student.
Savasana, the relaxation pose, is an essential part of yoga practice and can help develop self-awareness and a witness consciousness.
Meditation and concentration are integral to yoga and can be practised both on and off the mat.
Learning Sanskrit can deepen one's understanding of yoga and its traditional texts, but it is not necessary for all practitioners.
Various individuals and schools, including B.K.S. Iyengar, Pattabhi Jois, and Indra Devi, have had significant influences on modern yoga.
Richard Rosen finds joy in writing silly poetry and draws inspiration from writers such as Ian Banks, Stanislaw Lem, and José Saramago.
"Yoga doesn't affect the union, it reveals a union that pre-existed and will always exist."
"In any meditation practice, the world should be included in the meditation."
Early days in Hawaii | Cliff Barber | Discovering yoga in 1976 | Nancy Gilgoff & David Williams | Music career | No guru / Personal authority | Original Maui Crew | Learning v Perfecting | Good teachers don’t do intense adjustments | There were no full vinyasas | Modify daily | No break between primary and intermediate | The Origins of asana (more about Danny below)
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This episode is sponsored by Momence, the booking system we use and highly recommend. For our online, in-person and hybrid classes and events. There are packages to fit self-employed teachers to multi-site studios. With Momence, you can: ·
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·Organize your appointment types and availability
·Create marketing and win-back campaigns
·Organize your on-demand videos and courses
·See exactly how your business is doing through insightful reporting.
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Danny has been practising Ashtanga Yoga since May 1976 and teaching publicly (and occasionally privately) worldwide since 1979. He teaches all levels of students and teachers and was in one of the earliest groups of Westerners to learn all the classical sequences of Ashtanga Yoga.
His first teachers were David Williams and Nancy Gilgoff. David was the first western Ashtanga adept. He began teaching with David Williams in 1979 and was asked to assist him at that time.
He introduces the forms to beginning students, experienced, advanced practitioners, and teachers. Many people he has taught are now teaching others and have their own schools. He also introduced the Ashtanga forms to many people who were Yoga teachers in other traditions and styles.
Danny has taught numerous well-known artists, musicians, dancers, and sports champions and studied with K. Pattabhi Jois in 1978 in Hawaii and 1980 in Hawaii in the USA. This included K.P. Jois' first advanced series of public classes in 1980 which were in Maui, Hawaii.
He's also studied and practised with numerous teachers of other Yoga forms as well as various martial arts including Karate, Kung Fu and Tai Chi. His influences in Spirituality have come from Krishnamurti, teachings of Buddha, Jesus, Shiva, Yoga, as well as numerous Shamanic traditions of Native North and South Americans, from indigenous cultures of the Pacific, Tibet, Africa and Southeast Asia. Some of these traditions also include Mayan, Egyptian, and Hawaiian.
His main objective is to help people develop a sacred, personal, private, safe, healing, meditative, consistent, non-dogmatic Yoga practice.
17 Feb 2024
#160 Adarsh Williams - The Benefits of Ashtanga Yoga
Adarsh Williams shares his journey into yoga and how it helped him overcome anxiety and insomnia. He started with self-taught yoga practice using library books and later transitioned to Ashtanga Yoga. Adarsh emphasizes that yoga is a tool that can be applied in various ways and does not necessarily require a spiritual context.
He also discusses his experiences with Pattabhi Jois and Sharath Jois, highlighting their consistency and dedication to the practice. In this conversation, Adarsh Williams discusses his time with Sharath and the transition he went through after the passing of Pattabhi Joyce. He reflects on Sharath's pressure to fill his grandfather's shoes and how he has grown into his role as a teacher.
Adarsh emphasizes the importance of tolerance and understanding in the yoga community, as well as the need for a pragmatic approach to the Ashtanga method. He shares his experience with injuries and how he incorporates functional movement into his teaching. Adarsh concludes by revealing his guilty pleasure of being a professional wrestling fan and expressing his inspiration from his yoga students.
In this conversation, we discussed the importance of effective communication and explored various strategies to improve communication skills. We covered topics such as building trust and rapport, active listening and empathy, non-verbal communication, managing conflict, cultural sensitivity and diversity, and effective feedback.
These themes highlight the key aspects of communication that can lead to successful interactions and relationships. By implementing the strategies discussed, individuals can enhance their communication skills and achieve better outcomes in personal and professional settings.
Key Points
· Yoga can be a powerful tool for managing mental health issues such as anxiety and insomnia.
· Self-taught yoga practice can be effective, especially when combined with reading and learning from various sources.
· Ashtanga Yoga offers a structured and efficient practice that can lead to physical and mental transformation.
· The guru-disciple relationship in yoga can vary, and it is important to maintain a balanced perspective and not idealize the teacher. Transition and growth are natural processes in any practice or role.
· Tolerance and understanding are essential in the yoga community.
· A pragmatic approach to the Ashtanga method can benefit students of all levels and abilities.
· Incorporating functional movement can help prevent injuries and enhance the practice.
· Finding inspiration in yoga students and their dedication can motivate teachers to continue their work. Effective communication is crucial for successful interactions and relationships.
· Building trust and rapport is essential for effective communication.
· Active listening and empathy help in understanding others and fostering better communication.
· Non-verbal communication plays a significant role in conveying messages.
· Managing conflict requires effective communication and problem-solving skills.
· Cultural sensitivity and diversity awareness are important for inclusive communication.
· Providing constructive feedback is essential for personal and professional growth.
27 Dec 2020
#30 - Keen on Yoga Podcast with Kathy Cooper
01:04:07
Kathy Cooper has a consistent daily Ashtanga Yoga practice since 1976. David Williams and Nancy Gilgoff were her primary teachers. They taught her all of the series’ and pranayama. She studied with Guruji (K Pattabhi Jois) on many of his extended trips to the US, and in Mysore, India.
The inherent wisdom of Ashtanga yoga led her on a transformative journey. Being present in the body through the connection to the breath and bandhas is the key which unlocks the blocks.
Facing herself daily on the mat, she has opened to the deeper Self releasing the conditioning of the mind and body. Her love of yoga keeps her on the mat daily. It is my teacher, healer and her fountain of youth. She feels strong, balanced and happy.
The longing for the deeper truth of life has led her to explore Sufism, Shamanism, Vipassana meditation, and awake teachers. She has done many retreats over the years. Daily practice has supported this journey impeccably, both in integrating openings and in surrendering to the now.
She practices jin shin jyutsu, a type of accupressure which is deeply harmonizing. It is a perfect accompaniment to yoga.
Kathy brings this informed, deep, long-time practice to my teaching, supporting practitioners to strengthen their core/breath/alignment to correct and avoid injuries and move from the inside.
18 Jan 2023
#122 Shandor Remete The Hidden Teachings of Hatha Yoga
Pashupatis | Tantra | Mula bandha | Sadhana | Mastery vs Ability & availability | Asana is for preparatory steps | Bringing the blind spots into focus | Becoming conscious of programming and free from them | The pranic force | Developing the sensitivity of the mind | The penny drops | Asanas become mudras | Angaharas | Mantra sadhana | Real ujjayi breath | Use of mantra | What is behind the mind | Soma chakra | 5 Human Gurus
This episode is sponsored by Momence, the booking system we use and highly recommend. Momence facilitates online, in-person and hybrid classes and events, and there are packages to fit self-employed teachers to multi-site studios. With Momence, you can: ·
Manage your class and workshop schedule
Organize your appointment types and availability
Create marketing and win-back campaigns
Organize your on-demand videos and courses
See exactly how your business is doing through insightful reporting.
Have customers self-check-in via kiosks
Sell products and services with a fully integrated point of sale
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Sundernath (Shandor Remete) was fortunate to be born into a household at the southeastern tip of the great Hungarian plain where the art of yoga was a daily presence. From this seed, his destiny on the path of yoga unfolded.
He is an initiate of the Kanpatha Hatha Yogins of Nepal, descendants of Sri Gorakhnath, and his Guru Sri Matsyendranath. These great Yogins were the forefathers of Tantrik Hatha Yoga, the heart of which is Hatha Yoga – the science bestowed upon humanity by Adinatha (Lord Shiva).
Shadow Yoga
Shadow Yoga is a modern term that encompasses the ancient practices originating with the Pashupata tantrika yogins. These practises preceded and gave rise to Hatha Yoga. The Pashupata tantrika yogins are the oldest known ascetic yogins, even pre-dating Patanjali.
The name Shadow Yoga is derived from the sixth chapter (entitled ‘Yoga of the Shadow Man’) of the ancient tantrika treatise or writings titled ‘The Shiva-svarodaya’ (the birth of the breath of life revealed by the god Shiva).
The teaching of the Shadow School is based upon the ancient Hatha Yogic texts which state that ‘all fixed forms should be designed to develop the practice of freestyle’. Freestyle is a necessary step in the cultivation of longevity and enlightenment.
The required tools are the Shadow Yoga prelude forms, Nrtta (pure dance of Shiva), Asana (posture), Pranayama (inner breath control) and the mental practices through the concentrated power of will termed Samyama (even restraint).
The basis for all is Nrtta which in its light form is the legacy of the Pashupata tantrika yogins. Through this pure form, devoid of any gymnastic or theatrical embellishments, the sadhaka (aspirant) rediscovers the natural rhythmic currents hidden within the body.
Most of the asanas used in contemporary Hatha Yoga schools are adaptations of the standing and squatting karanas. The important difference is that in the original practice the placement of the legs was achieved through the energy of the legs whereas nowadays the legs are manipulated with the hands to achieve the same shapes.
Through Samyama the essence of these activities are drawn into a single point that acts as the gateway into the immensity better described as ‘the unknown’.
The Shadow Yoga teachings encompass different stages of learning. There are various paths from which to choose as one ascends to the heights of knowledge and experience. Each individual will choose the path that they feel most drawn towards.
Preparatory forms (Introduction to Shadow Yoga) 2. Nrtta Sadhana– pure dance of shiva 3. Shadanga Yoga– six limbs (asana, pranayama etc.) 4. Individual Yogasana – personalised one-to-one teaching based on the individual’s needs
01 Jul 2020
#9 - Keen on Yoga Podcast with Geeta Vara
01:04:45
Geeta is a wonderfully relatable teacher and guide in what is a highly complicated, subtle and ancient art.
Having quit a corporate career, she returned back to her roots to consider and dive further into aspects of her upbringing that she had deeply connected with when young.
Geeta's book Ancient Wisdom for Modern Wellbeing is an excellent and recommended overview of Ayurveda, and how you can use it in modern times.
She is a highly sought after (and one of only a handful) of Ayurvedic therapists treating in London, UK, with a long list of clients who work with her as a lifestyle-guide in the widest sense as she incorporates Ayurveda into living in the modern world.
13 Nov 2020
#25 - Keen on Yoga Podcast with Kiki Flynn
01:12:12
In this Keen on Yoga Podcast I talk to Kimberley Flynn, known as Kiki. Kiki began yoga practice in 1982 whilst she was studying for a degree in the moving Arts and theatre at NYU.
In 1993 she discovered Ashtanga Yoga when Pattabhi Jois came to New York at the Jivamukti school where she was practicing and teaching.
His visit made a huge impact and in that same year she took her first trip to Mysore. Over the years she made 13 trips to Mysore, sometimes staying for up to 6 months, and once just for 3 days to see Pattabhi Jois the week he passed away.
This was at a time when there were only a few students, maybe 14 in the shala and Kiki developed a close relationship with Pattabhi Jois and his family.
She even took trips with the family including one back to his boyhood village. Kiki later moved to LA and opened her own shala where she hosted Pattabhi Jois twice.
She is also renowned for her chanting and has released 2 cds with her teacher Jayashree from Mysore. Kiki is now a mentor and coach to many. She shares her perspective as yoga in the broadest sense spanning not only asana but also all things lifestyle.
She is a remarkable person who has led a colourful life, including being approached 3 times by the CIA as a recruit. She now lives on a boat on the Hudson River and recently set the record for the longest held downward dog.
It was my pleasure to speak with Kiki. You can find more about her on her website www.kikinyc.com
Instagram @kiki_says
And her You Tube channel Kiki Says where she shares tips on just about anything you can imagine.
21 Jul 2024
Ep 182 James Nestor – Are You Breathing as Well as You Could Be?
James Nestor, author of 'The Breath, The New Science of a Lost Art,' discusses the importance of breath and the prevalence of breathing dysfunction in society. He shares his personal journey of discovering the power of breath to improve his own health. Nestor explains the concept of bad breathing and the impact it can have on overall health. He also delves into the role of carbon dioxide in breathing and the benefits of proper breathing techniques.
Key Points
·Breathing dysfunction is prevalent in society, leading to various health issues.
·Proper breathing techniques, such as nasal breathing and diaphragmatic breathing, can improve overall health.
·Carbon dioxide plays a crucial role in breathing and can be used therapeutically.
·Jaw structure has a significant impact on breathing, and industrialized foods have contributed to narrower airways.
·Fresh air is essential for good health, and poor air quality can have detrimental effects.
·Teaching proper breathing techniques in yoga and exercise practices is crucial for optimal health.
24 Jul 2020
#12 - Keen on Yoga Podcast with Alex Medin
01:07:45
Alex runs a yoga retreat for those in recovery from drug and alcohol addition up in the Norwegian mountains, which is where he was when I interviewed him, so excuse any small sound blips.
This is just another incarnation of what has been a most remarkable life, starting off as a national boxing champion in his teens he then became a professional ballet dancer, before finally discovering yoga and literally living in Mysore, India for many years, where he bought a house and completed a Masters in Sanskrit.
Alex is both an advanced yoga asana practitioner, as well as a most knowledgeable yoga scholar. He was Certified in 2007 by Pattabhi Jois to teach the Ashtanga method.
06 Nov 2020
#24 - Keen on Yoga Podcast with Andrew Eppler
01:13:13
Andrew Eppler is the Director of Ashtanga Yoga Studio in Norman Oklahoma as well as the producer and director of the Mysore Yoga Traditions film.
Yoga and been a life-long journey for Andrew and he has been practicing Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga for over 3 decades. He had the unique experience of growing up with the practice and witnessed its evolution into world culture first-hand.
Andrew has spent many years studying the philosophy of the Nathamuni Sampradaya tradition that Sri Krishnamacharya belonged to.
He has developed an approach to teaching physical postures that fits the modern paradigm. He’s done this with the help and support of senior Sanskrit professors and the Royal Family of Mysore who began the Ashtanga Vinyasa tradition.
While staying grounded in traditional ideas about philosophy and the sequences of Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga, Andrew believes that there is inevitable evolution in yoga practice. He uses a "global fusion" of techniques.
Andrew is constantly researching different methods, comparing techniques from yoga communities around the world as he travels, and refining them to create the best approach possible in his own teaching.
We hope you enjoy the Keen on Yoga Podcast with Andrew Eppler. You can see more about him on his website.
23 Apr 2021
#47 – Keen on Yoga Podcast with Luke Jordan
01:03:23
Welcome to the Keen on Yoga Podcast with Luke Jordan.
Always feeling that there was something more to life, Luke first began formal study of Eastern mysticism in the 1990s while at University. He plunged headlong into the practise of Ashtanga Yoga in the year 2000.
This began the on-going journey that would take him around the world seeking out experts, gurus and teachers in the field of Yoga and spirituality.
Luke is always seeking to ground his practice and teaching in the wider Yoga philosophical tradition. He holds a Master’s degree in Indian Religion (his main focus being the deeper meaning of the Yoga philosophy).
He remains an avid student of mystical spiritual traditions and peppers his ‘teachings’ with insights drawn from his readings of the worlds spiritual traditions and mythologies.
We are sure you will enjoy this yoga podcast with Luke Jordan, you can find out more about him on his website.
Mysore in 1985 | $300 for one year | 2 students in the room | Sivananda ashram | First time seeing Ashtanga yoga | The practice was different | 10 breaths, not 5 | No jumping between sides in sitting | Each student had individual practice | One practice was 4.5 hours | The birth of the led class | Hooked on prana | Ego crisis | BNS Iyengar | Pattabhi Jois as a healer | 20 trips to Mysore | Adapting for older students | What is your reason for practice? | AG Mohan | Yoga is being in touch with your inner self
Connection with nature | Spending time outside | Moderation in all things | 2 basic principles of decisions | Connecting to oneself, others or nature | Protecting to avoid toxins of the world | Moderation is important | Asana is only one piece of the puzzle | Quiet time to quiet the mind | Paying attention to food choices | Making small changes a priority | Shift from what's good for me to what's good for all | Do your best | Cold baths | Outdoor practice | Sleep | Incorporating pleasure
This episode is sponsored by Momence, the booking system we use and highly recommend. Momence facilitates online, in-person and hybrid classes and events, and there are packages to fit self-employed teachers to multi-site studios. With Momence, you can: ·
Manage your class and workshop schedule
Organize your appointment types and availability
Create marketing and win-back campaigns
Organize your on-demand videos and courses
See exactly how your business is doing through insightful reporting.
Have customers self-check-in via kiosks
Sell products and services with a fully integrated point of sale
With live support by chat, phone and email Momence is easy to use for yourself and your customers.
Become a Patron: https://keenonyoga.com/membership/ Exclusive content, yoga & lifestyle tips, live Zoom meet-ups & more. €10 per month, cancel at any time.
Welcome to the Keen on Yoga Podcast with Max Strom. A 3x TEDx speaker, author, and global breathing teacher, known for teaching breathing patterns for personal transformation worldwide. Max developed a groundbreaking system of breathing techniques designed to alleviate crippling anxiety, depression, PTS and sleep problems. His field-tested method focuses on the causes rather than the symptoms and is known to produce rapid results.
Max has had a career as a lead singer in his own band, and then a screenwriter. He was 38 when I took the first step on his path as a yoga teacher. Pushed into it by friends he was still very insecure as he taught his first few classes. He's come a long way since then as a speaker and teacher and he credits this to the inner work he has done.
Through breathing techniques, meditation, inspiring spiritual teachers and writing, Max has reconnected with his inner child and learned how to give him the love and understanding that he so desperately needed.
Max has now found his voice. From feeling like an odd and insignificant loner, he has found the teacher, leader, and the storyteller in himself. Sharing his personal stories with people from different cultures, religions and backgrounds creates understanding and connection. Ultimately, we’re not that different from each other. Max believes that when we learn to understand one another, we learn to understand ourselves. We are all teachers in our own way, and we all matter.
We hope you enjoy the Keen on Yoga Podcast with Max Strom. You can find out more about him on his website.
24 Nov 2022
#114 Doctor Yogi (Andrew McGonigle) - Movement is Medicine
Andrew McGonigle is a medically trained yoga anatomy teacher empowering yoga teachers to teach from a more science-informed perspective. He talks to Adam about:
The Physiology of Yoga | Evidence-based thinking/research | Where is our information coming from? | What is anecdotal information? | What is expert opinion? | Systematic reviews/meta-analysis | Does yoga cause injuries? | Critical thinking | Muscle fascia & yin yoga | Does muscle shorten or lengthen over time? | Stretch tolerance | Role of the nervous system | Can you have short hamstrings? | Importance of hypermobility | Micromanaging teachers | The use of teaching language | Movement is medicine | Not moving is worse than moving | Lower back issues | Yoga for stress | Menstruation and shame in yoga | Parasympathetic system | Role of the diaphragm | Is yoga all you need? | What is bandha? | Detoxification, diet and yoga | When to step away from the rules
This episode is sponsored by Momence, the booking system we’ve been using for the last year and highly recommend. Momence is a booking system for online, in-person and hybrid classes and events with packages to fit self-employed teachers to multi-site studios. With Momence, you can: ·
• Manage your class and workshop schedule • Organize your appointment types and availability • Create marketing and win-back campaigns • Organize your on-demand videos and courses • See exactly how your business is doing through insightful reporting. • Have customers self-check-in via kiosks • Sell products and services with a fully integrated point of sale
With live support by chat, phone and email Momence is easy to use for yourself and your customers.
Adam met Jahnavi at Purple Valley Yoga in Goa in April and they started a dialogue, this is a follow-up conversation to that original one. Adam will be back at Purple Valley Goa teaching with Edwin Bryant in October 2024.
How do we balance yoga transmission for modern life? | Yoga is suited to the context of the West | When yoga goes too far from its roots makes it uncomfortable for Indians | How to move toward a more authentic expression | Is yoga union? | Going beyond the physical asana | Grounding the practice in yoga philosophy | Overtake of the sutras | Can you do yoga sadhana without looking at the original texts? | What is the sadhana grounded in? | How to a space of sincerity and authenticity | Physical movement and mind mastery | What do you use your mind for? | The trap of authoritarianism in the yoga world
The problem comes when you are taking the culture as an identity to what you are doing. If I practice yoga then I also have to wear the clothes and the beads and the whole set up as a costume. Yoga is not anything you do externally.
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Welcome to the Keen on Yoga podcast. Why do we need another yoga podcast? This offering is unique in presenting the practical wisdom of some of the most esteemed yoga-teachers, spiritual-thinkers and holistic practitioners.
It is not an attempt at presenting information, ideology or pedagogy, but a sharing of how our attempts to live and love better; with more awareness, honesty and skill actually look and translate in the reality of the modern world.
Yoga is for the mind, not the body | Yoga is the Vedic system of psychology | Treating trauma via breath and body | A healing modality | Importance of yoga philosophy | Using yoga to prove your validity | Include self-love and self-esteem in yoga | Spiritual bypassing | Acknowledging your own shadow | Making your mind sattvic | Pranayama | Being in service of the divine
This episode is sponsored by Momence, the booking system we’ve been using for the last year and highly recommend. Momence is a booking system for online, in-person and hybrid classes and events with packages to fit self-employed teachers to multi-site studios. With Momence, you can: ·
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Gregor is the international author of eight textbooks covering all eight limbs of yoga. His latest publication is How to Find Your Life’s Divine Purpose – Brain Software For a New Civilization. He is a mystic and a profuse blog writer covering topics on yoga and beyond. He travels the globe educating with passion, humour, insight and wisdom.
Today he teaches an anatomically sophisticated interpretation of traditional vinyasa yoga, integrated into the practice of the higher limbs in the spirit of Patanjali and T. Krishnamacharya. His zany sense of humour, his manifold personal experiences, and his vast knowledge of scripture, Indian philosophies and yogic techniques combine to make his teachings applicable, relevant and easily accessible to all his students.
Apart from offering Teacher Trainings online and face-to-face in Byron Bay, Bali Europe and Mexico, Gregor also teaches workshops in various locations around the world.
22 Mar 2023
#129 Laura Miguel - Ashtanga Yoga as a Lifelong Practice
Finding Ashtanga | Everything starts to work | Giving up a law career | Rediscovering herself in India | Going to Mysore | Shashadri to Sharathji | Teaching in Brazil | Changes in Mysore | Ayurveda & yoga for a long life | Don’t push for asana | The importance of sleep
This episode is sponsored by Momence, the booking system we use and highly recommend. Momence facilitates online, in-person and hybrid classes and events, and there are packages to fit self-employed teachers to multi-site studios. With Momence, you can:
·Manage your class and workshop schedule
·Organize your appointment types and availability
·Create marketing and win-back campaigns
·Organize your on-demand videos and courses
·See exactly how your business is doing through insightful reporting.
·Have customers self-check-in via kiosks
·Sell products and services with a fully integrated point of sale
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Laura Miguel is an Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga teacher, authorized by Sharath Jois in Mysore-India. Ayurvedic therapist graduated by Suddha Dharma in Uberlândia-MF and specialized in nutrition by the International Institute of Ayurveda in Puna-India.
Trained in astrology with Gunesvara Das. Author of the book Gestando com Ashtanga Yoga. Teaches the traditional method in Porto Alegre and all over Brazil in retreats and workshops. She works as an ayurvedic therapist helping her students in their search for knowledge. Laura believes that this method can be applied to all people interested in deepening their knowledge of Yoga.
09 Jul 2021
#56 – Keen on Yoga Podcast with Dr. Robert Svboda
01:20:55
Dr. Robert Svoboda is the first Westerner ever to graduate from a college of Ayurveda and be licensed to practice Ayurveda in India. During and after his formal Ayurvedic training he was tutored in Ayurveda, Yoga, Jyotish, Tantra and other forms of classical Indian lore by his mentor, the Aghori Vimalananda. He is the author of twelve books including Prakriti: Your Ayurvedic Constitution and the Aghora series, which discusses his experiences with his mentor during the years 1975 – 1983. (Information on all of his books can be found here)
Dr. Svoboda was born in Texas in 1953, and in 1972 earned a B.S. from the University of Oklahoma in Chemistry with a minor in French. After being ritually initiated into the Pokot tribe of northern Kenya as its first white member in June 1973 he moved to India, where he lived from 1973-80 and 1982-86, receiving his Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (Ayurvedacharya) from the University of Poona in 1980. In his final year of study at the Tilak Ayurved Mahavidyalaya he won all but one of the University of Poona’s awards for academic excellence in Ayurveda, including the Ram Narayan Sharma Gold Medal.
The Aghori Vimalananda also owned thoroughbred race horses, and Dr. Svoboda served as his Authorized Racing Agent at the Royal Western India Turf Club in Bombay and Poona between 1975 and 1985. He later served as Adjunct Faculty at the Ayurvedic Institute in Albuquerque, NM, and at Bastyr University in Kenmore, WA.
In the years since 1986 Dr. Svoboda has traveled extensively, spending three months per year on average in India. He often speaks on Ayurveda, Jyotish, Tantra and allied subjects in locales across the world.
14 Aug 2020
#15 - Keen on Yoga Podcast with Matthew Sweeney
01:16:57
Matthew Sweeney was introduced to yoga by his martial arts teacher and in 1994 he went to Mysore for the first time and returned there regularly up until 2006. Since 1998 his personal practice has included “Advanced B", or 4th Series, and he has also explored much of Advanced C.
He began teaching Ashtanga Yoga in 1996, however over time his teaching style has shifted somewhat from a standard orthodox approach to something that he feels is more holistic.
He has developed his own vinyàsa sequences that he promotes and teaches as suitable alternatives to the standard series and are conducted to encourage students to apply a therapeutic approach to their personal practice and to encourage an adventurous heart.
He has spent the last 20 years practicing different forms of self-inquiry, including meditation, tantra, Gestalt Therapy, Transpersonal Therapy, Transforming Cellular Memory, Buddhism and advaita vedanta. All of these have contributed greatly to his understanding of yoga and the connection between the body, Self, and the Divine.
You can find more details about Matthew on his website.
09 Jun 2024
Ep 176 Adam Keen – Don’t Have Time For An Ashtanga Practice?
00:28:45
Adam discusses the concept of short forms in Ashtanga Yoga. He explains that while the traditional practice involves doing the entire series every day, it is not always practical or beneficial.
Key Points
Short forms in Ashtanga Yoga can be a sensible approach when time, energy, or inspiration are limited.
Variation in practice is important to prevent stagnation and maintain enthusiasm.
Short forms should still incorporate the principles of posture, counter posture, building, and vinyasa.
Grounding and ending the practice with a focus on the parasympathetic nervous system is essential.
Practitioners should listen to their bodies and make adjustments to their practice as needed.
28 Apr 2024
#169 Adam Keen – Exploring the Modern Mysore Tradition of Ashtanga Yoga
00:44:14
Adam Keen – Exploring the Modern Mysore Tradition of Ashtanga Yoga
Adam discusses the modern Mysore tradition of Ashtanga yoga. He explores the early days of Krishnamacharya in the Mysore Palace and the emergence of a dynamic form of yoga.
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·The modern Mysore tradition of Ashtanga yoga emerged with Krishnamacharya in the Mysore Palace, where a dynamic form of yoga started to take shape.
·The Ashtanga tradition is a modern tradition that has evolved, with influences from various teachers and adaptations to suit different contexts and individuals.
·The sequences in Ashtanga yoga are not fixed and rigid, but rather a general method that can be adapted to each individual's body and needs.
·The emphasis on specific details and postures in the modern Ashtanga tradition is a recent innovation and not a fundamental aspect of the practice.
·Understanding the historical roots and context of the Ashtanga tradition is important, but ultimately, the effectiveness of the practice should be judged based on individual experience and results.
27 Aug 2021
#62 – Keen on Yoga Podcast with Mariela Cruz
01:01:13
Mariela Cruz is quite a force. She has been a student of Sharathji Jois since 2003. She first arrived in Mysore to Gokulam and there was no internet so she simply knocked on the door and Pattabhi Jois opened and invited her into the family terrace.
That same day she met her Guru Sharath and he asked her to stay for one month only. Busy with children and family responsibilities back in her then country Costa Rica she was not able to stay but tasted the honey and could only think about going back to India.
Mariela's favourite quote is practice and all is coming. She feels our lives will be completely transformed because our minds are made new with our practice. Our lives in samsara will be completely dismantled yet something precious it’s on its way.
She has been to Mysore many times and finished third series in November 2019 with her Guru. She has also assisted him in his shala. Mariela is a lawyer with 3 masters and was appointed Ambassador of Costa Rica to India 2016-2018.
Since then she is lucky to live in India close to her Guruji. Mariela is the mother of Hernan, Adriana, Ariel, Gabriel, Gael, Theo and Matias. She is blessed beyond the beyond with the magic of “Seventh Series.”
She has plenty of experience sustaining the practice of Ashtanga through pregnancies and post partum and the creativity to raise a family and yet hold the demands of practice.
She loves playing the piano. Her favourite composers are Bach, Beethoven, Debussy and Chopin.
03 Nov 2024
Ep 197 Daniel Simpson – Addiction in Yoga: Striving for More
Adam and Daniel explore the complexities of modern yoga practice, particularly the push for performance in asana and the confusion surrounding its original purpose. They discuss the emotional journey that practitioners undergo, the disconnect between asana and traditional yoga philosophy, and the addictive nature of striving for progress. The dialogue emphasizes the importance of understanding objectives in practice and the need for emotional awareness in yoga, ultimately advocating for a reframing of how yoga is taught and experienced. They also touch on the modern yoga landscape, the commodification of yoga, and the search for deeper meaning beyond superficial happiness.
Key Points
·Modern yoga often emphasizes performance over original objectives.
·The confusion in asana practice stems from a lack of clear aims.
·Asana was originally about sitting comfortably, not performing shapes.
·Emotional processes are integral to the yoga experience.
·Striving in practice can lead to addiction and desensitization.
·Progress in yoga is often perceived linearly, which is misleading.
·Conditioning affects how we approach yoga and our expectations.
·Advanced asanas do not necessarily correlate with emotional well-being.
·The pursuit of satisfaction in yoga can lead to suffering.
·Reframing yoga practice can enhance emotional awareness and understanding. Reframing Ashtanga Yoga can lead to a deeper understanding of its benefits.
·Context is crucial in evaluating the practice of asana.
·Yoga originally aimed for a state of being, not just physical practice.
·Honesty in practice is essential for growth and understanding.
·Cultural perspectives on shame and guilt influence modern yoga practices.
·The modern yoga landscape often prioritizes performance over true practice.
·Finding meaning in yoga goes beyond achieving physical postures.
·The commodification of yoga can detract from its philosophical roots.
·Self-identity plays a significant role in how we approach yoga.
·True contentment in yoga comes from understanding and relationships.
05 Apr 2023
#130 Ruth Westoby - Baking The Body in the Fire of Yoga
The Relationship Between Academic Study & Practice | Learning Ashtanga Yoga | Entering into the academic study of yoga | Reading the Bhagavad Gita | Getting obsessed with details | Mark Singleton’s & Norman Sjoman’s books | Are the myths being busted? | The Sritattvanidhi | The transformation of practice enriches interest in the texts | Practising to techno | Cultural appropriation | Can we separate mind & body? | Use of critical theory in yoga | Yoga necessary for doing the contemplation elements
This episode is sponsored by Momence, the booking system we use and highly recommend. Momence facilitates online, in-person and hybrid classes and events, and there are packages to fit self-employed teachers to multi-site studios. With Momence, you can: ·
·Manage your class and workshop schedule
·Organize your appointment types and availability
·Create marketing and win-back campaigns
·Organize your on-demand videos and courses
·See exactly how your business is doing through insightful reporting.
·Have customers self-check-in via kiosks
·Sell products and services with a fully integrated point of sale
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Ruth Westoby is a doctoral researcher in yoga and an Ashtanga practitioner. As well as offering workshops and lectures at studios and conferences, Ruth teaches on some of the principal teacher training programmes in the UK and beyond. Ruth is on the steering committee for the SOAS Centre of Yoga Studies.
Ruth collaborated with the Haṭha Yoga Project’s ‘embodied philology’, interpreting postures from an 18th-century text teaching a precursor of modern yoga, the Haṭhābhyāsapaddhati, in 2016 and 2017.Ruth began to explore yoga practices in 1996 and started teaching postural yoga in 2004. In 2010 she received an MA in Indian Religions from SOAS, University of London, with Distinction.
Ruth has studied closely with Hamish Hendry and Richard Freeman. In 2015 she was authorized by Sharath to teach Ashtanga level 2. Ruth does not practice at studios which display images of Pattabhi Jois on altars in solidarity with those who were sexually abused by him. For resources and dialogue on this please contact Ruth directly.
Ruth is researching for a doctoral thesis on ‘Bodies in Haṭhayoga: Gender, Materiality and Power’at SOAS under the supervision of James Mallinson.
23 Jun 2024
Ep 178 Adam Keen – Yoga Community – It’s a Lifeline
00:33:19
www.keenonyoga.com | @adam_keen_ashtanga
Adam explores the topic of community in the context of yoga, specifically Ashtanga yoga. He discusses the importance of community and belonging, as well as the challenges and drawbacks that can arise within a community. Adam also touches on the role of the teacher, the need for autonomy within a community, and the balance between a firm center and expanding edges. He emphasizes the importance of open discussion and the preservation of individuality within a collective.
Community is essential in yoga, providing a sense of belonging and support.
However, communities can have drawbacks, such as strict rules and a lack of autonomy.
The role of the teacher is important in creating a healthy community dynamic.
Balancing a firm center with expanding edges allows for growth and dialogue within a community.
Preserving individuality and autonomy is crucial within a collective.
Open discussion and the ability to question and express doubts are essential in a community.
The modern yoga center can play a role in fostering inclusivity and community.
Community should extend beyond the yoga class and into daily life.
The concept of sangha, or community, has always been important in spiritual practices.
29 Jan 2021
#34 - Keen on Yoga Podcast with Day Christensen
01:08:40
Day Christensen took up the practice of yoga in 2004 when she was drawn to the elusive peacefulness and glow that so many yoga practitioners seemed to have.
She quickly became drawn to the Mysore style practice of Ashtanga yoga as she recognized that the student’s potential for growth superseded what she had experienced in other styles.
Soon began her life was scheduled around her yoga practice, and her late nights and unhealthy habits stopped. After 3 trips to Mysore, Day was given the blessing to teach as an Authorized Level 2 teacher. Due to years of suffering from persistent back pain, Day felt that that the system of learning yoga asanas could be improved.
Rather than set the sequences of the Ashtanga system, groups of asanas should be given according to each student’s current and developing postural needs.
The DAY1YOGA Method was born: A tailored and customizable practice without posture- or series-hierarchy.
This incorporates the element of 1 to 1 instruction of the Mysore style, of 1:1 instruction with each person working according to their own needs, ability, and pace, but with a reassessment of the series and order of postures.
There is zero delineation between “advanced” and “beginner” students. Day sees students as just people with issues, all there for the healing and strengthening modality that yoga should be.
Teaching yoga teachers | Physical assists | Mixing Ashtanga & Iyengar | Inner breath experience | The role of the teacher | Sage on the stage v guide on the side | Facilitating yoga v creating a show | Skeletal variations | Injuries | Moving in a pain-free motion | Trusting practical wisdom
This episode is sponsored by Momence, the booking system we’ve been using for the last year and highly recommend. Momence is a booking system for online, in-person and hybrid classes and events with packages to fit self-employed teachers to multi-site studios.
With Momence, you can: ·
Manage your class and workshop schedule
Organize your appointment types and availability
Create marketing and win-back campaigns
Organize your on-demand videos and courses
See exactly how your business is doing through insightful reporting.
Have customers self-check-in via kiosks
Sell products and services with a fully integrated point of sale
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2 MONTHS FREE TRAIL: click on the link below for more information or book a demo and quote “Keen on Yoga” https://momence.com/lp/keen-on-yoga
Rachel Scott took her first yoga class and was hooked. She enjoyed the practice that got her out of her head and into her body. Yoga became a safe space to feel, challenge myself, and reconnect.
Since 2003, she’s immersed herself in education and the yoga business: managing studios and teachers. Rachel creates and leads teacher trainings, hires and coaching faculty, auditioning and mentoring teachers. In addition, she creates new programs and workshops, supporting the growth of two multi-location, national yoga companies (Yoga Works and YYoga).
Her mission is to share what she knows – about education, yoga, and business – to help teachers and studios elevate their offerings, share their passion, and bring more yoga into the world.
Exclusive content, yoga & lifestyle tips, live Zoom meet-ups & more.
€10 per month, cancel at any time.
06 May 2022
#92 – Keen on Yoga Podcast with Deepika Mehta
00:51:29
Deepika Mehta has been on the forefront of Yoga, fitness and wellness in India since 2001. She is a Level 2 Authorised Ashtanga Yoga Teacher and a mom to her daugther Devi Tara.
Because Deepika used Yoga to heal herself from an accident she had several years ago, she believes deeply in the power of the healing process of the practice.
Deepika is known for her motivational and inspirational style of teaching, believing that anyone can achieve what they want if they put their mind to it.
It’s hard to fit all her achievements into one write up. She has had several television shows of her own like Yoga City on NDTV Good Times, Tata Sky Active Fit and Biggest Loser.
She has been featured in various publications in India including Vogue, India Today, Elle Magazine etc.Been on the cover of India Today. In addition, she was awarded Yoga Expert of the Year by Vogue India in 2018 and been in the Wellness Powerlist, 2021 in Hello Magazine, India.
Some of India’s top celebrities and actors including Priyanka Chopra, Aishwarya Rai, Deepika Padukone have been taught by Deepika. She has given a Ted Talk at the UN Headquaters in NYC.
Deepika loves to incorporate dance and various other forms of movement and healing practices into her teaching mix.
She now lives in Bali with her husband Mark Robberds and daughter Devi.
If you enjoy the Keen on Yoga Podcast and would like to support us you can share this post, give us a review on Apple or Spotify or make a donation . We appreciate your help to us keep creating free content for all.
01 Aug 2021
#58 – Keen on Yoga Podcast with David Roche
01:04:37
David, at 78 looks back over his rich life, already having outlived his prognosis with a terminal form of cancer. This episode was therefore extra special for us; deeply poignant and touching at moments, joyous at others, and, if nothing else, seriously thought-provoking.
After growing up gay in a Georgia, USA, where it was not a welcome choice at the time, he escaped from military school (where his step father sent him – to make him a man), by faking a broken-jaw in a compulsory boxing match he was forced to undertake.
From then on, he pursued his main love of dance. Studying under the foremost disciples of Martha Graham in New York, he became a professional dancer and then a teacher , finally moving to Adelaide, Australia where he ran the dance department.
After deciding to marry and have a family, he finally stumbled upon Ashtanga late in the day – at 48 years old. This makes him probably one of the oldest teachers ever to achieve certification. For many years he travelled and taught – he was one of the first teachers to go on the road, His teaching incorporates the lessons gleaned from his career as a dancer, choreographer, and, artist.
More recently, needing to settle down, he headed up the Jois Yoga Shala in Sydney whilst still visiting Mysore each year for 3 months (up until last year), to study and assist Saraswati teach. David is a highly sensitive and thoughtful individual, quite unique to this modern age, and it has been a pleasure to spend this time with him. We, in fact, recorded this episode twice, after technical issues got in the way of our first attempt.
25 Aug 2024
Ep 187 David Garrigues - Finding Joy in Practice and Teaching
In this conversation, David Garrigues discusses his journey as a yoga teacher and the challenges he has faced along the way. He emphasizes the importance of being authentic and real as a teacher, even if it means admitting to struggles and imperfections. David also talks about the need for structure and specificity in teaching, while also recognizing the importance of individual interpretation and exploration. He shares his love for Ashtanga Yoga and the joy it brings him, and how he has evolved his teaching style over the years.
Key Points
·Being authentic and real as a yoga teacher is important, even if it means admitting to struggles and imperfections.
·There is a need for structure and specificity in teaching, while also allowing for individual interpretation and exploration.
·Finding joy in your practice and teaching is essential for staying motivated and connected to the practice.
·Ashtanga Yoga can be a powerful modality for teaching and practicing yoga, but it is important to adapt it to the individual needs and abilities of students. Structure and repetition can be beneficial in a yoga practice, providing comfort and allowing for deeper exploration.
·The existing sequences in Ashtanga yoga offer a wealth of knowledge and experience that can be thoroughly explored.
·Anatomy and physicality are important aspects of the practice, as they provide a foundation for bandhas and breath control.
·Engaging with the ritual of yoga can lead to self-discovery and a deeper understanding of oneself.
·The interplay between movement and stillness, becoming and being, is a fundamental aspect of yoga.
·Teaching yoga requires balancing the sharing of knowledge with empowering the student and avoiding the misuse of power.
·The practice of yoga can be physically and mentally demanding, requiring rest and recovery.
·Students and their dedication to the practice can be a great source of inspiration for teachers.
·Generosity and the joy of giving are important qualities to cultivate in the practice and teaching of yoga.
04 Oct 2022
#109 – Keen on Yoga Podcast with Matt Ryan
00:56:54
Matt Ryan @mattryanyoga | www.yoga-manchester.co.uk | DJ to Yogi | Panic Attacks | Depersonalisation | Kissing the Guru’s Feet | Advaita Experiences | Tradition or Trend? | Hard Core Zen | The Love of Helping People | New Beginnings in Manchester | Always Maintaining a Practice
This episode is sponsored by Momence, the booking system we’ve been using for the last year and highly recommend. Momence is a booking system for online, in-person and hybrid classes and events with packages to fit self-employed teachers to multi-site studios.
With Momence, you can: ·
Manage your class and workshop schedule
Organize your appointment types and availability
Create marketing and win-back campaigns
Organize your on-demand videos and courses
See exactly how your business is doing through insightful reporting.
Have customers self-check-in via kiosks
Sell products and services with a fully integrated point of sale
With live support by chat, phone and email Momence is easy to use for yourself and your customers.
2 MONTHS FREE TRAIL: click on the link below for more information or book a demo and quote “Keen on Yoga” https://momence.com/lp/keen-on-yoga
Matt Ryan traded in the life of a DJ, including a stint at Manchester’s famous nightclub The Hacienda, for the life of yoga. He was introduced to Ashtanga yoga to deal with anxiety and depersonalisation disorder, and it helped him immensely.
Soon afterwards made the trip to Mysore at the Laxmipurum shala with Pattabhi Jois. He was granted Level 2 authorisation from the AYRI, as it was known at the time.
That was over 23 years ago, and he’s remained immersed in yoga.
Matt complements his Ashtanga practice with Zen Buddhism and the daily sitting practice of Zazen. He finds in this combination an immediate effect resulting in a steadier, more focused mind whilst moving through the asana sequences. The result is a sense of in-the-moment presence coupled with a solid flexible mind & body.
In 2015 Matt created the ‘Nee-Ji’, safe knee support for yoga & meditation. (nee-ji.com). He is also the father of 4 children.
Matt has taught internationally and has established yoga studios in Manchester, London and Los Angeles. In 2023 he is looking forward to new beginnings for Yoga Manchester, and we look forward to seeing him thrive.
An honest talk about menopause and practice through it. As well as loving the colour purple.
Learning with John Scott in 2000 | 7 years of primary series | The original Ashtanga community in the UK | Practice with joy | Moving into the middle and older phases of the body | Body recovery after giving birth | Change in cycles | Hot flashes & talking yourself out of them | Hormonal changes in the body | Going crazy before neutral | Flexible then stiff | The importance for male teachers to understand | Practising during menstruation | Effects of nutrition on the body | Craving quiet space | Changes in diet | Celebrate being a woman
This episode is sponsored by Momence, the booking system we’ve been using for the last year and highly recommend. Momence is a booking system for online, in-person and hybrid classes and events with packages to fit self-employed teachers to multi-site studios. With Momence, you can: ·
Manage your class and workshop schedule
Organize your appointment types and availability
Create marketing and win-back campaigns
Organize your on-demand videos and courses
See exactly how your business is doing through insightful reporting.
Have customers self-check-in via kiosks
Sell products and services with a fully integrated point of sale
With live support by chat, phone and email Momence is easy to use for yourself and your customers.
Membership: https://keenonyoga.com/membership/ Exclusive content, yoga & lifestyle tips, live Zoom meet-ups & more. €10 per month, cancel at any time.
Cathy Louise has been teaching Ashtanga Yoga for 31 years. Her first teacher was Beryl Bender Birch, who she did a two-year apprenticeship with in New York in the late 1980s. Cathy Louise's early studies with Beryl still inform her teaching today. Cathy Louise met Pattabhi Jois during his first visit to New York and received his blessing to teach Ashtanga in 2000.
Known for her transformative hands-on adjustments, Cathy Louise's teaching style also owes much to John Scott. In the late 1990s, she assisted John in his Mysore classes in London and then inherited her own Mysore style classes at Astanga Yoga London. While in London she taught vinyasa yoga at Triyoga, did a year-long apprenticeship in Pregnancy Yoga with Lynne Pinette, and met Nancy Gilgoff who was pivotal in empowering Cathy Louise as a female Ashtanga teacher.
Cathy Louise's Pregnancy and Mom & Baby classes draw on her experience as a mother of three. In her Ashtanga classes too, she openly shares her journey as a woman so students may learn how best to adjust the practice of yoga in all stages of their lives.
Perimenopause is the time before menopause. A woman’s hormone levels start to change causing symptoms like:
Irregular menstrual cycles – ovulation becomes less regular. Flow can be lighter or heavier
Hot flashes – hormone changes can start to create hot flashes.
Sleep problems – due to hot flashes or “night sweats”.
Mood changes – hormone levels change meaning some women have more mood swings, irritable.
Decreased fertility – ovulation becomes less regular so it’s harder to conceive.
Changes in sexual feeling – less interested in sex.
Loss of bone density – with lower oestrogen bones lose density faster than you can replace bone.
Changes in cholesterol levels – lower oestrogen levels can make you start to have “high cholesterol”.
Other symptoms can be vaginal dryness, weight gain, slow metabolism, thinning hair, and dry skin.
Menopause is when you have not had a menstrual cycle for at least a 12-month period. Menopause can happen in your 40s to 50s. The average age in the US of menopause is 51 years old. Symptoms can continue as with “perimenopausal” symptoms, and you can also experience:
Fatigue, difficulty concentrating or memory loss, dizziness, weight gain, incontinence, bloating, changes in body odour, depression and anxiety, breast pain, headaches, joint pain, burning tongue, muscle tension, dry itchy skin, osteoporosis, gum problems, anxiety, brittle nails, tingling in the legs/arms.
Early Menopause or Premature Menopausecan happen any time before the usual age of 40s-50s. Early menopause can come with having a hysterectomy (removal of ovaries), chemotherapy (cancer treatment) or stress.
It’s important if you have early menopause that you have a balanced diet and take medical advice to make sure you remain healthy.
07 Apr 2024
#166 Andrea Ferretti – The Human Side of Yoga Teachers
Andrea Ferretti shares her journey into yoga, starting in the 90s and finding her passion for Ashtanga. She discusses the challenges of early yoga classes and the evolution of yoga studios, as well as her transition to working at Yoga Journal and the opportunity to study with different yoga teachers.
Andrea shares her struggles with mental health and how yoga and meditation have been transformative for her. She also discusses the phenomenon of imposter syndrome in the yoga teaching community.
They also touch on the purpose of yoga, the impact of yoga on mental health, navigating life as a cancer survivor, and starting the Yoga Land podcast. Throughout the conversation, they emphasize the importance of self-compassion, curiosity, and authenticity in the yoga teaching journey.
Key Points
· The yoga community in the 90s was small and intimate, with studios often fitting only a handful of students.
· Personal insight and experience are essential in yoga practice, and teachers should encourage students to find their own path.
· Yoga can be a powerful tool for mental health, providing a refuge and a sense of connection.
· Imposter syndrome is common among yoga teachers, but it can be managed by acknowledging it and focusing on personal growth.
· The evolution of yoga has led to a more diverse and inclusive practice, with a focus on individual needs and experiences. Coping with imposter syndrome involves acknowledging and accepting one's flaws and mistakes, rather than trying to be perfect.
· The role of the yoga teacher is to have genuine interest and care for students and to provide tools for self-inquiry and turning inward.
· Yoga helps individuals observe themselves and spend time looking inside, providing a sense of quiet and self-awareness.
· Embracing imperfection and learning in public is essential for growth as a yoga teacher, as it allows for continuous learning and improvement.
· Yoga can have a profound impact on mental health, providing tools for managing anxiety and stress.
· Being a cancer survivor can change one's perspective on life and priorities, leading to a greater appreciation for what truly matters.
· Starting a podcast can be a way to share conversations and teachings with a wider audience, and it can be a platform for personal growth and learning.
· Nerve-wracking and difficult interviews can be valuable learning experiences, teaching resilience and adaptability.
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#66 – Keen on Yoga Podcast with Jimmy That Meditation Guy
01:02:33
Jimmy started meditation as his life enjoyment was crippled by insomnia. he heard that meditation was a scientifically valid way to treat that problem. He had already tried to fix it with courses on mindfulness, books and guided meditation CDs, but nothing got me to that deep place I'd heard about. Then he found a teacher from the ancient Vedic tradition.
After four days of meditation training in a little room in London, his life was on a new path (and he was sleeping like a baby). Since then he’s been hooked. He has spent years training, exploring and testing meditation techniques. Jimmy is fascinated by the science and philosophies of these ancient practices. Now he teaches busy people the most powerful technique he knows for connecting to deep inner silence and stillness.
The technique is an ancient one from the Himalayas that is scientifically proven to deliver transformative benefits. This is completely different from mindfulness and other styles of meditation which you might have tried before.
He shows how to get into a deep state of meditative absorption in just 20 minutes. This melts away stress and leaves you feeling happy, energised, and clear-headed. A skill for life you'll be delighted to practice.
It takes you beyond the thinking mind into a place of peace, stillness, calm and silence. Life becomes easier when you delve into this altered state each day.
It doesn't involve focussing on your breath or body sensations. It doesn't involve witnessing your mind or visualising anything. Nor does it involve mindless chanting. The technique leads to an altered state of consciousness.
This shows up as highly organised and synchronised alpha waves in both hemispheres of your brain. This is a sign of deep relaxation for the body and rejuvenating rest for the mind. This is the mechanism that delivers the benefits of meditation.
It's a marvellous stroke of luck that getting into this state is fairly quick and extremely enjoyable once you know how to do it.
If you would like to support the Keen on Yoga Podcast please give us a review, or make a donation.
05 Feb 2021
#35 - Keen on Yoga Podcast David Williams
01:06:19
David Williams has been practicing yoga daily, without interruption, since 1971.
In 1972 while he was at Dr. Swami Gitananda's Ananda Ashram in Pondicherry, South India, he met Manju, the son of K. Pattabhi Jois, and saw him demonstrate the Ashtanga Yoga Primary series.
In 1973, he began learning Ashtanga Yoga from K. Pattabhi Jois at his home in Mysore, India.
David was one of the first non-Indian students to be taught the complete Ashtanga Yoga system of asanas and pranayama directly from Jois and became one of the first to be certified to teach the Ashtanga Yoga asanas.
He was also one of the very few people ever certified by Jois to teach the Ashtanga Yoga pranayama. In 1975 David, along with Nancy Gilgoff organized and sponsored Pattabhi Jois and Manju’s first visit to Encinitas, California and introduced them to America and the western world.
David is responsible for teaching the Ashtanga Yoga system to many of the world’s leading teachers and practitioners, including David Swenson, Doug Swenson, Danny Paradise, Cliff Barber, Batiste Marceau, Bryan Kest, Jonny Kest, Clifford Sweatte, Tracy Rich, Chuck Miller, Maty Ezraty, Kathy Cooper, and Andrew Eppler.
David is 71 years old. He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He has lived on the island of Maui, Hawaii, since l976. His book My Search For Yoga was 10 years in the making and is his story as a yoga detective from the age of 20.
Focusing on the years between 1970 and 1977 throughout Europe, two overland trips to India, and the early days in the Carolinas, Florida, California, and Maui.
It includes crazy stories that he has shared in his classes over the years. and highlights the characters who were a part of his journey.
The book contains 132 rare color images including photos, original documents of the Ashtanga syllabus and 12 letters from Pattabhi Jois.
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