J. Brown Yoga Talks

Steve Szakal - "Becoming the Best Version of Your Self" Feb 10, 2025

Steve Szakal, ultra runner and yoga teacher, talks with J about overcoming life's obstacles and being who we are meant to be. They discuss getting caught up in the war on drugs, the inhumanity of institutionalization and wealth disparity, starting to run marathons, going to yoga, experiencing beauty and exercising demons, differences between Bikram and Gosh Yoga, softening and stillness, being a yoga teacher, becoming inundated with an overwhelming sense of love, and being inspired to show up as the best version of yourself every day.

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Rolf Gates - "To Meet and Hold Suffering Wisely" Feb 03, 2025

Rolf Gates, author of Daily Reflections on Addiction, Yoga, and Getting Well, talks with J live at the 20th Anniversary Celebration for Dragonfly Yoga about the role of yoga in recovery and what it means to be human. They discuss his military service, recognizing addiction, going into rehab, becoming trauma-informed, intensity and intimacy, organizing life around wisdom, letting go of your story, preying to God and receiving grace, before and after covid, intense administrative moments working at Kripalu, and cultivating a capacity for good will.

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Vish Chatterji - "Vedic Astrology and Your Deeper Soul" Jan 27, 2025

Vish Chatterji, author of Astrology Decoded: The Secret Science of India's Sages, talks with J about Vedic Astrology as a tool to align with divine nature and cultivate a Satvic existence. They discuss parallel paths and a love of Rishikesh, growing up in an Indian family and deciding to become a tech CEO, Western astrology not being accurate, importance of birth charts and rising signs, Solar and lunar calendars, Outer material work and inner spiritual development, and living in a western world while still be connected to ancient wisdom.

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Laurie Lowe - "Communities, Commitments, and Connection" Jan 20, 2025

Laurie Lowe, founder of Sage Yoga Studio, talks with J about growing a community and finding a wy to sustain it. They discuss meeting each other in Manchester, coming into yoga organically, British Wheel of Yoga Teacher Training, baby and me classes, importance of having your own space, angels in the form of landlords, running programs without any email lists or social media, marketing and administration, commitment and instant gratification, the unseen work of teaching, and getting out of the way to let things happen.

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Dan Alder - "A Modern Story of Translating Patanjali" Jan 13, 2025

Dan Alder, coauthor of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras For the New Millennium: A Translation for the Modern Mind, talks with J about his story of owning a yoga center and translating Patanjali. They discuss taking over a studio in 2010, keeping the business model simple and offline, negative impact of intro offers and memberships, becoming obsessed with yoga philosophy, meeting his co-author Shree and undertaking a translation, interpretation of the eight limbs, a case for renunciation, Ishvara, nonduality, and a passionate embrace of inquiry.

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Sally Bassett - "Spiritual Transformational Yoga" Jan 06, 2025

Sally Bassett, author of Spiritual Transformational Yoga via the Eight Limbs and founder of the Peace Through Yoga Foundation, talks with J about being called to volunteerism and how yoga leads to a relationship with God. They discuss Sally's path from CEO of an airlines to opening a center and leading volunteer adventure trips around the world, yoga retreats doubling as humanitarian missions, teaching at a theological seminary, the neutrality of practice, faith, and the importance of meaningful and valuable time with yourself and others.

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Clive Sheridan - "Awakening Beyond the Mind" Dec 30, 2024

Clive Sheridan talks with J about the early days in yoga's migration west, devotion to inner divine presence, and the intimate experience of being with yourself. They discuss adventure travel in the early sixties, American explorer Theos Bernard, Goa in the seventies, drop in classes with BKS Iyengar, receiving the grace of Goddess Durga, spiritual friendship and sangha, free will, releasing sadness, tools of transformation, being moved by messages of the heart, and living in the world passionately while always staying alert to what arises.

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Year End Check In with J - "Finances, Faith, and God's Will" Dec 23, 2024

J returns to his annual ritual of doing a solo talk during the week of Christmas. He gives an update on the new center including the hard numbers, reflects on the decisions he has made in the administration and operation of the business, considers the role his efforts play and the tenuous nature of his lifestyle choices, shares his process of managing anxiety and relying upon a relationship with God, his daughters and hope for the youth, his wife, and the deeper reasons he continues to stay committed to being a yoga teacher.

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Gregor Maehle - "Bhakti The Yoga of Love" Dec 16, 2024

Gregor Maehle, author of Bhakti The Yoga of Love, returns to talk with J about transforming human love into divine love. They discuss why Bhakti has become more important, the Hatha Tatva Kaumudi, agency and an attitude of giving, reclaiming God, intrinsic and transcendent divinity, sidetracking into Gnana Yoga, divine revelation, absolute vs relative evil, homeostasis and collective effort, practicalities of prayer and meditation, being of service to a higher agenda, reaching across chasms of division, and aligning with infinite love, wisdom and beauty.

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Lucy Crisfield - "That Which is Secretly Uttered All Around" Dec 09, 2024

Lucy Crisfield, founder of Original Wisdom, talks with J about bringing forth the essence of love through sound. They discuss being inspired by the Arabic call to prayer, Rishikesh, spending time at Auroville, Vedic chanting at the Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandirum, learning at SOAS, Kaustaub Desikachar and parting from KYM, evolution from hard physical practice to simple attunement to Satva, Peter Harrison and questions about Svara, another dimension of being, elemental articulation, and hearing the resonance of your heart.

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Anoop Kumar - "The Future of Allopathic Healthcare is Wellness" Dec 02, 2024

Anoop Kumar, MD, founder of Numocore and creator of The Science of Consciousness, talks with J about the movement towards wellness as an emerging new health system. They discuss the limitations of western medicine, perceptions of what a human being is, solving the mind-body "problem," systemic transformation, Numocore (Nutrition-Movement-Connection-Rest,) accessing mind through movement, mechanisms behind religion and science, rest as a form of creativity, and the deepest of all expressions of health and soul.

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Rick Olderman - "Understanding Pain Patterns" Nov 25, 2024

Rick Olderman, author of Pain Patterns: Why You Are in Pain and How to Stop It, returns to talk with J about integrating movement, fascia, and neurological reflex patterns to address pain. They discuss three patterns that account for most spinal issues, functional links between past injuries and current pain, a macro view of fascial lines, cytokines and myofibroblasts, psychology becoming manifest in the body, nutrition and viscerogenic related pain, simple tests for assessment, and changing habits by feeling the truth more than thinking the truth.

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Susi Hately - "Moving Better, Feeling Better" Nov 18, 2024

Susi Hately, founder of Functional Synergy, talks with J about the unfolding process of helping people. They discuss how Susi got to yoga therapy, distinguishing yoga therapy from western medicine, yoga anatomy books in 2004, persistent pain and perceptive awareness, alignment vs movement function, novel experiences and reality thoughts, pain and tissue damage, compensatory patterns, gait analysis, biomechanics, exploring where states of knowing come from, and the heart and soul required to make a life of a yoga profession.

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Melissa Scagliarini - "Blessings, Burdens, and Financial Futures" Nov 11, 2024

Melissa Scagliarini, founder of Satya Yoga Studio, talks with J about teaching, having a center, and a local call to the divine. They discuss experiencing in person classes in remote New Hampshire, reasons for teacher training, health food stores, teaching opportunities and boom times for yoga centers, learning from India, deeper aspects of practice, changing terms for commercial leases, navigating pandemic policies, balancing work and family, physical demands of teaching, worrying about money, and recognizing what is important.

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Norman Blair - "Is Everything Political Including Yoga?" Nov 04, 2024

Norman Blair, author of Brightening Our Inner Skies: Yin and Yoga, talks with J about the appropriateness of teachers advocating for causes and campaigns. They discuss the state of the yoga industry since they last spoke, recognizing privilege and counting blessings, whether politics should be in yoga classes, Egalitarian yoga, war and genocide, having an impact on society, antisemitism and Zionism, critical thinking, propaganda, capitalism and mindfulness, and avoiding the distractions that keep us from what is most needed to be well.

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Jenny Gladding - "Self-Leadership Vs Self-Mastery" Oct 28, 2024

Jenny Gladding, author of Self-Leadership Vs Self-Mastery: The Key to Leading with Clarity, Courage, and Heart, talks with J about healthy internal families and unburdening ourselves. They discuss the pitfall of mastery, feeling vs thinking through, free-spirited yoga, the usefulness of mirrors, Zen and the art of archery, who is in control, maps and territory, anthropomorphizing divinity, the parts of us that feel stuck and wounded, finding language and containers to communicate what we do, and developing a process for multi-dimensional healing.

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She Coombes - "The Test of Time and Practice" Oct 21, 2024

She Coombes, a long-time teacher and practitioner, talks with J about living your yoga and what happens when lives get changed. They discuss seeking an alternative lifestyle in 1970's London, when yoga clothes were underwear, meditation with Maharaja, The Friends of Yoga, being blown away by the simple approach of TKV Desikachar, adaptation and modifications, stages of life, yoga becoming business oriented, sources of wisdom and transformation, and remaining resilient by consistently showing up with intention and heart.

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Nrithya Jagannathan - "T Krishnamacharya and TKV Desikachar" Oct 14, 2024

Nrithya Jagannathan, director of Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram (KYM) Institute of Yoga Studies, talks with J about the legacy of T Krishnamacharya and TKV Desikachar. They discuss Nrithya's early role as an editor and copywriter at the KYM, the historical context and significance of T Krishnamacharya, asana and Swedish calisthenics, tradition and adaptation, the contribution of TKV Desikachar, distinguishing between yoga and yoga therapy, meditation, reclaiming humanity, and bringing about transformation for spiritual growth.

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Brian Dana Akers - "Open Source Software for the Soul" Oct 07, 2024

Brian Dana Akers, author of The Yoga Manifesto, talks with J about the intrinsically free and historically egalitarian nature of yoga. They discuss the appeal of little orange books, the yoga scene in Kalamazoo, his Great-Great-Great-Grandfather's infamous speech to Abraham Lincoln, his fathers ministry and activism, studying and translating Sanskrit, training with Swami Vishnudevananda, grassroots word of mouth phenomena, science and religion, money, possible scenarios for the future, and why yoga matters now more than ever.

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Bobbi Misiti - "Before Yoga Became a Thing" Sep 30, 2024

Bobbi Misiti, founder of BeFit Body & Mind, talks with J about the course that yoga profession and industry has taken over the years. They discuss committing to ashtanga vinyasa practice with Beryl Bender Birch, 600 person classes, seeing the good and bad of the yoga scene, Nancy Gilgoff and Manju Jois, forward bending with a rounded spine, learning 2nd series, hard adjustments, Patabhi Jois and losing faith, Mysore-style, shelf life of centers, the internal aspects, and the beauty of unique people coming together to create a community.

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Nischala Joy Devi and Kamala Rose - "A Western Woman's Gita" Sep 23, 2024

Nischala Joy Devi and Kamala Rose, cohosts of the podcast and forthcoming book: A Woman’s Gita: A Contemporary Version of the Bhagavad Gita by and for Western Women, talk with J about translating ancient wisdom texts from a woman's perspective. They discuss Kamala's punk rock background and choosing a monastic life, how they came together around the Gita, perspectives on historical depictions, ethics of war, divine revelation, prejudice against woman, and coming from your heart to bring forth the elegance and truth of Yoga.

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Manu Molina - "Marketing Models for Professional Yogis" Sep 16, 2024

Manu Molina, founder of Yoga Biz Mentor, talks with J about marketing yoga classes and retreats. They discuss creating platforms before the pandemic, impacts of everything going online, working for yoga centers, transitioning roles and mentoring others, monetization and content, the fine line between sleazy techniques and fair trade, overpromising and scarcity mindset, the ickiness of selling yourself, effectively communicating the value of what you offer, how to come up with pricing, organizing retreats, and having soul in the game.

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Sheela and Ravi Shankar - "Desikachar, Chanting, and Ishvara" Sep 09, 2024

Sheela and Ravi Shankar, co-founders of Yoga Nidhi, talk with J about TKV Desikachar and the transformative power of yoga. They discuss the history of their relationship and how Ravi discovered TKV Desikachar, Sheela's religious upbringing, how she got to meet Desikachar and the different contexts she observed his teaching, chanting as meditation or prayer, whether God is fundamental to yoga, defining Ishvara Pranidana, OM, Satva dominance in the mind, characteristics of a yogi, and the greater purpose behind practice.

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John Heers - "Eastern Mysticism, Jesus, and Orthodoxy" Sep 02, 2024

John Heers, founder of First Things Foundation and host of Heavy Things Lightly, talks with J about fundamental principles of Orthodox Christianity and operating from faith. They discuss the wing and prayer that brought them together, John's religious background, lessons learned from Islam, baptism, distinguishing denominations, eastern mystical Christianity, the presence of Jesus, communion, salvation, cosmic struggle, reincarnation, doing a thing in the world, Georgian dinner rituals, and participating in a why that leads to beauty.

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Geoffrey Dugue, MD - "Epistemic Humility, Actual Christianity" Aug 26, 2024

Geoffrey Dugue, MD, talks with J about actual Christianity and being humble in seeking for truth. They discuss the mutual friendship that brought them together, disagreement and debate, being trained as a medical doctor at esteemed institutions and the lack of meta narrative, indoctrination into the great laws, miracles, having a personal relationship with God, choosing to believe, the hypocrisy of the church, giving Satan too much credit, being in the character of Jesus, the Holy Trinity, sin, and the love that gets you to heaven.

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Todd Norian - "Unreasonable Happiness, Unbound Freedom" Aug 19, 2024

Todd Norian, author of Tantra Yoga: Journey to Unbreakable Wholeness, returns to talk with J about happiness, freedom, and opening to a bigger energy. They discuss what it means to be a yoga teacher in 2024, transmission online and in person, distinguishing between happiness and joy, Svatantrya, randomness and entanglement, auspiciousness of your heart and Gods will, creating healthy self boundaries, how to make a decision, being supported by spirit, going within, and setting the sails to catch the winds of grace.

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Stephen Cope - "Reviving Wisdom Traditions of East and West" Aug 12, 2024

Stephen Cope, author of Yoga and the Quest for the True Self and The Dharma in Difficult Times, talks with J about the crossovers and divergences in eastern and western spirituality. They discuss psychotherapy and contemplative pursuits, crazy wisdom teachers, theology and practice, divinity school, discovering Kripalu, shaktiput from Amrit Desai, revelations of abuse and reinvention from ashram to retreat center, prayer and meditation, dharma, being called to act, and slowly refining your capacity to know that still small voice within.

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Nadine Watton - "What it Means to Have a Yoga Home" Aug 05, 2024

Nadine Watton, part of the Hillside Yoga Collective, talks with J about riding the wave and surviving the crash of yoga into the mainstream in both practice and profession. They discuss mutual friends and synchronicity, practicing in the late 90’s, teacher training certification becoming a thing, Dave Charlton and the British Wheel of Yoga, choosing yoga as a full time profession and having a family, integrated breath in asana, yoga teacher collectives, and letting go of trying to fit into tired molds so we can stay true to what feels most important.

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Katie Armstrong - "Life Stages, Hormones, Muscle as Medicine" Jul 29, 2024

Katie Armstrong, founder of Inspired Living, talks with J about moving through different life stages and the healing power of building muscle. They discuss starting a yoga-related business in the early aughts, e-commerce, the festival circuit and the unseen backstage realities of presenters, hormone replacement therapy, muscle as medicine, feeling empowered to engage a diversity of embodiment practices, crisis of sedentary lifestyles, capacity for stress, progress over perfection, and finding resiliency in the face of entropy.

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Susi Amendola - "Lifestyle Medicine, The Centered Heart" Jul 22, 2024

Susi Amendola, author of The Centered Heart, talks with J about the intersection of medicine and holistic health. They discuss suffering from debilitating anxiety, being saved by yoga and joining an ashram, reconciling fallen gurus, becoming part of the Dean Ornish Lifestyle Medicine Program, internal vs external locus of control, four lifestyle medicine protocols, impacts of chronic stress, coexistence with allopathy, effectiveness of imagery, nervous system resilience, and addressing the core process underlying our choice making.

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Brad Wetzler - "Into the Soul of the World" Jul 15, 2024

Brad Wetzler, author of Into the Soul of the World, talks with J about overcoming addiction, spiritual interventions, and laying ourselves bare in order to heal. They discuss the pandemic period they met in, getting misdiagnosed as bipolar and becoming addicted to medication, mental health care diagnosis and treatment, community yoga, saints and gurus, walking in the footsteps of Jesus, undoing learned narcissism, receiving shaktipat, swimming in the waters of materialism, devotion, being softened by love, and finding real humanity.

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Live in MA - Johanna Epps, Louise LeGouis, Leslie Kaminoff Jul 08, 2024

Live from the Berkshire Yoga Festival 2024, J talks with Johanna Epps, Louise LeGouis, and Leslie Kaminoff about motivation, purpose, and the zeitgeist of the times. They discuss making sense of the scandals, new challenges, marketing and patience, hurting our bodies and student safety, what sells and presenting to the public, bubbles bursting and the traveling teacher circuit, reasons to attend and benefits of presenting at a festival, eternal topics and breaking new ground, and not taking for granted the joy of being in person.

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Check in with J - "Keeping the Dream Alive" Jul 01, 2024

J departs from his usual format to reflect on how he lost hope in the viability of small intimate yoga centers and why he has decided to open one now. He discusses the dark night of the soul that many yoga teachers are facing, the events that have led to the crossroads he faces, a random opportunity or perhaps divine intervention that has changed everything, and the hard reality that has caused him to admit that he can’t do it alone.

If you want to help, you can contribute here.

Godfrey Devereux - "Bandhas in the Whole Body" Jun 24, 2024

Godfrey Devereux, author of The Little Book of the Bandhas, returns to talk with J about releasing somatic intelligence from learned habits and the story that bandhas tell us. They discuss varied ideas about bandhas, connection between Mulabandha and exhalation, pulsating opposition of spinal curves, spontaneous muscle events leading to potent and energetic spiritual experience, Iyengar and bandha in the extremities, oojai breathing, and the irresistible invitation to surrender into the totality of life and deepest heart of being human.

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David and Iana Lifar - "The Legacy of Indra Devi" Jun 17, 2024

David and Iana Lifar, founders of the Indra Devi Foundation in Argentina and creators of Indra Devi International Virtual Yoga School, talk with J about the legacy of Indra Devi with translation by Mariana Campos. They discuss being inspired to meet Indra after seeing her on a tv show and the immediate connection they made, an experience in a prison that convinced David she was something special, the influence of Krishnamurti, Krishnamacharya and Sai Baba, and the gestures of love that distinguish and characterize Indra's presence.

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Michelle Thielen - "Yoga for Jesus" Jun 10, 2024

Michelle Thielen, founder of Yoga Faith, talks with J about utilizing yoga practice to strengthen a belief in Jesus Christ. They discuss yogis being OK with God but not Jesus, Christians thinking yoga is demonic and everything being part of creation, personal faith separate from institutionalized churches, historical roots of christian yoga, being humbled before a Heavenly Father, whether or not Jesus is cool with chanting, Satan and the battle for souls, knowing your knower, and receiving guidance and blessings in the secret place of the most high.

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Hari-kirtana das - "A Reasonable Faith in the Bhagavad Gita" Jun 03, 2024

Hari-kirtana das, author of Journey into the Bhagavad Gita: A Guide to Exploring Timeless Principles of Transcendental Knowledge and Integrating Them Into Your Life, talks with J about universal principles that lead to religious experience. They discuss origins and larger context of the Bhagavad Gita, mindset of the reader, divergence of faith and knowledge, undifferentiated oneness, personal relationship of transcendental love, reincarnation, acting in harmony with cosmic order, and seeing ourselves as we truly we are.

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Tessa Hillman - "Helped Along by Guides and Angels" May 27, 2024

Tessa Hillman, author of Yoga Stories from Guru Guptananda and Memoir of a Skeptical Seeker, talks with J about opening up to spiritual realms and receiving guidance. They discus coming to yoga in the 70's and 80's, teacher training and yearning for a deeper understanding, when skepticism fails, coming into communication with Guru Guptananda and stories that teach yoga philosophy, messages from a North American Indian Chief, being protected by your own goodness, and realizing that we are helped along by guides and angels.

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Sage Rountree - "Yoga for Athletes, Exercise Science for Yogis" May 20, 2024

Sage Rountree, author of The Athletes Guide to Recovery and The Art of Yoga Sequencing, talks with J about yoga for athletes and endurance science for yoga teachers. They discuss the origins of Sages name, starting out in yoga and becoming an endurance coach, being ready for connection, specificity in goals and reasons to train, sports specific conditioning and utilizing poses, changing science and three best things for recovery, placebo effect and ice baths, business models for centers, and charging people to trust the process.

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Godfrey Devereux - "Rendering Sutras, Spiritual Dimensions" May 13, 2024

Godfrey Devereux, author of YOGA UNVEILED, YOGA DECODED, and ANNOTATED YOGA SUTRAS, returns to talk with J about whether or not Patanjali is a dualist and the invulnerability of our spiritual nature. They discuss translation vs rendering, adhering to interpretations, manufacturing silence, deeper relinquishing, intelligent power, state of being human, impersonal consciousness, moral codes, tantra and human sexuality, postural practice and capacity for self-harm, and rhythmic progression towards the presence of awareness.

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Josh Kane - "Home Studios, Commercial Leases, Authentic Yoga" May 06, 2024

Josh Kane, founder of Gandiva Yoga Center, talks with J about transitioning from independent contractor to center owner, the pursuit of deeper understanding, and the in's and out's of dedicated locations. They discuss how a blue-man group audition led to yoga, being a child actor, finding a teacher and lineage, John Friend's bowspring system, studying with Ragunath, falling out with studio owners, consistent schedules, challenges of creating a home studio, credibility of having a lease, and risking it all on the possibility of lasting joy.

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Eddie Ellner - "Roads Less Traveled and Spaces To Gather" Apr 29, 2024

Eddie Ellner, founder of Yoga Soup, talks with J about the trajectory of yoga into western culture, paradoxes in the human condition, and creating spaces for people to gather. They discuss the early 90's yoga scene via Yogaworks and Jivamukti, the influence of Brian Kest and Steve Ross, acceptance or manipulation of your body, charismatic teachers and the dangers of celebrity, discerning truth, creating Yoga Soup, sobering business realities, and penetrating the fear of what might happen to find joy in making a place for friends to come together.

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Vijay Hassin, Sharada Thompson, and Kathleen Rosenberg - "Integral Yoga Exposed" Apr 22, 2024

Vijay Hassin, Sharada Thompson and Kathleen Rosenberg talk with J about the underbelly of Swami Satchidananda and the Integral Yoga Institute. They discuss Vijay's history including his founding of the center in San Francisco, the meeting in the 1970's when allegations of sexual misconduct were first made, more recent revelations and the Facebook group that Kathleen started, Sharada's story of mistreatment at the hands of Swami Satchidananda, and reconciling the hurt created by failed leaders and institutions.

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Lizzie and Judith Lasater - "Menopause and Beyond" Apr 15, 2024

Lizzie and Judith Lasater return to catch up with J and talk about their latest offering, a free mini-course in Restorative Yoga to Support Menopause and Beyond. They discuss teaching during the last few years of transition, the genesis of their new course on menopause, generational differences, adapting practice, viewing body changes as a process vs treating a condition, menopause belly, exercise vs innercise, feeling rushed, places of refuge, positive aspects of aging, biopsychosocial self-care, and some keys to a long healthy life.

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Hy Brown - "Aftermath of the American Dream" Apr 08, 2024

Hy Brown is J's dad and they have a candid talk about the life he’s led, choices he’s made, and the lessons he's learned. They discuss growing up in Brooklyn, his involvement with the mob, becoming a civil engineer and vice president of Tishman Construction, working on famous building projects, understanding the system and the art of the con, the life-changing impact of having a heart attack at age 47, meeting J's mom and navigating her death, leading a dual life, fracturing of families, finding new purpose, and learning to care for others.

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Bryan Kest - "Autobiography of an American Yogi" Apr 01, 2024

Bryan Kest, author of Autobiography of an American Yogi, talks with J about the trajectory of yoga into the mainstream and the role he played in it. They discuss the early LA yoga scene, class in Maui with David Williams, one-to-one with Pattabhi Jois, mentality of not being good enough, learning from India, before "power yoga" became a generic term, beefing with Maty Estaty, opening a donation based studio, systematization, controversy with his brother, doing away with adjustments, and the passion and commitment that fuels a life in yoga.

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Esther Ekhart - "Devotion, Surrender, and Video Production" Mar 25, 2024

Esther Ekhart, founder of EkhartYoga, talks with J about the purpose and passion behind being an early pioneer of yoga video online. They discuss her mother's influence, witnessing healings in the Philippines, miracles of Satya Sai Baba, learning devotion and surrender, becoming a teacher and opening a studio, deciding to make videos and go online, YouTube, being the face of a company, the pandemic boom and slowdown, merging the business, relinquishing over to something bigger, and navigating from a place of love as a given.

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Noah Mazé - "Downturns and Ambiguities in Yoga Profession" Mar 18, 2024

Noah Mazé, founder of The Mazé Method, talks with J about the stark realities that yoga professionals are facing. They discuss the "ecosystem" of the yoga world before lockdowns, Yoga Journal conferences and Wanderlust festivals, shortening of classes and workshops, going from DVD's to online with Yogaglo, impact of subscription-based services, intellectual property, sustainability of teacher training and the studio model, integration and strength instead of pushing the envelope, and finding meaning in uncertainty.

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Cindy Lusk - "Making Sense of Contradictory Messages" Mar 11, 2024

Cindy Lusk, author of Align and Refine: The Journey of Yoga and Meditation, talks with J about the continual refinement of intention and understanding. They discuss the renunciate path of Patanjali and householder purpose, Richard Freeman's influence, Patabhi Jois's adjustments, Anusara and the legacy of John Friend, Paul Muller-Ortega, certification and the role of asana through different life stages, grappling with questions of higher consciousness, Bhāvanā, and the iterative process of bringing out the best of who we are.

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Ranju Roy - "Pilgrimage Into Sacred Inner Landscapes" Mar 04, 2024

Ranju Roy, author of Yoga as Pilgrimage: Sutras for a Modern Age, talks with J about the ways in which practice and study become interwoven into one's life. They discuss the meaning of a pilgrimage, understanding the Samkhya terrain in relationship to the map of Patanjali, Prana and Apana, poetics and not limiting ourselves to secular materialism, respecting other viewpoints , honoring traditions, radical transparency, letting go appropriately, uncomplicated wholeness, and engaging in the creative act of learning and sharing knowledge.

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Dr. Lauren Tober - "The Frontline of Mental Health Care" Feb 26, 2024

Dr Lauren Tober, creator and author of Mental Health Aware Yoga, talks with J about the intersection of psychology and yoga for mental health. They discuss the limitations of a clinical approach, the DSM5, doing an n=1 study, finding the right treatment methodology, differences in pedagogy, importance of relationship, supporting students, mental health integrating with the gunas, protocols for helping people feel safe, touch and consent, and staying within or widening our windows of tolerance to better cope with life.

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Ryan Kurczak - "Stepping into a Samadhi State" Feb 19, 2024

Ryan Kurczak, host of The Kriya Yoga Podcast, talks with j about understanding and appreciating what is real. They discuss being ordained into Kriya Yoga by Roy Eugene Davis, the history of Self Realization Fellowship, scalability and maintaining direct connection, vedic astrology, occultism, dramatizing your spiritual path, Ishvara Pranidhana, Samkhya, Jesus Christ, a universal principle of love, creating grooves in your consciousness, Samahdi, and learning to pay attention to the essence of what is divine rather than the manifestation of form.

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Tara Stiles - "Online Influence and a Return to Creativity" Feb 12, 2024

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Tara Stiles, co-founder of Strala Yoga, returns to compare notes with J about the current state of the yoga world. They discuss the ray of humanity that brought them back together, letting go of brick and mortar spaces, online trends moving from brands to influence, opening up the conversations around spirituality, connecting across divides, gentle yoga becoming trauma informed, training the algorithms to curate your internet experience, the appropriate use of touch, and reacclimating to in person teaching and co-regulating together.

Jonathan FitzGordon - "Learning to Move and Be Well" Feb 05, 2024

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Jonathan FitzGordon, creator of the CoreWalking Program and Rejuvenation Movement Method, talks with J about learning how to move and be well. They discuss teaching people how to walk and stand, extreme sensitivity and hypermobility, Jonathan's three knee surgeries, alignment and choosing not to do certain poses, appropriate practice in group classes, core tone, strength that comes from balance, integrated conditioning, how we see ourselves in space, changing perspectives, and getting to know yourself and heal.

Paul JJ Alix - "Strict Protocols for Committed Students" Jan 29, 2024

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Paul JJ Alix, founder of Yoga for All, talks with J about his time during the formative years of yoga coming into the mainstream and the rifts between teaching and consumerism that emerged. They discuss the intersection of meditation and ballet, being an early adopter of pilates and choosing yoga as a focus, meeting TKV Desichackar, teaching in NY and setting conditions to attract only committed students, causing a raucous over start times at Ananda Ashram, the need for clarity, staying true to principles, and the enduring power of practice.

Nate Klemp - "Strategies for a Distracted and Polarized World" Jan 22, 2024

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Nate Klemp, author of OPEN: Living with an Expansive Mind in a Distracted World, talks with J about making your life your practice, digital realities, and political universes. They discuss the limitations of thinking to experiencing, the tradition of living philosophy, blogging about a life beyond logic, family life and yogic caves, the 80/80 marriage plan, a mindset of radical generosity, strategies for addressing screen cravings and addiction, lethal mass partisanship, and when surrendering to joy and possibility becomes your only best option.

Josh Thomas - "Being Expansive Amidst Deep Suffering" Jan 15, 2024

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Josh Thomas is a friend of J's who joins the show to talk about intuitive facility and luminous darkness. They discuss transition states, being motivated by an undercurrent of "not good enough-ness," dissolving boundaries and destruction of ego structures, becoming somebody to become nobody, parapsychology proven real beyond probability, fear of being shunned by the culture, taking belief out of the equation, spiritual healing, radiating peacefulness in everyday life, and marking your intention to a guiding true north of love.

Weena Pauly - "Impulse Towards Aliveness" Jan 08, 2024

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Weena Pauly, creator of SE+AM (Somatic Experiencing + Authentic Movement) and host of the Reverence for Impulse Podcast, talks with J about reclaiming how your body wants to move and the focus of seeing and being seen. They discuss sturdy containers for letting the unknown be revealed, nothingness and staying with trembling discomfort, distinguishing impulse from being impulsive, attributing value, power dynamics and reciprocity of wisdom, hope for our children, and experience as a language of the divine.

Keith Parker - "Chakras and Auras are Real" Jan 01, 2024

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Keith Parker, co-founder of Field Dynamics and host of the Field Dynamics Podcast, talks with J about energy healing, the human aura, and infinity exploring the finite. They discuss transitioning from music to yoga, being tamed by India, striving for liberation or enlightenment, limits of a materialistic paradigm, seeing human auras, gross/subtle/causal relationships, the structure of a soul, Chakras and identity, palpating energy, magical realms, higher intelligence and serving a greater good, and helping to bring subtlety into the foreground of perception.

Year End Check in with J - "Standing at a Crossroads" Dec 25, 2023

J repeats his ritual of reflecting on where he’s at what he’s facing as the year comes to a close. He discusses his cat being diagnosed with diabetes, the Dalai Lama's twitter/x account, genetically modified butter, the feeling of not being able to say what you really think, trying to open a yoga center, predictions from the 2016 Yoga in America study, a changing internet, making ends meet, taking stock in the exchanges that make all the difficulties worthwhile, and somehow finding the resilience and fortitude needed to meet life's uncertainty.

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Katie Hemphill - "Biomedical Engineering to Animistic Wonder" Dec 18, 2023

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Katie Hemphill, author of We Are The Forest, talks with J about expanding the scope of our understanding through embodied living and collective healing. They discuss why Katie decided to study biomedical engineering, discovering yoga and marathon running, programming a cell, a problem/solution perspective, corporate jobs, grey areas in risk analysis of medical devices, meaning making in scientific process, nutrition science, optimizing connection, balanced containers, and questioning the stories that shape our reality.

Radha Metro-Midkiff - "Gurus, Disciples, and Institutions" Dec 11, 2023

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Radha Metro-Midkiff, Executive Director for the Integral Yoga Institute New York, talks with J about Swami Satchidananda, Integral Yoga, and the major shifts in the industry and culture that have taken place over the last few years. They discuss her childhood growing up at Yogaville, her relationship to Swami Satchidananda, choosing faith or fear, teachings and the growth of institutions, the difference between the guru and the human being, authentic transmission of yoga, and making sense of life’s complexity through transparent dialogue.

Brett Larkin - "Youtube, Kundalini, and Yoga Industry" Dec 04, 2023

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Brett Larkin, founder of an award-winning YouTube channel and Uplifted Online Yoga Teacher Training, talks with J about building her platform and the state of yoga online. They discuss graduating from NYU, exploring different styles of practice, creating fitness and dance video games, starting to post on YouTube and gaining subscribers, leveraging social media, legitimizing online training, the influence of kundalini yoga and asking hard questions, working with Ayurveda, energy bodies, and learning from the past so we can proceed with integrity.

Diana May - "Having a Regulated Nervous System" Nov 27, 2023

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Diana May talks with J about yoga for the nervous system and somatic experiencing. They discuss moving to a big city before leaving and being closer to nature, dissociation from our bodies, being with the full range of human emotion, somatic experiencing based on the work of Dr Peter Levine, resonance fields, lowering levels of activation, honoring the value of anxiety and becoming less defensive of our responses, making a nervous system supported class, tolerance for different views, and maximizing capacity for connection.

John Stirk - "Awakening to the Unknown" Nov 20, 2023

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John Stirk, author of Deeper Still, talks with J about formation, transformation, and the feeling of existence. They discuss changing expectations for careers in yoga, digging deeper to change your perspective, the condition of understanding, getting in touch with insightfulness, healing fragmentation by highlighting that which is indivisible, transformation instead of information, authentic intelligence, mental indigestion, becoming more sensitive, knowing through direct perception, and relating to the unknown in an intelligent way.

Philip Deslippe - "The Truth About Yogi Bhajan and 3HO" Nov 13, 2023

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Philip Deslippe, author of From Maharaj to Mahan Tantric, talks with J about his research into the real story behind Yogi Bhajan and the yoga empire he created. They discuss Philip's time as a Kundalini teacher, 3HO, the role of students in editing and elevating teachers to master status, legitimizing something by deferring to a false antiquity, value calculations within corrupted traditions, the life and significance of William Atkinson, the paradox of benefiting from hucksters, and possibilities for what yoga teaching might look like in the future.

Ruth White - "Iyengar's UK Roots and the Essence of Yoga" Nov 06, 2023

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Ruth White, author of Presence: The Truth of Yoga, talks with J about the earliest days of BKS Iyengar coming to the UK and developing a practice that endures. They discuss practicing in a living room with BKS Iyengar, the difference between classes in Pune compared to the UK, standardization and growth, whether or not Iyengar was an abusive teacher, starting a yoga prop company, why Iyengar focused primarily on postures, going inward, and the dropping away of ego identifications so we can see each other as one and the same.

Cristina & Diego - "Experiencing the World in Barefoot Shoes" Oct 30, 2023

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Cristina & Diego, founders of Origo Shoes, talk with J about the philosophy behind barefoot shoes and our relationship to the natural world. They discuss the developmental issues their daughter faced and how that led to barefoot shoes, the detriment of conventional ideas about footwear, specifications that make a shoe barefoot, educating people about the benefits and making the appearance more accessible, doing business according to your values, embracing simple as better, and the benefits of slower living and a return to basic principles.

Joe Simek - "Goals and Trajectories for Yoga Centers" Oct 23, 2023

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Joe Simek, co-owner of Dragonfly Yoga and co-founder of The Fiaria Project, talks with J about coming back from the pandemic and moving forward with purpose. They discuss the reopening of his brick and mortar space, leases and sustainability, competition among centers, re-envisioning memberships and community, shifting from information to transformation, economics of surrender, issues of certification and accreditation, marketing with soul, and the changing dynamics by which we set roots and measure success.

Mark Walsh - "Trauma, Embodiment, and Facebook Bombs" Oct 16, 2023

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Mark Walsh, host of the The Embodiment Podcast and author of Embodiment: Working with the Body in Training and Coaching, talks with J about facilitating life skills and navigating the world around us. They discuss the emergence of coaching in the yoga world, embodiment as a practice and a principle, creating the largest online embodiment conference ever, trauma work and fads, early days of trolling online, political trends, decadence and the luxury of despair, overcoming grief, and the importance of finding ways to make sense and meaning.

Jason Shaw and Emily Brown - "Quality Yoga, Quality Furniture" Oct 09, 2023

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Jason Shaw and Emily Brown, owners of Our Country Hearts and Binghamton Yoga, talk with J about scale, sustainability, and local community. They discuss slow flow circa 2014, grass roots politics and making change by focusing on shared intentions, post-pandemic realities, dedicated yoga spaces, co-creative aspect of in person classes, working inward rather than outward and feeling vs doing, soft sells and attraction over promotion, coming together in grounded states of mind, and opening doorways in a seemingly walled future.

Bobbi Paidel - "Guru Relationships and Timeless Wisdom" Oct 02, 2023

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Bobbi Paidel, founder of Tribe of Lambs and host of A Curious Yogi Podcast, talks with J about having a guru and what it means to live the principles of yoga. They discuss how a cattle ranchers daughter ends up becoming part of a spiritual community in India rooted in Vedic knowledge, keeping ourselves safe and surviving in this world, the role of asana, feeling free, unchanged awareness of an infinite self, moments of recognition, staying open and curious, truth and a deeper sense of connection, and expanding our frame of reference for existing.

Rod Stryker - "Knowledge, Power and Devotion" Sep 25, 2023

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Rod Stryker, founder of ParaYoga, talks with J about the formative events that shaped yoga becoming part of popular culture and the spiritual underpinnings that call it into question. They discuss Yoga Works and the 80's LA Scene, Manny and Alan Finger, westernizing the message, seeking vs career choices, branding and creating empires, defining Tantra, teacher/student relationship, guard rails in the pursuit of truth, nonduality and divinity, science of energy management, mapping out the nature of mind, and a singular vision of the heart.

Divya Kohli - "A Midlife Crisis of Yoga" Sep 18, 2023

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Divya Kohli, author of Finding Peace in Difficult Times: grounding techniques for inner calm, returns to talk with J about the post-pandemic crossroads that many yoga teachers are facing. They discuss the halcyon days of wholly committed teachers, maturation in parallel with the evolution of modern yoga, organic communities, sweet spots and scalability, wanting in person vs actually showing up, class issues in marketing, inverting the pyramid of priorities, and countering a dystopian future with the power of shared ritual and intention.

David McGrath - "Yamas, Niyamas, and Accordance with Life" Sep 11, 2023

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David McGrath, author of The Yogi’s Way: Living in Accord with the Yamas & Niyamas, talks with J about Kriya Yoga and embodying philosophical principles. They discuss his teacher Roy Eugene Davis and Paramahansa Yogananda, Self-Realization Fellowship and The Center for Spiritual Awareness, the Camino de Santiago, Lacanian psychoanalysis, moving beyond speculative conversations into the actualization of concepts, Yamas and Niyamas, life and oneness consciousness, and the importance of bringing it back to the miracle of right now.

Gary Kraftsow - "Nonsectarian But Not Secular" Sep 04, 2023

Gary Kraftsow, founder of the American Viniyoga Institute, talks with J about the historical, philosophical, and religious context in which yoga appeared. They discuss the origins and substance of teachings given by TKV Desikachar at Colgate University in 1976, Patanjali's interest in the phenomenon of faith rather than the metaphysical nature of the godhead, qualified non-dualism, escaping the materialism of asana, from alternative to complimentary medicine, and transformation that addresses the fragmentation of our times.

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Ryan Cunningham - "Return of Brick-and-Mortar Yoga?" Aug 28, 2023

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Ryan Cunningham, co-founder of Boston Yoga Collective, returns to the show to continue an ongoing conversation with J about the evolution and future of yoga centers. They discuss meeting each other at the tail end of the traveling circuit heyday, economics of operating an independent center, changes in the market and studio culture, landlords and leases, importance of physical spaces post-pandemic, influence of the person at the top, pedagogical models and meditation, and the possibility of still making it work against all odds.

Check In with J - "The Economics of a Yoga Center in 2023" Aug 21, 2023

J decides to depart from his usual protocol and takes a moment to talk about the economics of opening a yoga center in 2023. He lays out the evolution of common models used for operating yoga centers from 2007 until 2019, pay scales and competing incentives, the pivotal shift that destroyed sustainability, moving from spaces to audiences, downsides of creating online platforms and reach, real estate markets and signing leases, cooperatives, and reasons why it might be worth it to open something despite all the obstacles.

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Michael Hutchinson - "Your Breath Wants to Help You" Aug 14, 2023

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Michael Hutchinson, author of Breath for Health, talks with J about the teachings of TKV Desikachar and developing understanding through experience. They discuss Michael's dual life working in both the physics of explosion mechanics and yoga, Desikachar and Iyengar, overcoming challenges with pranayama, hard science and ancient wisdom, Bhavana and accessing subtle internal experiences, building inner organizational capacity, respecting aspects of yoga that can't be measured, and valuing little things that lead to big changes of heart.

Andrew Eppler - "BNS Iyengar and Mysore Yoga Traditions" Aug 07, 2023

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Andrew Eppler, director of Ashtanga Yoga Studio and visionary behind the Mysore Yoga Traditions Film and Conference, talks with J about BNS Iyengar and the Mysore Yoga Traditions. They discuss how Andrew discovered BNS Iyengar, stepping with the right or left foot, influence of western teachers, distinguishing vinyasas, origins of Patabi Jois sequences, Nathamuni Sampradaya, illusion or reality, God and Self-realization, learning from elders, Krishnamachrya leaving Mysore, and a love of yoga that transcends culture and social class.

Anoop Kumar - "Insufficiency of the Biopsychosocial Model" Jul 31, 2023

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Anoop Kumar, MD, founder of Health Revolution, talks with J about the primacy of consciousness and its implications on allopathic medicine. They discuss Anoop's early exposure to nondual philosophy, becoming an emergency physician, definitions of consciousness, the "recognition" problem, multidirectional healing, measuring outcomes, inverting primary and complimentary care, Atman and Brahman, the three minds of experience, and creating bridges of understanding with insights into the fundamental nature of the cosmos.

David Procyshyn - "Going Online with DoYogaWithMe" Jul 24, 2023

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David Procyshyn, founder of doyogawithme.com, talks with J about the evolution of online yoga and maintaining values in the digital landscape. They discuss the origins of the doyogawithme platform, giving everything away for free and switching from donations to subscriptions, being values-oriented and the stirha/sukha of business, understanding the user experience, advantages and disadvantages of social media, growing your reach and making money, trending online, conscious consumerism, and being human in a technological realm.

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Frank Jude Boccio - "Sacred Depths of Religious Naturalism" Jul 17, 2023

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Frank Jude Boccio, host of Pobsa’s Dharma Lounge Podcast, returns to continue a conversation with J about materialism, naturalism, and the great mysteries of life. They discuss definitions of religious and spiritual, rejection of anything supernatural in favor of awe, the relationship between God and religion, Frank's spiritual background, forms of grace and worship, the magic of matter, evil actions and moral codes, and coming together around universal principles and common humanity to honor diversity of religious life.

Ranju Roy and Dave Charlton - "Religiousness and Yoga" Jul 10, 2023

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Ranju Roy and Dave Charlton, coauthors of Embodying the Yoga Sutra: Support, Direction, Space, return to talk with J about the role yoga plays in fulfilling our innate religious impulse. They discuss their childhood exposures to religion, the third and forth chapters of Patanjali's Yoga Sutra, Ishavara Pranidhana, the evolution of TKV Desikachar's teaching on devotion, prayer and the question of a creator, challenging post-enlightenment viewpoints, chanting and emotions, and coming to humble terms with our place in an unknowable universe.

Ron Baker - "A Souls Journey into Awakening" Jul 03, 2023

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Ron Baker, author of Bright Lights, Big Empty: A Journey of Profound Awakening, talks with J about soul awakenings and the journey to Self. They discuss a mutual connection and convergences, signposts in Ron's early childhood, meeting his friend Robert and the experience of receiving communication from the Arch Angel Gabriel, questions of biblical prophecy, pathways of initiation, receiving guidance and cultivating intention, bioenergetic healing and nine nurturing needs, and learning to love and value life.

Beth Shaw - "Into the Mainstream with YogaFit" Jun 26, 2023

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Beth Shaw, founder of YogaFit and author of Healing Trauma With Yoga & Mind-Body Techniques, talks with J about the role she played in bringing yoga into the mainstream. They discuss the genesis of YogaFit and starting a multi-million dollar business out of her trunk, developing a style of practice that was appealing to gym culture, getting flak from the yoga world, spiritual interventions and inclusive language, credentialing and yoga therapy, social media, and having the courage of your convictions to offer something transformational.

Concetta Troskie - "Healing Arts, Trauma, Surrender to Spirit" Jun 19, 2023

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Concetta Troskie, creator of Mindfully Embodied, is an old friend of J's and they reunite to talk about their respective journeys of healing and spirit. They discuss the thriving art and yoga scene in Brooklyn in the early aughts, being supported as young teachers, searching for answers and almost becoming a nun before choosing to live in the world, getting sick with a brain tumor and losing everything that defined her, EMDR and Ketamine assisted therapy, recovering souls, and cultivating a differential reverence rooted in love and humility.

Annabelle Brown - "Overcoming OCD and Anxiety" Jun 12, 2023

Annabelle Brown, J's youngest daughter, returns to talk about how she has been managing her mental health and the process of healing our traumas. They discuss what it felt like when she started to have OCD, being unable to communicate because of compulsions, the moment that it seemingly turned for her and what motivated it, her therapist and how being able to talk about what is happening helps, the evolution of her relationship with her sister, a brief cameo from Mom, and appreciating the innocence and wisdom of a sensitive child.

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Ron Brent - "Yogi Bhajan, Muktananda, Kundalini Awakening" Jun 05, 2023

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Ron Brent talks with J about time spent with Yogi Bhajan and Muktananda. They discuss his awakening experience, a brief stint in Scientology, stumbling upon Yogi Bhajan on Melrose Ave, actual sources of Kundalini Yoga, spontaneous kriyas vs a technology of practice, discovering Muktananda, seeing Yogi Bhajan admonished by his guru Virsa Singh, questioning ethics and morals, guru and disciple traditions, transmission and shaktipat initiation, and understanding how formlessness expresses itself through the forms of our culture.

J. with Daniel Simpson - "Podcasts, Controversy, and J's Dad" May 29, 2023

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Daniel Simpson, from the Ancient Futures Podcast, guest hosts to ask J about the evolution of J. Brown Yoga Talks and the entwinement of his personal growth with the creative process of producing a weekly show. They discuss the original motivations behind starting the podcast, the process by which episodes are generated, how J's family feels about his "radical transparency," stoking controversy and learning better of it, cultural appropriation, coming to God, and the spirit of friendship and inquiry that fuels J's passion for facilitating conversation.

Joshua Schrei - "Temporal Reality and a Harmonic Universe" May 22, 2023

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Joshua Schrei, host of The Emerald Podcast, returns to talk with J about our place in this alive world. They discuss the context in which yoga arises, implications of an animistic worldview in modern times, dictates of the western scientific tradition, fuzzy boundaries and the animacy of inanimate objects, entertwinement of subjective and objective reality, dualistic nonduality, an expanded vision of personhood, existence as a continuum, evil entities and a creator spirit, musical interelationality, and ceding agency to the theater of stone and time.

R. Sriram - "Rationality, Religiousness, and the Divine" May 15, 2023

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R. Sriram, coauthor of Natya Yoga: Peace Passion Pain Mapping Emotions, reunites with J to talk about the deeper questions of purpose and meaning in yoga. They discuss his understanding of T Krishnamacharya's and TKV Desikachar's view on God, the effects of connecting to source, humility and faith, Vedic chanting with J Krishnamurti, academic bonafides and diverging from Vyasa's commentary on Patañjali’s Yogasūtras, limitations of science and potential of human spirit, and respecting the personal artistic nature of the divine.

Gill Lloyd - "TKV Desikachar and the Art of Living Peacefully". May 08, 2023

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Gill Lloyd, former teacher trainer for the British Wheel of Yoga and former chair of both Viniyoga Britain and KHYF-UK, talks with J about her life in yoga and the influence of TKV Desikachar. They discuss her first class in the mid eighties, Vinyasa Krama in principle and practice, stories of watching Desikachar teach, the importance of chanting and heart-to-heart connection, watching "Sir's" health decline and the scandal with his son, religiosity, personal practice and educating teachers, and learning the art of living peacefully in this world.

Hari-kirtana das - "Individual Souls and a Supreme Being" May 01, 2023

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Hari-kirtana das returns to revisit questions of nonduality and the relationship between an individual sole and a supreme being. They discuss reimagining our definitions of God and religion, divine and ecological person-hood, simultaneous immanence and transcendence, conforming to highest truths vs shaping truth to our desires, the difference between speaking personal truths and the voice of God coming through, freedom within the prison of material life, evil, and the benefit of relying on something greater than yourself.

Jessamyn Stanley - "Fat Positivity and Narrative Disruption" Apr 24, 2023

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Jessamyn Stanley, co-founder of The Underbelly and author of Yoke: My Yoga of Self-Acceptance, talks with J about body acceptance and challenging preconceived notions. They discuss her entry into yoga and why she started posting her practice on Instagram, how she landed a Gatorade commercial, The Yoga Journal cover controversy, the difference between fat and body positivity, navigating "tokenism,” naked yoga on only fans, Shibari (Japanese Rope Bondage), and the value of starting uncomfortable conversations that foster growth.

Andrew Tanner - "Cults, Industry, and Future Prospects" Apr 17, 2023

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Andrew Tanner returns unbound to talk with J about his experience of escaping a yoga cult and shaping the yoga industry. They discuss the life changing moment with his father that led to his commitment to Dahn Yoga, the history and philosophies of Korean Taoist traditions, what went wrong and why he left, scaling the business side, working for Kripalu and Yoga Alliance, what happened with the standards review project, problems with the status quo, and meeting the challenge of our times by keeping soul in the game.

Bashira Muhammad - "Mycological Wonders" Apr 10, 2023

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Bashira Muhammad, owner of Zoom Out Mycology, is an old friend of J's and they talk about her work in mycology. They discuss the fact that Bashira was the youngest person to do J's teacher training over a decade ago, the qualities in her that lent to yogic inquiry at a young age and led to her interest in mycology, her time farming through a fire season, some of the ins and outs of fungi and applications for mushrooms, science and spirit of mycelium, the recent farm bill, and the benefits of learning about the interrelationship of all beings and ecosystems.

Dr. Lisa Miller - "The Awakened Brain" Apr 03, 2023

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Lisa Miller, Ph.D., author of The Awakened Brain: The New Science of Spirituality and Our Quest for an Inspired Life, talks with J about a belief in God and the neuroscience showing its benefits. They discuss the passing of J's mother, forms of knowing, empirical evidence for innate spirituality, post-traumatic spiritual growth, spirituality associated with cortical thickness in the regions of perception and a lessening of anxiety and depression, neural seeds of awareness, and being open to receive the intelligent and loving force that is your birthright.

Kamini Desai - "Lineage, Life Lessons, and Manifest Divinity" Mar 27, 2023

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Kamini Desai, founder of I AM Education and Yogeshwari of the Lakulish Lineage, talks with J about her journey to becoming a lineage holding and the principles of divinity her teachings encompass. They discuss the history of Kripalu Yoga, growing up at the ashram and rebelling against the family tradition, learning from the experience of scandal around her father, Yoga Nidra and energetic practices, impermanence and infinite consciousness, and the deeper layers of stillness that reveal our essential wholeness.

Genny Wilkinson - "Starting Anew with Mission" Mar 20, 2023

Genny Wilkinson, co-founder of Mission, talks with J about what has happened to yoga centers, lessons learned, and the new space that she is opening. They discuss why she departed from triYoga and the role she played there, the reasons why so many centers had to close, the genesis of the new center and what they are doing differently, dismantling elitism, transparency and honor around both pricing and teacher pay, online vs in person classes, and the need to orchestrate human interaction after the hangover of so many years in isolation.

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Dona Holleman - "Theosophy, J. Krishnamurti, and BKS Iyengar” Mar 13, 2023

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Dona Holleman, Honorary President of The Centered Yoga Dona Holleman Association, talks with J about her storied career and the formative relationships that shaped yoga in the west. They discuss the Theosophical Society and the origins of J. Krishnamurti, world wars and being born in a prison camp. talks with Krishnamurti in Saanen and Gstaad, Iyengar as a young man, Vanda Scaravelli's influence, the emergence of teaching certification, emptying your body to fill it back up, consciousness, and the individual path of finding your true self.

Lolly Stirk - "Active Birth Movement and Prenatal Yoga" Mar 06, 2023

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Lolly Stirk, teacher at Mothertime and teacher trainer at YogaBirth, talks with J about the history of the active birth movement and prenatal yoga classes. They discuss her arrival in London during the summer of love, opening one of the first vegetarian restaurants down the street from Abbey Road, hanging out with the Beatles and making dinner for BKS Iyengar, softening practice, how Vanda Scaravelli taught, studying with Sheila Kitzinger and Michel Odent, and the power of learning to surrender to the process of life.

Peter Blackaby - "Does God Exist?" Feb 27, 2023

Peter Blackaby, author of Intelligent Yoga, talks with J about ways of perceiving the phenomenal world and the emergence of spirit. They discuss what is meant by the term "nonmaterial," ways of understanding how a human being takes in censorial information, intuitive resilience as the by-product of accumulated experience or divine intervention by a higher power, using words like God or spirit or soul, what materialists and mystics fear, and recognizing the unifying connection we all share as co-inhabitants of nature in all its wonder.

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James Matthew Brown - "Maty Ezraty, Fulfillment, and Purpose" Feb 20, 2023

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James Matthew Brown talks with J about the boom years for yoga in the early aughts and the legacy of his teacher, Maty Ezraty. They discuss his gigs teaching the Gore family during the 2000 election and touring with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, how he became a student of Maty, the formation of Yoga Works teacher training, alignment vs flow, the sale of the centers to venture capitalists and the conundrum of scaling, leaving the yoga world only to learn that its where you truly belong, and the aspects of teaching that remain true over time.

Mike De Masi - "Learning from Srivatsa Ramaswami" Feb 13, 2023

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Mike De Masi, student of Srivatsa Ramaswami, bassist for Ali Omar El-Farouk, and founder of the Worldwide Krishnamacharya Yoga Community Facebook Group, talks with J about honoring the many different traditions of yoga. They discuss Mike's early studies and inquiring into the teaching of T. Krishnamacharya, the experience of learning from Ramaswami's elucidations on Patañjalayoga, Vinyasa Krama, the nuance of the breath in āsana practice, and finding vehicles for dialogue so that we can learn and grow from one another.

Acharya Shunya - "Recontextualizing Ancient Vedic Wisdom" Feb 06, 2023

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Acharya Shunya, founder of The Awakened Self Foundation and author of three bestselling books including Roar Like a Goddess, talks with J about the source of yogic wisdom. They discuss her grandfather's return to ancient vedic roots, Sanskrit grammar and translations, priestly caste and the growth of dogmas, embracing shadows, deep inner soul propensity, the role of a guru, three frames of mind as a seeker, authenticity and householder paths, universal spirit, and staying connected to divine truth and a Great Omniscient Dimension.

Monica Gauci - "Healing From the Inside Out" Jan 30, 2023

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Monica Gauci, co-founder of 8 Limbs and Chintamani Yoga, talks with J about learning how to heal ourselves. They discuss her early studies with Shandor Remete, pursuing a degree in chiropractic, studying with Patabhi Jois, overemphasis on asana, incorporating other healing modalities, the myth of sequencing, hyper-mobility and the need to develop strength, re-educating the deep spinal stabilizing muscles, active vs passive therapies, being an expression of divinity, and cultivating an integrated understanding of your body.

Colin Dunsmuir - "TKV Desikachar and Relationship" Jan 23, 2023

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Colin Dunsmuir, founder of True Yoga and author of How to Find Stillness Within, talks with J about the teachings of TKV Desikachar and the nature of yoga transmission. They discuss Colin's decision to forgo the final stages of authorization in Ashtanga Vinyasa and become a yoga therapist, the training process he went through, distinguishing characteristics of an individualized approach, Desikachar's unique example, principles of personal practice, and understanding the stages that lead to deeper spiritual truths and awareness.

Hamish Hendry - "Enduring Early Morning Mysore Self-Practice" Jan 16, 2023

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Hamish Hendry, owner of Astanga Yoga London and publisher of Pushpam Magazine, talks with J about tirelessly teaching a daily Mysore program in London for over 25 years. They discuss the purpose of chanting, avoiding dogma, finding Ashtanga Vinyasa in the late eighties, becoming authorized or certified back when and how it changed, ways in which he has evolved as a teacher and runs the center to stay in line with his beliefs, and the humble consistency of always remaining true to a deep and abiding commitment to service.

Lisa Petersen - "Presence and a New Sense of Self" Jan 09, 2023

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Lisa Petersen, somatics innovator and yoga teacher, talks with J about the cross pollination of somatic movement modalities and traditional yoga. They discuss her training at Vivekenanda Kendra, defining a felt inner sense experience, Body Mind Centering and Hanna Somatics, resetting the nervous system, pandiculation instead of stretching, deliberately simplified spaces, strategies for changing underlying patterns, form and finding newness, radiating from the fluidic pathways of our earliest being, and discovering divinity.

John Stirk - "Living at the End of Exhalation" Jan 02, 2023

John Stirk, author of Deeper Still, talks with J about the non-material aspects of yoga and the importance of noticing. They discuss the influences of R.D.Laing, J. Krishnamurti, and Vanda Scaravelli, sensation and awareness, touching the inner void, the value of not knowing, making a contribution to the field of shared energy, that which lays beyond fear and expresses our capacity for love, understanding nothing in particular, unconditioned sources of wisdom, calcification of the soul, coming gently to a halt, and trusting in our own experience.

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Year End Check In with J - “Zoloft, MRI’s, and Divine Spirit” Dec 26, 2022

J takes a moment to break from his usual format to reflect on the challenges of the last year and share some of his biggest take-aways. He talks about his daughters mental health struggles and the medical care she has received, conclusions on the results of his MRI and persistent hip pain, scientific lenses in the alternative health sphere, knowing when to follow and when to part ways from existing protocols, acknowledging the unexplainable wisdom at the center of a persons being, and embracing the role of spirit in yoga and healing.

J. Brown Yoga Teacher Training - new group starts Jan 2023

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Richard Rosen - "Who Was I Then? Who Am I Now?" Dec 19, 2022

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Richard Rosen, author of Yoga by the Numbers: The Sacred and Symbolic in Yoga Philosophy and Practice, talks with J about keeping yoga vibrant despite life's challenges. They discuss Richard's long-time friendship with Rodney Yee, the Piedmont Yoga Center, Iyengar method in the early days, teaching headstand and shoulderstand, the appropriate use of pranayama practices, Yogi Ramacharaka and the Worlds Fair, living with Parkinson's Disease, children's poetry for adults, and the intuitive process of living a rewarding life.

Elisa Malinverni - "Stories of Hope and Self-Healing" Dec 12, 2022

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Elisa Malinverni, author of Yoga for Recovering Addicts: Stories of Hope and Ways of Self-Healing, returns to talk about overcoming addictions. They discuss the ways media and society distort information about addiction, the moral high horse, the open drug scene in Berne in the eighties and nineties, opposing positions on what addiction is, the surprising fact of natural recovery, when yoga becomes addictive, psychedelics and states of consciousness, admitting to vulnerability, and the role of prayer and spirit in overcoming challenges.

Adam Bucko - "Prayer, God, and Engaged Contemplation" Dec 05, 2022

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Adam Bucko, author of Let Your Heartbreak Be Your Guide: Lessons in Engaged Contemplation, talks with J about prayer and divine grace. They discuss Adam’s childhood in Poland during the totalitarian regime, a life-defining experience in India, working with homeless youth, occupy wall street and social change, monasticism, being present with your pain, showing up without buffers, a sense of falling apart that leads to a calling, teachers holding their roles differently, being in a state of receptivity, and transforming ourselves into more loving people.

Bernie Clark - "Your Body, Your Yoga Trilogy" Nov 28, 2022

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Bernie Clark, author of the Your Body Your Yoga Trilogy, talks with J about the completion of the third and final volume on the upper body and the larger picture of biomechanics and yoga. They discuss functional vs ascetic approaches to the body, stressing tissues, what air line pilot cockpits tell us about human variation, anti-fragility and stability, close chain and open chain exercise, open packed and close packed joints, asymmetries and proportions, nocebo, the value of x-rays or MRI, and understanding that each person is unique.

Rick Olderman - "Systems Thinking Approach to Chronic Pain" Nov 21, 2022

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Rick Olderman, author and creator of the Fixing You® Method at Home Course and for Health Professionals, talks with J about his systems thinking approach to addressing pain. They discuss the limitations of traditional physical therapy education, incorporating Anatomy Trains and Hanna Somatics, biomechanics and common patterns of dysfunction, J's body and right anterior femoral glide syndrome, locking knees and healthy glute activation, pillars of chronic pain, and creating bridges to function so that we can live pain-free.

Esther Gokhale - "Primal Posture and The Gokhale Method" Nov 14, 2022

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Esther Gokhale, founder of the Gokhale Method, talks with J about alleviating pain through anthropologically informed postural work. They discuss the imprints of her childhood in India, how her studies in biochemistry led to acupuncture and the Aplomb Institute in Paris, the crippling back pain and unsuccessful back surgery that led to her lifelong crusade to vanquish back pain, indigenous cultures and J-shaped spines, the use of wearable technology, butt muscles and gait, and learning to turn posture knowledge into postural habits.

Jonni Pollard - "Vedic Meditation and Subtle Dimensions" Nov 07, 2022

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Jonni Pollard, cofounder of 1 Giant Mind and author of The Golden Sequence, talks with J about Vedic Meditation and the universal nature of our existence. They discuss going from punk kid to spiritual lover, Bija mantras, creating a movement around social and environmental coherence, scaling group meditation to alter the larger fields, a meeting with the Dalai Lama that changed everything, the split within science, guru function, prying open subtle dimensions, and the innocent instinct to nurture a deeper sense of belonging

Tanis Fishman - "What Do You Trust?" Oct 31, 2022

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Tanis Fishman, founder of the School of Sankulpa, talks with J about experiencing unity consciousness. They discuss surrender and awakening moments including a bad car accident Tanis was in at age 19, her travels and time at the Bihar School of Yoga, "I-ness" and distortion fields, feeling beyond our mental impression storehouse, touching pure frequencies, using the word God, prayer as communion with higher consciousness, being ready to give up everything so you can come to knowing, and being witnessed upon the humble path.

James Swanwick - "Blue Light, Alcohol, and Circadian Rhythms" Oct 24, 2022

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James Swanwick, co-founder of Swanwick Sleep, talks with J about wearing blue light blockers and eliminating alcohol consumption for better health. They discuss the positive effects James observed when he stopped drinking, how it lead to producing glasses with orange lenses to block blue light, the evolution from natural to artificial lighting, screens and the ill effects of blue light on melatonin release, alcohol toxicity, caffein consumption, optimal sleeping conditions, and creating habits that help optimize performance and well being.

Sam Wilde - "Connection, Liberation, and The Great Mother" Oct 17, 2022

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Sam Wilde, founder of The Sacred Order of the Great Mother and host of the Fertile Feminist Podcast, talks with J about a connection they made years ago and nurturing a felt sense of The Great Mother. They discuss a formative conversation they happened into together two decades back and the import it held, Sam's experience of not fitting into the yoga world, her work as a minister and study of feminist liberation theology, fertility as shakti and feminism as shiva, and being a midwife to the desires of the heart and spirit of mothering for all.

Laurel Beversdorf - "Grace, Purpose, and Resistance Bands" Oct 10, 2022

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Laurel Beversdorf, creator of Yoga with Resistance Bands Teacher Training and host of the Movement Logic Podcast, talks with J about the integration of resistance bands and other implements into the deeper aspects of yoga. They discuss the tendency of persistent pain to shape practice, conditioning the body and the value of strength training, maturing beyond the demonization of yoga poses, titles and descriptions, the fallacy of certifications, definition of training, and decoding the subtle elements of discovery that make yogic unique.

Eric Shaw - "A Comprehensive Yoga Timeline" Oct 03, 2022

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Eric Shaw, author of Sacred Thread: A Comprehensive Yoga Timeline: 2000 Events that Shaped Yoga History, talks with J about the arc of yoga and its relationship to culture from ancient times to modern day. They discuss Eric's early efforts to translate yoga scholarship into more common vernacular, life on the yoga circuit, the infamous Facebook post, his tendency to collect little known details and facts about yoga, bifurcation at odds with unitary philosophy, and anchoring ourselves in transparency and truth.

Catherine Annis - "Evolution of Yoga Teacher Training" Sep 26, 2022

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Catherine Annis, core teacher for Intelligent Yoga Teacher Training, talks with J about Scaravelli-inspired yoga and the evolution of yoga teacher training. They discuss her start as a dancer and early inspirations, discovering her primary teacher, moving into a space of ease rather than seeking out challenge, structure and the use of form in somatic-based practices, meeting people where they are while still offering a deeper inquiry, defining parameters for training teachers, and having the courage to share your authentic experience.

Libby Hinsley - "Yoga and Hypermobility Syndromes" Sep 19, 2022

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Libby Hinsley, author of Yoga for Bendy People, talks with J about the prevalence and education gap regarding hypermobility syndromes. They discuss the lack of understanding and confusion around diagnosing Hypermibility Spectrum Disorder and Hypermobility Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, varied issues that overly lax collagen can present, distinguishing between mobility and flexibility, the benefit of slower and simpler movements, appropriate strength training, and the role of yoga in addressing pain and easing suffering.

Nikki Costello - "Reimagining the Classroom" Sep 12, 2022

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Nikki Costello talks with J about the changing dynamics between yoga teachers, students, and institutions. They discuss their parallel trajectory of practice over the last thirty years, Nikki's evolution and identity as an Iyengar lineage holder, the pedagogy of liberation, dogma and co-creation, the role of a teacher in facilitating inquiry, discernment of students in the information age, the problem with the scaling of yoga teacher training, and reimagining the classroom to embody the qualities and values that are fundamental to healing.

Sukadev Bretz - "How a Spiritual Community is Created" Sep 05, 2022

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Sukadev Bretz, founder of Yoga Vidya, talks with J about going from being a disciple of Swami Vishnudevananda to founding a democratically run non-profit spiritual Yoga organization. They discuss what it was like to become a disciple and take vows in the eighties, when institutions become more about rules than people, bearing witness to the hypocrisies of gurus, choosing to leave and creating something with community rights and safeguards, adapting to the needs of our passing times, and allowing ourselves to be guided by the Divine.

Jeff Carreira - "From Spiritual Awakening to Cosmic Awareness" Aug 29, 2022

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Jeff Carreira, author of The Path of Spiritual Breakthrough: From Awakening to Cosmic Awareness, talks with J about the process of awakening into deeper awareness of our spiritual existence. They discuss the realization that there is more to reality than the sum total of everything we’ve ever known or have been told exists, how we make meaning of our experiences, intuitive knowing, organic growth, the disappointment of a spiritual path, aligning your life with your heart, and the courage to embrace a field of infinite possibility as the new paradigm.

Robin Rose Bennett - "Healing Ways of the Green Witch" Aug 22, 2022

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Robin Rose Bennett, author of Healing Magic: A Green Witch Guidebook to Conscious Living and The Gift of Healing Herbs, talks with J about the language of plants and the need for radical revitalization. They discuss the value of dandelion, lessons to be learned from Ginkgo biloba trees, reclaiming the sacredness of dirt, turtle medicine, synchronicity, oat straw, reality as the most magical game around, earth spirit teachings, Robins upcoming course on Radical Self-Care, and the evolutionary impulse towards embodying our "kin-dome" with all of life.

Glenn Murphy - "Systema, Self-Development and Spirituality" Aug 15, 2022

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Glenn Murphy, author and Founder of NC Systema, talks with J about the Russian martial art of Systema and the intersection of self-defense and self-development. They discuss the origins and history of Systema, Glenn's background in other types of martial arts, the limitations of over adherence to form, Vladimir Vasiliev and Mikhail Ryabko, practices that cultivate seeing what suggests itself, remaining calm when someone punches you in the face, breathing as a Rosetta stone for regulating state, and experiencing yourself as part of nature.

Linda Cassidy - "Realization of the Divine" Aug 08, 2022

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Linda Cassidy, old-school teacher and listener of the show, talks with J about yoga being founded on a exploration and realization of the divine. They discuss her religious background and early studies in eastern philosophies, breaking from dogma, presentations of spirit that meet people where they are, Bhagavad Gita, the action of relating, consensual reality and inner knowing, moving away from materialism in practice and beyond, art of Sushumna Nadi, and tickling the possibility of being in touch with a metaphysical center of being.

Alma Duran - "How's Your Discernment?" Aug 01, 2022

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Alma Duran, PhD, is a cultural anthropologist, yoga teacher, and friend of J's who joins the show to talk about the migration of yoga over time and the cultivation of discernment. They discuss the early days of yoga in the eighties and Alma's time as a tv and film producer, Yogaworks in LA in the nineties, being inspired by TKV Desikachar teachings, cultural anthropology and the history of humanity, the progression of yoga from the forest to the palace to the mall to the internet, belief systems, and yoga education as an integrated part of living a life.

Lauren Walker - "You Are Electromagnetic" Jul 25, 2022

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Lauren Walker, founder of Energy Medicine Yoga and author of The Energy To Heal, returns again to further convince J that we are electromagnetic beings with the capacity to heal. They discuss ways to feel your own energy, the nine energy systems of the body and the significance of "Triple Warmer," bringing principles from one-to-one Energy Medicine to group Yoga, democratizing energy practices, the difference between healing and curing, understanding elemental theory, and moving from a field of trauma to a field of magic.

Monica Voss - "Vanda Scaravelli and Esther Myers" Jul 18, 2022

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Monica Voss, co-owner and director of Esther Myers Yoga Studio, talks with J about her studies with Vanda Scaravelli and Esther Myers. They discuss her discovery of yoga through Esther and their transition from traditional Iyengar to Vanda's approach, structure and freedom, individual agency and creating your own language, the three fundamental principles behind Vanda's teaching, unwinding, elongating with wavelike pulsations of the spine, tapping into outer realms through poetry, and staying true to your convictions.

Bari Gratton - "Can We Shape a Better Yoga Profession?" Jul 11, 2022

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Bari Gratton, coauthor of an Open Letter To Yoga Alliance along with collaborators Meghan Maris, Courtney Ng, Gayatri Sehgal, and Shuo Wang, talks with J about the possibility for change in the yoga profession. They discuss the Masters of Arts in Yoga Studies program at Loyola Marymount University, problems with the Yoga Alliance and how the final project they did together came about, whether yoga teaching ought to be regulated, suggestions for reform, appropriation and racism, and engaging in good faith dialogue that respects differences.

Blake Tedder - "Trauma, Personal Practice, and Beyond" Jul 04, 2022

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Blake Tedder, host of Inner Explorations with Angela and Victor: A Yoga Podcast, talks with J about healing trauma and going deeper in personal practice. They discuss Blake's process of recovery after being in a plane crash and having his appearance scarred by burns, discovering yoga and the influence of his teachers, disassociation and ways to embodiment, his evolution in personal practice from chasing healing to going within and listening to the body, and being directed by the intelligent Life Force that flows through us.

Karin Lynn Carlson - "Quitting Yoga and Embracing Prayer" Jun 27, 2022

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Karin Lynn Carlson, author of the substack Gristle and bone, talks with J about leaving the yoga profession and the power of prayer. They discuss the pitfalls of a group yoga class context, her decision to wind down her teaching, importance of mentorship, a cultural moment defined by repressed futility, the role of practice in bringing about a state of awareness, her turn to writing and most recent post, triage for despair, acknowledging a higher power, choking on hope, and the way prayer renders us responsibility for our humanity.

Nick Beem - "Moving From Technology to Ritual" Jun 20, 2022

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Nick Beem, co-founder of Grateful Yoga, talks with J about the implications of yoga as ritual vs technology. They discuss the contrasts between Nicks training in Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy and ParaYoga, why framing yoga as a set of tools for self improvement is lacking, becoming fatigued by intellectual gyrations, intention empowering practice more than some universal metaphysics, recognizing our animistic ancestry and a More Than Human world, and learning to ride the slippery edge where doing and surrender blend together.

Kat Rosenfield - "Politics in the Yoga Space" Jun 13, 2022

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Kat Rosenfield, author of No One Will Miss Her and co-host of the Feminine Chaos Podcast, talks with J about her recent article on politics in the yoga space. They discuss Kat's evolution as a freelance pop culture and political writer, her separate life in yoga practice and teaching, the merging of those worlds in her article regarding the high tension and fierce infighting in online yoga communities, broader patterns and implications around identity politics, and reserving the right to let yoga remain a more neutral ground in the culture wars.

Sophie Strand - "Overwhelming Suffering with Beauty" Jun 06, 2022

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Sophie Strand, author of The Flowering Wand: Rewilding the Sacred Masculine and facilitator of the online course, Myth & Mycelium: Rerooting & Rewilding the Gospels, talks with J about summoning enchantment and healing beyond hope. They discuss Sophie's health journey and the misgivings of the medical industrial complex, epiphanies around fungi organisms and fungal networks, metabolic environment, cultural stories vs lived experience, gating out miracles, "the animate everything," and alchemical storytelling.

Nischala Devi - "Devoted Practice to Higher Consciousness" May 30, 2022

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Nischala Joy Devi, author of The Secret Power of Yoga: A Woman's Guide to the Heart and Spirit of the Yoga Sutras, returns to talk with J about her revised interpretation of Patanjali's last two padas. They discuss what led to doing a revision of her writing on Yoga Sutras, the criticism she has received since the first edition, why so little consideration is given to the third and fourth padas, going beyond practice and mind, renunciation, the grace of intuitive wisdom, and relinquishing our efforts so we might effortlessly reside in our heart.

Leslie Kaminoff - "Roundabout Methods, Causeless Causes" May 23, 2022

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Leslie Kaminoff, founder of The Breathing Project and coauthor of Yoga Anatomy, returns to talk with J about the changing professional landscape and deeper inquiries into the nature of healing. They discuss Leslie's bout with long covid and the procedure that reset his heart, working on the third edition of Yoga Anatomy, TKV Desikachar and teachings on Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, Leslie's coming show examining one-to-one teaching, having faith, surrendering to dharma, intuition and knowledge, and forever continuing to learn and discover.

Shamini Jain - "Holistic Elements that Activate Life-Force" May 16, 2022

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Dr. Shamini Jain, Founder and Director of the Consciousness and Healing Initiative and author of Healing Ourselves: Biofield Science and the Future of Health, talks with J about how there need be no divide between science and spirituality. They discuss healing as the absence of disease (pathogenesis) vs a reflection of harmony (salutagenisous,) what placebo research tells us about the power of consciousness to heal ourselves, Jainism, and how when it comes to healing the biggest aura (nature) always wins.

Amy Matthews - "Ecosystems and Educational Models" May 09, 2022

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Amy Matthews, co-founder of Babies Project and Program Director for the Somatic Movement Educator (SME) and Infant Developmental Movement Educator (IDME) programs at Sonder Movement Project, returns to talk with J about redefining what it is to be human and reimagining educational models. They discuss the jarring stop to being a traveling teacher, the third edition of Yoga Anatomy, yoga and somatics, embodiment, ourselves as more than individuals, and developing pedagogical starting points based in curiosity.

Lorin Roche - "Instinctive Meditation, Spontaneous Delight" May 02, 2022

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Lorin Roche, author of the Radiance Sutras and creator of the Radiance Sutras School of Meditation, talks with J about instinctive meditation and the Vijñāna-bhairava-tantra. They discuss the natural unfolding of meditative experience, formalities and spiritual cosplay, distrust and ethics in meditation teachings and groups, unpacking sanskrit texts and the language of spirit, discovering that which captures our attention and brings delight, and the awareness that a current of love energy between earth and sun flows through us.

Harmony Slater - "Reconciliation and God" Apr 25, 2022

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Harmony Slater, host of the Finding Harmony Podcast, talks with J about reconciling the past and moving forward with grace. They discuss a recent podcast episode with Eddie Stern and some of its implications for modern practitioners, if there is such as thing a 'yoga community,' rigidity in form, hierarchies of power and influence, philosophical underpinnings of eastern and western faiths, radical vs qualified nonduality, and keeping ones mind on God without falling into the trap of religion through an understanding of divine consciousness.

Indu Arora - "Yoga Nidra and the Macrocosmic Body" Apr 18, 2022

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Indu Arora talks with J about the history and philosophies of yoga. They discuss the traditions she grew up with and when her formal studies took hold, being curious about the origins of yoga and respectful of the cultures that have heralded it into the world, sun salutations and utilizing sanskrit words to understand root ideas, distinguishing between yoga nidra and meditation, going from 'external thrill to internal still,' duality and oneness, purusha and prakriti, making nature your guru, and the co-creation of knowledge to empower.

Frey Faust - "Freedom, Pedagogy and The Axis Syllabus" Apr 11, 2022

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Frey Faust, creator of The Axis Syllabus and author of 101 USELESS EXERCISES...and what to do instead, talks with J about increasing awareness through an exploration of physiological or biological principles. They discuss his departure from the NY dance scene, pitfalls of standardization and funding, addressing pain by compiling information about the body that ended up contradicting conventional notions, form, fractals, symbols, stretching ligaments, and checking our own perceptions to be clear on what vision of reality we are working with.

Daniel Simpson - "How Traditional is Your Yoga?" Apr 04, 2022

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Daniel Simpson, author of The Truth of Yoga: A Comprehensive Guide to Yoga’s History, Texts, Philosophy, and Practices, talks with J about the origins of physical practice and what connects modern yoga to its ancient roots. They discuss the tendency of historical figures to invent things but still present them as being very old, influences that led to a modern postural approach, Hatha Yoga Pradipika, tantra, distinguishing Nivritti and Pravritti from duality and nonduality, and defining yoga by questioning the how and why more than the what.

Kathryn Bruni-Young - "Adaptability, Strength and Resilience" Mar 28, 2022

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Kathryn Bruni-Young, creator of Mindful Strength, talks with J about her mother's legacy and the adaptability of human bodies. They discuss turning grief into a handstand club, when Kathryn's mom, Diane Bruni, came to J's class and the significance of her appearance on the show, the alarm her mom sounded and the infamous Facebook page she started, feeling uncomfortable about social media outpourings after her mom's death, and understanding the biopsychosocial purpose behind strength training for resilience and well-being.

Steve James - "Fields of Inquiry with Guru Viking" Mar 21, 2022

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Steve James, creator of the Movement Koan Method® and host of the Guru Viking Podcast, joins J for a comparative inquiry into spiritual traditions and philosophical viewpoints. They discuss living on a boat, the value of survival training, some of the experiences and people who have influenced Steve's understanding, working with Michaela Boehm and The Non-Linear Movement Method®, the purpose of long-sitting meditation, and appreciation for a multiplicity of contemplative disciplines and wisdom teachings.

Alejandro Chaoul - "Channels and Winds of Tibetan Yoga" Mar 14, 2022

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Alejandro Chaoul. author of Chod Practice in the Bon Tradition, Tibetan Yoga for Health and Wellbeing, and Tibetan Yoga: Magical Movements of Body, Breath & Mind, talks with J about the philosophy and practice in Tibetan Buddhism. They discuss his cultural Jewish upbringing and the moment of realization where Buddhism became his path, meeting UG Krishnamurti, movement and breath technique in tsa lung trulkhor, (also known as Tibetan Yoga,) and the many paths that lead to deeper awareness and enlightened experience.

Angela Farmer and Victor van Kooten - "Process of Evolving" Mar 07, 2022

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Angela Farmer and Victor van Kooten talk with J about exploring our inner worlds and the power of formlessness. They discuss their early experiences with BKS Iyengar, how things changed over time and deciding to go a different way, fear-based teaching vs permission to make your own determinations, playfulness rather than striving, tapping into our "animal insides," feeling into things rather than thinking them, relinquishing control, receiving natures wisdom, and honoring the elemental part of ourselves and the environment.

Doug Keller - "Vedas, Tantra, Hatha Yoga, and Rebirth" Feb 28, 2022

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Doug Keller talks with J about the history and philosophies of yoga. They discuss why Doug left academia to spend 14 years in Siddha Yoga Ashrams, the process of adaptation that defines yoga's evolution, vedic tradition, capital T tantra, Hatha Pradipika and the democratization of practice, meditation and samadhi according to different viewpoints, attempting to escape vs embracing the cycle of rebirth, manifestations and expressions of expanded consciousness, and the importance of knowing truth from within.

Melissa McKay - "Vipassana and Metta Meditation" Feb 21, 2022

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Melissa McKay, meditation teacher and old friend of J, talks about the practice and purpose of vipassana and metta meditation. They discuss the center Melissa had in Brooklyn and her son, her teachers from Burma and the ways she learned from them, entry points and deeper teachings, meditation as an intentional habituation of the mind, accessibility and the many different containers for meditation, easing stress and suffering, enlightened beings and heavenly realms, and the enduring power of loving kindness and compassion.

Cara Suttie - "Assumptions, Attitudes, and Accessibility" Feb 14, 2022

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Cara Suttie joins the show to talk with J about the impact of the pandemic on the work of making yoga more accessible. They discuss Cara's experience of coming to yoga before the power craze took over, healing trauma somatically, pros and cons of online classes for people who don't fit preconceived molds, studio culture before the lockdowns changed everything, possibilities for change as we start to come back together, not controlling and being present for the journey, and feeling comfortable in your worth as a person.

Swami Saradananda - "The Goal of Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā" Feb 07, 2022

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Swami Saradananda, author of Sitting Comfortably: Preparing the Mind and Body for Peaceful Meditation, talks with J about the Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā. They discuss Swami Saradananda's departure from the Sivananda organization after 26 years, getting a masters degree in Traditions of Yoga and Meditation, origins of the sun salutation and other misconceptions about Hatha Yoga, the difference between a full-body mudra and an asana, the purpose of kriyas and raja yoga, meditation vs relaxation, and the experience of samadhi.

Lucas Rockwood - "Are Yoga Centers Coming Back?" Jan 31, 2022

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Lucas Rockwood, founder of YOGABODY and host of The Lucas Rockwood Show, returns to talk with J about what is happening in the yoga industry in a post-pandemic world. They discuss the arc of the yoga center model and the impact of lockdowns over the last two years, having to close three centers and making the bankruptcy call quickly, advantages for yoga teachers in pivoting everything online, manufacturing yoga-toe separators, saying "no" to polarization, and surviving this period of rapid change with fortitude and integrity.

Taran Rosenthal - "Healing Interventions of Energy and Matter" Jan 24, 2022

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Taran Rosenthal, founder of Flying Needle Acupuncture, reunites with J after 28 years to talk about Chinese medicine and relational healing practices. They discuss the self-discovery through dance they shared in NYC, Taran's move west and subsequent foray into Brazilian spirituality, his realization that he needed to change his career and transition to Chinese medicine, the spectrum of hands-on to hands-off interventions, taking 'things' to a nonverbal space, and improvisatory co-creative dances of human exchange that ease suffering.

Cory Nakasue - "Cosmos and Consciousness" Jan 17, 2022

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Cory Nakasue is an old friend of J's who joins the show to talk about Astrology and alternative ways of understanding. They discuss the heyday and gentrification of Williamsburg Brooklyn, Cory's choice to let go of pursuing credentials in favor of co-creating new stories, how the stars reflect rather than determine, finding language that helps give expression to our experience, our magical world rich with the materials to invent, the "interregnum" of our times, and how we can better understand ourselves, each other, and create meaning.

Julia Frodahl - "Taoism, Psychology, Dreams and Compassion" Jan 10, 2022

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Julia Frodahl, founder of A Million Compassionate People and an old friend of J's, joins the show to talk about the existence of spirit and creating the space needed for change. They discuss the crossing of their paths in Brooklyn 20 years ago, the ordeal that destroyed and redefined her life, sources of wisdom and healing, Taosim, western psychology, quantum physics, dream tending, intuition and imagination, communicating through poetry, and the essential importance of learning skills of compassion, cohesion, and equanimity.

Dan Vekhter - "Neurology, Spirit, and Finger Smoothies" Jan 03, 2022

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Dan Vekhter talks with J about his work as a neurologist, the nature of consciousness and recognizing spirit. They discuss Dan's blog writing during medical school, the demands of being a doctor, the sorts of cases he works with and the role he plays in peoples lives, the limitations of existing protocols, what spirit is and where it might fit in the healing process, materialistic viewpoints that squelch reverence, his poem entitled: "finger smoothies," and reaffirmation of an uncomplicated path towards deeper understanding and humanity.

Michael Meade - "Initiation, Imagination, and Living Myth" Dec 27, 2021

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Michael Meade, author of Awakening the Soul, The Genius Myth, and The Water of Life: Initiation and the Tempering of the Soul; and creator of the Living Myth Podcast, talks with J about initiation into the holy waters of our collective story. They discuss stages of initiation, the activation of myths, pronounced rationality and exaggerated objectivity leading to a broken system based on a broken cosmology, moving towards resilience and a feeling of organic change, mythic poetic unity, and healing through the natural yoga of our own inner genius.

Tori Lunden - "How Not To Teach Yoga" Dec 20, 2021

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Tori Lunden, author of How Not To Teach Yoga: Lessons on Boundaries, Accountability, and Vulnerability - Learnt the Hard Way, talks with J about the need for yoga teachers to take an honest look at themselves and have the courage to evolve. They discuss Tori's progression from social work into yoga, being a wannabe guru, the pros and cons of charisma, the manipulation of people pleasing, boundaries and accountability, authenticity with skill, self-righteousness, humility, inclusion, and challenging ourselves to grow and do better.

Sadia Bruce - "Fields of Intimacy and Disruption" Dec 13, 2021

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Sadia Bruce returns to the show to explain how she went from questioning the profession of yoga to becoming more entrenched in it then ever before. They discuss their talk from five years ago, private teaching and being simultaneously both the help and authority, getting a gig at Kripalu just before the pandemic started, processing the misgivings of a teacher they have in common, doing online teacher trainings, breaking from dysfunctional conventions, and tapping into the innate rhythms that connect us to the forces of life and love.

Annabelle Brown - "Magical Worlds and Healing Wishes" Dec 06, 2021

Annabelle Brown, J's youngest daughter who just turned 7, joins the show to document a moment of time and share the wisdom of an unvarnished mind. They discuss the creation of imaginary worlds, life directions and passions, Annabelle's relationship with her sister, her perspective on the pandemic, whether being able to fly is better than invisibility, how the podcast is part of J's yoga, moving from Brooklyn and starting a new life, and the expressions of love, family, and friendship that make being human special.

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Tatjana Mesar - "Adaption and Integrity Post-Pandemic" Nov 29, 2021

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Tatjana Mesar, creator of Dynamic Mindfulness, returns to talk with J about adapting yoga to a post-pandemic world and staying true to who we are. They discuss the time they spent together just before the pandemic hit, the closing of Zen Yoga Berlin, her retreat to nature and the power of our environment to heal, transitioning online and developing teacher training that works in the new context, the role of science and anatomy in yoga inquiry, intuition, nonlinear poetry, and learning to trust yourself in the process of yoga's unfolding.

Lauren Walker - "We Are All Energy" Nov 22, 2021

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Lauren Walker, founder of Energy Medicine Yoga and author of The Energy To Heal, returns to talk with J about seeing ourselves as energy and coming together to create healing fields. They discuss her experience and views of Rod Stryker and the calamity in the Parayoga community, healing traumas and holding teachers accountable, understanding that the substrate of all existence and experience is energy, ramifications of reductionist materialism, and the 8 month free course she is offering to co-create healing.

Renee Diamond and Joanna Rajendran - "Honoring Tao" Nov 15, 2021

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Renee Diamond, founder of Westchester Academy of Yoga (WAY,) and Joanna Rajendran, author of My Guru Wears Heals, talks with J about the life and legacy of Tao Porchon-Lynch. They each discuss how they found their way to Tao, some of the life experiences that made her so inspirational, the adventures she took them on, wonders they witnessed and what they like to call the "Tao Effect," methods and purpose at work in her teaching, the spirit of connection she facilitated, and the love she embodied and shared with all she met.

Adam Keen - "Teachings and Teachers" Nov 08, 2021

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Adam Keen, host of the Keen on Yoga Podcast, talks with J about the evolution of yoga education and embodying devotion. They discuss behind the scenes podcast stuff, Purple Valley in Goa, nostalgia for earlier days when there was less competition, discovering the Ashtanga Vinyasa method and becoming "authorized," reconciling abuse histories of our teachers, when the linear journey of progress becomes the greatest obstacle, and distinguishing between faith, belief, and devotion in a process of learning to see more honestly.

Michael Falcone - "In Search of Mahavatar Babaji" Nov 01, 2021

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Michael Falcone talks with J about his journey to Africa and India. They discuss the synchronicity that brought them together, why Michael left a career in law, the experiences behind his interest in shamanism, the moment in a yoga class that changed his perspective, learning from Mandanza Kandemwa, dancing with Ju/Hoansi Bushman, how a search for Mahavater Babaji landed him stranded in a cave in Rishikesh at the beginning of the pandemic, and how the “heart of spiritual practice is that it should be done for its own sake."

Joshua Schrei - "Pulses, Rhythms and Resonances" Oct 25, 2021

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Joshua Schrei, host of The Emerald Podcast and creator of The Mythic Body, talks with J about the animate world in which we live. They discuss the substrate of ecstatic unified experience underlying all human history, the difference between the mystic and the mythic, technologies of rapture and mechanisms of repetition, where science and spirituality meet, resonance across different axis, ritual paradigms, connection to muses, and the growing imperative to revive communal rituals of wonder that resound with the pulse of the present.

Kristin Leal - "Reverse Engineering Awe" Oct 18, 2021

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Kristin Leal, author of MetaAnatomy: A Modern Yogi’s Practical Guide to the Physical and Energetic Anatomy of Your Amazing Body, talks with J about the mapping of human body and experience. They discuss the Jivamukti Yoga Center on Second Ave that they both started practicing at, who Kristin went on to study with from there, Rod Stryker and scandal in the Parayoga community, failed models, how we hold teachers and teachings, gross and subtle anatomy, wiggling in poses, spiritual realities, and the practicality of "being in your heart."

Brandt Passalacqua - "Aid Suffering and Spiritual Evolution" Oct 11, 2021

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Brandt Passalacqua, creator of Breathing Deeply Yoga Therapy, talks with J about yoga therapy and subtle aspects of yoga. They discuss being a musician in NYC in the early 90's, Brandt's near death experience and the role yoga played in his miraculous recovery, his time at Sivananda and studying with Mukunda Stiles, when teachers fulfill their roles and students move on, comparing yoga and yoga therapy, issues of institutionalization, the role of intuition, and the spirit of coming together in the name of balance and health.

Simon Goss - "Sensitive New Age Guys" Oct 04, 2021

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Simon Goss is a listener who reached out and J thought it would be fun to get to know him on the show. They discuss Simons background in football, growing up in the inner city of Los Angeles, why he spent four years in the Marines, the massage that changed everything, becoming a massage therapist and getting into yoga, overcoming toxic masculinity, dad stuff, being sensitive and having the courage to be vulnerable, how yoga helps people, and the shared experience and inquiry that connects the two of them through the podcast.

Robert Moses - "Consciousness, Liberation, and Karma" Sep 27, 2021

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Robert Moses, founder of Namarupa: Categories of Indian Thought, talks with J about subtle aspects of yoga philosophy and life. They discuss his transition from architecture to a spiritual path, his time as a disciple of Swami Vishnudevananda and life after the ashram, working through our karmas, Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Advaita Vedanta and the "beginningless beginning which never existed," theory of the Yuga cycle and the advantage of being in the Kali Yuga, and keeping ourselves asking the big questions that yoga intends us to explore.

Gina Zimmerman - "Beyond Personal Identity" Sep 20, 2021

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Gina Zimmerman is an old friend of J's and they talk about longevity as a teacher and going beyond personal identity. They discuss meeting in Brooklyn 18 years ago, NY during 9/11, the rise and fall of Anusara, sustainability and scale, placing people at the alter of your heart, developing an inner ear from which we can hear clearly, operating from a subtle place, smaller and larger forms of intuition, countering the seeking mechanism, corporeal grace, authenticity in spiritual practice, and becoming equipped to hold the fullness of life.

Mike Huggins - "Living Under A Broken Model" Sep 13, 2021

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Mike Huggins, founder of Transformation Yoga Project and author of Going OM: A CEO's Journey from a Prison Facility to Spiritual Tranquility, returns to report on what is happening in yoga service. They discuss the impact of the pandemic, dramatic shifts that need to happen in the non-profit yoga service segment, the direction that Transformation Yoga project has chosen, why the models are broken, needing to "go big or go real small," and having courage to actualize our felt experience of yoga in ways that are true to our deeper purpose.

Lizzie Lasater - "Holding This Moment" Sep 06, 2021

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Lizzie Lasater talks with J about her mom, finding her dharma, and walking a mystical path of beauty. They discuss her childhood experience of having a famous yoga mom, developing her own practice, moving from architecture to producing yoga videos and teaching, gentle and restorative practice before it was popular, becoming a mom herself at the onset of the pandemic, holding the moment close without gripping too tight, trusting intuition, and coming to cherish the simple moments that reaffirm the majesty and beauty of life.

Jacob Kyle - "Scholarship, Practice, and Embodied Philosophy" Aug 30, 2021

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Jacob Kyle, host of the Chitheads Podcast and founding director of Embodied Philosophy, talks with J about the limits of academia, raising the bar on yoga education, and the divine nature of life. They discuss Jacob's transition from western to eastern philosophy and the intersection of scholar and practitioner, NYC and outdated models for teacher/student relationship, Neelakhanta Meditation, 200 hour teacher training, starting a podcast and developing an online platform, and the relevance of nondual tantra for modern society.

Get 25% off at Embodied Philosphy with coupon code: YOGATALKS25

Eliana Moreira - "Underbellies and Silver Linings" Aug 23, 2021

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Eliana Moreira talks with J about the dark side of yoga celebrity and navigating the post-pandemic reality. They discuss Eliana's adverse reaction to years of hot yoga and how it lead her to Ayurveda, her early studies in different approaches, why she declined an invitation to study with BKS Iyengar, opening a yoga center, meeting Dr. Timothy McCall, her fathers death and the mystical implications it had on her practice, the timing of the pandemic, difficult decisions, and finding the right balance of money and bliss so the yoga remains true.

Paul Langland - "Improvisatory Virtuosic Moments" Aug 16, 2021

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Paul Langland, choreographer, dancer, and teacher who for the last 46 years has been an innovator in dance and performance, talks about his work exploring human experience and creative expression. They discuss J's time studying with Paul at the Experimental Theater Wing in the 90's, the origins of contact improvisation and the listening skills it requires, how Paul came to work with Meredith Monk and Ping Chong, Mary Overly first and six viewpoints, Alan Wayne technique, and finding virtuosity in performance and life.

Carl Horowitz - "Old School NY Yoga and Patterns of Tension" Aug 09, 2021

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Carl Horowitz talks with J about their formative years in the NY Yoga scene and holding a line of integrity. They discuss Carl's former life as a professional skater, some of the choices he has made in relationship to the yoga industry, why he preferred teaching at Crunch Gym to yoga centers, purposes in asana, effective yoga teacher training, observing patterns of tension and the need for personal practice, reconciling the abuse histories of our teachers, family life and the death of Carl's wife, and the spirit of inquiry behind any authentic yoga.

Michelle Ryan - "Teacher Training, Hierarchies of Dominance" Aug 02, 2021

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Michelle Ryan returns to the show to talk with J about the problems with teacher training and the deeper issues corrupting yoga. They discuss what happened to her yoga center since they last spoke and the collective model she attempted to forge, her opposition to the Yoga Alliance 200-hour standards, cultural appropriation of indigenous knowledge, the detriment of neoliberal politics and late stage capitalism, and holding ourselves and others to account for what we claim to know or be. This episode is sponsored by Moonclerk.

Eve Grzybowski - "Radical Generosity, Inspired Retirement" Jul 26, 2021

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Eve Grzybowski, author of Teach Yourself Yoga talks with J about being an early yoga adopter and a radical vision for communal retirement. They discuss yoga in the 70's and 80's, the yoga schools she founded, starting a blog back when that was a thing, moving to Mitchells Island NSW and creating a small community of friends to live out their latter years together, trials and joys of adult shared housing, the teachings that come when facing end stages of life, and the power to heal, grow, and share through relationships.

Sally Kempton - "Obedience, Tantra, and Subtle Body" Jul 19, 2021

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Sally Kempton, author of Meditation for the Love of It and Awakening Shakti, talks with J about different paths in yoga and opening the subtle body. They discuss the 70's yoga scene, Swami Muktananda and her "30 years in obedience," why she left the ashram life and became a householder, asceticism and tantra, personal enlightenment vs collective good, spontaneous kundalini experiences and goddesses, "the magical level," and the mystical elements of yoga that people are usually reticent to talk about. This episode is sponsored by Moonclerk.

Brian Cooper - "Yoga Professionals" Jul 12, 2021

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Brian Cooper, PhD, co-founder and director of Yoga Professionals (aka Yoga Alliance Professionals,) talks with J about raising the standards and quality of yoga teaching. They discuss Brian's background in practice, the impetus behind starting an association, why hours-based curricula are inherently flawed, necessary elements in fostering yoga education, the mainstream fantasy narrative of yoga, if mystical realms exist, and fostering yoga that is personal, transformative and maintains integrity. This episode is sponsored by Moonclerk.

Frank Jude Boccio - "Religious But Not Spiritual" Jul 05, 2021

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Frank Jude Boccio returns to the show for an in-depth discussion about his writings Religious But Not Spiritual, The Secret, Neo-Liberal Buddhism, and McMindfulness: The New Capitalist Spirituality. They discuss the etymology of the word religion, what it means to be spiritual, supernatural pseudo-spirituality, science, reductionism, materialism, belief in a soul or lack thereof, the problem with teaching mcmindfulness, the role of intuition and purpose of ceremony, and the honest exchange of ideas and opinions that lead to a discerned truth.

Brendan McCall - "Yoga of Contemporary Dance" Jun 28, 2021

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Brendan McCall. movement artist and educator, talks with J about parallels between contemporary dance and yoga. Brendan and J went to college and made collaborative performance art together. They discuss the experimental performance training they received, conditions that enable creatives to discover and grow, experiential anatomy and Allan Wayne work, Jean Hamilton Floor Barre and Mary Overlie’s Six Viewpoints, and the spirit of somatic inquiry and purpose that inspired wonder in them both. This episode is sponsored by Moonclerk.

Julie Smerdon - "The Great Experiment" Jun 21, 2021

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Julie Smerdon, founder of Shri Yoga, talks with J about the golden times for the yoga profession and the challenges it now faces. They discuss Julie's early formative health challenges, her transition from fitness to yoga, becoming a teacher and moving from the US to Australia, opening a center and building a community, having to close during the pandemic, pros and cons of doing teacher trainings, online vs in-person teaching, and finding out if it’s possible to make a living teaching without a center? This episode is sponsored by Moonclerk.

Kristine Kaoverii Weber - "Subtle Yoga, Subtle Life" Jun 14, 2021

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Kristine Kaoverii Weber, founder of Subtle® Yoga, talks with J about the subtle nuances of embracing a practice and life of yoga. They discuss Kristine's early years on "walkabout," yoga becoming a profession and going against the vinyasa flow grain, neuroscience as a lens, implicate order and the crisis of misperception, moving to New Zealand and back, mystical realms, listening for divine messages, and bridging the seeming chasms that keep us bound and resistant to the birthright that is love. Listeners can take a free class with Kristine.

Dave and Stacy Dockins - "#vanlife #yogateacher" Jun 07, 2021

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Dave and Stacy Dockins, creators of the Yoga Project™ studios, talk with J about closing their yoga centers and living in a van. They discuss what happened when the pandemic hit and letting go of owning and operating three yoga studios after fifteen years, deciding to buy and renovate a van, the benefits of online teaching and training, day-to-day of being on the road including showers and finding places to sleep, and the profound philosophical impact of breaking from conventional life. This episode is sponsored by Moonclerk.

Divya Kohli - "Discernment, Surrender, and Finding Peace" May 31, 2021

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Divya Kohli, author of Finding Peace in Difficult Times: grounding techniques for inner calm, talks with J about taking a stance and simple ways to pull us through. They discuss Divya's time as a journalist, counter-narratives and bridging divides, navigating difficult conversations, surrender as a practice, insecurity vs uncertainty, grounding in the moment, insomnia, chasing cures and experiential awareness, self-soothing through touch and other practices, and how we can stay sane and steady in an increasingly fast, complex and stimulated world.

Kate Herrera Jenkins - "Christ, Yoga, and Native Strength" May 24, 2021

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Kate Herrera Jenkins, owner or Kiva Hot Yoga in Birmingham, AL, founder of Native Strength Revolution and Stripper Soul, talks with J about building bridges and connecting to spirit. They discuss her time as a dancer in NY and discovering her purpose, her faith in Jesus, Cochiti Pueblo heritage, her Grandma Julie, hot yoga and kivas, christianity and native american connection to the spirit world, and healing indigenous communities through relationship and personal empowerment. This episode is sponsored by Moonclerk.

Jennifer Kurdyla - "Root and Nourish" May 17, 2021

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Jennifer Kurdyla, coauthor of Root and Nourish with Abbey Rodriguez, talks with J about developing a reverent and nurturing relationship with food. They discuss the many hats that Jennifer has worn including her work as an editor, her experience of coming to yoga and greater awareness around food, Ayurveda and western herbalism, seasonal eating, kitchari, gut-brain connection, the rule of threes and lying with your left side down, why "you are what you digest," Ojas, and learning to engage food respectfully as a sacred act of existence.

Jay Marcus and Chris Clark - "The Coherence Effect" May 10, 2021

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Jay B. Marcus and Christopher S. Clark, coauthors with Robert Keith Wallace of The Coherence Effect, talk with J about the healing effect of making the mind and body function in a more orderly or coherent way. They discuss entropy and the second law of thermodynamics, homeostasis systems, Transcendental Meditation and brain wave function, Ayurveda, western medicine, science behind sacred sounds, and changing society by enhancing and spreading inner coherence. This episode is sponsored by Moonclerk.

Alison West - "Yoga Union NYC and Beyond" May 03, 2021

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Alison West, founder of Yoga Union and one of J's primary teachers, joins the show for the first time to talk about their shared past and the what they see going forward. They discuss Alison's former career as an art historian, her transition to yoga, when they met in the early nineties and her first teacher training, when grassroots organizing stopped NY state from regulating teacher training, back care and scoliosis, using dowels and rope walls, and the tenderness and inspiration shared through yoga inquiry. This episode is sponsored by Moonclerk.

Kari Hohne - "Romancing the Numinous" Apr 26, 2021

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Kari Hohne, author of Decoding the Night Sky: Ancient Babylonian Astrology and The Mythology of Sleep: The Waking Power of Dreams, talks with J about oracles and the field of interconnectivity underlying reality. They discuss Kari's early interest in dreams, studying physics and ancient systems to make sense of her experiences, interpreting the symbols of the mind and creating a dream dictionary, Tao te Ching and I Ching, convergence and synchronicity, and the expansiveness of trusting life is benign. This episode is sponsored by Moonclerk.

Norman Blair - "State of the Yoga Teacher Union" Apr 19, 2021

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Norman Blair returns to the show to assess the current state of the yoga teaching profession and encourage creative ways of moving forward. They discuss the impact of the pandemic on yoga teachers and centers, online teaching and getting back together in person, pay equity for yoga teachers and the formation of a yoga teacher union in the UK, the benefits of keeping things small and cooperative, poetry and regulation of the nervous system, and daring to think creatively about our future. This episode is sponsored by Moonclerk.

Kelly Kamm - "Fringe Dwelling Then and Now" Apr 12, 2021

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Kelly Kamm was recommended to J by a listener and it lead to this talk about the NY yoga scene, mythology, and the current state of play. They discuss the atmosphere of learning in earlier times, opening and closing a yoga center, misgivings of vinyasa yoga, seeking deeper connection to the invisible forces of magic and spirit, hindu mythology and fringe dwelling goddesses, leaning into the uncomfortable void, coming to grips with incorrect assumptions, and fusing the sacred and the everyday. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

Jessie Nieusma - "Trans, Gender and Sex Education" Apr 05, 2021

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Jessie Nieusma (he/him/his) answered J's call to join him for a discussion to dispel misinformation and humanize trans people. They discuss the realities of trans kids, the importance of ensuring that trans people receive the care they need, myths about sports and bathrooms, scare tactics used to discriminate, statistics behind what the trans community endures, spectrum’s along both gender and sex, different ways that people work to move the needle towards equality, and getting to know each other across our differences.

Resources:

Regarding the words transexual versus transgender.

Dr Rachel Mckinnon (aka Veronica Ivy) on trans people in sports.

Chair in Transgender Studies through the University of Victoria in Canada.

History of Transgender people.

Podcasts:

Queer America

Making Gay History

Nancy

Queery

LGBTQ&A

The Laverne Cox Show

Documentaries:

Disclosure on Netflix

Real Boy on Prime

The Death and Life of Marsha P Johnson on Netflix

Trans in Trumpland on Prime and Topic TV

Man Made on Prime

Historical Films:

The Lavender Scare

Stonewall Uprising

Screaming Queens

The Times of Harvey Milk

When We Rise

TV:

Pose on FX

Tales of the City on Netflix

Sense 8 on Netflix

Kathryn Anne Flynn - "Teach Kind, Clear Yoga" Mar 29, 2021

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Kathryn Anne Flynn, author of Teach Kind, Clear Yoga, talks with J about yoga methodology and pedagogy. They discuss the influence of yoga in Kathryn's childhood, some of the roots behind teaching yoga for the general population, magic, Madame Blavatsky and the Theosophical Society, the "ceptions" and exploratory practice, pigeon pose, mobility and stability vs strength and flexibility, strategies for making practice fit needs, forever student mindset, and daring to be simple. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

Katchie Ananda - "Gender Spectrum and Biological Sex" Mar 22, 2021

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PLEASE NOTE: This episodes contains opinions that some find harmful to the trans community. For an opposing view, please listen to EP 265 - Jessie Nieusma - "Trans, Gender and Sex Education"

Katchie Ananda, J's first yoga teacher, returns to the show to talk about gender spectrum and biological sex. They discuss how Katchie ended up becoming active and writing about the issue, the cancel campaign waged against her in response, what it means to change a persons sex with puberty blockers or surgical interventions, whether intersex people prove that sex is assigned rather than observed, woman’s liberation and individual expression, Big Pharma in trans medicine, and every persons right to be whoever they want to be,

Gregor Maehle - "Finding Your Life's Divine Purpose" Mar 15, 2021

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Gregor Maele, author of How to Find Your Life's Divine Purpose, talks with J about belief systems and realizing a purposeful life. They discuss pros and cons of experiencing the entirety of everything at once, perceptual filters and the process of enculturation that cut us off from sacred knowledge, infinite human capacity for bullshitting ourselves, how we know what we know and how we know if were wrong, the happy side effect of feeling freer from a fear of death, and individual and collective purpose in finding peace with nature.

Rachel Feinberg - "Inquiry, Iyengar Alignment, Word of Mouth" Mar 08, 2021

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Rachel Feinberg, old friend and Iyengar yoga teacher, talks with J about what's been happening since they last spoke 14 years ago. They discuss Rachel's lack of online presence and how she has managed to keep it local, fond memories of the old days and grassroots practice, the role of alignment in Iyengar yoga, her experience teaching at IYAGNY, having your own space vs teaching at a center, weathering the pandemic, and the subtle exchange between teachers and students that communicates yoga. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

Madhava Setty - "Consciousness and Conspiracy" Mar 01, 2021

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Madhava Setty, MD, author of WOKE. An Anesthesiologist’s View and The Conspirituality Podcast: Clear Signal or More Noise?, talks with J about asking questions and challenging official narratives. They discuss his early career in the Aerospace and Defense Industries, his transition to studying medicine and what he learned from observing people under Anastasia, questions around the pandemic and vaccines, the official story of 9/11 WTC7, institutions of power, and the radical implications of interconnectedness.

Sheena Sood - "Caste, Decolonization and Liberation" Feb 22, 2021

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Sheena Sood, PhD, Philly-based healer, writer, educator, and activist scholar of South Asian descent, talks with J about the painful history of caste and politicizing yoga towards healing justice. They discuss Sheena’s writing on Spectacles of Compassion, Decolonizing Yoga, Collective Healing, as well as some of the current politics behind the protests in India, International Yoga Day and the Modi government, and the radical possibility for a liberatory yoga of true compassion, solidarity and equity. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

Valerie Hauser - "Protecting Indigenous Culture" Feb 15, 2021

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Valerie Hauser, Director of the Office of Native American Affairs at the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, talks with J about her work protecting indigenous culture. They discuss the role she plays advising the US government, understanding land-based spirituality and Traditional Knowledge, working through bureaucracy, the disheartening reality of how many people just don’t care, burnout and demoralization over the last four years, and the continued fortitude to fight for what is right and embody justice and equality for everyone.

Kiko Ellsworth - "Serving the Goddess" Feb 08, 2021

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Kiko Ellsworth, Emmy Award-Winning Actor, Men’s Evolution Coach, and Self Defense Expert, talks with J about discovering a spiritual life and the work men need to do for a better world. They discuss the process of abandoning egoic pursuits to find a deeper sense of self, the allure of celebrity, finding practices and ideas that help in confronting our demons, learning to better serve our partners with humility and grace, choosing to be a force of love and connection, and the unstoppable power of coming together with shared purpose.

Gil Hedley - "Who Am I and What is My Body?" Feb 01, 2021

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Gil Hedley, Ph.D., author, Director of Somanautics Workshops and producer of the The Integral Anatomy Series, talks with J about the substance and meaning of existence in a human body. They discuss theology and ethics, the models with which we view our bodies, denial of the feminine and releasing dogmas, “the fuzz” and “perifascia,” understanding interconnectedness of all things by observing it within our own systems, and fully embodying the majesty and grace that imbues our cells. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

Todd Mclaughlin - "J on Native Yoga Toddcast" Jan 25, 2021

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Todd Mclaughlin, oo-founder and director of Native Yoga Center and host of the Native Yoga Toddcast, talks with J about current events and pressing matters. After appearing on Todd’s show, J felt like it captured the spirit of what he loves about podcasting and decided to re-release it on Yoga Talks as a fun switch. They discuss the storming of the US Capital and politics, the exposing of fake gurus and processing the fallout, surviving the pandemic and dealing with stark realities, and finding hope through conversation and connection.

Daniel Simpson - "Exposing Truth in Yoga and Beyond" Jan 18, 2021

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Daniel Simpson, former foreign correspondent and author of The Truth of Yoga: A Comprehensive Guide to Yoga’s History, Texts, Philosophy, and Practices, talks with J about exposing truth in both journalism and yoga. They discuss Daniels experience of writing for the NY Times after 9/11, why he decided to leave behind a career in journalism and pursue yoga scholarship, what we actually know about the origins of yoga, and making clear distinctions between what texts say and what we choose to do with them. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

Lucy Karnani - "Conscious Communication" Jan 11, 2021

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Lucy Karnani, coauthor of Connecting: Conscious Communication for Yoga Teachers and Therapists, talks with J about utilizing tools for understanding connection and communication. Lucy and J have been interacting for some time and this was an opportunity for them to connect and discuss her background in facilitating effective communication, the importance of values and motivations, levels of listening, conditions for change, and the link between our experience of practice and being able to share it with others in a way that is helpful.

Krishna Das - "Grace, Gurus, and Learning to Trust Yourself" Jan 04, 2021

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Krishna Das, best-selling western chant artist of all time, talks with J about what a real guru is and the practice of chanting. They discuss KD’s experience of Neem Karoli Baba and the role of a guru, his early beginnings of leading kirtan in NYC, singing to clean out the dark places, overcoming the pitfalls that come from becoming more interesting to others, doing things for the right reasons and understanding deeper love, and entering into heart spaces to experience the interconnectedness of all. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

Trina Altman - "Yoga Deconstructed" Dec 28, 2020

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Trina Altman, author of Yoga Deconstructed®: Movement Science Principles for Teaching, returns to the show to touch base with J on expanding movement diets and meeting goals. They catch up on whats been happening since they last spoke and how they have been navigating the pandemic, discuss the evolution of yoga teaching, Trina’s views on utilizing movement and working with people on an individual level, what we are doing when we develop strength, and the deeper inquiry into ourselves that transcends labels or categories.

Andrew Rosenstock - "Rolfing, Integration and Somatics" Dec 21, 2020

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Andrew Rosenstock, host of the Touching Into Presence Podcast, talks with J about Rolfing and other forms of mind/body therapies. They discuss the history of the Rolfing modality, what goes into being “rolfed,” Andrew’s viewpoint on different aspects of both technique and philosophy, parallels between structural integration and yoga therapy, Rolf movement, gait analysis, holism in assessment and application, what can actually be done to a structure and why, and the somatic exploration at the heart of facilitating awareness and health.

Elisa Malinverni - "Coping with Covid Fatigue" Dec 14, 2020

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Elisa Malinverni, founder of Way of The Mother Bern, talks with J about handling the quarantines and moving forward. They discuss the similarities and differences between how Switzerland and the USA have dealt with the pandemic, the blog she wrote early on about teachers giving away classes for free and devaluing the profession, navigating the guidelines for in-person teaching, the deep value of community and circles of trust, and the need for teachers to reimagine their relationships with centers and retain individual platforms.

Christopher Wallis - "Shifting Paradigms and Near Enemies" Dec 07, 2020

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Christopher Wallis, Founder and Head Faculty of Tantrika Institute and author of Tantra Illuminated, returns to the show to talk about shifting paradigms of existence and near enemies of the truth. They discuss cultivating a reverent feeling towards life, balancing devotion with discernment, understanding gurus and holding leaders accountable, kindness and tough love as pedagogical strategies, receiving downloads of innate intelligence, and understanding subjectivity. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

Adam Schwartz - "Yoga to the People Shadow Work" Nov 30, 2020

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Adam Schwartz, yoga teacher and podcast listener, talks with J about the dark underbelly of Yoga to the People NYC. They discuss the @yttpshadowwork Instagram account that started publishing anonymous testimony of manipulation and abuse at what was a premier yoga presence in the NY scene prior to covid, Adam’s first-hand experience of practice and training at YTTP, inner workings of the staff and studio policies, lessons to be learned, and the daunting realities that grassroots yoga teachers are facing in the midst of the pandemic.

Lucie Vogel - "Reckoning of Undue Influence" Nov 23, 2020

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Lucie Vogel, Original Goat Yoga Mama and survivor of the Dahn Yoga cult, talks with J about holding institutions accountable and a defamation lawsuit filed by Matthew Remski. They discuss Dahn Yoga and her involvement in the organization, when the locust of control shifts in high-demand groups, the process of reclaiming personal empowerment, legal barriers to accountability, why Lucie wrote an article exposing Remski’s lawsuit, and making sure our efforts to achieve justice are true to purpose. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

Chris Preist - "The Future Buddha is the Sangha" Nov 16, 2020

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Chris Preist, co-director of Bristol Zen Dojo, talks with J about the teachings of TKV Desikachar and collectivizing institutions of yoga. They discuss Chris’s history and study in both yoga and zen, the process of mind and ego at work in yoga transmission, devising practice and the role of oo-jai pranayama in going from gross to subtle awareness, deep commitment in practice, teacher/student relationships, the failing of institutions to address abuse, and the power of sincere friendship and mutual bonds of affection.

Heather Plett - "The Art of Holding Space" Nov 09, 2020

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Heather Plett, author of The Art of Holding Space, talks with J the day after the 2020 election about what it means to hold space and learning to navigate in the dark. They discuss the liminal threshold of ambiguity and disorientation that occurs when we find ourselves transitioning from who we once were to who we are becoming, the circles of trust and vulnerability needed to provide support, brave vs safe spaces, power and privilege, selective judgement, and creating new social contracts that foster equality and humility.

Jeff Krasno - "Rising Above the Invective" Nov 02, 2020

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Jeff Krasno, author and host of the Commune Podcast, talks with J about the trajectory of yoga in our culture and its role in the larger collective fate of humanity. They discuss the origins and spirit of Wanderlust, downsides to turning yoga teachers into rock stars, the vital contribution that earnest teachers have in society, our current perilous moment, being open to learn from opposing viewpoints as a counter to the rampant polarization of everything, and keeping faith in our institutions. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

Hong Gwi-Seok - "Somatic Particularity in Iyengar Yoga" Oct 26, 2020

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Hong Gwi-Seok, author of The Gift of Somatic Particularity in Iyengar Yoga and teacher at the Iyengar Yoga Detroit Cooperative, talks with J about evolving practice and bottom-up social change. They discuss her history with Iyengar Yoga, misconceptions about BKS Iyengar’s teaching, the notion of somatic particularity, hierarchical power abuse and the inadequacy of institutions to address it, how yoga is inherent in social change and justice, and the spirit of inquiry at the heart of exploring interconnectedness with all things.

Judith Hanson Lasater - "Yoga Myths and Spiritual Practice" Oct 19, 2020

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Judith Hanson Lasater, author of Yoga Myths: What You Need to Learn and Unlearn for a Safe and Healthy Yoga Practice, returns to the show and talks with J about letting go of the myths that once dominated yoga classes and embracing the spiritual underpinnings of practice. They discuss the genesis of her latest book not tucking the tailbone, the inner workings of triangle pose, Mula Bandha as an energetic technique of spontaneous creation, and the heart space that really makes it all work. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

Simon Borg-Olivier - "Bandhas, Natural Body, Essence of Yoga" Oct 12, 2020

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Simon Borg-Olivier, co-founder and owner of Yoga Synergy, talks with J about both the science and metaphysics in his work uncovering the essence of yoga. They discuss his experience of studying with the gurus and pioneering yoga in the west, the influence of tradition in the process of innovation, science behind energy in the human system, modern body vs traditional body, natural breathing and active movements, and clearly understanding the purpose of yoga to be a recognition of our inherent interconnectedness and mutuality.

Seane Corn - "QAnon, Discernment, and Radical Accountability" Oct 05, 2020

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Seane Corn, co-founder of Off the Mat, Into the World, talks with J about a PSA she posted regarding QAnon and the 2020 election. They discuss the recruitment of wellness influencers and their followers into the QAnon web of conspiracy theories, the co-option of legitimate causes, well financed Instagram accounts utilizing social media prowess to manipulate and deceive, discerning truth, practicing radical accountability, and the hope that out of this mess will come a reckoning. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

Amy Weintraub - "Sacred Sexuality in Temple Dancer" Sep 28, 2020

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Amy Weintraub, author of Temple Dancer and Yoga for Depression, talks with J about old times and her new fiction work on sacred sexuality. They discuss her pioneering direction in yoga for mood management and mental health, getting caught up in admin and moving away from developing teacher trainings, her return to fiction writing and the voice of her characters coming through, the story of the temple dancers, suppression of female polarity, and the ways in which we can heal and embrace the spiritual power that is inherent in all of us.

Richard Freeman and Mary Taylor - "On The Bhagavad Gita" Sep 21, 2020

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Richard Freeman and Mary Taylor, coauthors of When Love Comes to Light: Bringing Wisdom from The Bhagavad Gita Into Modern Life, talk with J about their new translation and interpretation of the Bhagavad Gita. The conversation begins with a check-in on how things are going in the pandemic and then turns to the relevance of the Gita to our current situation. They discuss the text as a commentary on hierarchies and power structures, and a primer for intuitive knowing and overcoming difficulties. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

Dr. Monea Tamara - "Racial Justice and Grounding Force" Sep 14, 2020

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Dr. Monea Tamara Abdul-Majeed, Racial Justice Educator and Yoga Teacher, talks with J about anti-racism and the need for all voices to be heard. They discuss having courageous conversations with family and friends, change making from top down and bottom up, radical viewpoints and self care, understanding privilege without shaming, being resilient in the face of entrenched injustice, performative allyship vs real dialogue, the fraught polarization of our current politics and being forced to choose the lesser of evils in the coming election.

Carol Horton - "Grounded Hope in Authoritarian Times" Sep 07, 2020

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Carol Horton, author of 21st Century Yoga and Yoga PhD, returns to the show to provide a sober analysis of authoritarianism on both sides of the political aisle and perspective on the choices we all are facing. They discuss the erosion of dialogue and debate among online yoga communities and beyond, the politics and social mores that are fueling the polarization we are experiencing, illiberalism and decentralized authoritarianism on the left, and finding ground for wisdom and hope. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

Kishor Stein - "Manouso Manos and Abuses of Power" Aug 31, 2020

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Kishor Stein is a former student of Manouso Manos who talked with J at the end of last year about the abuse he witnessed, but it was never made public until now. Seven months later, they reconnect to introduce the episode by discussing why it was not originally released and why they are doing so now. The original conversation is about the overt and subtle abuse that is commonplace in yoga classes, power imbalances and sexual assault, charisma and cult of personality, and the pain of having a teacher you once admired but can no longer support.

Tias Little - "Imaginary Realm of the Wisdom Path" Aug 24, 2020

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Tias Little, author of The Practice is the Path and Yoga of the Subtle Body, talks with J about liminal spaces and subtle body healing. They discuss his background and evolution from rigorous physicality to somatic embodiment, mining dreams for messages from beyond, using slower movement and poetic language to encourage greater awareness, delving deeply into emotional shadows and unlocking a plenum of possibility, reconciling the imaginary realm with turmoil and injustice, and learning to embrace the wonder of existence.

Max Strom - "Emotional Healing, Core Human Needs" Aug 17, 2020

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Max Strom, author of There Is No App For Happiness and A Life Worth Breathing, talks with J about emotional healing and fulfilling core human needs. They discuss experiences and influences that shaped Max’s work, the fundamental relationship between bodies and feeling, using breath-work to heal emotional wounds, the ethical causes needed to support well-being, societal factors that present obstacles, and the ways in which we can overcome negative presets and have a more meaningful life. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

Nicola Belen - "Yoga of Feeling Connected" Aug 10, 2020

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Nicola Belen is a long-time listener of the show who has reached out to J a few times and is currently living in Hong Kong, they discuss her story and what things look like there with the pandemic. Nicola shares her experience of being a “third culture kid,” the years she spent in New York and San Francisco, the evolution of her yoga through pregnancy and beyond, the yoga scene in Hong Kong, what is going on with yoga centers now with the restrictions in place, and the universal issues that people are facing everywhere in this unprecedented moment.

Barbara Verrochi - "Long Live The Shala NYC" Aug 03, 2020

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Barbara Verrochi, co-owner and director of The Shala yoga studios in Manhattan and Brooklyn, talks with J about surviving all these years and so far in the pandemic. They discuss their parallel paths through the early NY scene of the nineties, the evolution of practice over the years and the sustainability of small independent centers, what has contributed to her longevity and fortitude, managing the uncertainty of the shutdown orders, and the hope and faith that fuels a life-long passion for yoga. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

Amy Wheeler - "Satvic Purpose and Professional Survival" Jul 27, 2020

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Amy Wheeler, Ph.D., former President of the Board of Directors at the International Association of Yoga Therapists, founder of Optimal State, talks with J about the current landscape of the “Industrial Yoga Complex” and embodying the principles of yoga. They discuss Amy’s work as a sports psychologist, her training with TKV Desikachar and differences between the way he taught compared to what yoga looks like today, outcomes vs protocols, yoga therapy definitions, grim professional prospects for yoga teachers, and the satvic purpose of yoga.

Leana Marie Marshall - "Diversity and Inclusion at Corepower" Jul 20, 2020

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Leana Marie Marshall, founder of Elle Em Consulting and blackyogateachers365, talks with J about her time at Corepower Yoga and the need for better training around diversity and inclusion in the yoga industry. They discuss the reasons why POC don’t feel welcomed in yoga spaces, working her way through the Corepower system, her attempts to reform inequities and unfair policies, the harsh actions taken during the pandemic, and working to help everyone feel valued and respected. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

Dylan Galos - "Epidemiology, Covid, BLM, and Yoga" Jul 13, 2020

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Dylan Galos, epidemiologist and evaluator, friend of the show, talks with J about the current health crisis and the Black Lives Matter movement. They discuss the role of epidemiology, his background and areas of study, the science behind pandemics, data sets and policy recommendations, effectiveness of masks, impacts of social distance on mental health, the intersection of the shutdown and the BLM protests, a queer black man’s perspective on the movement for justice, and aspects of yoga that help people get through the uncertainty of this life.

Resources:

Dr. Michael Osterholm’s podcast on masks

Video about herd immunity

Video about why COVID-19 is so contagious

Visualization about why COVID-19 is so contagious

Article on models of COVID-19 contagion

The End of Policing by Alex Vitale

Article on white supremacist organizational culture

Todd Norian - "Tantra of Unbreakable Wholeness" Jul 06, 2020

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Todd Norian, author of Tantra Yoga: Journey to Unbreakable Wholeness, talks with J about his time in community and his path to Tantra. They discuss, his thirteen years at Kripalu, his relationship to Amrit Desai, what to make of fallen gurus, endurance training, desire for partnership and eating meat, coming to know that we are enough, and the Tantric teachings that support us in a process by which we shine the light of consciousness into the shadows of the unknown to gain self-knowledge. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

Neal Pollack - "Marijuana Addiction and Legal Weed" Jun 29, 2020

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Neal Pollack, aka “The Greatest Living American Writer” and author of Pothead: My Life as a Marijuana Addict in the Age of Legal Weed, talks with J about cannabis and addressing addiction issues. They discuss shared history from an earlier time in the yoga world, struggles Neal explores in his book and how marijuana may not always be as safe as advertised, underlying issues at play in addiction, what it took to make the necessary changes and find a better direction, and the honesty and fortitude essential to simply being a good person.

Mugs McConnell - "Letters from the Yoga Masters" Jun 22, 2020

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Mugs McConnell, author of Letters from the Yoga Masters, talks with J about the correspondence and lessons she received from Dr. Hari Dickman. Mugs shares the history of her relationship to yoga, how she ended up having access to over 700 letters from yoga figures such as Paramhansa Yogananda, Ramana Maharshi and Swami Sivananda, what to make of so many gurus falling from grace, whether we can separate teachings from teachers, and the earnest inquiry at the heart of yogic understanding. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

Charles Eisenstein - "Narrative War and Peace" Jun 15, 2020

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Charles Eisenstein is an author whose recent essays, The Coronation and The Conspiracy Myth, caused some controversy in the yoga world and J happened into a chance to speak with him in response to the critiques. They discuss separation vs interbeing, whether or not he is a “trojan horse for the anti-vaxx movement,” reasonable questions regarding the pandemic and science, conspiracy as a theory and myth, narrative warfare, orthodoxy and the pursuit of justice, and envisioning a new and ancient story of integration and peace.

Timothy McCall, MD - "Beyond Reductionist Intervention" Jun 08, 2020

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Timothy McCall, MD, author of three books, Examining Your Doctor: A Patient's Guide to Avoiding Harmful Medical Care; Yoga as Medicine: The Yogic Prescription for Health and Healing, and his latest; Saving My Neck: A Doctor's East/West Journey Through Cancer, talks with J about reductionist science and the power of intuition. They discuss Timothy’s decision to stop practicing medicine and dedicate himself to yoga, changing how we study holistic healing, medical discernment, cancer treatments, and how direct experience trumps everything else.

Derek Beres - "Conspirituality, Media, and Medicine" Jun 01, 2020

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Derek Beres, columnist for Big Think and host of the EarthRise Podcast, talks with J about the intersection of conspiracy theories, the wellness industry, and healthy skepticism. They discuss Derek’s history as a journalist and movement enthusiast, the article he wrote debunking the plandemic video, fake vs real conspiracies, media manipulation and the politics of healthcare, Derek’s upcoming book on psychedelics, and the sort of dialogue necessary to make informed and smart choices. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

Mel Russo - "Local Yoga, Corporate Gigs, and Personal Touch" May 25, 2020

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Mel Russo, native New Yorker and old friend, reminisces with J about the early days and shares an inside take on the closing of Yoga Works and the future of the studio model. They discuss moving west, living in the east-village back when the rents were low, managing and owning a center, having to close shop and take a gig at Yoga Works, why it all fell apart there and what was happening when the pandemic hit, the current set of choices teachers face, and reaffirming the tiny beautiful moments that make yoga feel meaningful and worthwhile.

Nyk Danu - "DIY Spirit with a Punk Rock Heart" May 18, 2020

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Nyk Danu, Therapeutic Yoga Teacher and Yin Yoga Teacher Trainer, has been corresponding with J for years and they finally connect to touch base on what’s happening at the grassroots. They discuss Nyk’s history and appetite for learning, hosting your own classes vs teaching at centers, offering classes in a series vs drop ins, the hardcore nature of simple practice, how different centers are handling the stay-at-home orders, digital teacher training, and keeping it together when the world is falling apart, This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

Derek Sivers - "Solving Problems and Self Expansion" May 11, 2020

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Derek Sivers, musician, producer, circus performer, entrepreneur, TED speaker, and best known as the founder of CD Baby, talks with J about shifting viewpoints, solving problems, and self expansion. They discuss means for utilizing inspiration, thinking smart instead of strategically, improving our business “top line,” taking control and choosing how we engage digital technology, creative process as problem solving, expanding ourselves because it's fun, and reaffirming the intrinsic fascination and wonder that makes for a life worth living.

Joe and Alexis Simek - "Coming Together to Get Through" May 04, 2020

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Joe Simek and Alexis Ridge-Simek, co-owners of Dragonfly Yoga and co-founders of The Fiaria Project, talk with J about their community coming together to get through the shut down. Originally intended to be recorded at a live event to celebrate the 15-year anniversary of their yoga center which had to be postponed indefinitely, they discuss how things were going before the pandemic hit, what steps they took to get ahead of the stay-at-home orders, and the heart and soul that is holding it all together. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

Justine Cohen and Michael Ponte - "Weathering the Storm" Apr 27, 2020

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Justine Wiltshire Cohen and Michael Ponte, owner and manager at Down Under Yoga School of Yoga in Boston, talk with J about what how things have been going since Justine was last on the show three years ago and what they are doing to meat the challenge of the pandemic crisis. They discuss Down Under’s transition to making their teachers employees, responding to the needs of teachers and staff, important keys to their success, efforts they are making to survive the shut down, and the core principles that are guiding their choices.

Ryan Cunningham - "Gender Identity Consciousness" Apr 20, 2020

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Ryan Cunningham, co-host of Unrolled Podcast, returns to touch base on what has happened since their last visit and schools J on gender and identity. They discuss what happened after Ryan went from being a yoga center manager to owner, why they let go of running a studio and got licensed as a massage therapist, the decision to be more public about expressing their non-binary viewpoint, and why choosing pronouns has deeper implications for justice and the expansion of human consciousness. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

Cecily Milne - "New Paradigms and a Yoga Detour" Apr 13, 2020

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Cecily Milne, founder of Yoga Detour, talks with J about the changing paradigm of yoga practice in the west and the ways in which she has grown and evolved alongside the changing conversation. They discuss her departure from Ashtanga Yoga and exploration of other movement modalities, the influences that have shaped her perspective, yoga classifications and meeting expectations, and challenging ourselves to move through the discomfort of breaking patterns that no longer serve and trust in our own powers of perception.

Diane Paylor - "Real Deal Holyfield" Apr 06, 2020

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Diane Paylor, author of Yin Yoga: Essential Poses and Sequences for Balanced Energy, participated in J’s Weekly Teachers Class last year and they re-connect in this intimate conversation about struggles and strengths. They discuss Diane’s mom’s struggle with cancer, her former life as a writer for Sassy magazine and the trauma of having a dream come true turn into a nightmare, finding yourself through yoga, focusing on strengths instead of struggles, and delving into truth with courage. This episode os sponsored by Karmasoft.

Rob Walker - "The New Yoga" Mar 30, 2020

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Rob Walker, author of the The New Yoga: From Cults and Dogma to Science and Sanity, talks with J about taking a hard look at critical questions and proposing common-sense yoga for the future. They discuss how yoga classes have recently changed, the movement to make yoga classes safer and more inclusive by debunking myths and telling a more accurate history, drawing upon movement science, and six principles that add clarity and encourage further inquiry into the benefits of yoga. This episode is sponsored by Ropana CBD.

Michael Hayes - "Larger Bodies, Inclusivity, and Perseverance" Mar 23, 2020

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Michael Hayes, founder of Buddha Body Yoga and an early pioneer in bringing yoga to larger bodies, talks with J about his early NY roots and the evolving conversation around how to make yoga more inclusive. They discuss Michael’s early studies in Gurdjieff and massage therapy, the process of discovering yoga that worked for him, choosing to go against the grain, some of the tools he prefers, and the perseverance and passion that fuels and sustains a lifelong inquiry into the nature of yoga. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

Kaya Mindlin - "Parampara and Authentic Yoga" Mar 16, 2020

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Kaya Mindlin, founder of Supreme Release Yoga, was referred to J as someone who would speak candidly with him about difficult topics and she did not disappoint. They discuss the meaning of Parampara, misinformed mindsets that modern approaches to yoga propagate, Vedic astrology and Ayurveda, guidance on how to choose teachers and appropriateness in relationships, and the truth that we lack nothing and Yoga can not give you anything even though it allows you to discover everything, This episode is sponsored by Ropana CBD.

Nischala Joy Devi - "Meditation in the Yoga Tradition" Mar 09, 2020

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Nischala Joy Devi, author of Meditation in the Yoga Tradition and The Secret Power of Yoga, returns to offer J a yogic perspective on meditation and a practical application of Patañjali’s Yogasūtras. She discusses the concept of “dynamic stillness,” the difference between consciousness and mind, residing in the heart instead of controlling the mind, thinking of ashtanga yoga as facets rather than limbs, defining Dharana-Dhyana-Samadhi as states that cannot be practiced, and nurturing a sustained steady rhythm and a dedicated heart.

Ranju Roy and Dave Charlton - "Embodying the Yoga Sutra" Mar 02, 2020

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Ranju Roy and Dave Charlton, coauthors of Embodying the Yoga Sutra: Support, Direction, Space, join J to discuss a snapshot of their current understanding of yoga through a consideration of Patañjali’s Yogasūtras and the teachings of TKV Desikachar. They talk about how they decided on the eighteen sutras they used in the book, yoga as relationship, what the organizing principles of support-direction-space are referring to, and the practical application of yoga to facilitate positive change. This episode is sponsored by Ropana CBD.

Haley Laughter - "Indigenous Yoga Inspired" Feb 24, 2020

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Haley Laughter, founder of Hozho Total Wellness, talks with J about the difficulties which affect Native Americans experiencing historical trauma, and incorporating indigenous teachings into yoga practice. They discuss the “assimilation” of Haley’s parents and the effects that had on her early life, giving up the “american dream” to move closer to her Navajo roots, connections between yoga and indigenous philosophy, and utilizing practice to connect with the elements and our existence on the planet. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

Colleen Boyd - "Downtown Desert Yoga" Feb 17, 2020

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Colleen Boyd, owner of downtown desert yoga in Las Cruces NM, answered J’s call for alternative event spaces and it led to this conversation about the evolution of modern yoga practice and industry. They discuss the early yoga scene in Las Cruces, life turns that shape our directions, becoming a teacher and center owner, incorporating new information and adapting practice accordingly, and the role we play in shaping yoga for future generations by becoming part of the conversation. This episode is sponsored by Ropana CBD.

Greg Peterson - "The Urban Farm" Feb 10, 2020

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Greg Peterson, creator of The Urban Farm and host of The Urban Farm Podcast, joins J to talk about creating a more sustainable future by becoming more aware of where your food comes from and learning how to grow your own. Greg’s wife is a yoga teacher who listens to the show and J has been thinking about food and it lead to this conversation about Greg’s entrepreneurial spirit, landing on The Urban Farm, creating community, and having a passion for the things that light us up. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

Coby Kozlowski - "Kripalu Vinyasa and One Degree Revolution" Feb 03, 2020

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Coby Kozlowski, author of One Degree Revolution, has run into J in a hallway twice over the years and they finally connect for this conversation on using whatever tools you can to hold integrity and fulfill a sense of purpose. They discuss Coby’s work as a coach as well as a yoga teacher, how she ended up developing Kripalu Vinyasa and getting on the Yoga Journal circuit, returning back to work after a hiatus, letting go of things to create new space and getting clear about how we want to move through the world. This episode is sponsored by Ropana CBD.

Tatjana Mesar - "Zen Yoga Berlin" Jan 27, 2020

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Tatiana Mesar, founder of Zen Yoga Berlin, hosted J for a tour event and the two connected for this conversation on her Croatian roots, like-minded viewpoint, and parallel paths in the yoga world. They discuss the yoga scene in Croatia, going from Transcendental Meditation to rave parties, studying classical flute and the NY downtown music scene, the radical nature of both punk rock and yoga, the evolution of yoga industry, the Axis Syllabus, and the universal threads of yoga that cross all time and culture. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

Nikki Vilella - "Adjustments in the Evolution of Yoga" Jan 20, 2020

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Nikki Vilella, senior teacher and co-owner at NYC's Kula Yoga Project, speaks for herself after being mentioned on the show regarding touch and consent in yoga classes. They reminisce about the early days and then get into a candid discussion on teacher training, deep adjustments and the changing narrative around touch and consent, ethics and legislation, the survival of independent yoga centers, finding community. not trying to be everything, and making it work despite all odds. This episode is sponsored by Ropana CBD.

J Talks About Christie Roe and Mark Whitwell Jan 13, 2020

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Seth Powell and Chase Bossart - "On Patañjali’s Yogasūtras" Jan 06, 2020

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Seth Powell and Chase Bossart come together with J for an in-depth debate into the nature and substance of Patañjali’s Yogasūtras. They discuss whether the sutras and the commentary are written by the same person, differing views on what the text says yoga is, whether it involves stilling the mind to reach a liberation beyond this world or a means of finding clarity and purpose in having this existence, distinguishing between mind and consciousness, and the power of deep yogic inquiry. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

David Moore - "The Alexander Technique" Dec 30, 2019

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David Moore, director at the School for F.M. Alexander Studies and author of Smart Yoga: Apply the Alexander Technique to Enhance Your Practice, Prevent Injury, and Increase Body Awareness, talks with J about the elusive technique created by F.M Alexander. They discuss David’s experience of what Alexander defined as “control of human reaction,” the difference between sensing and feeling, educated intuition, letting go of old patterns by engaging your whole system in doing something else. This episode is sponsored by Ropana CBD.

Michael Lear - "Trager Approach and Ashtanga Yoga" Dec 23, 2019

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Michael, Lear, founder of Pangea Yoga and Yoga4Drummers, sits down with J to talk about his unique mix of Trager Approach and Ashtanga Yoga. Michael was born in Easton PA, the town that J moved to a few years ago. They discuss the early yoga scene there and his relationship to Ashtanga Yoga, his work with integrative somatic therapies, how he ended up doing service work around the world, transference of healing through nervous system communication, and the pure joy of rocking out. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

Jay Fields - "Teaching People Not Poses" Dec 16, 2019

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Jay Fields, author of Teaching People Not Poses, talks with J about their parallel journeys from the early blogosphere days and postural practice to embodiment principles and resilience. They discuss her studies in yoga and neuroscience, some pivotal events in her life that caused Jay to cherish life anew, the principles of embodiment and resilience that she has come to understand and teach, methods for inviting inquiry instead of imposing experience, and the power of doing things just for fun. This episode is sponsored by Ropana CBD.

Alex Auder - "Instagram Dick Pics and Somatic Dominance" Dec 09, 2019

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Alex Auder, director of Magu Yoga, is a long-time friend of J’s from the early NY days and they get together to talk about her newly-gained Instagram stardom and the recent conversation around consent and touch. They discuss what is behind Alex’s irreverence and trolling on social media, the NY times article, somatic dominance and implicit abuse, the precarious balance between holding people accountable and cancel culture, and the need for modern yoga to evolve beyond its history of abuse. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

Catherine Salin Derrow - "NY Times Covers Consent and Touch" Dec 02, 2019

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Catherine Salin Derrow, featured in a recent high-profile NY Times article, talks with J about her experience of becoming a flashpoint around consent and touch in yoga. They discuss what happened behind the scenes at the workshop covered by the NY Times, old-school teaching and healthy boundaries, holding people accountable and cancel culture, and the uncomfortable contradictions and difficult questions that must be reckoned with for us to find a healthy way forward. This episode is sponsored by Ropana CBD.

Ethan Nichtern - "Shambhala Buddhism and Death of the Guru" Nov 25, 2019

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Ethan Nichtern, author of The Road Home: A Contemporary Exploration of the Buddhist Path, has a candid conversation with J about the scandal in the Shambhala Buddhist community, the underlying dynamics at play, and the broader implications for modern spiritual seekers. They discuss the origins of the tradition, his childhood in the community, gurus and his relationship to Chögyam Trungpa and Sakyong Mipham, and what might be needed to foster change in both our inner lives and outer politics. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

Ean Price Murphy - "Money Shame Sucks" Nov 18, 2019

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Ean Price Murphy, founder of Moxie Bookkeeping, is an old friend who reconnects with J to discuss how to overcome money shame with cash-management systems that even yoga teachers can understand. They talk about Ean’s viewpoint on numbers and business as a balance of order and chaos like jazz music, the emotional nature of money, using percentages and the Profit First system, and some actionable steps that anyone can take to empower themselves financially and fulfill a sense of purpose. This episode is sponsored by Ropana CBD.

Donna Farhi - "Iyengar Abuse and Changing Yoga Pedagogy" Nov 11, 2019

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Donna Farhi returns to the show to talk with J about addressing the fundamental problem of power abuse in Iyengar Yoga and beyond. They discuss the difference between pedagogy and ‘heutagogy’ or self-determined learning, when quiet authority is given by students or authoritarianism is asserted by teachers, educating people about what is between the lines and understanding the invisible matrix so we can make change, and the inquiry and shared humanity that makes for a lifelong sustainable yoga career. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

Amy Quinn Suplina - "Best Practices for Studio Owners" Nov 04, 2019

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Amy Quinn Suplina, founder of Bend and Bloom Yoga in Brooklyn, NY, talks with J about how her center has managed to survive when so many others have closed. They discuss what things were like when they opened their studios, the influences that shaped Amy’s choices, what has contributed to her centers’ sustainability including how much she pays her teachers, her thoughts on social justice and unionization efforts, and the healing power of fostering relationships and developing community. This episode is sponsored by Ropana CBD.

Julie Dohrman - "Unionization and Evolving Yoga Industry" Oct 28, 2019

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Julie Dohrman, founder of Shaktiyoga New York, connects with J on the unionization effort at Yogaworks NYC and their shared experience of the evolving yoga industry. They discuss the early days of the NY scene and Julie’s initial foray into yoga, her time in the Anusara community and the trauma of its devolution, the difference between working for a corporation and an independent center owner, survival as a professional teacher, and the effort to create a yoga teacher union as a way to change the industry. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

Luvena Rangel - "Cultural Appropriation or Appreciation" Oct 21, 2019

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Luvena Rangel, founder of The Curvy Yogi, talks with J about the trauma caused by colonization and the difference between cultural appropriation and appreciation. After reading Luvena’s blog, Too Much Ado Around Isms, Or is it?, J reached out to discuss the hurt caused by western yoga teachers’ insensitivity to the experiences of Desi’s and BIPOC (Black/Indigenous/People of Color,) and how to stop perpetuating a legacy of injustice by recognizing privilege and creating more impartial narratives. This episode is sponsored by Ropana CBD.

Godfrey Devereux - "Unintimidated by Ideologies" Oct 14, 2019

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Godfrey Devereux, author of many books including The Elements of Yoga, holds a special place in J’s mind and joins him to discuss the early seeds he planted and the hard-nosed realism he is known for. They discuss his formative years, the role he played and his regrets in “mainstreaming” yoga, gurus and rejecting hierarchies, zen and the influence of child development education, the harm created by using poses for anything other than developing sensitivity, and keeping mysticism practical. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

Marlysa Sullivan - "Eudaemonia, Polyvagal Theory, Yoga Therapy" Oct 07, 2019

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Marlysa Sullivan, coauthor of Yoga and Science in Pain Care and assistant professor at Maryland University of Integrative Health, talks with J about Eudaemonic Well-Being, Polyvagal Theory, and the difference between Yoga and Yoga Therapy. They discuss the intersection between yoga philosophy and biomedical science, samkya and evidence informed practice, creating research models that root the data in yoga, and a mutual agreement on potentially clarifying the definition of yoga therapy. This episode is sponsored by Ropana CBD.

Ian Baker - "Tibetan Yoga and Tantric Buddhism" Sep 30, 2019

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Ian Baker, author of Tibetan Yoga: Principles and Practices, talks with J about Tibetan Yoga and its radical underpinnings of Tantric Buddhism. They discuss Ian’s relationship to the Dalai Lama and the permission he was granted to reveal long-held secrets, misconceptions about Buddhism, the red-robbed sutric path of the renunciate and the white-robbed integrative path of the tantric, and the importance of restoring personal agency obscured by hierarchical Institutions and abused by spiritual leaders. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

Nathan Oxenfeld - "Yoga for the Eyes" Sep 23, 2019

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Nathan Oxenfeld, founder of Integral Eyesight Improvement, talks about the Bates Method and helps J unravel some os his own vision patterns. They discuss Nathan’s journey of improving his eyesight and no longer needing glasses, Dr Bates and his method, connections and parallels between Integral Yoga, Sri Aurobindu, and the Bates Method, conventional notions about eye health that limit our perceptions of what is possible, and the deeper implications of inquiry into eyesight. This episode is sponsored by Moonclerk and Ropana CBD.

Timothy Lynch - "Mysore Ashtanga Deauthorized" Sep 16, 2019

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Timothy Lynch, formerly authorized Mysore Ashtanga Method teacher, invites J to his Mysore room for a practice and discussion on the state of Ashtanga Yoga. A few weeks before they got together, Timothy decided to have his name removed from the authorized Ashtanga teachers list and they talk about why he made that decision, the history of his practice, consistency vs needing to evolve, and the responsibility of the AY community to repair and address the history of abuse. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

Dan Coniglio - "Wim Hof Method" Sep 09, 2019

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Dan Coniglio, an official Wim Hof Method Instructor, visits J in PA for an exchange of yoga, friendship, and ice baths. After J gave Dan a yoga class in his studio, Dan took J through a Wim Hof session that culminated in this conversation about the three pillars of: breath, mind and cold. They also discuss how Dan got to the method, parallels to yoga, understanding the value in uncomfortable rituals, and the importance of remaining open to the full range of experience possibility. This episode is sponsored by Moonclerk and Ropana CDB.

Chara Caruthers - "Loving Yourself Through Ayurveda" Sep 02, 2019

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Chara Caruthers, author of Eat Like You Love Yourself, offers J a fresh look at Ayurveda as a means to know and love ourselves. Chara has been participating in J’s weekly teacher’s class and when he saw that she hosts a TV show on Ayurvedic cooking, he seized the opportunity to learn about her, discuss some commonly held misconceptions about Ayurveda, and explore practical ways of thinking about and applying Ayurvedic principles that inspire us to make healthier choices. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft and Moonclerk.

Mark Whitwell - "Krishnamacharya and The Great Tradition" Aug 26, 2019

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Mark Whitwell sits down with J to discuss T. Krishnamacharya and the power of the cosmos. They have a long history together and in this rare meeting they discuss the paradox between abuse and blessings in guru lineages, what Mark means when he says “The Great Tradition,” the Krishnamurti’s and why striving for a future possibility is a dysfunction, and bringing forth a new renaissance of ancient wisdom in mainstream yoga and beyond. This episode is sponsored by Moonclerk and Ropana CBD.

Nicole Cardoza - “Shame and Reclamation in Wellness Spaces” Aug 19, 2019

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Nicole Cardoza, founder of Yoga Foster and Reclamation Ventures, joins J to discuss her recent run-in with Yoga Journal and the work she is doing to reduce the wellness gap. They discuss her background as a strategist for large companies like Nike, becoming a yoga teacher and volunteering in public schools, the recent controversy involving her being featured on the cover of Yoga Journal, and her dedication to empowering school teachers and underestimated entrepreneurs in the wellness space. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

Frederick Newbill III - "Intersecting Race, Religion and Yoga" Aug 12, 2019

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Frederick Newbill III reached out to J after listening to the show and his unique life experience inspired this discussion on the intersection of race, religion, and yoga. They discuss what it’s like to have a grandfather who is a prominent southern Baptist minister while having a father who is a career criminal, being mixed race and the differences between white and black churches, finding yoga and a passion for academic study in Sanskrit and Indic Religious History, and the power of yogic inquiry. This episode is sponsored by Ropana CBD.

Live from Lehigh Valley Yoga Festival - "Mindfulness Matters" Aug 05, 2019

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J hosts a live panel discussion at the Lehigh Valley Yoga Festival with Dr. Donna Mueller, Dr. Shekhar Annambhotla, Charles Curtis, Harrison Bailey III, and Anne Alexander. They discuss yoga in clinical settings, the roots of mindfulness in Ayurveda, mindfulness based cognitive therapy and neurolinguistic programming, the impact of mindfulness programs in high schools to address greater levels of trauma our kids experience and in the larger media environment to shape culture and society. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

Guy Donahaye - "History of Guru Worship in Ashtanga Yoga" Jul 29, 2019

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Guy Donahaye, coauthor of the book: Guruji: A Portrait of Sri K Pattabhi Jois through the Eyes of His Students, sits down with J to discuss the history of guru worship in Ashtanga Yoga, the abuse that was committed, and his feelings about it now. Guy talks about discovering the practice, making it his life pursuit, his experience of Pattabhi Jois, what he knew and has learned about the abuse, the story behind the Guruji book and his decision to remove it from publication, and evolving his understanding. This episode is sponsored by Ropana CBD.

Molly Lannon Kenny - "Pioneering Radical Yoga Service" Jul 22, 2019

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Molly Lannon Kenny, founder of The Samarya Center, is an old friend of J’s and in this talk they discuss her formative work in yoga service and the trajectory of the industry over the last twenty years. Molly shares her insights into the early ashtanga scene, working in clinical environments, yoga therapy and standardization, mystical and contemplative aspects of practice that make yoga as a spiritual path dangerous, and a return to the essence of connecting with people right where they are. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

Ida Jo - "Woman of Yoga" Jul 15, 2019

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Ida Jo, musician and Ghosh Yoga teacher, reached out to J to talk about the research project she is undertaking on Woman of Yoga. Ida worked alongside Jerome Armstrong while he was writing his book, Calcutta Yoga, and is picking up the thread to tell some of the untold stories of woman yogis. They also discuss Ida’s music and art, aspects of prescriptive or therapeutic yoga in the Gosh tradition, the grind of creative pursuits, and the importance of sharing stories. This episode is sponsored by Yogic Studies and Ropana CBD.

Neil Pearson - "Integrating Yoga and Science in Pain Care" Jul 08, 2019

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Neil Pearson, coauthor of Yoga and Science in Pain Care, returns to the show to talk with j about integrating yoga and the cutting edge of pain science. They discuss the importance of creating therapeutic alliances, self-care instead of self-management, autonomic physiological synchrony and empathy, education as a form of pain treatment, biopsychosocial model as a non-dual perspective, yoga teaching vs yoga therapy, and fostering human resilience by evolving the stories we tell. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

Live in AU - Nicole Walsh, Mark O’Brien, Michael de Manincor Jul 01, 2019

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In June 2019, J traveled to Sydney, AU and while he was there he recorded this live panel conversation with Nicole Walsh, Mark O’Brien, and Michael de Manicor. They discuss Nicole’s history with Bikram Yoga and the AU scene and her new direction with InYoga, Mark’s insights into Qi Yoga’s longevity and how to maintain a practice over time without getting caught up in the trends, and Michael chimes in on the move to advanced training at The Yoga Institute and serving our communities. This episode is sponsored by Yogic Studies and Ropana CBD.

Nischala Joy Devi - "The Namaste Effect" Jun 24, 2019

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Nischala Joy Devi, author of The Namaste Effect, returns to the show to warm J’s heart and inspire us all to be in a place of love and oneness. They discuss what’s been going on in the two tears since they last spoke, the fear and anxiety that currently pervades, how we might counter injustice with yoga, definitive evidence of our own divinity, practical applications of chakra theory, what the “namaste effect” is, and how we can live in this world expressing love and compassion as a primary action. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

Lauren Walker - "Energy Medicine Yoga" Jun 17, 2019

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Lauren Walker. creator of Energy Medicine Yoga, talks with J about energy healing and her circuitous path in yoga. They discuss their shared history in NYC in the 90’s, Lauren’s departure from yoga and pursuit of other modalities, how politics and unforeseen events shaped her choices, connection with nature and developing primitive skills, Donna Eden, misunderstandings about chakras, and seeing past arbitrary limitations to reveal our inherent power and ability to heal. This episode is sponsored by Yogic Studies and Ropana CBD.

Chase Bossart - "Patañjali’s Yogasūtras, Samkhya, and Gita" Jun 10, 2019

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Chase Bossart, founder of Yoga Well Institute, is a longtime student of TKV Desikachar and friend of J’s who returns to the show to shed some light on the essence of yoga with an unconventional view of Patañjali’s Yogasūtras, Samkhya, and Bhagavad Gita. They discuss whether Patanjali wrote the commentary of his sutras, Chase’s reasoning for looking at the sutras alone, misconceptions about the definition of nirodhah and other terms, and a universal picture of yoga based on perception and knowing. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

Bernie McDonald - "Walking and Learning About America" Jun 03, 2019

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Bernie McDonald is walking 100 miles in every US state and decided to stop by J’s studio in Allentown, PA. They discuss why he started walking, the sort of interactions he has had in the yoga world during his travels, aspects of the country that most of us don’t ever see or think about, how he stays focused on his purpose when things get difficult, preconceived ideas about who and what we are supposed to be, the power of kindness and friendship, and the simple beauty and profound majesty of life as it is. This episode is sponsored by Yogic Studies.

Lara Land - "Being an Ally for Diversity in Yoga" May 27, 2019

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Lara Land, founder of Land Yoga and SOULFest NYC, talks with J about opening a yoga center in Harlem and becoming an ally for diversity in yoga. They discuss family life and some early days in the NY scene, her level 2 Ashtanga authorization and where she stands on the turmoil in that tradition, what it was like to open a center in Harlem, why she formed a non-profit and started programs to reach underserved populations, and the challenges we face when attempting to address institutional injustice. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

Michelle Johnson - "Dismantling Racism and Oppression" May 20, 2019

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Michelle Johnson, author of Skill in Action, talks with J about the intersection between racism, social justice, and yoga. They discuss the life experiences that led to her work, dismantling racism training, the heartbreak related to institutional oppression, actions being held accountable to principles and people, intentions around creating inclusion, leveraging privilege to create space for people of color, the challenge of reconciling paradoxes, and the universal truth that everyone is connected. This is episode is sponsored by Yogic Studies.

Jana Long - "History of Blacks and Yoga in the U.S." May 13, 2019

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J ana Long, director of Power of One Yoga Center and co-founder of the Black Yoga Teachers Alliance, talks with J about the history of yoga in the black community. They discuss the earliest influencers of yoga in Black America, the expressions found in black art and spiritual life, Jana’s many years of self-directed practice before discovering other black teachers and receiving training, her experiences in Africa and ashram life in India, why she started BYTA, and the universal threads that unite and transform. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

James Mallinson - "Uncovering Yoga’s Ancestral Past" May 06, 2019

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James Mallinson, senior lecturer in Sanskrit and Classical Indian Studies at SOAS, Principle Investigator at The Hatha Yoga Project, co-author of Roots of Yoga, reached out to J after hearing his name mentioned on the show and it lead to this conversation about the research he is pioneering and its implications on yoga in the modern world. They discuss Jim’s academic pursuits, his guru, the philology of physical yoga practices, and the symbiosis between scholarship and living traditions. This episode is sponsored by Yogic Studies.

Live in Brooklyn - Amy Matthews, Sam Chase and Christie Roe Apr 29, 2019

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J returns to his former studio in Brooklyn, now Goodyoga, and is joined by Amy Matthews, Sam Chase, and Christie Roe for intimate conversation about the nature of our anatomies and the values we are aligning with. Amy expands upon J’s ongoing inquiry into the biopsychosocial viewpoint, Sam discusses the resilience training he has been developing which challenges people to connect what they feel and value, and Christie provides a millennial perspective on what is happening on the ground. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

Peter Blackaby and Bernie Clark - "Body Tissues and Patterns" Apr 22, 2019

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Peter Blackaby and Bernie Clark come together with J to consider the nature of human anatomy and the process of affecting change. Initiated by Peter after he listened to Bernie’s last appearance, this probing conversation was an opportunity to clarify points of agreement and hash out some areas of departure. They discuss whether the spine is primarily a source or stability or mobility, what poses do to our tissues or patterns, and the intents and purposes that forge a deeper understanding. This episode is sponsored by Yogic Studies.

Greg Lehman - "Recovery Strategies for Pain" Apr 15, 2019

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Greg Lehman, author of Recovery Strategies - your pain guidebook, talks with J about addressing pain and what it means to be a “movement optimist.” They discuss the benefits of bio-mechanics and some of the misconceptions that are still being taught about the body, what is meant by the idea of a neutral spine, if tissue damage correlates with pain, what nociception is, and the importance of getting active so we can address our beliefs and know better what is sensitizing us. This episode is sponsored by Ana Luisa Jewelry and RopaNa CBD.

Dr. Aimée Shunney - "CBD and Cannabis Medicine" Apr 08, 2019

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Dr. Aimée Shunney, naturopathic physician trained in both modern medical science and integrative medicine, talks with J about CBD and the growing research around Cannabis medicine. They discuss some of the history behind cannabis research, the endocannabinoid system in our bodies, different strains and applications of CBD, J’s and Aimée’s experience with regular use, challenging outdated ideas and embracing holistic models, and the importance of remaining open to anything that works. This episode is sponsored by Yogic Studies.

Mike Huggins - "Yoga Service: No Money No Mission" Apr 01, 2019

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Mike Huggins, founder of Transformation Yoga Project and co-author of Yoga for Recovery - A Practical Guide for Healing, returns to check in with J on the challenges and rewards of doing yoga service. A lot has happened in the two years since they last spoke, they discuss the expansion of Mike’s organization, the resources required to maintain quality programs, operating with purpose, and the practicalities of truly meeting people where they are. This episode is sponsored by Ana Luisa Jewelry, Karmasoft, Dawn Soprin, and RopaNa CBD.

Mary Jennings - "Sub-Lease Yoga Studio Collective" Mar 25, 2019

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Mary Jennings is opening Fresh Coast Yoga in Houghton, Michigan with an alternative studio model she heard discussed on the show so J brought her on to talk about what she is doing. They discuss what it’s like to be a millennial MBA mother with a one-year old who wants to bring yoga to her community in rural America, the crowdfunding campaign that is helping fund it, advantages to sub-leasing instead of profit-sharing, and the heart required for a venture truly based in yoga. This episode is sponsored by Yogic Studies.

Gina Price - "Exploring Sociocracy" Mar 18, 2019

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Gina Price, partner in the Sociocracy Consulting Group, talks with J about creating order out of chaos through the principles of Sociocracy. They discuss governance based on a decentralization of authority where all elements in the system are made equal, finding common purpose through collaborative decision making, creating domains of autonomous responsibility and a hierarchy of function instead of power, and if yoga professionals are up to the task. This episode is sponsored by Dawn Sopron, Karmasoft, and RopaNa CBD.

David Dodd - "Organization, Anarchy and Yoga" Mar 11, 2019

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David Dodd and J have corresponded for years but a recent email exchange about the Yoga Alliance prompted this discussion on the inherent problem of creating organizations around yoga. They discuss David’s background in coaching and working with large bureaucratic entities, the difference between coaching and teaching yoga, the tension between an unbounded context for yoga and attempts at regulating it, and the practical wisdom of knowing when to do something and when to leave it alone. This episode is sponsored by Yogic Studies.

Rama Jyoti Vernon - "Great-Grandmother of American Yoga" Mar 04, 2019

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Rama Jyoti Vernon, one of the first yoga teachers in the United States, talks with J about her pivotal role in bringing yoga to the west. They discuss the LA yoga scene in the 1940’s and 1950’s, meeting BKS Iyengar and hosting him in America, founding both Unity in Yoga and the California Yoga Teachers Association which led to the creation of the Yoga Alliance and Yoga Journal Magazine, her reasons for avoiding the commercial aspects, and her laments and hopes for the direction of yoga. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft and RopaNa CBD.

Norman Blair - "Yoga Teachers and Pay" Feb 25, 2019

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Norman Blair wrote an article about yoga teacher pay that caught J’s attention and led to this wide-ranging conversation about the monetary policies of yoga centers and the underlying economics that are fueling them. They discuss the emergence of a yoga teaching profession, hard numbers on the stagnant or declining rates of income yoga teachers are receiving, actionable steps to potentially counter unhealthy trends, and the revolutionary power of yoga to help shape society. This episode is sponsored by Yogic Studies and Karmasoft.

Amayu Ashtanga - "Reimagining a Yoga Tradition" Feb 18, 2019

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Scott Johnson, Greg Nardi, Emma Rowse and Jock Orton talk with J about the creation of Amayu Yoga and a reimagining of the ashtanga tradition. They take time out of a retreat together to discuss the state of the global Ashtanga community, reasons for creating an organization, their orientation and purpose in doing so, the principles of ashtanga yoga, and their efforts to bring more accountability and safety to yoga by establishing clearer standards and a more horizontal collective. This episode is sponsored by YogaAnatomy.net and RopaNa CBD.

Frank Jude Boccio - "Mindfulness, Zen Naturalism, and Yoga" Feb 11, 2019

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Frank Jude Boccio, author of Mindfulness Yoga, talks with J about his integrated approach to yoga and buddhist mindfulness. An early adopter, Frank was ahead of his time and had an impact on J without ever having met him. In this conversation, they discuss the yoga scene before it was a scene, studying with Thich Nhat Hanh, pitfalls in spiritual communities and the freedom to challenge dogma, dilemmas in the marketing of yoga, and cultivating a truly self-empowered practice. This episode is sponsored by Yogic Studies and Karmasoft.

Bernie Clark - "Your Spine, Your Yoga" Feb 04, 2019

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Bernie Clark, author of Your Spine, Your Yoga, returns to the show to talk with J about his new book and the important perspective it provides. They discuss the notion of “neutral spine,” the myth of flexibility in yoga, understanding stability and strength, the concepts of stress and load, variation and adaptation in our systems and structures, the “anti-fragility curve,” functional movement, what “optimal” means, and how important it is for each person to develop their own sense of awareness. This episode is sponsored by YogaAnatomy.net.

Seth Powell - "History and Philosophy of Yoga" Jan 28, 2019

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Seth Powell, founder of Yogic Studies, extended J an invitation to take his course and it led to this wide-ranging conversation about cutting edge research and his scholarship in yoga history and philosophy. They discuss Seth’s background and motivations for pursuing more rigorous academic study, issues and discoveries regarding the translation of ancient texts, commonly held misconceptions about the origins of yogic practices, and the benefits of expanding our perspectives and understandings. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

Rachel Brathen - "Instagram Yoga Girl on What is Real" Jan 21, 2019

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Rachel Brathen, creator of @yoga_girl, talks with J about how a bohemian lifestyle on the beaches of Costa Rica converged with the invent of Instagram and led to two million followers and a yoga career. They discuss the process of going from obscurity to recognized social media influencer, the evolution of her choices and professional pursuits, pitfalls and misinformation in the social media sphere, DIY business models, and operating by principles that will better serve the people behind the hashtags. This episode is sponsored by YogaAnatomy.net.

Annie Carpenter - "The Evolution of Yoga Teacher Training" Jan 14, 2019

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Annie Carpenter, veteran yoga teacher trainer from Yogaworks and creator of SmartFLOW Yoga, talks with J about the history of YTT’s, current industry trends, and transitioning from growth models to in-depth inquiry. They discuss Annie’s background in yoga, the professional situations she has had to navigate, her opinions on conducting trainings and mentoring teachers, how things have changed over the years for good and bad, and the indications of a grassroots upswell calling for a return to core principles. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

Kerry Maiorca - "Inside the Yoga Alliance" Jan 07, 2019

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Kerry Maiorca, founder of Bloom Yoga Studio and Chair of the Board of Directors for Yoga Alliance, talks with J about the inner workings of the Yoga Alliance and the Standards Review Project. Kerry and J are old friends and participated in the same yoga teacher training over twenty years ago, after some reminiscing over their shared history they talk about why and how she became involved at the Yoga Alliance, the evolution of the organization, and the status of the review process that is underway. This episode is sponsored by YogaAnatomy.net.

Tao Porchon-Lynch - "Opening the Gateway of Life" Dec 31, 2018

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Tao Porchon-Lynch, named Oldest Yoga Teacher by Guinness World Record and author of Dancing Light, sits down with J a few months after her 100th birthday to talk about her life and the spirit of yoga. They discuss the morning class that J took with her, universal qualities of facilitating yoga, some of her childhood experiences, how she greets each day with the expectation that it will be the best yet and believes anything is possible, transformation and connection, and the inspiration that Tao and her life instills. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

Neil Boyd - "Farming, Friendship, and Yoga" Dec 24, 2018

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Neil Boyd, Board Vice-President of the Feathered Pipe Foundation, talks with J about his life as a farmer, his yoga, and how the two have informed each other. They discuss the connection between his work and the turn of the seasons, how he ended up getting into yoga, the teachers that helped him, farm practices and what they can tell us about yoga practices, Krishnamurti, the magic of the Feathered Pipe Ranch, and the simple wisdom of embodying kindness in your attitude and actions. This episode is sponsored by YogaAnatomy.net.

Hauora Yoga Conference - "Yoga Therapy in New Zealand" Dec 17, 2018

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J moderates a panel discussion at the Hauora Yoga Conference with Katie Lane, Donna Farhi, Jac Wilson, Leanne Davis, and Felicity Molloy on the accreditation of yoga and yoga therapy in New Zealand. They discuss the current standards for Yoga Australia and Yoga New Zealand, the difference between yoga and yoga therapy, standardization and pedagogy, reasons for a yoga therapy classification, obstacles in getting funding, and the possibility of creating something uniquely Aotearoa. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

Michael de Manincor- "Kaleidoscope of Wisdom and Science" Dec 10, 2018

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Michael de Manincor, founder and Director of The Yoga Institute, is a student of TKV Desikachar that J met earlier this year and reconnected with for this conversation about the study and transmission of yoga, and the kind of science that supports it. They discuss Michaels trajectory and perspective on the evolution of yoga industry and profession, the PhD research he is doing, Patanjali, competencies for yoga teaching and yoga therapy, and the possibility of moving our understanding of yoga forward. This episode is brought to you by YogaAnatomy.net.

Anne Jablonski - "Freedom, Agency, and the Mindful Unplug" Dec 03, 2018

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Anne Jablonski, president of the Feathered Pipe Foundation, shares with J her love of Freedom Style Yoga and the magic that is the Feathered Pipe Ranch. They discuss Anne’s relationship to the teachings of Erich Schiffmann, what makes the ranch so special, teaching people to develop their own intuitive knowing vs telling them what to do, mindfully unplugging as an essential form of self-care, and the importance of connection and friendship in fostering the spirit of healing and good will. This episode is brought to you by Karmasoft.

Karen Rain - "Pattabhi Jois Was Not a Great Yogi" Nov 26, 2018

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Karen Rain talks with J about the lack of consent culture in yoga, and ways that people can change what they are doing in their own spheres to create a safer and more just society. They discuss the abuse and deception that Pattabhi Jois committed on her and others, deflection and denial from those in the community, calling out rape culture, and educating ourselves about power imbalances. Karen also turns the tables on J and holds him to account for his own culpability in the past. This episode is brought to you by YogaAnatomy.net.

Genny Wilkinson Priest - "Can Ashtanga Evolve?" Nov 19, 2018

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Genny Wilkinson Priest joins J for this probing conversation about the impact of Pattabhi Jois’ sexual assaults on the ashtanga community and yoga world at large. They discuss Genny’s previous life as a journalist, her discovery and love of the ashtanga system, her process of learning and evolving in light of the revelations about Pattabhi Jois, what efforts are being made to shift the culture going forward, hard adjustments and injuries, and the possibility of reformation and a new paradigm. This episode is brought to you by Karmasoft.

Gregor Maehle - "Truth and Reconciliation in Ashtanga Yoga" Nov 12, 2018

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Gregor Maehle, founder of 8 Limbs Ashtanga Yoga, discusses the history of Patabhi Jois’ sexual assaults and the need for the Ashtanga tradition to evolve. He talks about the studies and motivations that led to his adoption of Ashtanga Yoga, direct experience of observing the abuse and attempting to raise concerns, the injuries that led to his separation, admitting complicity, deeper philosophical and evolutionary factors in the creation of stratified power structures, and how to sublimate and grow. This episode is brought to you by YogaAnatomy.net.

Pedro Luna - "Instagram and Beyond" Nov 05, 2018

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Pedro Luna, creator of the Instagram account @Yogimemes, started taking J’s live stream classes and it led to this conversation about Pedro’s infamy on Instagram and their shared experiences trying to make a life as yoga teachers. They discuss the challenges of balancing a yoga career and being a dad, generational divides when it comes to social media, how Pedro got to 100,000 followers, doing YogaFestFl, and discerning the fine line between promoting your work and still maintaining integrity. This episode is brought to you by Karmasoft.

Karin Carlson - "Yoga Alliance is Beside the Point" Oct 29, 2018

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Karin Carlson, founder of Return Yoga, has been bringing yoga out of the studio model into underserved communities for years and, after reading a recent post she wrote about the Yoga Alliance, J reached out to work through some ideas together. They discuss the early blogosphere days, shifts in industry that made it harder to make a living, questions of regulation and scope of practice, Yoga Alliance’s role, and filling the gaps between ancient wisdom and modern day relevance. This episode is brought to you by YogaAnatomy.net.

Nadiya Nottingham - "Pragmatic Mysticism" Oct 22, 2018

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Nadiya Nottingham and J know each other from the early days of the NY yoga scene and have been friends for years but this is the first time they really have a full length conversation about ideas that are important to both of them. They discuss Nadiya’s evolution from yoga to QiGong and Celtic Tree Medicine, the relationship between QiGong and Tai Chi, similarities and differences between QiGong and Yoga, power animals, and the mystery and magic of each persons own individual medicine. This episode is brought to you by Karmasoft.

Shelly Prosko - "Biopsychosocial-Spiritual Model" Oct 15, 2018

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Shelly Prosko returns to talk with J about some difficult questions he has been grappling with. They discuss the concept of right or proper alignment, the difference between yoga therapy and yoga, changing understandings around pain, compassion science, and moving from a postural-structural bio-mechanical model to a biopsychosocial-spiritual model. They also consider the fine line between science and mysticism, and how we might keep yoga from falling into foreseeable pitfalls. This episode is brought to you by YogaAnatomy.net.

Carrie Owerko - "Nontraditional Iyengar" Oct 08, 2018

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Carrie Owerko and J talk about her unconventional approach to teaching Iyengar Yoga and some of the pressing issues facing the community. They discuss her formative theater influences, questions about one right alignment and the importance of interoception, her relationship to the Iyengar method and how her choices have shaped her teaching, the accounts of sexual assault by a senior teacher, and the fundamental problems inherent in hierarchical traditions. This episode is brought to you by YogaLifestyle.com and Karmasoft.

Dr. Loren Fishman - "Medical Practice of Yoga" Oct 01, 2018

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Dr Loren Fishman, pioneer of integrative medicine and founder of yip.guru, talks with J about his relationship to BKS Iyengar and his published research on the treatment of many disorders, including piriformis syndrome, scoliosis, osteoporosis and rotator cuff tear. They also discuss ideas about postural alignment and how it relates to injury prevention, creating protocols without sacrificing the mystery, PGC1alfa, and bringing evidence-based yoga into medicine. This episode is brought to you by YogaAnatomy.net.

Jessie Barr and Tom O'Brien - "Om City Series" Sep 24, 2018

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Jessie Barr and Tom O’Brien, creators of OM City, are launching a campaign to fund a second season of their show which is J’s favorite ever depiction of the yoga teacher lifestyle. J gushes over how much he loved the first series, finds out why it has taken so long to make more episodes, communes with them on the challenges of independently producing your own stuff, and discuss portrayals of yoga as cliches or nuanced reality. This episode is brought to you by YogaLifestyle.com and Karmasoft.

Patti Safian - "Never Give Over Your Power" Sep 17, 2018

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Patti Safian and J used to run in the same circles back in the early days of the NY Yoga scene and a recent reunion at the TKV Desikachar celebration led to this conversation about her mom, her yoga, and her takeaways from years of study. They discuss her article in Glamour about her mom leaving to become a disciple of Rajneesh, yoga in the nineties, different traditions and common threads that run through, cults and cult-like behavior, and how to never giving over your power. This episode is brought to you by YogaAnatomy.net.

Philip Goldberg - "Maha Lineage and The Life of Yogananda” Sep 10, 2018

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Philip Goldberg, author of American Veda and The Life of Yogananda, talks with J about the long arc of yogic spiritual teachings migrating into western culture, and some of the important figures and moments that have shaped its progression. They discuss the roots of yoga’s export to America and the impetuous for writing American Veda, his new book on Yoganandya and why it was the perfect follow up, the importance of tradition and the democratization of yoga. This episode is brought to you by YogaBooksWholesale.com and Karmasoft.

Larry Payne - "Prime of Life, Yoga Therapy Rx" Sep 03, 2018

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Larry Payne, founder of Prime of Life Yoga and Yoga Therapy Rx, gives J a dose of expertise and humor in this conversation about his life and career. They discuss his journey to India and the many amazing teachers he encountered, the influence of TKV Desikachar on his life and teaching, bridging yoga and western medicine and the challenges therein, differences between yoga and yoga therapy, and the grand picture of yoga spreading around the world with the power of its transformative qualities. This episode is brought to you by YogaAnatomy.net.

Mirka Scalco Kraftsow - "With Courage and Love for Desikachar" Aug 27, 2018

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Mirka Scalco Kraftsow, cofounder of the American Viniyoga Institute, brings her special brand of shakti to the podcast and talks with J about the spirit that guided her to her teachers Gary Kraftsow and TKV Desikachar, and her ongoing journey to bring the teachings of yoga to light. They discuss her childhood in Italy, her time with Rajneesh/Osho, how she met Gary and her relationship with Desikachar, the progression of Viniyoga, and the simple sadana of ordinary life. This episode is sponsored by Yogalifestyle.com and Karmasoft.

Gary Kraftsow - "What is Viniyoga?" Aug 20, 2018

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Gary Kraftsow, founder of the American Viniyoga Institute, author of Yoga for Wellness and Yoga for Transformation, talks with J about his precedent-setting career in yoga and yoga therapy. They discuss his relationship to TKV Desikachar and the impact it had on his teaching, why the efforts to create a national organization were thwarted, the story behind him using the name Viniyoga, TKV's son, yoga in healthcare, the definition of yoga therapy, and the true spirit of the teachings. This episode is brought to you by YogaAnatomy.net.

Richard Miller - "Nondual Wisdom, Modern Adaptation" Aug 13, 2018

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Richard Miller, founder of iRest Yoga Nidra, co-founder of The International Association of Yoga Therapy and founding editor of the professional Journal of IAYT, talks with J about his many years of study and the work he has done integrating teachings for others. They discuss nondual philosophy, his relationship to TKV Desikachar, his use of Yoga Nidra in the military, making sense of the scandals, and the core principles at work in the process of healing through yoga. This episode is sponsored by Yogalifestyle.com and Karmasoft.

R. Sriram - "Legacy of TKV Desikachar" Aug 06, 2018

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R. Sriram comes to the Unites States of America for the first time to attend a celebration of his longtime teacher T. K. V. Desikachar and sits down with J for this conversation about the man and the legacy he left the world. They discuss Sriram’s early studies in Madras, T Krishnamacharya, moving from India to Germany, his views on cultural appropriation and the popularity of yoga in the west, the scandal around T.K.V.’s son Kausthub, and the simplicity and authenticity at the heart of the tradition. This episode is brought to you by YogaAnatomy.net.

Faith Hunter - "Spiritually Fly" Jul 30, 2018

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Faith Hunter, creator of Spiritually Fly, talks with J about the life events that fueled her commitment to yoga, some shared roots in NYC, and the course of her high-profile career. They discuss her early work with a national HIV/AIDS organization, the transition into teaching and owning a center, the breaks that enabled her to expand outside of her immediate sphere, how she came up with her signature Spiritually Fly Sutras, and the current state of the yoga industry. This episode is sponsored by Yogalifestyle.com and Karmasoft.

Jerome Armstrong - "History of Hot Yoga" Jul 23, 2018

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Jerome Armstrong, author of Calcutta Yoga, talks with J about his new book on the history of hot yoga. They discuss the largely untold story of Buddha Bose & the Yoga Family of Bishnu Ghosh and Yogananda, and how that led to Bikram Yoga. Jerome also speaks to his own experience of practicing both standard hot yoga and the more traditional teachings of Ghosh Yoga, and the crazy turn of events that led to the discovery of a rare document and a relationship to the family. This episode is brought to you by YogaAnatomy.net.

Benjamin Lorr - "Exposing Bikram Yoga" Jul 16, 2018

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Benjamin Lorr, author of Hell-Bent: Obsession, Pain, and the Search for Something Like Transcendence in Competitive Yoga, talks with J about Bikram Yoga, how it lead to writing his tell-all book on the subject, and the aftershocks that are still being felt today. They discuss Benjamin’s first place prize in a yoga competition, paradoxes at work in Bikram Choudhury and his yoga system, power dynamics and cult behavior, larger cultural implications, and his new book project focusing on Trader Joes. This episode is sponsored by YogaLifestyle.com and Karmasoft.

Arundhati Baitmangalkar - "Modern Yoga Meets Bollywood" Jul 09, 2018

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Arundhati Baitmangalkar, founder and lead teacher of Aham Yoga and Bollyworks Dance, sent J a supportive email after hearing him speak about being accused of cultural appropriation, and J remembered some blogs that Arundhati had written on yoga in the west vs east, and it led to this wide-ranging conversation. They discuss Arundhati's first Power Yoga classes in Bangalore, her study of classical yoga in Mysore, moving to the USA, and how she made her own thing happen. This episode is brought to you by YogaAnatomy.net.

Beryl Bender Birch - "The Original Power Yoga" Jul 02, 2018

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Beryl Bender Birch, author of Power Yoga and founder of The Hard and the Soft Yoga Institute, joins J for a look back at the earliest remnants of yoga in the west, its progression into the mainstream, and the role she played in shepherding it forth. They discuss what yoga was like in the late sixties and early seventies, how she found her way into teaching yoga for athletes and coming up with the name ‘Power Yoga’, Patabhi Jois, and her work with the Give Back Yoga Foundation. This episode is sponsored by Yogalifestyle.com and Karmasoft.

Kristen Fewel - "Yoga Center Reinvented, Invitation to Awaken" Jun 25, 2018

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Kristen Fewel, author of The Gift of Awakening and founder of Full Circle Yoga & Healing Arts, reached out to say that she was inspired by some of the talks on the podcast to transition her yoga center away from the conventional way of doing business to a less extractive rental model so J invited her on to have a conversation about what she is doing and how it is working out. They also discuss her newly published book that bravely delves into realm of the mystical and the possibility of awakening. This episode is brought to you by YogaAnatomy.net.

Erin Heisel - "Flow States and Play Spheres" Jun 18, 2018

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Erin Heisel is a podcast listener who reached out to J after hearing him talk about ‘flow states” which led to this conversation about her research into play and its relevance to yoga and beyond. First, Erin lays out a theoretical framework for play and then they discuss whether flow requires physical challenge, the elements that bring about flow or play spheres, the effects of entering those kinds of mind states, and the relevance to how we practice yoga and engage ourselves in life. This episode is brought to you by Yogalifestyle.com and Karmasoft.

Joe Simek - "Small Yoga, Big Impact" Jun 11, 2018

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Joe Simek, co-owner of Dragonfly Yoga and co-founder of The Fiaria Project, reached out to J after hearing he was moving to PA and invited him to his studio where they started a conversation that continues in this talk. They discuss their common history in music, how Joe let go of his corporate life and focused on health and family, his experience of becoming a foster parent and starting a non-profit to help others who do the same, and the realities of keeping things small and still making it work. This episode is brought to you by YogaAnatomy.net.

Cheryl Urbanczyk - "Female Muslim Hijab-Wearing Yogi" Jun 04, 2018

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Cheryl Urbanczyk, yoga-teacher-in-training and regular podcast listener, sent J an email that caught his attention and prompted this talk about her faith and yoga. They discuss Cheryl’s conversion from Catholicism to Islam, misconceptions about Muslims, how she came to yoga, and some of the unique obstacles that the Muslim community face getting exposed to yoga. They also discuss her plan to create women's only yoga classes and mindful movement for women and girls. This episode is brought to you by Yogalifestyle.com and Karmasoft.

Andrea Ferretti - "Yogaland and Editorial Transparency" May 28, 2018

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Andrea Ferretti, creative director for Jason Crandall Yoga Method and host of Yogaland Podcast, joins J to talk about their common experience of being both parents and podcast hosts in the yoga world. They discuss Andrea’s early avenues into yoga and publishing, her many years as an editor at Yoga Journal Magazine, how her relationship to Jason Crandall went from professional to personal, what it means to be a yoga family, and the mind-expanding challenge, and joy, of producing podcasts. This episode is brought to you by YogaAnatomy.net.

Prabha Sinha - "Turning Grief Into Giving" May 21, 2018

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Prabha Sinha, founder of the Pratyush Sinha Foundation and Lehigh Valley Yoga Festival, sits down with J to talk about her journey from India to America and the story behind the foundation and festival she has dedicated her life to. They discuss misconceptions about yoga in the west, cultural differences and universal truths, the death of her son and how it led to her yoga, insights after overcoming a brain tumor, and the heart and soul that goes into making it all happen. This episode is brought to you by Yogalifestyle.com and Karmasoft.

Matthew Remski - "Somatic Dominance and Trauma Awareness" May 14, 2018

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Matthew Remski and J have a long-standing friendship and dialogue which carries into this talk about the rapid paradigm shift taking place in the yoga world around consent and authority. They discuss Matthew’s recent article profiling victims of sexual assault by Pattabhi Jois, the process that transformed WAWADIA into a consideration of somatic dominance, pitfalls when asking tough questions, the line between cult-like and cult, and how we navigate new and unchartered paths. This episode is brought to you by YogaAnatomy.net.

Sarai Harvey-Smith - "Beyond Mysore and KPJAYI" May 07, 2018

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Sarai Harvey-Smith talks with J about becoming part of the Ashtanga Yoga community and how she is navigating her way in light of the revelations surrounding abuse by Pattabhi Jois. They discuss Sarai’s process of getting into yoga and becoming authorized at KPJAYI, her love of the practice and teaching, the reasons for her gradual transition away from the system, and her clear position statement and suggestions for the AY community to heal and move forward. This episode is brought to you by Yogalifestyle.com and Karmasoft.

Scott Johnson - "Stillpoint Yoga London" Apr 30, 2018

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Scott Johnson, founder of Stillpoint Yoga London, joins J for a continuation of the friendship and conversation that started between them when they met in London a few months earlier. They discuss Scott’s former life as an electrician, the importance of family, the motivations for his yoga and center, his relationship to the Astanga Yoga Tradition and feelings about the current crisis the community is facing. They also talk about low-overhead business models and finding shared or alternative spaces. This episode is brought to you by Yogaanatomy.net.

Kino MacGregor - "Conflicts and Confluences" Apr 23, 2018

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J interviews Kino MacGregor, founder of Miami Life Center and OMstars, about a few of the hot button topics at the forefront of yogaland. In this difficult conversation, they discuss the current situation in the Ashtanga Yoga Community regarding revelations of sexual abuse by Patabhi Jois, recent contract disputes and related issues resulting from the sale of Cody video app to Alo Yoga clothing company, and Kino’s individual perspective on the business and soul of the mainstream yoga industry. This episode is brought to you by Karmasoft.

Tara Stiles - "Yoga Rebel circa 2011" Apr 16, 2018

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Tara Stiles, founder of Strala Yoga, helps J get over some of his personal baggage regarding the Industrial Yoga Complex by giving him insight into her trajectory and teaching. Tara shares the story of her humble beginnings in a small town, the happenstance that led to a modeling career, the process of coming into yoga as a profession, and the trials and tribulations of having a high profile career. They also explore the relative nature of status, and misperceptions we have about money. This episode is brought to you by YogaAnatomy.net.

Peter Blackaby - "Intelligent Yoga" Apr 09, 2018

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Peter Blackaby, author of Intelligent Yoga, talks with J about the newly revised second edition of his book and the implications it has on our ideas about yoga and ways in which we teach it. They discuss the fundamental premise that no living thing exists in isolation, how addressing pain is more about life than muscles, and the importance of developing attentive discernment and fashioning a healthy context for practice. Peter also assuages some of J's concerns on standardization and codification of yoga. This episode is brought to you by Karmasoft.

Schuyler Grant - "Kula and Wanderlust" Apr 02, 2018

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Schuyler Grant, founder of Kula Yoga Project and co-creator of Wanderlust Festival, communes with J on their shared past in the early NY scene and on all that has happened since. Schuyler tells the story of her unusual trajectory into becoming a teacher, the circumstances and motivations behind becoming a center owner, and the inspiration that led to creating a yoga festival that completely changed the game. They also candidly address the financial realities of the profession and industry. This episode is brought to you by YogaAnatomy.net.

Ana Forrest and Jose Calarco - "Fierce Medicine" Mar 26, 2018

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Ana Forrest, creatrix of Forrest Yoga, and her partner Jose Calarco, join J for a discussion on their current work and some of the roads that brought them there. Jose fills J in on his role and the current incarnation of the ceremonies they are producing. Ana talks about her early jump into death and back into life, and the progression of her renowned practice from its early origins, through yoga's transition from underground to mainstream, the present day, and tracking right into the mystery. This episode is brought to you by Karmasoft.

Gernot Huber - "Disrupting the Stress Response" Mar 19, 2018

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Gernot Huber, founder of Yoga Mind Yoga Body, happened to take a few of J’s live stream classes via a mutual friend and had some constructive feedback and criticism. In this talk, they discuss Gernot’s background in silicon valley, his studies in ecology and evolutionary biology, how he ended up being a yoga teacher, and his ideas on learning to disrupt the stress response. Ultimately, they engage in a spirited and friendly debate on the pros and cons of periodically engaging your edge with mindfulness and non-attachment to achievement.

Danny Paradise - "Evolution of Ashtanga" Mar 12, 2018

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Danny Paradise, renowned teacher and writer/co-producer of Love Will Rescue You, joins J to talk about how things have evolved from his first experiences in 1976 until the present day. They discuss the influences that have informed his teaching, including shamanism and the Egyptian roots, and how his practices are designed to show the interrelatedness of different cultures and disciplines. They also touch on the commodification of yoga, celebrity clients, and the Pattabhi Jois scandal. This episode is brought you by Karmasoft.

Theo Wildcroft - "Post-Lineage Yoga" Mar 05, 2018

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Theo Wildcroft was kind enough to let J stay with her during a recent trip to England. On their last day together, they sat down to have this conversation about different yoga cultures. They discuss how yoga happens in alternative spaces, distinctions in philosophy that shape a persons teaching, and the challenges we face when trying to forge uncharted paths. They also discuss the thesis she is working on regarding ‘Post-Lineage Yoga', examining the intersection between lineage traditions and the commodification of yoga.

Andrew Tanner - "YA Standards Review Project" Feb 26, 2018

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Andrew Tanner, chief ambassador for Yoga Alliance, joins J to discuss the Standards Review Project and the recently released survey. The conversation gets a bit heated as J grapples with his YA status and what he sees as fundamental flaws with both the survey and the organization. Andrew does his best to reassure J that the process YA has embarked on will be open, democratic and transparent. In the end, the spirit of friendship holds in this passionate exchange tackling the many difficult issues at play. This episode is brought to you by Karmasoft.

Jonathan Sattin - "triyoga London" Feb 19, 2018

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Jonathan Sattin, founder of triyoga, sits down with J at the head offices in London to talk about how he went from holding yoga classes in his living room to creating one of the premier destinations for yoga in the UK. They discuss what it takes to build an operational structure that can survive and grow for eighteen years, amassing five locations, 200+ teachers, and the inherent challenges that come when you get that big. They also touch on the financial realities at work, current trends, and what it might mean to bring integrity to scale.

Roseanne Harvey - "its all yoga, baby" Feb 12, 2018

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Roseanne Harvey, founder of its all yoga, baby and co-editor of 21st Century Yoga: Culture, Politics and Practice, is an old friend of J’s from the blogosphere days who has been away from the yoga world for a time but has recently emerged once again. In this conversation, they talk about the heyday of the internet, that time Roseanne slept in J’s bed, and what is behind her sort-of departure and semi-return to yogaland. They also tackle debt, money, and the yoga of getting our financial houses in order. This episode is brought to you by Karmasoft.

Richard Freeman - "Synthesizing Contemplative Traditions" Feb 05, 2018

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Richard Freeman was the person J most wanted to speak with when starting the podcast and his dream is finally realized in this conversation celebrating the 100th episode. They discuss what yoga was like in the late 60’s, how Richard came to study with BKS Iyengar and Pattabhi Jois, universal threads that run through the many different contemplative traditions he has inquired into, trends that have emerged with the progression of yoga into the mainstream, and the importance of remaining curious about the nature of reality.

Amina Naru - "Yoga in the Criminal Justice System" Jan 29, 2018

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Amina Naru, board member and project manager at the Yoga Service Council, owner of Posh Yoga, talks with J about her work bringing yoga into juvenile detention centers and prisons, and the new Best Practices for Yoga in the Criminal Justice System. They discuss her spiritual name, some of the trials and tribulations that have shaped her journey into yoga, her experience of being a black woman in a predominantly white profession, the process of creating community, and the profound gift of shared acceptance, wellness, and purpose.

Tiffany Cruikshank - "Yoga Medicine" Jan 22, 2018

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Tiffany Cruikshank, founder of Yoga Medicine, joins J for a discussion about her early challenges and roots into yoga and holistic healing modalities, and the process of developing her professional work as a teacher and educator. Their conversation includes a consideration of changing paradigms in yoga, how she incorporates or separates her yoga with her work in sports medicine and orthopedics, her experience of navigating the yoga industry, and developing training with a focus on fusing the two worlds of eastern and western medicine.

Maria Kirsten - "Yoga for Grown Ups" Jan 15, 2018

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J met Maria Kirsten, founder of Yoga for Grown Ups, through mutual contacts in Japan and they kind of hit it off after discovering they share many common experiences and viewpoints in yoga. In this conversation, they compare notes on teaching and discuss a range of topics including the importance of self-directed mentorship, fostering gradual progressions and relationships over time, teaching people about themselves more than poses, finding your root and stabilization, somatization, and asking the big questions about where it’s all going.

Rexx Anthony - "Rogue Ashtanga" Jan 08, 2018

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Rexx Anthony, founder of Rogue Ashtanga, wrote a blog post entitled "A Cautionary Tale on Operating Yoga Studios" that caught J’s attention and spurred this conversation. They talk about Rexx’s early adoption of Ashtanga Yoga and how the system has changed over the years. They also discuss the trends and tribulations of managing a yoga center, some of the pressing issues facing the industry, the challenges that yoga teachers grapple with, and the personal and professional factors that make up a life in the grassroots world of yoga.

Seane Corn - "Assume Humanity" Jan 01, 2018

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Seane Corn, creator of 'Off the Mat, Into the World', joins J for a lively and wide-ranging discussion on coming into adulthood as teachers alongside yoga going mainstream. Seane talks about the early days of NY Yoga and Life Cafe, her migration west, how she became a “yoga celebrity,” and the political activism that she spearheads. The conversation also examines the evolution of yoga as a profession, healing trauma, sexual misconduct in the yoga world, and the light, shadows and people that have shaped her inspirational teaching.

Or Shahar - "Israeli Buddhist: Light of the Dawn" Dec 25, 2017

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Or Shahar, from freedomyoga.info, is a podcast listener with a booker who got a bit lucky and caught J in a moment that led to this candid and unexpected conversation about family, cultural divides, and the universality of yoga. Or shares her process of healing depression and trauma, how she ended up making a life for herself in Berlin, overcoming the obstacles that yoga teachers face as professionals, and the challenge of meeting people where they are while still holding true to principles that explore the depth of practice.

Barbara Benagh - "Boston Legend, Slow Flow Master" Dec 18, 2017

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Barbara Benagh, legendary indy yoga teacher, joins J to trace the history and evolution of yoga from the 70’s until the present day. They discuss her early adoption of Iyengar yoga, her progression into a more somatic approach, the teachers and influences that have inspired her along the way, her relationship to and feeling about the ascendance of yoga as big business and the celebrity of yoga teachers, and how she ended up going against the grain and setting a precedence of cultivating her own sensibilities and charting her own course.

Justine Mastin - "Fangirl Geek-centric YogaQuest" Dec 11, 2017

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Justin Mastine, creator of YogaQuest, talks with J about bringing yoga to the geek community. They discuss what it means to be a geek, the process of embracing her inner nerd through yoga, and how she came to create a narrative-based practice that gives permission for people to be who they are even when it doesn't fit what other people think is normal. Justine also shares her insights into the unique issues that those with passionate fandoms face, and provides an example of what it means to bring yoga with whimsy to unconventional spaces.

Anneke Lucas - "Conspiracy of Patriarchy" Dec 04, 2017

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Anneke Lucas, founder of Liberation Prison Yoga, returns to talk with J about her thoughts on the resurgence of the #metoo movement, the politics of power addiction, and the larger implications for the yoga world. They discuss the public reckoning that men are being confronted with, areas in which we are still operating with blinders, the prevalence of pedophilia and conspiracies that cover it up, enabling in the ashtanga tradition, bringing yoga into the criminal justice system, making space for healing, and what it means to be liberated.

Jill Miller - "Hip Replacement Surgery" Nov 27, 2017

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Jill Miller, creator of Yoga Tune Up® and The Roll Model Method®, talks with J eight days after receiving hip replacement surgery. They discuss their parallel journeys, Jill’s decision to go under the knife, what its been like since, the blowback she got online, and why J is both grateful and freaked out by her example. The conversation also touches on issues surrounding injuries in yoga, the role that anatomy plays in mitigating risk factors, radical transparency, and the challenge of being able to evolve and grow while under public scrutiny.

Alexis Marbach and Caitlin Lanier - "Trauma-Informed Yoga" Nov 20, 2017

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Alexis Marbach and Caitlin Lanier, members of The Breathe Network, talk with J about the evolving world of trauma-informed yoga. They discuss the expansion of trauma sensitivity in the wake of yoga scandals, whether increased training is warranted, pitfalls in labeling and standardizing individual experience, Flip Chips, and how the current landscape is changing the dynamics and context. They also tackle some of the sticky realities implicit in addressing power dynamics, and being able to make mistakes publicly and learn from them.

Sadie Nardini - "Rock Your Yoga" Nov 13, 2017

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Sadie Nardini, founder of Core Strength Vinyasa and The Yoga Shred, host of Rock Your Yoga and cast member of Yoga Girls, talks with J about her early beginnings and emergence as a social media yoga icon. Sadie discusses her childhood struggle with a neurological disorder, the fierce determination that helped her be strong, the unintended consequences that forced her to change, and the development of her yoga practice and teaching. They also discuss her persona as the “black sheep” of yoga and her love of music.

Lucas Rockwood - "doTerra is a scam" Nov 06, 2017

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Lucas Rockwood, founder of Yoga Teachers Collegeand YOGABODY Naturals, host of Yoga Talk Show, is a fellow podcaster and expat who wrote a scathing piece about doTerra that got J’s attention. They have a lively discussion about leaving the NY scene to stake a claim in the international markets, his evolution from accidental teacher to retreat center owner, starting a supplements company, and creating a well known online presence. Lucas also shares important warnings and insights into successful entrepreneurship in the yoga sphere.

Matthew Taylor - "Organizational Yoga Therapy" Oct 30, 2017

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Matthew Taylor, past president of the board of directors of International Association of Yoga Therapists, chair of their business development community, and leader in business and clinical skills development for Yoga therapists, talks with J about the origins and future of yoga as a respected therapy. They discuss Matthew’s background in integrative rehabilitation, formative times in his evolution, the creation of standards and their importance, exciting new developments in the field, and his work with the Veterans Yoga Project.

Kimberly Wilson - "Tranquil Space DC" Oct 23, 2017

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Kimberly Wilson, founder of Tranquil Space and host of the Tranquility du Jour Podcast, sold two of the most popular yoga center locations in the DC area to Yogaworks right about the same time that J sold his center in Brooklyn. They talk about the arc of yoga in the mainstream, the process of growing a yoga center and related businesses, and what it means to let go and move on to new horizons when the time comes. Kimberly shares some of her insights into what it takes to be successful and ways to keep learning, exploring, and growing.

Roody Senecal - "Tribe Brooklyn and Karmasoft Online" Oct 16, 2017

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J sits down with Roody Senecal, creator of Karmasoft Online, to talk about how he went from manufacturing metal doors to becoming a yoga teacher, owning a yoga center, and developing the software that J ran his center with for seven out of ten years he had it. They discuss Roody’s childhood in Haiti and immigration to Brooklyn, the relationship to his wife that started his yoga journey, his training with Bikram Choudhry, and how he utilizes his relationships with people to foster a successful yoga center and business.

Jillian Pransky - "Deep Listening and Restorative Yoga" Oct 09, 2017

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Jillian Pransky, author of Deep Listening, talks with J about her journey in overcoming anxiety and finding a slow, gentle approach to body and life. They discuss her childhood and early exposure to meditation, giving up a “real” job in publishing to pursue a yoga career, the influences that have shaped her work and led to a focus on restorative yoga, and her new book. The conversation also touches on navigating the changing professional yoga landscape, and the increasingly difficult challenge of finding a healthy work/life balance.

Vanessa Kudrat Weinberg - "Kundalini and Internet Startups" Oct 02, 2017

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Vanessa Kudrat Weinberg, founder of Body Mind Gifts, is an old friend of J’s from their early college years who showed up to one of his final classes in Brooklyn after not seeing each other in over fifteen years. They reconnect and reminisce on the old days at NYU, talk about Vanessa’s studies with Yogi Bhajan, the early days of the internet, and the ways in which wellness and yoga have gone mainstream and become professions. The conversation also examines the effects of new media on yoga teachers and the policies of yoga centers.

Trina Altman - "Interdisciplinary Movement" Sep 25, 2017

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Trina Altman, creator of Yoga Deconstructed® and Pilates Deconstructed®, talks with J about her viewpoint on the limitations of the physical side of yoga for fitness and health. They discuss life events and influences that have led to the combination of modalities and techniques informing her teaching and approach to yoga and embodied movement. J learns about the differences between Yoga and Pilates, and they examine how the new teaching landscape lends itself to exploring a wider scope and more diverse diet of movement.

Melissa Hagedorn - "Northwest Yoga Conference" Sep 18, 2017

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Melissa Hagedorn, founder of the Northwest Yoga Conference, joins the podcast for a lively and redemptive conversation after J accidentally used a photo of hers on one of his blog posts and got a polite but firm request to cease and desist. All is made well as they discuss Michelle’s mobile lifestyle and her call to create a yoga conference against all odds. They also discuss the accessibility of conference offerings, the pay or lack there of for teachers, and the ways in which balance can be struck between yoga and commerce.

Noah Mazé - "Outdoor Adventure, Anusara, and Embodied Spirituality" Sep 11, 2017

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Noah Mazé, founder of YOGAMAZÉ, talks with J about his early exposure to yoga, how he came to meet John Friend during the formative time of Anusara, the trajectory of his teaching and the effects that the Anusara downfall had on him, and the ways in which the thread of his yoga has carried through and expanded. They also discuss the online videos of Noah doing crazy asana stuff, the repercussions of those videos being posted without context, a recent scandal, Facebook trolls, and the discussions that exemplify and shape our times.

Cora Wen - "The Fame Game" Sep 04, 2017

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Cora Wen is a name that J knew from his early remembrances of the yoga world, yet it wasn’t until this talk that he knew anything about her. They discuss Cora’s origins in yoga, the many amazing teachers that she has worked closely with over the years, and some reasons why she has maintained a slightly underground status. The conversation also tracks some yoga-going-into-the-mainstream history, some of the pitfalls and troubles that come with the territory, what things look like today and what might be warranted given the new conditions.

Leslie Kaminoff - "The Breathing Project: Final Event" Aug 28, 2017

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Leslie Kaminoff invites J to join him for the last of his live oral history events at The Breathing Project. They are accompanied by a small group of staff and friends for an intimate conversation about what has gone past and what lies ahead. The discussion tracks some history behind the Breathing Project, the publication of Yoga Anatomy and rumors of a potential third edition, and all the emotions around saying goodbye as the space reincarnates into the Babies Project and Leslie sets a new course for himself and The Breathing Project Foundation.

Nischala Devi- "The Full Yoga" Aug 21, 2017

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Nischala Devi, author of The Secret Power of Yoga: A Woman's Guide to the Heart and Spirit of the Yoga Sutras, joins the podcast and brings J some inspiration and joy. They talk about her many years in ascetic life, the process of leaving it, new paths forged since, and what its like to translate Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras from a woman’s perspective. They also discuss the evolution of yoga from its beginnings as an alternative lifestyle into a mainstream industry, and what might be needed to retain the heart and soul of the practice.

David Lipsius - "Yoga Alliance Reboot" Aug 14, 2017

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David Lipsius, president and CEO of Yoga Alliance, sits down with J to talk about the issues facing the organization and his new leadership role. They discuss David’s history and credentials, his study and training in yoga, and what he hopes to do at the YA. The conversation tackles many of the misconceptions regarding YA, problems with the standards, a lack of transparency in the past, what is going to change going forward, and how we might start an honest dialogue to raise the value and social impact of the yoga profession.

Michelle Ryan - "Collectively Running a Center" Aug 07, 2017

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Michelle Ryan, founder of Ashtanga Yoga Northampton, has been listening to the podcast and, after hearing J and his guests talking about new models for yoga centers, felt compelled to reach out via email. She is running her center in a different way that brings some new ideas to the table, so J brought her on to discuss what she is doing. They track Michele’s background in yoga and owning centers, the pitfalls and tribulations of the life, and the methods that she has arrived at to forge more sustainable means of operation.

Amy Ippoliti - "Anusara Veteran, Evolving Leadership" Jul 31, 2017

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Amy Ippoliti talks with J about being in the right place at the right time, at the cusp of yoga’s entrance into the mainstream, through the rise and fall of the Anusara popularity, and the path to healing and learning in the aftermath of the scandal. They swap some tales of the early NY scene, get into the real story behind why Anusara fell apart, compare the time that they came into to teaching with some of the realities that new teachers are facing today, and find shared purpose in their love of yoga and passion for helping people.

Temple Fiergola - "Underpaid and Undervalued" Jul 24, 2017

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Temple Fiergola is a yoga teacher and podcast listener who sent J a blog post she wrote about negotiating her pay rates with yoga center owners that warranted a longer conversation, so J brings her on to talk it out. In the course of the discussion, Temple shares some intimate details of her life that strike a cord in J and set a tone for further inquiries into balancing family life and maintaining a teaching practice, overcoming grief, the diminishing pay scales available to yoga professionals, and the need for more open dialogue.

Justine Wiltshire Cohen - "Down Under School of Yoga Boston" Jul 17, 2017

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After a snarky post from J referencing an article in Yoga Journal about Down Under School of Yoga in Boston making yoga teachers employees vs independent contractors, the owner, Justine Wiltshire Cohen, joins in this conversation to clarify and make her positions clear on the issues. They discuss the origins of the center, its growth, the reasons for non-compete clauses, intellectual property rights, pay scales, and the problem with attempting to present black and white solutions to nuanced and varied challenges.

Adriene Mishler - "Yoga with Adriene" Jul 10, 2017

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Adriene Mishler, from the Yoga with Adriene Youtube Channel, talks with J about what its like to have over two million people subscribing to your Youtube videos, how such a thing comes about, and the work that goes into making something like that fly. In this unexpected and engaged conversation, J discovers that Adriene is way more than just a “Youtube star” as they discuss the yoga hustle and what it means to make real connections with people both in person and through the asynchronous universe of the internet.

Amy Matthews - "Embodied Asana and Ordinary Magic" Jul 03, 2017

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Amy Matthews, co-founder of Babies Project, sits down with J to talk about the ideas we hold around the human body and our ability to change. After studying with Amy for almost a year, J takes this opportunity to delve deeper into questions of injuries, bio-mechanics, somatic experience, embryology, the proportionality of growth, and the disconnect between what our physiology is actually saying and what we think is the case. More than anything, they invite a full range of possibility by embracing the mystery of existence.

Alexandria Crow - "Evolution of Yoga Physics" Jun 26, 2017

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Alexandria Crow, founder of Yoga Physics, joins J for a conversation about her evolution as a yoga teacher, from early high profile appearances to whistle-blower and rabble-rouser. They have been in contact for some time but only hook up after Alex posted one of J’s podcast about Yoga Alliance on her FB timeline and a comment thread blew up. In this candid conversation, they discuss some of Alex’s history, reconciling the documentation of your past online, and problems with the industry “standards” for yoga teachers.

Accessible Yoga NYC 2017 - "Ageism and Ableism" Jun 19, 2017

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J moderates this panel discussion at the Accessible Yoga Conference NYC with Steffany Moonez, founder of Yoga for Arthritis, Prakash Capen, Integral Yoga Teacher and Minister, Mirabai Hubbell, chair of the Older Adults Department at City College, and Char Grossman, founder of YogaReach. The topic was “Ageism and Ableism: Creating Welcoming Yoga Spaces” and after some time getting to know the panelists, they share their views and take questions from the audience on issues of inclusion in yoga classes.

Amber Karnes - "Body Positivity and The New Grind" Jun 12, 2017

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Amber Karnes, creator of Body Positive Yoga, joins J for a talk about making the ends meet as teachers in the new landscape. They are both in the midst of moving and navigating the ways they can make a living and, after canceling a number of times, they jump into a conversation despite not feeling all that up to it. Fortunately, coming together on the challenges they are facing is a welcome release and serves to reaffirm their resolve. They also discuss the origins of Body Positive Yoga and the Yoga for All Training she does with Dianne Bondy.

Sadia Bruce - "Yoga Industrial Complex" Jun 05, 2017

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Sadia Bruce, a friend and fellow teacher, posted something about one of J’s podcasts that ruffled his feathers some so he decided to bring her on the show to talk about it. But, while they do discuss the post and why it bothered J, the conversation ended up going in unexpected directions as J learns that Sadia has come to a crossroads in her career and is considering leaving the profession. They talk about racism, prejudice, the co-option of the diversity and inclusion conversation, and the difficult grind of making a livelihood as a yoga teacher.

Joe Sandor - "Numbers Side of the Yoga Biz" May 29, 2017

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Joe Sandor, a budding yoga instructor who recently discovered the podcast, sent J an intriguing email and he thought it would be fun to bring him on to talk about it. They discuss Joe’s 9-5 job at the State Department, the role that showers played in his entrance into yoga, the inner workings of Core Power, and his experience of teacher training. They go on to consider some of the current economic models for where teachers fit into the business of yoga, the pitfalls therein, and some potential ideas on what else might be possible.

India Supera - "Feathered Pipe Ranch" May 22, 2017

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India Supera, founder of the Feathered Pipe Foundation and Ranch, graces J with a conversation on a most auspicious day. They discuss the turns of history and politics that shaped her journey to the east, the happenstance that brought her back and birthed the Feathered Pipe, and the many incredible people who make pilgrimage there. They also discuss changes in the yoga world and remaining true to purpose, celebrate the magic that brings them together, and share in the joy and excitement of J’s inaugural visit to the ranch.

Andrew Tanner @ YJ Live 2017 - "Future of Yoga" May 15, 2017

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Andrew Tanner, official spokesperson for the Yoga Alliance, invites J to the Yoga Journal Conference NYC 2017 to discuss recent developments at YA and the future of the yoga industry. Recorded in front of a live audience, Andrew fills J in on the hiring of YA's new CEO, the election of a new head to the board, and the idea for change that the organization is embarking upon. They also field questions from the audience and discuss trends, predictions, and how individual professionals are adapting to the changing times and landscape.

Jivana Heyman - "Accessible Yoga" May 08, 2017

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After Jivana Heyman, founder of Accessible Yoga, invited J to moderate a panel discussion at the Accessible Yoga Conference NYC, they have a chance to speak about the origins of Jivana’s work and the mission of the conference. Jivana shares how he transformed the horror of the AIDS crisis in 1990’s San Francisco into the gift of making Yoga accessible to everyone. The discussion also touches on aspects of yoga philosophy and purpose, the difference between doing service and business, and the power of love and community to heal.

Sam Rudra Schwartz - "Ashram Living in NYC" May 01, 2017

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Sam Rudra Swartz stops by the center in Brooklyn to talk with J about the Accessible Yoga Conference and his long-time relationship with Integral Yoga. They discuss his formative years becoming a resident of both the Yogaville Ashram in Virginia and the Integral Center in NYC, the onset of his physical ailments and the process of overcoming them, and his work in making yoga more accessible to everyone. The conversation also touches on a range of current topics in the yoga word and the application of yoga philosophy to everyday life.

Anna Guest-Jelley - "Curvy Yoga" Apr 24, 2017

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Anna Guest-Jelley, founder of Curvy Yoga, knows J from way back when in the early yoga blogosphere days. After getting a PR workup on her new book and feeling a bit jealous, J gets over himself and talks with Anna about her road to greater body acceptance, the influences that have presented challenges, the practice she discovered, the teaching she developed, and the culmination of her new book. They also talk some shop about the pros and cons of the new digital landscape, and making your way as an independent teacher.

Zack Kurland - "Yogaland Departed" Apr 17, 2017

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J sits down with his old friend, Zack Kurland. They started out in the yoga word on parallel tracks but Zack ended up taking a different turn ten years ago. They finally get a chance to talk about the way things went and how they are now. Zack discusses his studies in Yoga and Ayurveda, the early NYC days, his experience in yoga-related businesses, starting the Breathing Project with Leslie Kaminoff, the time that they knew each other as fellow teachers, and his decision to depart the yoga profession and find another direction.

Dylan Galos - "Epidemiologist aka Clydesdale Yogi" Apr 10, 2017

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J talks to Dylan Gallos, a podcast listener who sent an email that hit home and ended up challenging preconceived notions. They discuss Dylan’s bi-racial roots, his relationship to fitness, the PHD he is almost done with on intergenerational child abuse, and the realities of navigating yoga studio culture as an independent teacher who doesn’t fit the conventional molds. The conversation also touches on the fears that keep us from having open dialogue, and ways in which we can overcome our divides and come to better understanding.

Beth Donnelly Cabán - "Circles of Support and Prenatal Yoga" Apr 03, 2017

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Beth Donnelly Cabán, long time friend of J and co-producer of The Essential Prenatal Yoga Video with Beth Donnelly Cabán, talks with J about their connection through his center in Brooklyn, the early NY yoga world that brought them together, Beth’s relationship with Integral Yoga, and the release of their new video. They also discuss her extensive work in educating and helping people during prenatal and postpartum stages of life. J and Beth’s producer, Josh Sitron, also jumps on to share the process and purpose behind facilitating their work.

Donna Farhi - "The Way Forward" Mar 27, 2017

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Donna Farhi talks with J about her experience going from dance to Iyengar Yoga to “the refinement of natural and universal movement principles that underlie safe and sustainable Yoga practice.” They commune on a range of pressing topics that are affecting the yoga world today, including the prevalence of injurious instruction, the lack of foundational understanding about Yoga, ethical behavior, how different pedogogy either empowers or disempowers people, and the kinds of questions that best encourage a healthy way forward. Click here to get Free Resources and more from Donna.

Mike Huggins - "Prison Yoga" Mar 20, 2017

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Mike Huggins, founder of Transformation Yoga Project and author of Going OM: A CEO's Journey from a Prison Facility to Spiritual Tranquility, talks with J about the turn of events that took him from the top of a corporate ladder to federal prison, and how that experience was transformed into a new life purpose. They discuss his work in applying yoga practices for addiction recovery and trauma-related issues, the personal realities of incarceration, white privilege and diverse populations, and serving on a board together at Liberation Prison Yoga.

Peter Blackaby - "Beyond Anatomy" Mar 13, 2017

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Peter Blackaby, author of Intelligent Yoga, talks with J about how he went from Iyengar yoga and an anatomical approach to a view that encompasses the complex relationship between things. They discuss some of his influences, including Vanda Scaravelli, Serge Krakovetsky, and Stanley Kellerman, the idea of functionality, and letting go of yoga practice as a form of physical exercise. This conversation is precursor to the upcoming Beyond Anatomy Symposium with Peter, Leslie Kaminoff and Amy Matthews at the Breathing Project NYC.

Helene Couvrette - "Montreal International Symposium on Therapeutic Yoga" Mar 06, 2017

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Helene Courvrette, co-founder of MISTY-Montreal International Symposium on Therapeutic Yoga, talks with J about her passion for bringing people together to share and learn. They discuss some of the deep tragedies and losses that Helene has endured, how they led to the work she does as a Yoga Therapist and organizer of MISTY, and the miracle of life that fueled it all. They also touch on the difficulties and financial realities of organizing events and running yoga centers, and where the truest rewards are to be found.

Alex Auder - "Magu Yoga, Old-School in Philly PA" Feb 27, 2017

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Alex Auder, director of Magu Yoga and old friend of J, talks about her mothers' relationship to Andy Warhol, growing up in the Chelsea Hotel, NYC in the 80’s, the early formative times of Jivamukti Yoga, and the fierce determination of independent yoga center owners to make shit happen. They also compare and contrast the current landscape of social media and teacher trainings with how things were in the older days of yoga industry, and briefly discuss some presidential politics as it happened this was recorded on inauguration day.

Dui Turner and Carol Horton - "Best Practices For Yoga With Veterans" Feb 20, 2017

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Dui Turner and Carol Horton have a conversation with J about the Yoga Service Council and the recent publication of Best Practices For Yoga For Veterans. Dui shares her story of nineteen years in military service, her passion for the healing arts, and how she is bringing them together. Carol joins in to speak about her role on the council and to give further insight into the process of creating consensus and community. They also touch on how politics fits in for them individually and the universal appeal of yoga.

Theo Wildcroft - "Re-Wilding Yoga" Feb 13, 2017

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J brings Theo Wildcroft on the show after a lovely shout-out online that also included a playful jab about the lack of guests from outside North America. They discuss her research inquiring into the democratization of physical practice, the convergence of yoga and activism, and the radical impact of “pagans doing yoga in fields.” Theo was also around for the Anusara meltdown, teaches yoga to children with special needs, and has something to say on how you don’t have to be a commercial success in order to be a yoga teacher.

Douglas Rushkoff - "Team Human" Feb 06, 2017

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Serendipity brings Douglas Rushkoff, author of Throwing Rocks at the Google Bus and Aleister & Adolf, and host of Team Human podcast, to J’s basement for a conversation on the digital age and the economic effects of information technology on human well-being. They discuss Rushkoff’s writing trajectory, chronicling the evolution of the internet from its early open source origins to its corporate controlled iteration of today. They talk about the current state of affairs and, much to J’s amazement, some shared past and friendship between them.

Brenda Feuerstein - "Georg’s Legacy" Jan 30, 2017

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J has the honor of talking to Brenda Feuerstein, wife of the late Georg Feuerstein. Georg’s writings have been a huge influence on J and this was a special opportunity to learn about a man he considers a teacher but never met in person. They discuss Brenda’s relationship to Georg, on both personal and professional levels, and the work of continuing his legacy. They share in mutual appreciation for yoga philosophy as a means of transformation, the gifts they received from Georg, and examining the deeper aspects of practice.

Susanna Harwood Rubin - "Devi Soul, Yoga 365" Jan 23, 2017

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J hangs out with Susanna Harwood Rubin, author of Yoga 365, in her Manhattan apartment for an intimate conversation about the early years of the NY scene and how things have gone since then. Susanna shares some early shaping experiences transitioning from art world to yoga world, her perspective on the rise and fall of Anusara, and her love of studying yoga philosophy. They also talk about how she relates to Hindu deities, her feelings about the issue of cultural appropriation, and the process of writing her new book.

Brian Leaf - "Garden State Yogi" Jan 16, 2017

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Brian Leaf, author of Misadventures of a Garden State Yogi and Misadventures of a Parenting Yogi, is a mutual friend of J’s producer. They knew of each other for years but this is the first time they actually met. They discuss Brian’s work helping students manage ADD and overcome standardized-tests, how he overcame ulcerative colitis through yoga and Ayurveda, his devotion to Swami Kripalu, and what it means to come from a place of knowing. They also touch on the role of intuition in Brian’s most recent book, The Teacher Appears.

Katchie Ananda - "Jivamukti Vet, Spiritual Midwife" Jan 09, 2017

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Life comes full circle for J in this conversation with Katchie Ananda, his first ever and beloved teacher. They talk about early times when the NY yoga scene was just burgeoning, Katchie’s move away from NY to Colorado to study with Richard Freeman, her time in Anusara and relationship to John friend, and the dharma path that she is following today. They touch base on how things have changed in their practice and teaching over the years, and the need for "all hands on deck" given the challenges of our current political environment.

Roslyn Brown - "J’s eldest daughter at age 7" Dec 24, 2016

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On the occasion of her seventh birthday, J shares some conversations with his eldest daughter, Roslyn Brown. He promised her that they were recording a “real” podcast and, after a recent incident where he maybe wasn’t there for her as a father, he felt compelled to make good on his promise. They talk about animals, her baby sister, her mom, and whether they should stay in Brooklyn or move somewhere else. Please note: This one is for fans of J’s personal narrative. Otherwise, its probably best to enjoy the archives.

Ryan & Kate - “Unrolled Podcast" Dec 19, 2016

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J sits down with Ryan Cunningham and Kate Robinson, hosts of Unrolled Podcast, for a lively conversation in Ryan’s kitchen just after a workshop at his center, Bow St. Yoga in Sommerville MA. They talk about how Ryan went from being the former-manager of a center acquired by Yogaworks to being a yoga center owner himself in the span of a year, showers at yoga studios, the awesomeness that is Unrolled Podcast, why J does Sanskrit chanting and if the name of his podcast is lame, and forging new models for yoga going forward.

Shelly Prosko - “Physio Yoga Therapy” Dec 12, 2016

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J talks with Shelly Prosko, founder of Physio Yoga, about her mission to integrate yoga into the healthcare system. Shelly shares some of her personal story of how a random injury catapulted her work incorporating medical therapeutic yoga and traditional physical therapy. They discuss earlier days before yoga was considered an alternative healing modality, the difference between bringing medicine into yoga and yoga into medicine, the limitations of allopathic models, yoga therapy, and the need for clarity of scope.

Erich Schiffmann - "Freedom Yoga" Nov 28, 2016

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J talks to one of the greats, Erich Schiffmann. This is the first time they have ever spoken to each other and Erich takes J through some history and a bevy of tales that speak to the coming of yoga into the west and mainstream. They discuss what it’s like to have lunch with J Krishnamurti and get slapped by BKS Iyengar, the origins of the traveling yoga career, free-form yoga, and learning how to learn from your own practice. Erich also shares why he is stepping away from teaching and sings praise for the Feathered Pipe Ranch.

Cristina Kuhn - “Living with MS” Nov 21, 2016

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Cristina Kuhn returns to talk with J about the one big thing they didn’t discuss last time they got together, her MS. After their last podcast, they went out to dinner and Cristina mentioned her condition and agreed to come back on. They finally found an opportunity to make good on it. She shares what it was liked to be diagnosed, conventional and alternative treatments, the emotional impact, and the resolve to carry on with life. They also touch base on how business is going at her center, the Yogi Underground in Falls Church, VA.

Cyndi Lee - “OM Yoga” Nov 14, 2016

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Cyndi Lee, founder of the influential OM Yoga center, was someone who set the stage for people like J. After running in the same circles for years, they finally get a chance to meet. They talk about Cyndi’s personal journey into yoga and Tibetan Buddhism, yoga coming into the mainstream, the story of how OM Yoga came into existence and why it had to close, and the way things are playing out now. Both Cyndi and J share openly about what it is to make your practice into a profession and the rapid change in the yoga industry

Joey Slater-Milligan - “Yoga of Wheatus” Oct 31, 2016

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J talks with Joey Slater-Milligan, background vocalist from the band Wheatus. Joey graduated from J’s teacher training program a while back and they take some time to learn about each other outside of the practice space. Joey shares her journey from a small village in England to playing arena-sized shows with a band she started out selling t-shirts for. They also discuss why she decided to do a yoga teacher training, dealing with the loss of parents, the perils of gentrification and a hustle economy, and her new young adult sci-fi novel ‘PSY’.

Jason Crandell - “Professional Responsibility” Oct 24, 2016

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Jason Crandell has always been on J’s radar as someone of his generation who managed to break through into the mainstream. They talk about early days of Yoga Journal cruises, what it takes to launch a yoga career, the invent of yoga teacher training, social media literacy, realities and issues facing current yoga business models, raising the educational bar and holding teacher trainers accountable. They also discuss drug and alcohol addiction in loved ones, sequencing yoga programs, and the ins and outs of online video.

Wendy Reese - “Whole Being Zone” Oct 17, 2016

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J returns the favor and brings on Wendy Reese, host of The Whole Being Zone Podcast. They talk about the horrors of having crappy internet service, what the yoga scene is like in a town of five hundred people, the journey from fitness to wholeness, dealing with mental illness, learning to love yourself, the practicality of psychic power, and how to build community. They also discuss her new book Alchemy of Yoga: Living Yoga Off the Mat, which mixes ancient wisdom and science with “pragmatic woo-woo” in applicable and slightly irreverent ways.

Julie Buckner - “Closing InYoga” Oct 10, 2016

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Julie Buckner and J had been emailing back and forth for months, but only when the final word came down that she was definitely closing her yoga center did they sit down and talk about the state of affairs. They discuss the hard realities facing independent yoga centers vs standardized and scaled models, what it means to be successful but not profitable, real estate markets and sustainability, and even get into a bit of national politics. More than anything, they look to each other for support and inspiration.

Eddie Stern - “Ashtanga Yoga New York” Sep 26, 2016

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Eddie Stern, esteemed Ashtanga Yoga teacher, invites J to The Brooklyn Yoga Club to talk about the old days and current incarnations of his yoga and teaching. They discuss his early practice, formative times in the NY yoga scene, the entrance of Patabhi Jois into the US, the birth of “vinyasa” as a hybrid style, bringing yoga into schools, and whether or not Ashtanga Yoga is injurious. The conversation also brings them together around a connection between punk rock, hip-hop, yoga, and being true to who you are and what you do.

Sam Chase - “Yoga to the People” Sep 19, 2016

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Serendipity brings Sam Chase, author of Yoga and the Pursuit of Happiness, and J together in this intimate back and forth about the parallels in both their early beginnings and current life situations. They discuss the lonely aspects of being a yoga teacher, Sam’s dual yoga personality, vinyasa yoga’s identity crisis, the evolution of Kripalu Yoga, and the origins and purpose behind Yoga to the People. They also touch on the back-end of owning a studio and the challenges inherent in being true to the ethics of what you advertise.

Michael Lee - “Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy" Sep 12, 2016

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Michael Lee, founder of Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy, talks with J about the origins of Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy and its defining characteristics. They discuss creating safe containers for practice, identifying what’s going on in your body and in your life based on both experience and psychological principles, the thin line between yoga and yoga therapy, changes in the professional yoga landscape, and being true to who you are. They also share together in the many tribulations and incarnations that a life can present.

Hareesh (Christopher) Wallis - “Tantra Illuminated” Aug 22, 2016

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Hareesh (Christopher) Wallis has a B.A. in Religion and Classics from the University of Rochester, an M.A. in Sanskrit from U.C. Berkeley, an M.Phil. in Classical Indian Religions from Oxford, and a Ph.D. on the traditions of Śaiva Tantra from Berkeley. He talks with J about the art and science of translating Sanskrit, the influence of Tantra on modern yoga, qualifications on non-duality, Abhinava Gupta, and how the removal of conceptual overlays and integration of transcendence reveals inherent wonder and awe in life.

Jennilyn Carson - “Yogadork” Aug 15, 2016

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J sits down with Jennilyn Carson, long time friend, editor in chief of Yogadork, founder of Cycledork and TASCbar. They rode the wave of yoga into the mainstream together and reminisce over some of the sign posts and stories that marked the way. The conversation also covers Jennilyn’s interests in woman’s cycles, cats, social justice, and the ever-changing “cluster-f***” of yoga culture and news. The two commune on the silver linings, and J explains why he decided to have this be the year anniversary episode.

Pamela Tanner Boll - “A Small Good Thing” Aug 08, 2016

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J talks with Pamela Tanner Boll, award winning producer and director of the documentary films A Small Good Thing and Who Does She Think She Is? They discuss her earlier work and formative times in life that shaped the themes running through her movies, including the pressing issues addressed in her recent work that spoke to J deeply and inspired their conversation. They touch on the difference between holding space vs fighting for it, the challenges of making a living as an artist, and the importance of being curious, not furious.

Judith Hanson Lasater - “Restorative Yoga Queen” Jul 25, 2016

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Judith Hanson Lasater is a seminal figure in the yoga world. She talks with J about the earliest times for independent yoga teachers, her experience with BKS Iyengar, reasons for withdrawal from the Iyengar organization, and the inspiration behind what she teaches now. They discuss the appropriateness and intention with which we practice, the privilege of teaching and holding a sacred circle of safety, understanding psychological projection, and mirroring back the inherent goodness and inner wisdom of the student.

Kerry Porter - “Hindu Facebook Justice” Jul 18, 2016

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Kerry Porter joins J to discuss some of the comment threads they have participated in together as mutual members of a Facebook group, and the implications they share with broader issues in our politics. They talk about the decolonizing of language and culture, listening to the voices of injustice, the marketplace of exploitation, appropriated yoga, and how we might begin to stop perpetuating oppressive power imbalances through reparatory justice instead of essentially telling people to “go eat a turd pie."

Diane Bruni - “Ashtanga Unveiled” Jul 11, 2016

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Diane Bruni was the first Ashtanga yoga teacher in Canada. She stopped by J’s yoga class in Brooklyn and they sat down afterwards to talk about her story of yoga’s entrance into the mainstream, yoga injuries, and the new directions that are being forged. Diane shares openly about her early and unconventional instruction in Iyengar method, controversial exit from the Ashtanga community, cancer diagnosis and healing, and the movement research she is exploring now. They discuss the current state of the Slow Yoga Revolution.

Bernie Clark - “Yin Yoga” Jun 27, 2016

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Bernie Clark has intimate knowledge of one of the most popular forms of yoga practice today, Yin Yoga. He talks to J about where it comes from, how he got to it, and what distinguishes it from other styles. Bernie answers some of the most common questions about Yin Yoga, including whether or not you can stretch a ligament and what happens to a fibroblast when you hold a pose for longer periods. They discuss his new book, Your Body - Your Yoga, and other aspects of the science and metaphysics at work behind the approach.

Anneke Lucas - “Abuse of Power” Jun 20, 2016

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Anneke Lucas was sold into a child sex-trafficking network at the age of six. Now she teaches yoga in prisons through her organization, Liberation Prison Yoga. J sits down with Anneke to talk about her journey of healing trauma and expanding consciousness, being groped by Pattabhi Jois, the Jivamukti scandal, a panel discussion on power in the yoga world, trauma sensitivity training, and how to create safer spaces and better support for victims. The conversation touches upon difficult topics, listener discretion is advised.

Neil Pearson - “Changing Pain Science” Jun 13, 2016

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Neil Pearson has spent over 30 years in the field of physiotherapy and pain management science. J talks with him about the difference between awareness and self-regulation, prescription vs process, the intertwined nature of pain and suffering, how the medical system teaches us to give power over to someone else, and recognizing things as safe or dangerous. The conversation touches the philosophical nature of science, and where science and yoga are coming together to help people address pain.

Dianne Bondy - “Yoga For All” May 30, 2016

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Dianne Bondy has become a leader in encouraging greater diversity in yoga. J talks with her about his own blinders, her move from fitness to yoga, drinking the Anusara cool-aid, being DIY on and off the mat, the power of language to either empower or disempower people, and ways in which yoga can move us into fuller acceptance of ourselves and others. They also discuss being a spokesperson and have a lively back and forth about practice, communing in their shared intention to present yoga.

Hari-kirtana das - "Krishna Consciousness" May 23, 2016

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Hari-kirtana has gone by many names depending on the different lifestyles he's led. J talks with him about being a member of "the mother of all cults", the Hare Krishna movement, participating in Jivamukti Yoga Teacher Training, separating the teachings from the teacher, comparative yoga philosophy regarding non-duality and the inherent duality of bringing theology and realization to the modern marketplace of ideas.

Matthew Remski - “Downregulated Yoga“ May 16, 2016

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Matthew Remski has become known for his provocative, sometimes controversial, and inspiring writings on pressing issues in the yoga world. J talks with him about his early experiences and how they have shaped the course of his work, the misconceptions and current status of his ongoing WAWADIA (What Are We Actually Doing in Asana?) project, the recent flap regarding Jivamukti Yoga, his interest in subtle body phenomenon and the grey zone between the mystical and the wounded.

Pleasance Silicki - “Lil Omm Magic-maker" May 09, 2016

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Pleasance Silicki started out in the DC Public School system working with inner city youth before she forged a path as a yoga teacher and founder of Lil Omm. J talks with her about how she ended up in the yoga world, her experience of opening and closing a yoga center, the changes that have happened in the last ten years and the challenges that yoga teachers are facing, and her new book that was born out of her need to embrace change and move forward.

Mark Whitwell - “Heart of Yoga” Apr 25, 2016

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J finally has the guts to bring Mark Whitwell, his most influential teacher, on the podcast. They trace Mark’s life in yoga, from his early years before teaching to his experience meeting Krishnamacharya, Desikachar, and the Krishnamurti’s, and his travels around the world. The discussion is wide ranging as they reminisce about their shared past, changes in the yoga industry, and the directions they see things going in the future.

Jared Hirsch - “Yoga Dad aka Jahvocado” Apr 18, 2016

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Jared Hirsch is an old friend who shares a mutual teacher with J. In this talk, they reconnect after more than 10 years and commune on how things have happened as time has gone by. They discuss early days as young upstarts, differences between teachers aligned with the TKV Desikachar tradition, graffiti art, the ins and outs of dealing with ulcerative colitis, and the blessings of partnership, family, and friendship.

Carol Horton - “Yoga Ph.D.” Apr 11, 2016

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It’s not always easy to make sense of what is happening in the broader yoga world and society at large, but Carol Horton can sometimes help illuminate and clarify the issues so we might stand a chance. J talks with Carol about her transition from political science professor to yoga writer and thinker, her work in the Cook County Jails, the heyday of the yoga blogosphere, the books she’s published, the pioneering work of the Yoga Service Council, and the current political atmosphere.

J's Online Workshop - "Bernie Sanders of Yoga" Mar 22, 2016

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Josh Sitron, J's producer, becomes his first repeat guest as they sit down to check in on how things have been going since the first episode of the podcast and discuss the release of J's new online workshop: Gentle is the New Advanced. They share intimate details about the process that led to its creation, the purpose for its existence, and an impromptu strategy session where much the signature back and forth between the two friends ensues. J gets personal from a hotel room in Japan and ponders his way forward.

Ann Votaw - “Uncertain Reality of a Freelancer" Mar 14, 2016

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J has been interviewed by Ann Votaw a few times over the years for articles she’s written and he was always impressed by her wit and spontaneity. In this intimate and honest discussion, they talk about taking responsibility for your own mortality, the profound work of being a caregiver, the misconceptions people have about yoga teachers, and the crazy pace of everything from politics to online dating. Ann shares personal stories and they do their best to make sense of what they see happening in yoga and the world around them.

Andrew Tanner - “YA Policy on Yoga Therapy Terms" Mar 07, 2016

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Andrew Tanner is the official spokesperson for the Yoga Alliance. He reached out to J to record this conversation about a new policy that was announced regarding the use of yoga therapy terminology. Andrew explains what the new policy is and why it was implemented. J pushes back for a compelling talk on some aspects of the new policy, as well as other issues surrounding the YA, yoga teacher training, and the industry at large. This talk expands upon J's blog post for this month: Establishment Politics in Yoga.

Leslie Kaminoff - “Being A Yoga Educator” Feb 29, 2016

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When it comes to the inside track on being a yoga teacher and the industry, Leslie Kaminoff has been part of the conversation since it started. J has known Leslie for many years, he was one of the original teachers at The Breathing Project and their programs have become “sister schools.” In this conversation, they talk about the early times before J got on the scene, the origins of the Yoga Alliance, the International Association of Yoga Therapists, regulation of yoga, the business of independent studios and the heart of why yoga teachers do what they do.

Chase Bossart - “Old School Desikachar" Feb 15, 2016

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Chase Bossart is J’s go-to-guy for all things Sanskrit and ancient texts. In this rare conversation, Chase shares insights into the translation of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, and opens up about his long-time relationship with the Desikachar family and the tragedy that has befallen the lineage. As they trace Chase’s trajectory from the late 80’s till today, the conversation touches on the difference between Yoga and Yoga Therapy, illuminates some trends and downfalls in the current industry, and points to potential alternatives going forward.

Cristina Kuhn - “The Yogi Underground" Feb 08, 2016

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Cristina Kuhn opened The Yogi Underground last year and invited J to teach some workshops there. They sat down to talk about the process of becoming a teacher and opening a center, all while being a wife and mother of three children. From her experience of being out there in the “big bad yoga world” teaching in gyms to the intricacies and nuances of managing her own local center, Cristina shares her viewpoint and insights. There is also a secret reveal that forms a precursor for another meeting between the two friends.

Lilia Mead - “Go Yoga, Brooklyn Pioneer” Jan 18, 2016

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Lilia Mead was the owner of Go Yoga in Brooklyn NY, recently closed after fifteen years of operation. J taught there as a senior teacher for seven years before he opened a center himself. They sit down together to talk over the last twenty years, just in time before Lilia’s permanent move to Los Angeles. The discussion tracks from the early nineties until today and comments on the way yoga teachers are trained, make a living, and the immense changes that have taken place affecting both. Their shared history, friendship, and love of yoga is celebrated.

Ray Greenberg - “Yoga Life Style” Jan 11, 2016

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For more than five years, J has been buying yoga mats from yogalifestyle.com. He always appreciated that it was independently owned and operated. So he decided to have a talk with the owner, Ray Greenberg. They discuss how he fell into the yoga supply business, nuances in the yoga products market, insider business considerations (i.e. Amazon), and how things have changed in the yoga world. Ray speaks passionately about both yoga and the products he sells. They commune on the need to foster and nurture personal relationships.

Roberta Karp - “I'm OK, Even with Chronic Pain” Dec 21, 2015

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J spends time with Roberta Karp, a long-time friend and student. They talk about Roberta’s ongoing struggle with chronic pain, due to several chronic conditions including diabetes, fibromyalgia and colitis. Roberta shares openly about her grieving process after her husband’s death and how yoga has been a “game changer.” J and Roberta come together on what it means to be OK despite our difficulties, and the beauty that life holds

Elena Brower - “Art of Attention” Nov 30, 2015

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Renowned yoga teacher and author, Elena Brower, talks with J about the early boom times, the rise and fall of Anusara yoga, closing her own center after twelve years, what it’s like to teach 10,000 people at once, and the challenges of making a living as a yoga teacher in today’s climate. They reminisce on their shared past and discuss Elena’s forthcoming projects, including a new book with co-author Gabrielle Hartley entitled: Your Elegant Divorce.

Ryan Cunningham - “Indie Yoga in Boston” Nov 16, 2015

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J sits down with the former manager of BackBay Yoga Boston, Ryan Cunningham, to discuss how he got to yoga, became the manager of BackBay, and the surprising announcement that Yoga Works bought the center three days before J got there to teach workshops. They also discuss the realities of conducting yoga teacher training, the role it plays in a yoga education, and the dawning realities that independent yoga teachers and centers are facing.

Richard Karpel - “Yoga Alliance and Bureaucracy” Oct 19, 2015

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J talks with Richard Karpel about his brief tenure as the President and CEO of the Yoga Alliance. They discuss the circumstances surrounding his hiring, limitations in not-for-profit structures, working with boards of directors, the need for ‘radical transparency’, and the ‘yoga of bureaucracy’. J also shares an example of how yoga is applied in his personal life, and comes clean on his ambivalence regarding the Yoga Alliance.

Amy Matthews - “Somatic Yoga Anatomy” Sep 20, 2015

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Distinguished yoga teacher and movement expert Amy Matthews and J talk about their dance, theater and movement roots, shared history, and ongoing evolution as yoga teachers. Amy gives background and insight into the field of Somatics and they engage in spirited debate on subtle points of disagreement, exploring the relationship between our movement and practice patterns and how we are in the world.

Josh Sitron - "Josh Inspires J to Start a Podcast" Aug 15, 2015

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium.

J. decides to start a podcast. In this first episode, he talks with his producer, friend, and long-time student, Josh Sitron. They discuss how he came to do yoga back in 1993, how he found his way to J's yoga class, their reacquaintance years later which led to producing J's yoga video, and why J is starting the podcast.. Josh openly shares his struggles with depression, anger, the recent stress from his wife's cancer, and how yoga has helped him through it all.

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