KIZUKI the Podcast

Mae explores Bhakti, the path of devotion, and why it once felt inaccessible to her. She shares a story of feeling out of place at a kirtan in New York—until she found her own, quieter way into devotion. In this episode, she reflects on how making devotion a practice can bring more richness and beauty to life. Mae Yoshikawa Mae is an author, yoga & meditation practitioner, teacher, and mother....

Mae reflects on the profound nature of thresholds—those transformative moments when life shifts irreversibly. Through personal inquiry and journaling, she explores what it means to cross into belonging, truth, and destiny, and shares her poem, The Threshold . Mae Yoshikawa Mae is an author, yoga & meditation practitioner, teacher, and mother. In 2006, Mae became the first Japanese woman to be...

Mae explores the universal topic of love and reflects on the futility of trying to measure it. Through two powerful stories—one about an Indian milkmaid and another about the Samish people in the Arctic—Mae shares her kizuki that true love is immeasurable and must be approached with honor and humility. Mae Yoshikawa Mae is an author, yoga & meditation practitioner, teacher, and mother. In 2006...

Mae sits down with Jesse McCrindle to explore the traps of overthinking, the tension between awareness and ignorance, and what resilience really means. Together, they discuss why choosing the “happier route” can transform fear into freedom—and why, sometimes, “one option sucks.” Mae Yoshikawa Mae is an author, yoga & meditation practitioner, teacher, and mother. In 2006, Mae became the first J...

Mae sits down with her nephew, Jesse McCrindle, a neuroscience graduate, to explore how our perceptions, unconscious priming, and confirmation bias shape our thinking—and ultimately, our happiness and growth. Mae Yoshikawa Mae is an author, yoga & meditation practitioner, teacher, and mother. In 2006, Mae became the first Japanese woman to be authorized by the founding school of Ashtanga Yoga...

In this episode, Mae reflects on her biggest lesson of the year—persistence. She shares how persistence has shown up in her life, not as force or rigidity, but as a consistent act of love and devotion. This episode is a reminder that persistence isn’t about pushing harder—it’s about listening, learning, and showing up again and again with presence and trust. Mae Yoshikawa Mae is an author, yoga &a...

Mae shares a surprising lunch conversation overheard in Tokyo, where talk about kids and Santa Claus sparks reflections on belief, doubt, and mindful self-awareness. She explores how learning to question your own thoughts—especially the negative ones—can transform your relationship with yourself. Mae Yoshikawa Mae is an author, yoga & meditation practitioner, teacher, and mother. In 2006, Mae...

Mae dives into the art of self-knowledge and the joy of truly attuning to your preferences. She reflects on the difference between recognizing what sparks joy when given choices—and discovering what you want when there are none. Mae Yoshikawa Mae is an author, yoga & meditation practitioner, teacher, and mother. In 2006, Mae became the first Japanese woman to be authorized by the founding scho...

Mae reflects on one of the first major kizuki moments that transformed her life. Struggling with depression and feeling stuck, she found it impossible to “follow her excitement” as advised. But when she flipped this equation and asked herself what she could quit that didn’t excite her, everything began to change. Mae Yoshikawa Mae is an author, yoga & meditation practitioner, teacher, and moth...

This episode explores the conditions that foster the next kizuki —a moment of greater awareness. While a kizuki cannot be forced, Mae delves into the key elements that prepare the mind for one. This same readiness, she explains, is what opens the door to the next chapter of your life. Mae Yoshikawa Mae is an author, yoga & meditation practitioner, teacher, and mother. In 2006, Mae became the f...

In this week's episode, Mae looks back on an incredible experience from her freshman year in high school that was ... highly stressful. Might this be an episode out of the TV series LOST ? Or something out of The Hunger Games ? And what did Mae learn from the experience? Mae Yoshikawa Mae is an author, yoga & meditation practitioner, teacher, and mother. In 2006, Mae became the first Japanese...

This week, Mae shares her take on a fun word-usage from colloquial modern-day Japanese. Similar but different than any English version usage of the term, Mae challenges you to incorporate this word into your mind to acknowledge and emphasize the "God Moments" of your daily life. Mae Yoshikawa Mae is an author, yoga & meditation practitioner, teacher, and mother. In 2006, Mae became the first J...

Mae reflects on the #GetToKnowMe challenge on Instagram that she recently took on. To present to someone "Who You Are" takes a little bit ... or a lot of knowing yourself. But, to be known by someone is a whole other feeling; a feeling of love. Mae Yoshikawa Mae is an author, yoga & meditation practitioner, teacher, and mother. In 2006, Mae became the first Japanese woman to be authorized by t...

Do you ever catch yourself trying too hard? And then knowing that you’re trying too hard but not quite being able to stop yourself? Well, there’s only one answer. STOP. In this episode, Mae reflects on the simplicity of this answer and what that looks like in a day in her life. Mae Yoshikawa Mae is an author, yoga & meditation practitioner, teacher, and mother. In 2006, Mae became the first Ja...

The perks of hitting rock bottom are hard to talk about because no one wants to be there. But it's true, there are some. For Mae, the most notable of these has been her ability to re-create her sense of identity by moving beyond who she thought she was and into ... the unknown. The unknown is the ever-present realm of nowness where she gets to discover and reinvent who she is, moment to moment. Ma...

Is our quest to be smart getting in the way of our happiness? The modern-society rat-race often has us striving to rise to the top by being smarter than others. But if the question "Would you rather be smart or happy?" is posed, most of us would answer that we would prefer to be happy. In this episode, Mae explores what true smartness is and how to align it with happiness. Mae Yoshikawa Mae is an...

Have you ever noticed that some of the issues you're dealing with in your life didn't even start with you? It might be surprising at first, but it's true that you're shaped more by your upbringing and DNA than you may realize. As you begin to identify these generational patterns, you gain the power to break free from them. In this episode, Mae reflects on your ability to rise above such patterns a...

Do you believe that thinking makes you smart? One might argue that our society has us believing so. Yet, the troubles of over-thinking seem to be on the rise. In this episode, Mae talks about "what is prior to thinking" that just might be even more important and smarter than thinking. Mae Yoshikawa Mae is an author, yoga & meditation practitioner, teacher, and mother. In 2006, Mae became the f...

We all long for peace. Peace comes in the form of quiet. Less movement. Silence, even. And so, it's not uncommon that when peace comes in the form of silence, we end up squirming, moving, and dodging. It's like we're wired to want dynamic action. What does it take for us to find and keep peace, then? Mae Yoshikawa Mae is an author, yoga & meditation practitioner, teacher, and mother. In 2006,...

Sometimes the wisest thing you can do is to recognize your own limitations. Such was the case for Mae, as she reflects on the period of her life following her divorce from her first husband. This is a juicy episode reflecting on the path of healing and revival. There are some types of healing, Mae discovers, you can't do alone. Mae Yoshikawa Mae is an author, yoga & meditation practitioner, te...

The modern world can feel super fast-paced and hurried. Which results in, as Mae reflects in this episode, a internal experience of impatience. As Mae catches herself trying too hard to "get there," the words of Louise Hay delivers an aha-moment and she realizes what she was missing. Mae Yoshikawa Mae is an author, yoga & meditation practitioner, teacher, and mother. In 2006, Mae became the fi...

Mae reflects on a conversation she heard between the Zen Buddhist teacher Adyashanti and a student who was experiencing mental turmoil. Mae related to this student and the sense of banging her head against the wall, or, reaching the limit of the mind. "Trust the Process," we've heard it said many times before. But it never quite landed so well for Mae, until she heard Adyashanti follow it up with...

Mae reads a deeply personal and meaningful article that she wrote three years ago. It is a piece that encapsulates the key kizukis of her grief experience; something that has shaped her to become who she is today. Have you ever been loved SO much that it hurts? Mae Yoshikawa Mae is an author, yoga & meditation practitioner, teacher, and mother. In 2006, Mae became the first Japanese woman to b...

Returning home from summer vacation, Mae reflects on the quality of friends in her life. What are the key elements that all of her dear friends across the world have in common? Mae Yoshikawa Mae is an author, yoga & meditation practitioner, teacher, and mother. In 2006, Mae became the first Japanese woman to be authorized by the founding school of Ashtanga Yoga in India. In 2016, Mae was award...

How does one live true to oneself without being too stubborn, especially when your thoughts differ from your loved ones? A question from a student prompts Mae to reflect on the essential nature of how to best keep this balance of integrity. Mae Yoshikawa Mae is an author, yoga & meditation practitioner, teacher, and mother. In 2006, Mae became the first Japanese woman to be authorized by the f...