The Heart of Yoga

What if true activism doesn't begin with protest signs or policy change, but with the way we breathe? In this episode, I sit down with Jonathan Cassell in the lush Fijian islands to explore the profound intersections between Yoga, ecology, and the urgent need for human change. We speak about our shared grief for a world in ecological crisis and ask: how can we act from love, not just outrage? Yoga...

This talk was recorded live at a workshop in the Swiss town of Saanen. A very interesting place for yoga and spiritual history and the transmission from East to West! Among the 'himalayas of the north', Mark is unravelling the core of modern spiritual systems and the search for enlightenment.  Summarising the teachings of Krishnamacharya, Desikachar, and the radical honesty of U.G. Krishnamurti, t...

The Yoga Tantras that Krishnamacharya graciously brought forth teach us direct participation in Reality and the qualities or nature of Reality. They flush from the living body the restive patterning and traumas that culture and society has put in us. These Tantras disappeared in India & Tibet after the 14th century replaced by authoritarian power structures.  In this powerful episode of The Heart...

In this episode of "The Heart of Yoga " Rosalind kicks off the Yogic Arts Series with a deep and enlightening conversation with artist and Yogini Melissa Forbes. They explore the intersection of art and spirituality through the study of Yantra, numerology, and Jyotish (Vedic astrology). Melissa shares her personal journey into sacred geometry and how these ancient traditions have shaped her practi...

In this episode of the Heart of Yoga podcast, Raul Petraglia, a former high-flying corporate executive, shares his incredible journey from the high-stress world of luxury hospitality to finding profound peace through the practice of Yoga. Raul opens up about his past life of excess and stress, the physical and emotional toll it took on him, and how a serious health crisis led him to discover Yoga....

Teaching at Liliana Lakshmi's teaching training, this question arises.. hear the response.  In this episode, Mark explores how Yoga can provide a sense of unity and belonging amidst conflict and division in the world. He emphasizes that Yoga is not about seeking or trying to get somewhere, but recognizing and participating in the beauty, power and extraordinary intelligence that is always there, t...

In this episode, Rosalind and Domagoj have an enlightening discussion demystifying Tantra. They explore how Tantra is a path to freedom that teaches you to fall in love with life. Tantra aims to help one realize everything is infinite and discover naturalness, spontaneity and openness to the mystery of life.   Rituals in Tantra go hand in hand with meditation and realization of the teachings withi...

In part one of this two part episode, Rosalind is joined by Domagoj Orlić to demystify tantra, a profoundly misunderstood spiritual tradition.   As both a scholar and practitioner of Tantra, Domagoj sheds light on what Tantra actually is, its key principles and aims, and how it differs from the "Neo-Tantra" appropriated in the West. They explore Tantra's emphasis on liberation through feeling unit...

This episode features Kathrin, a Yoga practitioner and mother of two living in Germany. She shares how she came to Yoga to relieve suffering during the pandemic, and through her daily practice discovered a profound intimacy with her own body and breath. Kathrin describes how Yoga helped her shift from feelings of "not being enough" to simply receiving and participating in each moment just as it is...

This episode features Paul Hoffman, a devoted Christian who discovered yoga and has found it deeply enriches his religious life and spiritual connection. He shares how yoga complements Christian teachings and practices, helping him integrate breath, movement and prayer.   Paul recounts his journey to incorporating yoga into his church community and daily spiritual rituals. He provides insights int...

This episode features yogini Akia Merritt who shares her life journey growing up in Miami and discovering her capital S Self through yoga sadhana. Akiya recounts the journey from aspiring fashion designer in New York City to becoming a capital-Y Yoga teacher, and the pitfalls of the industry along the way. Relatable to everyone whose journey has taken them far from where they started, and then bac...

This episode features a powerful and insightful conversation between Mark and a Yogini living in Iran, who we refer to as Sarah for her safety. They discuss the ongoing revolution and protests in Iran, along with the government brutality and oppression people, especially women, face daily. Sarah shares her personal experiences surviving the turmoil, finding refuge through community, and taking act...

Rosalind and Andrew meet again to lay out the vision for the Heart of Yoga 'YES' programme: Yoga Education in Schools.    Andrew shares the vision behind it: for every young person to leave school with a basic yoga education including the ability to practice connection with body and breath at home by themselves.    We discuss how the project was born from Andrew's experience teaching yoga at a hig...

This episode is a recording of a talk Mark Whitwell gave at the Omega Institute in New York in 2008. He speaks of Reality itself as an intelligent nurturing force, like a mother. Yoga is our direct participation in this nurturing reality, not an effort to achieve some future spiritual goal.    This episode is a dharmic reset-reminder of yoga as participation in union, merging strength and receptiv...

Welcome back to "God and Sex" book club part 3. Mark and Rosalind argue about themes of the book around relationship, love and intimacy.    Mark goes to the root of things as usual, connecting up the separate self to how relationship chaos plays out, and how yoga intervenes.   We discuss the longing for a "soulmate" and whether this idea is useful, reflect on the China teacher training, and a few...

This episode explores rekindling our innate connection to nature through yoga and sensing practices. Rosalind has an insightful conversation with her friend Henriette Geber, a yogini with a deep love of the mountains, plants and animals.   They discuss how yoga helps us become more sensitive, intuit nature's aliveness, and dissolve harmful ways of relating that assume separation. Henriette shares...

In this week's episode of the Heart of Yoga Podcast, Mark and Andy Raba explore the world of psychics, seers, shamans and sages. As director of the Yoga Education in Schools Charitable Trust in New Zealand, Andy leads initiatives to bring yoga-based health programs to young people in NZ and abroad. With a Master's degree and over a decade of experience fostering literacy in NZ schools, Andrew has...

In this episode, Mark interviews Eva about her journey discovering Yoga and music. Eva shares how she was classically trained in cello as a child but hated the competitive pressure. She dropped music for 18 years until finding Yoga, which helped her rediscover enjoyment and presence. A few years into Yoga, Eva spontaneously picked up guitar and started playing purely for pleasure, posting videos o...

In this episode of the Heart of Yoga podcast, Mark has an insightful conversation with his student Irina Esposito about her journey with Yoga.  The cosmos and everything in the cosmos is obviously a pure intelligence, energy and an intrinsic harmony. In religious language of ancient India it is Shiva Shakti… or all that is, and there are no problems. This was Irina's sudden realization. It hit her...

In this episode, I'm joined by Joseph Lauricella. We dive into Joseph's journey on The Yoga Bus, making yoga accessible to everyone. It is truly inspiring. We talk about the power of yoga for newcomers and the limitations of the popular styles. Joseph shares his motivation behind his book, "Miracle of Body Wisdom," and his vision for authentic yoga education for all. We discuss the discipline of w...

In this episode, we dive deep into Mark's transformative journey to India. Mark shares his personal experiences and first impressions upon arriving in this vibrant and diverse country. He discusses how The Beatles' presence in Rishikesh influenced his interest in Indian wisdom traditions, making it a global phenomenon. Mark reflects on the powerful impact of rock music from England and the U.S. on...

Our guest today is our wonderful collaborator in Japan, Minami Takashima. Minami is a yogini and heart of Yôga teacher, teaching in the traditions of the hathayoga non dual Tantra. She has written the introduction to the Japanese second edition of Mark Whitwell's Yôga Heart and teaches throughout Japan and the world.  Born in Sapporo, Japan, she found that early life spiritual awakenings were not...

Clayton Joseph Scott is a singer, songwriter and master Yoga Teacher. Born in Los Angeles, California, he attended Santa Monica High School. Clayton lived most of his life as a street hustling native of Venice Ca. He was raised in the culture of musicians and pioneers of the counter culture. Clayton speaks clearly about over coming addiction of every kind. He was in his own words, a gourmet addict...

Liliana Lakshmi and her husband Satya are renowned yoga teachers, whose influence extends from India to the Americas, and from Berlin to Bali. Liliana, born into tribal culture of indigenous shamans of Colombia was quickly able to understand the shamanic cultures of ancient India, their yogas of participation and the profound realization of their ancient cultures, both of India and the Americas. L...

Ernessa Bergman is a world-travelling Yogini, Mother and Biosynthesis / Somatic Body Psychotherapist who is currently living and working in Tel Aviv, Israel. She reflects on her long friendship with Mark at trainings around the world and her life as a mother and yoga teacher. In this episode you will hear... '' ...you torture yourself with the insanity of trying to get enlightened or something, or...