Yogaland Podcast

On this episode Jason answers three of our listener questions and it just so happens that they all focus on some aspect of shoulder anatomy. We also talk about cats a lot. Here are the questions: * Why do we flex the ankle in poses like Reclined Pigeon? * Is "pull the shoulder blades down" a "bad" alignment cue? * In Plank Pose, do you push strongly through the arms and upper back? Or soften the shoulders? For practice inspiration, go to the shownotes page for links to shoulder-focused blog posts with illustrations: yogalandpodcast.com/episode23/  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

You might know Rachel Brathen as "Yoga Girl" on Instagram -- she's one of the original yoga insta-stars and has 2 million followers. Two million! That's crazay! And yet, despite this quick rise to fame, Rachel is incredibly down-to-earth and not afraid to say that the superficial side of social media can suck the life out of a person from time to time. I wanted to know what makes Rachel tick, so I tried to dig into how she's become the teacher (and student) she is today. Shownotes: yogalandpodcast.com/episode22/  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On this episode Holly Whitaker of the Home Podcast talk about how yoga and meditation can be helpful tools for recovery. Holly is a life coach and spiritual teacher, kundalini and vinyasa yoga and meditation instructor, writer, and speaker. She's also the founder of Hip Sobriety, which aims to provide a modern, holistic, accessible and desirable path to sobriety, and to remove the stigma associated with addiction (and sobriety). Shownotes: yogalandpodcast.com/episode21/  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Seane Corn is an internationally celebrated yoga teacher known for her impassioned activism and inspirational style of teaching. She utilizes her national platform to bring awareness to humanitarian issues—in 2005, she was named “National Yoga Ambassador” for YouthAIDS, and in 2013 was given the Global Green International Environmental Leadership Award. Since 2007, she has been training leaders of activism through her co-founded organization Off the Mat, Into the World®. I talked to Seane about how she came to be an activist and how she mentors others to do the same. Shownotes: yogalandpodcast.com/episode20/  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week my guest is holistic therapist and senior Prana Vinyasa Flow teacher Coral Brown. Coral and I talked about one of her passions -- the Hindu deity stories. She's deeply knowledgeable about them and she's also down-to-earth and practical in her approach, which I appreciate. She also (when appropriate) weaves them into her one-on-one therapy practice, which I find fascinating. Shownotes: yogalandpodcast.com/episode19/  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We've gotten many questions recently about teacher training that we decided to do an episode that answers common questions. Doing a yoga teacher training is a huge investment -- both financially and in terms of your time. It can be a wonderfully transformative experience, but it's worth doing your research and thinking about what is going to best meet your needs. Jason and I talk about: * Whether you should stick with a local teacher or travel to do a training with a well-known teacher (his answer might surprise you). * Considerations in terms of format -- monthlong intensive? two week modules? six months of weekends? * How vital it is to continue your education even after completing a foundational 200-hour training * Are there different things to consider if you just want to deepen your practice vs. wanting to teach? * Plus, we talk about what types of information and skills an advanced 300-hour training can provide. Shownotes: yogalandpodcast.com/episode18/  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and

This week my guest is Ayurvedic practitioner Niika Quistgard. Niika is an internationally-recognized consultant, trainer and practitioner in Ayurveda and is the founder of AyurMama.com. For this episode, Niika offers specific self-care ideas for staying calm and grounded when we go out of balance. Whether you've never heard the words vata dosha uttered or you already know your prakruti, this episode offers enough background about Ayurveda paired with creative self care ideas and reminders that it will be helpful to everyone. Shownotes: yogalandpodcast.com/episode17/  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

My guest this week is Katherine Priore Ghannam. Katherine is the founder of Headstand, a nonprofit organization that teaches yoga and mindfulness to kids attending low income schools. Headstand is a program that is integrated into the school's curriculum and a large part of its focus is to help children combat "toxic stress." Here's a summary of what we talk about on the episode: * The definition of toxic stress and how it can inhibit a child's ability to learn. * Learning to see a child's behavior as their way of communicating their needs, difficulties, and emotions. * The importance of adult self-regulation when teaching children. * The changes she sees in students from the beginning of the year to the end. * How yoga and mindfulness have helped create cultures of compassion in the schools that Headstand serves. * How the job has fueled Katherine's optimism * Katherine's desire to see social/emotional learning and mindfulness integrated into schools everywhere. Shownotes: yogalandpodcast.com/episode16/

On this episode I interview chef and nutritionist Rebecca Katz. Weeding through information about food can be overwhelming and even disheartening. This episode distills Rebecca's four-pillar approach to a cancer-fighting diet. And, if you take this approach, you have a shot at preventing other diseases, too (think diabetes and heart disease). On the episode we talk about: * Rebecca's background as a chef and nutritionist and how she came to write The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen * Her new online course, which brings the book to life * Anti-inflammatory foods, especially the ones we overlook like ghee! olive oil! ah-voh-cah-dohs!! * Foods that regulate blood sugar and why they work the way they do * Her recommended subs for refined sugar and why it's important to have sweet treats sometimes * Coffee. It ain't so bad. (Yahoo!) * How to reduce oxidative stress * The little tiny foods we often overlook that can powerfully regulate NfKappaB Shownotes: yogalandpodcast.com/episode15/  See acast.com/privacy fo

This week Jason Crandell talks all about home practice. We get straight to the point and talk about: * Where to start if you don't know how to practice on your own * Why it's vital for yoga teachers to have a consistent home practice * How your relationship to yoga practice changes when you become a yoga teacher * His thoughts on pushing yourself to practice your least favorite poses * The ways that your home practice can transform over time to support you in different phases of life and teaching. Jason offers more than 20 comprehensive, illustrated sequences on our blog to inspire your home practice. Go to the shownotes page at jasonyoga.com/episode14 for the whole list.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

My guest on this episode is London-based teacher, Claire Missingham. Claire has over 16 years teaching experience and and runs a successful yoga teacher training program having trained over 125 teachers in the UK in the past few years. She is a Senior Teacher at triyoga, Europe's leading yoga studio and teaches worldwide. Claire is also a triathlete, competing regularly in Sprint Distance Triathlons after learning how to swim and cycle only in the past couple of years since turning 40! Claire is thoughtful, funny, and a devoted mom and she has a fascinating life story that led her to yoga — from her family’s practice of Sufism to her years leading a professional dance company, we piece it all together and talk about: * Her spiritual childhood and the effect it had on her * The importance of modeling self care and practice time for your children and family * Her creating magic workshop (which I wish I could take!) and some of her ideas for carving out creative time * Creating monthly themes for classes... &#

Chrissy Carter is an alignment-based flow teacher who teaches in New York City. She's been teaching for YogaWorks for 10 years and has 25 teacher trainings under her belt! Yes, 25. You read that correctly. Given that, and given the attentive, caring way Chrissy has about her, we talked about: * Her former job as a Wall Street trader * Why she loves a great Iyengar Yoga class and how it helps her see things with fresh eyes * Why it's important for teachers to study Iyengar (even if you're not an Iyengar teacher) * What it feels like to be an experienced yoga teacher vs. being a newbie * How cooking is her yoga put into practice * Her feelings about whether or not students and teachers should be friends Shownotes: yogalandpodcast.com/episode12/  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Often when we hit a plateau in our life, we feel like we're failing -- we're not progressing or growing. On this episode, I'm share the reasons I think that hitting a plateau in yoga is positive and can lead to inner growth. A plateau is not a reason to give up or walk away. This episode offers ideas for making a plateau an opportunity to do some deep work, to practice compassion and gratitude -- which will have a positive ripple effect on your life. Shownotes: yogalandpodcast.com/episode11/  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On the cusp of opening her own brand new studio, LoveStory, in San Francisco, Stephanie Snyder and I chat about the happiness that comes from serving your local community, how she incorporates yoga philosophy into her daily classes and the beautiful, essential combo that is yoga + motherhood. Shownotes: yogalandpodcast.com/episode10/  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

If you have a body and you do yoga, chances are you will sustain an injury at some point. On this episode I ask Jason all about injuries. We talk about: * How to discern between stretching sensations and pain that's injurious * The benefit of pushing to your edge on the yoga mat * Whether or not hands-on adjustments are really necessary in the yoga room * How Jason addresses students' injuries before class. * Why Jason doesn't say that he teaches "therapeutic yoga" Shownotes: yogalandpodcast.com/episode9/  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week I talk to Alexandria Crow, one of the most physically adept yoga practitioners I've ever personally known and yet here's what she wants you to know: Yoga is not one-size-fits-all and doing fancy poses doesn't really matter. Alex is a straightforward, no BS advocate of learn what works for your body and your mind so that you can get the benefits you need from this practice. Shownotes: yogalandpodcast.com/episode8/  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Warm and bendy with an infectious charm, Taylor Harkness is a young millenial with a wise and heartful approach to yoga. We discuss how yoga helped him find balance after the intensity and trauma of being paramedic, how he built his social media following to 35K followers (and how he's since changed his approach), what he thinks his generation will contribute to the future of yoga, and more. Shownotes: yogalandpodcast.com/episode8/  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Kathryn Budig is an internationally celebrated yoga teacher and author known for her accessibility, humor, and ability to empower her students through her message, “aim true.” She is a warrior for self-acceptance, honesty, and helping her students and readers find true balance. I've known Kathryn for about a decade and she's the real deal -- a gem in the yoga world. She's hard-working, a deeply knowledgeable and adept teacher and practitioner, a compassionate friend, and a creative, funny soul. In the course of our talk she shared: * The story behind her "Aim True" message * The surprising pose that was out reach for her when she started practicing * Thoughts on body dysmorphia and creating healthier body image within the yoga community * The importance of honing your craft instead of focusing on popularity * Her favorite and least favorite yoga poses * The challenges she has with her own practice Shownotes: yogalandpodcast.com/episode6/  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out informatio

A five-minute episode that explains my intention behind the podcast -- and why it's vital that we focus on self-acceptance rather than self-achievement in yoga. Shownotes: yogalandpodcast.com/episode5/  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Sally Kempton spent twenty years as a teaching monk in the Saraswati lineage and yet she is keenly in touch with the problems that everyday people face. On this episode, Sally and I talk about using yoga and meditation to help you cope with fear. She offers practical, helpful ideas and self-inquiry practices for working with and moving through fear so that you can reach resolution and not be at the mercy of your small (and big) fears and anxieties. Shownotes: yogalandpodcast.com/episode4/  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.