Yoga Medicine

Latest Episodes:

Beginner's Mind: Community Conversations with Kylie Rook Mar 23, 2023

Show notes

What can we learn from being an adult beginner that informs more familiar activities, like our yoga practice? Today host Rachel explores that question with Auckland-based Yoga Medicine Therapeutic Specialist, Functional Range Conditioning® Mobility Specialist, and Yoga Medicine Online guest teacher Kylie Rook.

Kylie shares her love of being a beginner off of the yoga mat, her tips for getting more comfortable in that uncomfortable space, and the lessons she has learned along the way - including how to more compassionately teach yoga beginners.

Listen in as we discuss the physical, mental, and emotional benefits of being a beginner, and how we can learn to apply a beginner's mind to more familiar activities in our lives.

Show Notes:

Why are we, as adults, scared to be beginners? The stories we tell ourselves [3:24]
Benefits of being a beginner: forging new physical and neural pathways [8:23]
Novelty creates enforced mindfulness [11:01]
Patience, persistence, and reframing failure [13:00]
Feeling empathy for beginners in yoga [15:45]
Tips for teaching yoga beginners [17:40]
Exposure to other movement styles informs yoga teaching and practice [20:10]
Being a beginner can increase self-compassion and exploration of familiar activities [24:35]
Tips to get more comfortable with being a beginner: start small & fun [29:53]
Recruit expert instruction [31:53]
Final advice for becoming a beginner: take a buddy [35:14]
Applying a beginner mindset to familiar activities [36:11]
Last takeaways from Kylie [40:53]

Links Mentioned:

Watch this episode on YouTube
Connect with Kylie Rook:

Facebook | Instagram | Kylie Rook | Yoga Medicine Online Guest Teacher

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at YogaMedicine.com/podcast-66.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes, or information on our teacher trainings at YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5-star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Spiritual Imposter Syndrome: Community Conversations with Dana Diament Mar 16, 2023

Show notes

Today Dana Diament - Yoga Medicine Online teacher, and lead teacher for the Yoga Medicine Online 200hr Teacher Training - returns to speak with host Rachel about "Spiritual Imposter Syndrome".

Whether we are yoga students or teachers, doubt in the validity of our own spiritual experience can hold us back from fully feeling or expressing it. But the humility that comes hand in hand with this self-doubt could actually be a superpower.

In this episode, we explore our definitions of spirituality and thoughts on what a spiritual practice could look or feel like. We also dive into the complex topics of spirituality versus religion, spiritual superiority, and spiritual bypassing, and offer advice for yoga teachers who'd like to incorporate more spirituality into their classes.

Show Notes:

How doubt in our own spirituality could hold us back [2:47]
Defining spirituality [4:30]
How social media content can misrepresent spirituality [7:40]
Relationships and contrasts between spirituality and religion [10:01]
The pitfall of "spiritual superiority" and how it can show up [16:09]
Navigating relationships with people whose spiritual views differ from yours [22:40]
Spiritual bypassing [27:16]
The difference between bypassing and equanimity [30:26]
A brief discussion of spirituality and money [33:04]
Spiritual Imposter Syndrome [34:53]
How humility can be a superpower, especially for teachers [37:30]
What can spiritual practice look or feel like? [43:46]
Advice for yoga teachers who'd like to reference spirituality in classes [50:48]
Final advice for those who feel like spiritual imposters [59:27]
Resources to draw on [1:00:57]

Links Mentioned:

Instagram | Facebook | Lennox Yoga | Yoga Medicine Online Teacher

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at YogaMedicine.com/podcast-65.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes, or information on our teacher trainings at YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Impactful Pain Strategies Mar 09, 2023

Show notes

Today hosts Tiffany and Rachel hone in on a topic of interest for both yoga students and teachers: strategies to address persistent pain. While persistent pain is dismayingly common, the journey to recovery is a personal one, requiring an individual understanding of our physical state, along with our feelings and beliefs.

In this episode, we discuss the effect of language on pain-related fear and how pain education can have a surprising impact on pain perception. We also explore sneaky yet effective ways to work with persistent pain as a yoga teacher, and how to help students in pain regain feelings of confidence and control.

Listen in to learn the importance of long-term partnership in pain management and how gradual graded exposure has the potential to change our perception of pain completely.

Show Notes:

The impact of pain education in recovery [3:48]
Pain as a warning signal to initiate conversation [5:45]
Perceived vulnerability and pain: the Fit for Purpose and Predictive Coding models [8:45]
Pain is complex and pain-related fear is natural [12:33]
Potential "bleed over" of persistent pain: Double Crush Syndrome [14:51]
Emotions and beliefs influence pain perception [17:13]
Effects of language on pain-related fear; the weight of words from medical professionals [23:09]
A partnership approach for working with students in pain [31:16]
Start by creating a feeling of safety [35:50]
Gradual graded exposure as pain re-education [38:16]
Myofascial release as a tool for pain re-education [45:29]
Changing our relationship to pain [48:23]
Persistent pain can't always be completely eradicated [50:26]
Considering the potential for flareups [54:55]
Communicating through demeanor [59:31]
Key takeaways [1:00:28]
The power of putting students in control [1:02:50]

Links Mentioned:

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at YogaMedicine.com/podcast-64.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes, or information on our teacher trainings at YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5-star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Yoga and Osteoporosis: Community Conversations with Michaela Smith Mar 02, 2023

Show notes

In this episode, we are talking about a hidden aspect of health: bone density. Decreased bone mineral density, osteoporosis, is surprisingly common – impacting on average one in five women over 50 and a smaller proportion of men.

The diagnosis can bring with it a fear of frailty, but today host Rachel talks with Michaela Smith, a Yoga Medicine® Therapeutic Specialist, and NASM-certified personal trainer, about the wide range of positive actions we can take to maintain or rebuild bone mineral density, and confidence along with it.

In this episode, we unpack the vital importance of loading our bones and discuss how yoga can help address rounded posture, improve balance and body awareness, and provide crucial community support. Also, tune in for tips on teaching yoga to populations with a higher incidence of osteoporosis.

Show Notes:

Defining osteoporosis and osteopenia [2:39]
Diagnosing osteoporosis and osteopenia [03:43]
Mindful use of language when speaking about bone health [6:39]
Groups at higher risk of bone density loss and the protective role of estrogen [8:28]
Why it's crucial to consider osteoporosis in the yoga population [9:55]
Physical loading to build or maintain bone mineral density [11:34]
Understanding compression fractures [18:23]
Yoga tips to address rounded posture: from the feet to the head [20:27]
Training balance and coordination for fall prevention [24:55]
Specifics on safe, progressive loading [29:50]
Can yoga alone build bone mineral density? Dr. Loren Fishman's survey [30:44]
Implications from the LIFTMOR study [33:36]
Confidence and community: yoga and the mental/ emotional side of osteoporosis [35:53]
Yoga as stress management; implications for bone health [37:35]
Teaching yoga in populations with a higher incidence of osteoporosis [39:11]
Dos and don'ts when using myofascial release [45:28]
Key takeaways and further resources [48:15]

Links Mentioned:

Watch this episode on YouTube
In Motion's Osteoporosis Program
Kaari's Strength Training & Yoga for Osteoporosis
The LIFTMOR Randomized Controlled Trial, Watson et al, 2017
Yoga Medicine Online Resources:
Connect with Michaela Smith:

Instagram | In Motion Integrative PT | Michaela Moves Well

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at YogaMedicine.com/podcast-63.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Yoga During Menstruation: Yes or No? Feb 23, 2023

Show notes

Today hosts Rachel and Tiffany tackle the taboo topic of yoga during menstruation. We examine traditional barriers to practicing during menstruation and more modern takes on which poses and practices might be more or less supportive.

In this episode we also reframe menstruation as a "fresh start", a window into our internal state, share a wide range of techniques to ease menstrual discomfort, and consider the process from a Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective.

Whether you menstruate or teach people who do listen in to this episode to learn how to craft a yoga practice that is physically and energetically supportive before, during, and after menstruation.

Show Notes:

Menstruation can be cloaked with secrecy or shame [3:00]
The traditional origin of abstaining from yoga during menstruation [4:48]
Could practicing during menses deplete vital energy? [8:05]
Yoga inversions during menstruation: physical and energetic considerations [9:05]
Twists and abdominal compression during menstruation [14:02]
Menstruation as a "fresh start" and the importance of circulation [17:07]
Lessons from TCM; why movement is key [19:33]
Thoughts on bandhas during your period [21:33]
More yoga techniques to ease menstrual discomfort [25:55]
Alternatives to movement to ease menstrual discomfort [30:12]
Pre-period tactics to set up for easier menstruation [31:10]
Menstruation in the context of fertility challenges [36:35]
Key takeaways [38:15]
Yoga Medicine Online resources [40:02]

Links Mentioned:

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at YogaMedicine.com/podcast-62.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

What to Expect When You Dissect Feb 16, 2023

Show notes

There are always plenty of questions about dissections and how to prepare for them. Today, hosts Katja and Tiffany talk about the different types of dissections, why the experience is so valuable, what we can learn from it, and why you might want to do one — or not. Listen in for the pair's valuable tips for preparing yourself to take a course in human dissection.

Show Notes:

The kinesthetic experience of dissection [1:34]
Dissection versus prosection [3:47]
The gift of dissection [7:32]
Working with embalmed or unembalmed cadavers [10:27]
Types of embalming [12:18]
Benefits of dissection course [19:20]
Dissection preparation tips [20:20]
Key takeaways [28:40]

Links Mentioned:

Watch this episode on YouTube
Dissection Resources Doc
Cadaver Dissection Lab Yoga Teacher Training | Boulder, CO – April 24-27, 2023
Yoga Anatomy Online Course with Yoga International
Connect with Katja Bartsch:

Facebook | Instagram | Kalamana Yoga | Yoga Medicine® Online Guest Teacher

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at YogaMedicine.com/podcast-61.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Strength Training Myths Debunked: Expert Insights with Jenni Tarma Feb 09, 2023

Show notes

The benefits of strength training for muscle and bone strength as well as metabolic, cognitive and mental health are now very well established. But there's so much, often conflicting, information out there; it can be challenging to know where to focus your time and effort to reap those benefits.

Today's guest Jenni Tarma —- yoga teacher, RRCA Endurance Coach and CrossFit Level 1 trainer—is back on the show to help us clear up that confusion. Jenni overviews some of the key benefits of regular strength training before unpacking several common myths and misconceptions that could be holding you back. She offers her advice on where regular yoga practitioners and strength training beginners could start, and highlights the power of the recovery phase.

Listen to this episode to learn the benefits of strength training and get tips for incorporating effective strength work into your life.

Show Notes:

The many benefits of strength training [3:56]
Myths and misconceptions about strength training abound [12:22]
Can strength and flexibility coexist? [13:02]
The myths of becoming "accidentally ripped" or permanently stiff [20:07]
Is bodyweight training sufficient? Is external load "safe"? [26:47]
Does holding yoga poses for longer make you stronger? [32:18]
Training to make daily life feel easier [35:00]
Strength training suggestions for yoga students [37:52]
Getting started: embrace the basics & expert support [42:55]
Yoga Medicine Online resources [48:42]
The vital role of recovery & the optimal window to train again [50:58]
How much weight is enough? [57:05]
Final takeaways on strength training for yoga students [59:02]

Links Mentioned:

Connect with Jenni Tarma:

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at YogaMedicine.com/podcast-60.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Explore the Dark Side: Community Conversations with Steph Wall Feb 02, 2023

Show notes

"Love and light" is a popular sentiment in the yoga world, but today's guest would have us give equal weight to supposedly negative emotions like grief and anger.

Today host Rachel ventures into the dark side with yoga teacher and studio owner Steph Wall. Steph explains how the Hindu goddess Kali has encouraged her to explore the power of the dark feminine by embracing messiness, complexity, and duality in her practice, her life, and as a guiding principle in her unique yoga studio. She believes that opening to the full range of our experiences, not just those perceived as positive, allows us to connect more deeply to ourselves, and to others.

Listen in to learn why it's important to acknowledge that yoga can be confronting and uncomfortable, how awkward conversations can facilitate more authentic connections, and hear Steph's advice for other small independent business owners in the yoga sphere.

Show Notes:

Steph's studio, the goddess Kali and the "dark feminine" [2:57]
Thoughts on cultural appropriation [11:37]
Acknowledging that yoga practice can be confronting and uncomfortable [14:44]
Working through dark or "negative" emotions awakens the fullness of life [19:29]
Embracing the complex whole [23:53]
Making space for authenticity and vulnerability in our practice and life [27:57]
Asana practice can connect us with the honesty of our bodies [31:18]
Allowing for complexity and imperfection in our studios and communities [35:20]
Advice for small businesses: Live your values, find your people [43:05]
Advice for small businesses: Is this truly needed in your community? [45:01]
Advice for small businesses: Take time to craft something unique and creative [46:31]
Sneak peek into Steph's upcoming Yoga Medicine Online classes [49:32]

Links Mentioned:

Watch this episode on YouTube
Connect with Steph Wall:

Instagram | The Kali Collective | Facebook | Yoga Medicine Online

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at YogaMedicine.com/podcast-59.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Supercharge Your Practice with Lymphatics: Expert Insights with Tiffany Cruikshank L.Ac, MAOM Jan 26, 2023

Show notes

Today Tiffany shares her passion for one of the body's lesser-known and appreciated organ systems, the lymphatic system. We've known about the system for over 400 years and yet our understanding of its function and contribution to health has a long way to go. However, given what we do know about this vital system, there is potential for yoga practice to provide significant support for its healthy function.

Tiffany unpacks how the lymphatics act as both a "clean-up crew" for the circulatory system and an "information highway" for the immune system, along with other key roles, and shares implications of recent lymphatics research.

Listen to this episode to learn what the lymphatic system is, the many ways we can support the lymphatic system through yoga practice, and why it is so important to maintain good lymphatic flow.

Show Notes:

While vital, the lymphatic system is not widely well-known or understood [1:49]
The lymphatic system as both a "clean-up crew" and "information highway" [4:42]
The brand new Yoga Medicine Lymphatics course [10:35]
Roles in fluid regulation, fluid metabolism and tissue pressure [11:34]
Roles in assimilation of dietary fat and fat-soluble vitamins [12:44]
Key drivers of lymph flow [13:25]
Highlighting the importance of the lymphatic system; implications for detoxification, cancer and lymphedema, inflammatory bowel diseases [14:14]
Touching on glymphatics, the lymphatics of the brain [20:22]
Cautions on using yoga as a lymphatics intervention for cancer and lymphedema [21:42]
Implications of breath-work and diaphragmatic movement on lymph flow [24:45]
Yoga as support for lymphatic health: inversions, whole-body movement, changing pressure around lymph node clusters, increasing blood circulation [30:55]
Other helpful techniques: brushing, tapping, arm lifts, fist pumps, bouncing, rocking [35:52]
Gentle myofascial release to stimulate lymphatics [39:07]
Supporting general lymphatic health versus specific support for conditions with lymphatic dysfunction [40:21]
Resources on Yoga Medicine Online [42:11]
Details on the new Yoga Medicine Lymphatics course [45:52]
Key takeaways [47:55]

Links Mentioned:

Watch this episode on YouTube
LIVE Online Lymphatic Yoga Teacher Training
Yoga Medicine Online Resources:
- Lymphatic Support Playlist
- Supporting Lymphatics with Yoga monthly dose
Breast Cancer & Yoga: Expert Insights with Breast Cancer Surgeon Doreen Wiggins MD

You can learn more about this episode, and see the full show notes at YogaMedicine.com/podcast-58.

And you can find out more about insider tips, online classes or information on our teacher trainings at YogaMedicine.com.

To support our work, please leave us a 5 star review with your feedback on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Drishti, the Potency of Our Focus: Research Roundup Jan 19, 2023

Show notes

Today host Katja speaks with returning guest Diane Malaspina Ph.D. about the concept of Drishti and the potency of our focus. Diane is a yoga teacher with a B.S. in Psychology, a Master's degree in Education, and a Ph.D. in educational and developmental psychology. In this episode, we take a broader perspective on gaze and consider our visual system as a gateway to our nervous system and our environment. Diane also explains why we should regularly spend time staring at a wall.

Listen in to learn how the visual system relates to our autonomic nervous system, how to work actively with our vision to influence our emotional state, and how to incorporate these ideas into your yoga practice.

Show Notes: