Ashtanga Dispatch Podcast

Ever wonder what Plato and Patanjali have in common? Yeah, me neither actually! But Ty Landrum finds the the intersection of the two fascinating and quite honestly, his enthusiasm was enough to get me a bit excited as well. You see, philosophy in academia tends to be more an exercise of the mind whereas yoga as philosophy is almost pure experiential. Or that's that way it has always felt to me. Bu...

The following episode of the Ashtanga Dispatch Podcast is a recording from Stillpoint Yoga's weekend Spring Gathering this past May. The annual event is the brainchild of Scott Johnson who has made it a bit of a personal mission to provide space and opportunity for students and teachers alike to come together in more than just practice - but in conversation also. That we may all learn from each ot...

This episode of the Ashtanga Dispatch Podcast is a prerecorded panel discussion featuring Tim Feldmann, (Miami Life Center), Richard Freeman and Mary Taylor (Boulder, Colorado), Manju Jois (Encinitas, CA), Dena Kingsberg (Byron Bay, Australia), David Swenson (Austin, TX), and as moderator, Jessica Walden (San Diego, CA). The audio is courtesy of the Ashtanga Yoga Confluence, Inc. For more about th...

Jen Rene is a teacher I’ve wanted you to meet for a very long time - and mostly because I’m afraid you might never otherwise get the chance. You see, Jen is one of those no-nonsense, incredibly functional teachers who are much more focused on keeping practice real than dazzle you with fancy tricks. Of course, the irony is - this is Jen’s real magic. She’s practical. She’s honest. And she’s not afr...

During a weekend in New York just before Christmas, I had the amazing opportunity to catch up with renowned Ashtanga yoga teacher, Eddie Stern and practice at his shala, the Brooklyn Yoga Club. Lots to learn in this latest episode of our yoga podcast - which could certainly feel, at times, more like a science lesson than an interview. Listen as Eddie describes the vagus nerve, an information pathw...

Finding the spiritual side of a physical practice and discussing the gender bias that exists - even in yoga - are just a few of the topics covered in this episode of the Ashtanga Dispatch Podcast with today's guest, Harmony Slater. The Ashtanga Dispatch Podcast is produced and edited by Chris Lucas, and hosted by Peg Mulqueen.

Philippa Asher is a certified Ashtanga yoga teacher and one of the few female students who has completed the Advanced B series. As impressive as all that is, that’s not really the reason I asked her to come on the Ashtanga Dispatch Podcast. I had read a piece she wrote called Musings About an Ashtanga Asana Practice from 20-something to 40-something. And in there, Philippa talked quite pointedly a...

Kino MacGregor is one of the most celebrated Ashtanga yoga teachers in the world with over a million followers now on Instagram. And though it would be easy to chalk up her fame to a winning mixture of beauty, charm, and physical skill - you’d then be missing the REAL reason Kino is who she is and where she is. As the author of 4 books, including her most recent, The Yogi Assignment, a co-creater...

Well, the irony for me is, the more I practice and the more I do these interviews, the more questions I end up having! And today’s episode with certified Ashtanga yoga teacher, Mark Darby - or Darby, as he tells me to call him - is no exception. Darby was first introduced to Ashtanga yoga with Pattabhi Jois - Guruji - in Mysore in 1979. You do the math - but lets just say Darby has been practicing...

We’re in Mysore, India and waiting to be ushered into the shala for chanting class. It’s hot as hell standing outside that afternoon, That's when I first see her - Laruga Glaser. I’m a hot, sweaty mess - while she’s as stunning as every Instagram post I’ve seen of hers. And I’m in awe. Of course, not just she glows in a different way than I am at that moment … but also because it’s odd to see a te...

As much as I hate to admit it, pain has a lot to teach us. Maybe that's why my next guest, Tim Feldmann, is such a great teacher - because he's certainly had his fair share to deal with. You see, Tim began practicing yoga after a terrible accident many years ago, left him nearly unable to walk again. Injuries sustained such as those may heal, but they don't always go away and instead, tend to reap...

Sharath Jois. Grandson of the legendary Sri K. Pattabhi Jois ... son of Saraswathi Jois ... director of the KPJAY Institute ... and the current holder of our lineage. And yet, if there's one thing I have learned as his student it's this: Sharath would not want this podcast to be about him. It's about the yoga. For Sharath, it's always about the yoga. "Yoga is the superstar. Not me." But he is pret...

Today is January 20, 2017 - Inauguration day. And while part of me is relieved to be out of the country at the moment, another part of me is disappointed not to be there with you. This election has been like no other I've ever been a part. We are a country divided and that's scary. And so to process some of this, I turned to Dr. Carol Horton, a former political science professor turned and yoga te...

I remember how I came to hear of Cathy Louise Broda of Purple Yoga in Hawaii. First, a listener from Chicago wrote me an email asking me to interview Cathy. She said she’d just gotten back from one of her retreats and was just really inspired. I didn’t know Cathy but I let the student know I’d certainly try. And I would’ve too if Cathy herself didn’t reach out to me before I even had a chance. App...

A special gift from Harmony Slater and Ashtanga Dispatch: A Loving Kindness Meditation to begin the new year.

Synchronicity. It’s not luck that puts us in a place and with people we need … at just the right time. No, there was nothing random finding myself spending really needed time with Certified teacher, John Scott last month at the EcoYoga Centre in Scotland. Just how needed I’d come to find out this week in the aftermath of an incredibly emotional election here in the states. In fact, I found myself...

For the next hour, be a fly on the wall as David Keil and I cover the gamut of topics including how we both have changed in the ways we practice and how we look at practice. David calls himself lazy, and me, hippy-dippy. But his laziness is actually efficiency and my more laid back approach these days is simply inviting more ease. In other words, we’re growing and changing. Towards the end of our...

Olivia Hsu is a longtime dedicated student of Richard and Mary Freeman, and taught with them in Boulder, CO for years. She is also a PrAna ambassador and these days, she teaches all over the world - but not just Ashtanga yoga. In fact, you could say this girl is pretty hard to keep up with! You see, Olivia has another passion that rocks her world, and that's climbing. This sort of blows my mind be...

We have a new interview with Saraswathi Jois from her home in Mysore, India, plus Peg shares about reclaiming the passion of your practice.

Ashtanga yoga Authorization. A controversial topic I'd avoided - until now. Meet Authorized teacher, Zoë Ward, and listen to our rather spirited discussion on how yoga teachers become teachers, in Ashtanga.

To set the stage for you, our conversation takes place at the Green Hotel in Mysore, India. It's probably the quietest place we could find to record and they serve the most amazing cakes - just ask Jeff and my daughter, Meghan who were enjoying theirs during the broadcast! You don't see Jeff and Harmony out in the usual hangout near the Shala. And that's because when they are not practicing in the...

The tables are turned and now PEG is the one answering the questions! Special thanks to Bryan Sims for video and audio recording as well as CITYOGA in Indianapolis for sponsoring today's episode. What's super cool is Bryan is the son of Dave Sims, owner of CITYOGA - I love the father/son team and being a part of that! So thanks guys! Visit CITYOGA's website at www.cityoga.biz and check Bryan out a...

Peg clearly has a girl crush! Meet Jessica Walden in Episode 13 of the Ashtanga Dispatch Podcast and find out why!

Part Two of our conversation with Ashtanga Certified teacher John Scott, who imparts his knowledge and experience of the Ashtanga yoga practice it in a way that is almost poetic. This was not as much an interview as it was John doing what he loves - teaching, as he spent more than 90 minutes sharing his experience with Guruji, his passion for the breath and vinyasa, and the method of Tristhana, as...

Ashtanga Certified teacher, John Scott imparts his knowledge and experience of the Ashtanga yoga practice it in a way that is almost poetic. This was not as much an interview as it was John doing what he loves - teaching, as he spent more than 90 minutes sharing his experience with Guruji, his passion for the breath and vinyasa, and the method of Tristhana, as I hung on every word - and you will t...