This is not Tea

In this very special episode, we’re going back in time to May of this year where Tamika and Ashley sit down in beautiful Lake Atitlán, Guatemala, to chat about their experience as co-instructors and co-hosts of The Teacher’s Lab, Ashe Yoga Collective’s 300 hour Advanced Teacher Training. They also welcome for the very first time their co-lead trainer, Elena Cheung to the pod to share her retreat r...

In this conversation, Tamika and Ashley dive into discourse with author, yoga educator and practitioner, Anjali Rao who delves into yoga as a form of embodied resistance, the intersection of academia and practice, and the importance of feminist history in yoga. This conversation traverses the historical and cultural contexts of yoga, exploring the roles of caste, gender, and colonialism in shaping...

In this conversation, Tamika and Ashley discuss the importance of Self-care, boundaries, and the work involved in collective liberation with Lama Rod Owens . The dialogue explores the intersection of activism and spirituality, the significance of ancestral connections, and the complexities of freedom. Tamika, Ashley, and Lama Rod reflect on the labor involved in healing and the necessity of settin...

In this between the seasons episode, Ashley and Tamika chat about practical application of yoga philosophy and TCM to navigate today's challenges, the changing body, and knowing when to STFU and mind your business. References: Ayurveda, Five Element Theory from Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Nelly Furtado / Serena Williams drama, Buddhist concept of empathetic joy vs. jealousy, and John Kabat-Z...

Ashley and Tamika sit down with priest and friend, Rev. Ryan Hawthorne to discuss how to take care of oneself in extraordinary, challenging times, especially when you're in the business of spaceholding for others.   Although Ryan spent some time at a small school called Princeton to explore and obtain her divinity degree, ​The Rev. Ryan Hawthorne is a lifelong Texan that revels in the great joy of...

**CONTENT WARNING** This episode of This Is Not Tea contains discussions of drug addiction, disordered eating and body dysmorphia. Please take care while listening.    This week, Ashley and Tamika are thrilled to welcome long-time friend and ally, Sarah Ezrin to the podcast! Sarah is a prominent figure in the yoga and wellness community, and author of the book ‘The Yoga of Parenting’.   In this co...

This week Tamika and Ashley are flying solo and exploring the complexities of the Ego, the value of learning from an experienced teacher, and the downsides to assuming that “all folk are kinfolk”. They also discuss the idea that Peace is resilient and doesn’t require us to be in a particular Place to achieve it — rather it’s a state of being.   Follow Ashley and Tamika , as well as the podcast on...

In this episode, Tamika and Ashley welcome to the show welcome to the show the incomparable radiant rest queen, teacher and founder of Empowered Life Circle, Tracee Stanley. Tracee Stanley is the author of the bestselling book Radiant Rest: Yoga Nidra for Deep Relaxation and Awakened Clarity and The Luminous Self: Sacred Yogic Practices & Rituals to Remember Who You Are (Shambhala Publications...

In this conversation with sound therapist and yoga educator, Shawn J. Moore, Tamika and Ashley delve into cultural identity, healing practices, and sound therapies while navigating exoticism, tokenism, and appropriation. They also discuss recontextualizing healing practices, and the importance of understanding the roles of representation, privilege, and intersectionality within the healing spaces....

How do we care deeply for ourselves when we're operating in an environment with oppression baked in? Tamika & Ashley discuss the 8 Types of Self Care as described by Scottsdale Recovery Center and how they've found self care practices that might help navigate problematic systems.   Read the article: https://scottsdalerecovery.com/embracing-holistic-self-care-8-types-of-self-care-for-lasting-we...

In this episode, we discuss the masking and code-switching required to work in a studio. Can we show up as our full selves? If so, how do we navigate applying liberation philosophy to the realities of BIPOC and LGBTQ+ life?

In this episode, Tamika and Ashley discuss the ubiquitous predatory behavior in the Yoga community, which, mimics so many other spaces of trust in which power and position are at play. There is no discussion of explicit or specific behaviors, but if these topics are triggering, please be advised.

What does the wellness world look like when it's run by marketing departments and tech bros? In this episode, Tamika and Ashley discuss how the search engine optimization (getting found in Google) and social media are informing what we see, who teaches, and how wellness, specifically yoga, are being shifted into something nearly unrecognizable.

Is the new landscape of yoga modern day sharecropping? When is it okay to touch a Black woman’s hair? What’s the difference between tokenizing and culture-shifting? In this episode, Tamika & Ashley talk about the tokenism, exoticism and commodification they've experienced inside and outside of wellness spaces.  Whether or not you care about yoga, there is something in it for you.

In this episode, Tamika and Ashley discuss fatphobia and the lie of sameness in Yogalandia and off the mat. They also offer some hope for the future. in Yogalandia and off the mat. They also offer some hope for the future.   Liking, rating, and sharing this podcast helps us grow!   Follow Tamika Caston-Miller and Ashley Rideaux on Instagram. IG: @tamika_castonmiller @ashleyrideaux Catch Ashley on...