J. Brown Yoga Talks

Edward Clark and Laurie A, Greene , co-authors of Yoga and the Body: The Future of Modern Yoga in the Studio and Beyond , talk with J about interrogating assumptions from within and without yoga traditions. They discuss the ancient origins of yoga, perspectives in theater arts, distinguishing asana and vinyasa, meaning making, reasons for having a body, trauma, emotions, postural attitudes, evolvi...

Adam Keen , host of the Keen on Yoga Podcast , returns to the show to revisit a conversation they started years ago about the role of teachers and teachings. They discuss recent scandals in the Ashtanga community, teaching styles and somatic dominance, origins of Ashtanga, tradition and market competition, implications of the "active series," homogenization of Mysore rooms, adjustments, hip replac...

Anna Taylor , author of Weaving Mindfulness & Compassion into Yoga Teaching , talks with J about the intersection of mindfulness education and yoga. They discuss being curious about why yoga works, noticing the impact of practice, mindfulness not thoughts, doing and being, attention training, involvement of the heart, equipping people to listen, effort vs observation, failure and feeling taken car...

Chris Cochrane is a listener of the show who joins to talk with J about her unique background and perspective on science and yoga. They discuss working for NASA analyzing semiconductor crystals grown on the space station, scientists and engineers who are into yoga, micro-gravity and crystal structures, distortions in the atomic order, connection between science and spirit, water witches, probabili...

On the occasion of the 10-year anniversary and 500th episode of the show, J reflects on the state of the yoga profession and industry. He discusses the progression from blog writing to podcasting and his latest post entitled "What I've Learned About Where We Are," the effects of the pandemic on attendance patterns and the role of teachers, myths about marketing and expertise, cravings for connecti...

Lora Markova and Katharine Scalora , founders of Earth & Aerial Yoga in Hudson MA, talk with J about the advantages of owning an aerial yoga studio. They discuss Lora's previous career in media and Katharine's background, providing immediate gratification, logistical realities, how Covid killed their traditional classes, prop-specific discipline, remaining grounded in yogic principles, injuries, c...

Pamela Weber , co-founder of NATA Yoga in Paris, talks with J about the uncertain future that independent centers face and the determination that keeps them going. They discuss her life as an academic and moving to Paris, teacher training before 200hr certification, minimalist teaching styles, giving up tenure for yoga, the subversive nature of opening a center, glory times before COVID, managing...

Kelli Hansel and Shawn Lindsay , owners of Indigo Yoga in Caldwell NJ, talk to J about taking over a studio and reaching for more than just being OK. They discuss the yoga scene in the rural Appalachian Mountains of Kentucky, learning from DVD's and correspondence courses, finding teachers on Instagram, not starting from scratch, adapting to changing habits, filling existing classes vs adding more...

Josh Thomas and Geoffrey Dugue , hosts of the Love for the Unseen God Podcast , talk with J about opening to transformational grace and a personal relationship with Jesus. They discuss observed experience as a basis for truth, nonduality and a creator, discerning man-made religion, comparing unitarian and trinitarian views, emptiness and being born again, worldviews of connection, Genesis I and II...

Kevin Flynn , one of the founders of Christians Practicing Yoga , talks with J about the intersection between Yoga and Christ . They discuss the history of the show and how it has led to this topic, benedictine monks, living faith in an embodied fashion, christian ashrams, Patanjali, communion vs union, liberating Christ from Christianity, ways to follow Jesus, demons and the battle for souls, bei...

Britta Van Dun , founder of Intuitive Health & Healing , is an old friend of J's and they talk about attuning to the subtle and healing with soul through acupuncture. They discuss exploring healing modalities in the early aughts, intersection of chinese medicine and yoga, consciousness, links between physical and energy bodies, actuality of needles, vehicles of intention, movement of meridians, re...

Chara Caruthers returns to talks with J about the therapeutic value of psychedelics and the questions their use raises. They discuss ineffable experiences, connections between meditation and psychedelics, transpersonal psychology, abuses in plant medicine, preparation, bad trips, ontological shock, effects of intention, intervention vs practice, machine elves, research and legalization, personal/p...

Lauri Nemetz , author of The Myofascial System in Form and Movement , talks with J about interpretations of anatomy and thinking in different ways about the human body. They discuss visual rhetoric and memorization, dance movement therapy, fascial lines and/or systems, dissecting embalmed vs unembalmed tissue, benefits of gentle shearing, Body Worlds art exhibit, ethics and morality, interfacing w...

Jeff Bailey , author of Mobility for Life: Healthy Joints, Strong Bones, and a Peaceful Mind with AVITA YOGA® , talks with J about interrupting patterns of pain and letting love be a guide. They discuss growing up with a veterinarian father, connections between Rolfing and A Course in Miracles, labral tears and joint compression, undue fear of hyperextension, yogic alignment and body organization,...

Kari Harendorf , co-founder of Better Yoga , talks with J about reviving old models with new eyes. They discuss the East Village NYC scene in the early aughts, her dog Charlie, longevity of boutique studios, teaching anatomy for Rodney Yee and Colleen Saidman Yee, Kripalu going from ashram to for-profit, the moment when the world fell apart, getting the hang of zoom yoga, Ayurveda schooling, downs...

Ruth White, author of Presence: The Truth of Yoga, talks with J about egos, teaching methods, and meeting the needs of students. They discuss BKS Iyengar's penchant for "waking you up," friendships between teachers and students, masters becoming famous and making money, Vanda Sacaraveli, Dona Holloman, merits of teaching Savasana, succession of lineage, attitudes towards pain, constitutional stren...

Tim Kelleher , founder of Boston Yoga Union , talks with J about the trials and tribulations of being a yoga center owner then and now. They discuss being naive when the pandemic hit, legal action and predatory capitalism, a life threatening struggle with substance abuse and feeling safe in your body, collaboration, attendance patterns and irregularity of schedules, lack of full-time yoga teachers...

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 .   David Swenson , author of Only Dead Fish Go With The Flow , talks with J about his new memoir and the evolution of styles and systems. They discuss doing yoga from a book, leaving home at a young age and moving to Califor...

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 .   Jahnavi (Claire) Missingham talks with J about living a life and having a profession in yoga. They discuss being raised by a devout Sufi and going by different names, NY from 1997-2005, music in classes, Sean Corn, Jivamu...

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 .   Andrew Tanner , founder of the Berkshire Yoga Festival and the American Yoga Council , talks with J live from the Berkshire Yoga Festival 2025 about the launch of his new project to advance the profession of yoga teaching...

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 .   Reika Shucart , host of the Full-Time Yoga Teacher Podcast , talks with J about what has become of studio culture and the realities of the profession in 2025. They discuss the differences between Japanese and American cul...

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 .   Paul Bramadat , Director of the Centre for Studies in Religion and Society at University of Victoria and author of Yogalands: In Search of Practice on the Mat and in the World , talks with J about letting your body settle...

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 .   Reggie Hubbard , founder of Active Peace Yoga , talks with J about recovering from a stroke and praying instead of protesting. They discuss his background in politics, the impact of 9/11, realities of a broken system, wor...

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 .   Aimee Echo, founder of Community Yoga Club/Ashtanga Yoga Long Beach, talks with J about the carrying on of tradition and the evolution of practice. They discuss parallel scenes in 90's LA and NY, sub culture of Mysore roo...

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 .   Abby Hoffmann , founder of Yantra Studio , talks with J about their formative years and opening another yoga center again after they both swore they never would. They discuss ashtanga rooms in the late 90's, classes getti...