CHITHEADS with Jacob Kyle (Embodied Philosophy) - TopPodcast.com

View Top 200 Chart

Back to Rankings Page

CHITHEADS with Jacob Kyle (Embodied Philosophy) — Religion & Spirituality
CHITHEADS with Jacob Kyle (Embodied Philosophy)

Chitheads is a smorgasbord of contemplative education. Each episode is like a mini masterclass, exploring the diverse landscapes of spiritual practice, philosophy, and the transformative power of embodied knowledge. Each episode is crafted with the curious and open heart in mind, aiming to illuminate the path of self-inquiry and empowerment for yoga teachers, scholar-practitioners, meditators and other spiritual seekers and contemplative folks from around the world. From the profound teachings of Yoga and Buddhism to the sometimes complex theories of contemplative psychology and the vibrant tapestry of indigenous wisdom, our guests share insights that awaken, challenge, and inspire. With every episode, we dive into discussions that matter, exploring questions that guide us closer to our true selves and to a deeper understanding of the world around us. Our mission is to create a space where wisdom (and not fame, power, or money) is the center of gravity and what we are most concerned about cultivating in this lifetime. Join us on Chitheads as we explore the liminal spaces of consciousness, embrace the complexities of the human experience without dogma or self-righteousness, and discover the beauty again and again of the interconnectedness of all things. Subscribe to Chitheads on YouTube and your favorite podcast platform, and please consider leaving us a positive review on one iTunes, or your favorite podcast player. Come dive into these in-depth conversations that illuminate our path of contemplative discovery. If you’ve felt like you’re the only one full of chit – full of consciousness or awareness ˀ– welcome home. This community of listeners, seekers, and scholar-practitioners is for you.

Latest Episodes:

Tias Little On Practice as the Path (#126) Jan 12, 2021

Show notes

In this episode, we discuss:

How yoga communities and the industry have changed during the Covid pandemic.
The inspiration for Tia’s new book “The Practice is the Path”.
Being comfortable living with uncertainty.
Identity and attachment.
The significance of dreams and the role of the dream state in breaking the spell of the everyday life.
Emphasizing the “not doing” and shifting the default mode to be one of rest
Yoga and the art of seeing - the role of being seen and heard in relationship and healing.

About Tias Little: Tias Little’s unique and skillful approach enables students to find greater depth of understanding and awareness in their practice, both on and off the mat. His approach to the practice is inter-disciplinary, passionate, intelligent, innovative and full of insight. Tias synthesizes years of study in classical yoga, Sanskrit, Buddhist studies, anatomy, massage and trauma healing. Tias began studying the work of B.K.S Iyengar in 1984 and lived in Mysore, India in 1989 studying Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga with Pattabhi Jois. Thus his teaching brings together precision of alignment, anatomical detail and a profound meditative experience. Tias is a licensed massage therapist and his somatic studies include in-depth training in cranial-sacral therapy. His practice and teaching are influenced by the work of Ida Rolf, Moshe Feldenkrais and Thomas Hanna. Tias is a long-time student of the meditative arts and Buddhist studies beginning with Vipassana and continuing in Tibetan Buddhism and Zen. His teaching style is unique in being able to weave together poetic metaphor with clear instruction filled with compassion and humor. Tias earned a Master’s degree in Eastern Philosophy from St. John’s College Santa Fe in 1998. Tias is the author of four books, The Thread of Breath, Meditations on a Dewdrop, Yoga of the Subtle Body, and The Practice is the Path.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shailla Vaidya on Yoga for Stress & Burnout (#125) Dec 30, 2020

Show notes

In this episode, we discuss:

Growing up Indian in a majority white culture, shame and the impact of disconnection from culture.
The value of yoga and mindbody practices in medicine and education.
Stress, trauma and burnout, and ways in which embodied practices can help.
The impact of the pandemic and isolation on us as social beings and the value of yoga and stress relief in times of Covid.
Practicing compassion, stress relief, and strategies to generate compassion for self and others.
Yoga and the importance of taking into consideration who you are and where you’re at; reducing harm with a better understanding of yogic practices.
Cultural appropriation of yoga and Indian culture and how to honor lineage and context.

Shailla Vaidya, MD MPH CCFP(EM) C-IAYT is a Physician/Yoga Therapist practicing Mind-Body Medicine in Toronto, Ontario. She studied Medicine at Dalhousie University, did her residency in Family and Emergency Medicine at the University of Ottawa, and completed a Master’s in Public Health (Management and Policy) at Harvard University. She has also served as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at McMaster University and the University of Toronto. Dr. Vaidya grew up in a cultural tradition of Yoga and Ayurveda and has been bridging Eastern Wisdom with Western Medicine throughout her 20 years of medical practice. She completed her yoga teacher training and yoga therapy training with the Mohans and the Svastha Yoga Therapy. She is the creator of the Yoga of Stress Resilience Burnout Recovery Program, and the Reconnect Concussion program, both of which combine the path of yoga with the science of human function for healing and recovery. As a “Compassion-it” Change Agent, she is effecting change within the health care system by healing our healers and by bringing a more holistic approach to the management of stress-related illnesses. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kulreet Chaudhary on Sound Medicine (#124) Dec 15, 2020

Show notes

In this episode, we discuss:

Understanding the culture of Contemporary medicine and medicine as an industry.
The Ayurvedic approach, addressing the physical, energetic and mental realm.
Quantum biology and the Siddha texts - healing from the inside out.
Role of intuition as it informs mastery in healing and any field of work.
Science of Sound, biological translation to energy and meaning.
The distinction between mantra and aphorism; using mantra and devotion to connect to your soul’s intention.
Alzheimer’s as a mutable disease and alternative practices to support conditions.

Dr. Kulreet Chaudhary’s combined expertise in both modern neurology and the ancient science of health known as Ayurveda has uniquely positioned her as an expert able to pull from the broadest possible base to treat her clients. She is passionate about raising awareness for the need of a paradigm shift in contemporary medicine that focuses on patient empowerment and a health-based (rather than disease-based) medical system. Dr. Chaudhary is a regular guest on the Dr. Oz show, where her teachings about Ayurvedic medicine have been applauded by a national audience. Dr. Chaudhary is the author of The Prime and Sound Medicine. She is also a neuroscientist and has participated in over twenty clinical research studies in the areas of multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, ALS, and diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Her research includes groundbreaking work in stem cell therapies for diabetic peripheral neuropathy and drug development for the treatment of ALS. Dr. Kulreet Chaudhary spends her time doing research in Siddha Medicine in Tamil Nadu, India and seeing patients for Integrative Medicine consultations from San Diego, CA. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Swami Swatmananda on Diwali, Vedanta & Shiva (#123) Dec 01, 2020

Show notes

In this episode, we discuss:

Invocation as a tool to invoke the divinity from within us.
The celebration of Diwali and the purpose of celebrating festivals.
Idols as means to connect to the God within us.
Chanting mantra, contemplating deeper truths, and the main sadhana of Kali Yuga.
The many names of Shiva - infinite expressions of infinite glories.
How to understand karma and taking responsibility for your life.
Spiritual practices for facing challenging times with strength and clarity.

Swami Swatmananda is one of the most dynamic leaders of Chinmaya Mission. An Acharya of Chinmaya Mission-South Mumbai, he completed the Vedanta Course from Powai from 1998-2000. He has been serving in Chinmaya Mission Mumbai since 2000. He expounds the philosophy of Advaita Vedanta through talks on the Bhagavad Geeta, Upanishads and other texts of Vedanta & bhakti through camps, meditation retreats, interactive sessions and discussions for youth & adults. Chinmaya Pradeep is one of its kind outdoor Vedantic Vision Park based on the life and teachings of Swami Chinmayananda at Powai, Mumbai. He has conceptualised and executed it. He is also a playwrite and has written and directed two theatrical performances. “Adrshya – Quest for the Unseen” based on Saraswati Civilization & Developed India was written and directed by him in 2009. 9 shows of Adrshya have been performed by Chinmaya Yuva Kendra Mumbai in Mumbai, Pune, Allahabad and Chennai. “Just Like That”- A play based on the Bhagavad Geeta in the life of Anand-Family and how they discover harmony by applying the principles of Geeta was written and directed by him in 2015. 6 shows of the play have been performed in Mumbai, Pune, Chennai. His simplicity, foresight, peaceful nature and a balanced approach endear him to everyone. Swami Swatmananda can be reached through his social media handle @ChinmayaShivam or “Chinmaya Shivam” on Youtube, Instagram, FB, Twitter, Podomatic, Spotify, Amazon, iTunes, Google podcast & LinkedIn.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alberto Villoldo on Shamanism (#122) Nov 18, 2020

Show notes

Medical anthropologist Alberto Villoldo has studied the shamanic healing practices of the Amazon and Andes for more than 25 years. He is the founder of the Four Winds Society, which trains modern shamans in the practice of energy medicine. He directs the Center for Energy Medicine in Chile, where he investigates and practices the neuroscience of enlightenment. Over the course of two decades with the shamans in the jungles and high mountains of the Andes, Villoldo discovered a set of sacred technologies that transform the body, heal the soul, and can change the way we live and die.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Daniel Simpson on the Truth of Yoga (#121) Oct 20, 2020

Show notes

In this episode we discuss:

Daniel Simpson’s upcoming book, The Truth of Yoga. Daniel shares his intention and inspiration behind this comprehensive overview integrating contemporary history with scholarly history
Differentiating yoga history and yoga philosophy as evolutionary systems of ideas
Debunking commonly misunderstood concepts and myths of yoga evolution
Connection points to tradition within modern practices
Postural practice and being definitive about the unknown
Reinterpreting yoga traditions, cultural appropriation and exploitation of yoga
The nature of ultimate and relative truths in yoga

Daniel Simpson teaches yoga philosophy at the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies, on teacher trainings and online. He earned his Masters degree in Traditions of Yoga and Meditation at SOAS (University of London), the home of the pioneering Hatha Yoga Project. He is the author of The Truth of Yoga, a comprehensive guide to the history of practice, which will be published in January by Farrar, Straus and Giroux. His website is http://danielsimpson.infoSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Philip Goldberg on Spiritual Practice for Crazy Times (#120) Oct 13, 2020

Show notes

In this episode, we discuss:

Co-sustaining spiritual practice and effective social action.
Tips for carving out time for practice/ finding your core practice.
Yogananda’s balanced, spiritual and responsible life.
Sacred citizenship vs. the myth of rugged individuality.
Practice as a wellspring for creativity.
Harnessing imagination in the service of recognizing modes of our own experience.
Knowledge of theory as it contributes to experience in practice.

Philip Goldberg has been studying the world’s spiritual traditions for more than 45 years. He is the author or co-author of some 25 books published in more than a dozen languages. His book American Veda was named by Huffington Post and Library Journal as one of the Top 10 Religion Books of 2010; it was followed in 2018 by the popular biography The Life of Yogananda. He blogs on Spirituality & Health and cohosts the Spirit Matters podcast.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris Walling on Yoga Therapy Research (#119) Sep 16, 2020

Show notes

Dr. Chris Walling, PsyD, SEP, C-IAYT has been an active leader in healthcare for nearly two decades. His work integrates the developmental, biological, and somatic aspects of the lifespan. His work in academic medicine has included the administration of multidisciplinary leadership teams in hematology-oncology, physical medicine and rehabilitation, and geriatric psychiatry. He is a Clinical Research Fellow in the Traumatic Stress Research Consortium at the Kinsey Institute located at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. Dr. Walling is the current President of the United States Association of Body Psychotherapy, the hub of somatic psychology. His clinical focus in the behavioral sciences has examined the intersections of neuropsychotherapy, affect regulation, and somatic psychotherapy. Dr. Walling is the former Executive Administrator for the UCLA Longevity Center and Division of Geriatric Psychiatry. He currently serves as the Vice President of Education at the Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention Foundation where cutting-edge research is conducted in geriatric integrative medicine. Dr. Walling is also a member of the Somatic Experiencing Research Committee at the Somatic Experiencing Trauma Institute in Boulder, Colorado. Dr. Walling is a clinical associate at the New Center for Psychoanalysis and a licensed clinical psychologist in private practice in Los Angeles, California.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mirabai Starr on Feminine Mysticism (#118) Sep 08, 2020

Show notes

Mirabai Starr is an award-winning author of creative non-fiction and contemporary translations of sacred literature. She taught Philosophy and World Religions at the University of New Mexico-Taos for 20 years and now teaches and speaks internationally on contemplative practice and inter-spiritual dialog. A certified bereavement counselor, Mirabai helps mourners harness the transformational power of loss. Her latest book, Wild Mercy: Living the Fierce & Tender Wisdom of the Women Mystics, was named one of the “Best Books of 2019” by Spirituality & Practice. Mirabai is on the 2020 Watkins List of the “100 Most Spiritually Influential Living People of the World.” She lives with her extended family in the mountains of northern New Mexico.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lisa Danylchuk on Yoga for Trauma Recovery (#117) Aug 25, 2020

Show notes

Lisa Danylchuk is a licensed psychotherapist and yoga teacher trainer whose specialty is bringing yoga into trauma treatment. A graduate of UCLA and Harvard University, Lisa is the founder of the Center for Yoga and Trauma Recovery and creator of the Yoga for Trauma Online Training Program. She has authored three books, serves on the UN Task Force for the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation, and is also a contributing editor for Best Practices for Yoga for Veterans, published by the Yoga Service Council.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Related Podcasts