Leadership and Yoga

in this episode i’m answering your questions on teaching, discipline, purpose, and community. i share behind the scenes updates on hosting my yoga retreat, my podcast sponsorship, and my own yoga journey. from handstands to belonging abroad, this is a q&a filled with honesty. Mailing list: https://www.shawnakru.com/   Follow me on instagram: @shawnkru Get my guided journal for $33 with code PO...

In this episode, I sit down with Jen Morel to talk about making bold decisions, trusting yourself, and taking risks—even before you feel ready. Jen shares how shadows can become our greatest gifts, why letting go creates space for purpose, and what it really takes to build confidence. We explore Gene Keys, Human Design, and the limits we place on ourselves, plus Jen’s lessons in love, leadership,...

In this solo storytime episode, I share the behind-the-scenes journey of traveling to New York City to interview Sri Dharma Mittra. The full interview goes live on September 10th — but before then, I wanted to sit down with you fireside-style and tell the whole story while it’s still fresh: the risks, the doubts, the synchronicities, the headstand photo, the salsa dancing, and the tears of joy tha...

Yoga teachers! This one's for you. In this episode of the Leadership and Yoga podcast, Shawna Krueger interviews Marcus Veda, the creator of 4BEAT yoga. They discuss the unique concept of synchronizing breath and movement to a steady beat, the origins of 4BEAT yoga, and the importance of music in enhancing the yoga experience. This episode is for yoga teachers — a deep dive into the art of teachin...

If you ever feel like you have something inside of you that you want to share with the world but you can’t quite find the right words to say it, or make it make sense, this episode is for you. Join me for a dose of inspiration to simplify and refine your mission and how to put your message into words. You will leave feeling fired up and energized to work on your projects whether you are an entrepr...

Listen if you liked books like the Creative Act by Rick Rubin. Or the War of Art by Steven Pressfield. This is like a haunted house journey through the creative soul. Maybe this is my Pink Floyd the Wall.  A 12-part experience, Influences include: Women Who Run with the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estés, Cameron Rosin on being bloated and full of other people’s words. Sofia Isella’s Everybody Suppo...

It’s time!! The money episode is here. Today we explore the emotional and energetic roots of money and why we experience financial fear, and how survival instincts, inherited beliefs, and subconscious patterns shape the way we relate to money. Let’s talk stories of unexpected abundance, purpose-driven income, and giving as a spiritual act, along with reflections on how to shift from scarcity to ex...

An interview with my fav yoga duo, Ness and Rama! In this episode, Ness Baker and Daniel Rama de France share what it’s really like to teach, create, and live together in Ko Samui. From their first impressions to their different teaching voices, creative habits, and morning routines, they offer an honest look behind the scenes. They talk fate vs. free will, leadership, and how yoga shows up in eve...

Stillness is a return to power, a pause that grinds the grains of life into real wisdom, and that alone has brought in more joy, clarity, and aligned opportunity than all the forcing ever could. Inspired by my favorite story that Richard Rudd wrote in the Gene Keys. What happens when we actually experience silence, surrender, and deep rest? This episode is burnout recovery, and a reminder that sta...

In this episode, 7 Keys for Teaching Yoga That Changes Lives, I share the heart of what it really means to teach yoga as art, service, and courageous self-expression. I talk about what it takes to step out on the limb creatively, hold the energy of the room with invisible impact, and stop judging yourself through the eyes of others. We explore how to set clear expectations, create soulful structur...

short and sweet! how to build the passion & fire to create back. if you’re feeling blocked, burned out, or just stuck in your head, this one’s for you. this is creativity on the next level: change your beliefs about your ability to create and hear some stories along the way. thanks for being here. :) Mailing list: https://www.shawnakru.com/   Follow me on instagram: @shawnkru Get my guided jou...

Leadership and Yoga fam, this is an immersive episode brought to life with music and sound effects rather than the usual video, and it is a special one because it includes words from listeners in our community. This episode will start with the discussion of the feeling of magic, and then turn to how yoga is the basis of all this magic. Today I am here to remind you of all that is beautiful about t...

Not everything is yoga, but yoga is in everything. This episode is exactly as the title says, a little bit of nonsense that I found meaningful enough to share. Listen if you want the tea on why I am in Italy and something that made me smile recently. Thanks for being here. :) Join my retreat: Sweet Simplicity, January 2026 https://www.shawnakru.com/sweet-simplicity-retreat   Get a copy of my guide...

This episode is for you if you frequently feel on the threshold of breaking through into the “I’m so stressed” panic, or giving up, or rushing around like something is the end of the world when you kinda know that it’s actually not. Welcome to my most straightforward, real talk on stress. This is not about how to eliminate stress from your body but actually why we need it, and how to raise your th...

Let’s talk public speaking and procrastination, two big beautiful topics. Have you ever wondered why we sabotage ourselves before we even start public speaking? The voice is a powerful tool for healing, not performance. Pressure is really about worthiness, and your most embarrassing stories are actually your most valuable. The big idea: the stakes are high, not because you need to be perfect, but...

From dragonflies and water skis to the jungle meeting the sea, this immersive music filled poetic episode brings themes like trusting doubt, dropping into presence, and what it really means to “make it” without chasing outcomes. There’s Richard Rudd, 100-foot waves, and why some days need to be brilliantly bland. If you're into mindfulness, storytelling, nature metaphors, and spiritual discovery,...

In this episode, I’m getting honest about feeling let down, about resentment, and about what it actually takes to move through those feelings instead of shoving them down. This isn’t from a book; it’s from what I’ve been journaling about and processing these past few weeks. So hey if you are harboring hard feelings, feeling slighted, holding a grudge, carrying emotional baggage, nursing a wound, f...

In this episode, I sat down with Hannah Singer and was absolutely blown away with how energized and inspired I was after soaking in every word. “Life is a wild taste test, and the real magic happens when we live in tune with who we truly are.” We talk about the slow art of self-discovery, the healing power of meditation, and how chronic pain often speaks the language of unspoken beliefs. Hannah sh...

In this episode, I reflect on what it means to grow gently, to be present in the mess, and to let go of the need to be seen. I've learned that healing isn’t a finish line—it’s a quiet unfolding. I speak about the power of intention over perfection, and how true worth doesn’t come from achievements, but from simply being. I also discuss my back pain. Pain has taught me to listen more closely—to...

I’m here for you whether you want to amplify happiness or salvage a tiny spark. In this solo episode, I share seven key ideas around the pursuit of happiness, including why we may not truly know what brings us the most joy, and why using happiness as a metric can be limiting. Through stories like the housefly metaphor and reflections on intuition, expectations, and energy, I share insights on ampl...

What if the heart grew arms? I sat down with Marie Belle Pérez Rivera, Ph. D., to talk about teaching and practicing yoga from the heart. In this rich conversation, Marie Belle invites us into the deeper layers of teaching yoga—where cueing becomes poetry, the koshas guide us, and yoga returns us to our quantum blueprint. She shares a behind-the-scenes look at her life of silence, strength, and le...

"Locks, keys & breaking free from the webs we weave." This is a special immersive solo with music and sound effects on the space between feeling stuck and finding freedom — the subtle shifts that help us unlock old patterns and step into light. We reflect on the webs we weave, the keys we already hold, and what it really means to move from stuck to soaring. This is how to love the process, and...

Today I sat down with David C. Kyle “Baba Rocket” in Austin, Texas. This is my 3rd interview with David, and it is a Q&A from teacher and student submissions. We talk about the craft of teaching Rocket yoga—from the importance of public speaking and scripting your classes, to handling embarrassing moments and finding physical balance. We get into David’s Ashtanga roots, the legacy of Larry Sch...

everytime I make one of these freeform episodes, there's a part of me that feels incredibly vulnerable and excited. here's what happened when I doubted my episode on doubt so much that nothing came out. this is for those who are dreaming and trying to remind themselves why they should ride out the doubts. find me on instagram: @shawnakru 00:00 Embracing Doubt: An Introduction 02:57 The Journey of...

Join me, Shawna Krueger, for an interview with Rey Cardenas—a yoga teacher, former professional poker player, co-owner of Practice Yoga Austin, and deep thinker—for a wide-ranging conversation that flows from the intensity of professional poker to the mysteries of human consciousness. We talk about how life can feel like a game, how what we focus on shapes us, and how yoga shifted from the backgro...