Yoga Inspiration

In this warm and inspiring episode, Kino MacGregor welcomes her dear friend and legendary Ashtanga Yoga teacher David Swenson for a conversation about his new book, Only Dead Fish Go With the Flow. David shares what sparked the idea for the book — a collection of stories, reflections, and wisdom from decades of living yoga on and off the mat. He offers an inside look at the writing journey: the su...

Join Kino MacGregor, Tim Feldmann, Wade Oakley and Chandana Bhowmick as they discuss what devotion means for each of them. Finding the fuel of devotion in their practice is more sustainable than the fuel of ambition. Hear how they each found the student's heart of love in their relationship with their teachers and how they carry the flame of the practice forward today. In the yogic path, we often...

In a world filled with conflict, injustice, and harm, how do we respond as yogis? In this episode, Kino explores the powerful yogic concept of *kṣānti*—forbearance, patience, and compassionate endurance—through scriptural sources including the Bhagavad Gītā, the Bodhicaryāvatāra, and the Yoga Sutras. We talk about how yogic activism is possible—and necessary. With examples from Arjuna's awakening...

Why We Think It's Important to Keep Practicing Ashtanga Yoga and Why We Hope You Keep Practicing Too   Dedicated Ashtanga Yoga practice is a powerful journey worth pursuing, even decades after your first class. Reflecting on more than 25 years of practice, we've discovered profound reasons to stay committed, which we captured in a recent series on why we are still practicing Ashtanga Yoga.   Ashta...

We are, by nature, discriminating beings. We develop taste — for art, food, fashion, architecture. We learn to tell what is real from what is imitation, what is durable from what is fleeting. We become connoisseurs of culture, cuisine, aesthetics.   So what happens when that same discriminating capacity is turned inward?   This is what yogic philosophy demands. It says: if you can be discerning wi...

In the sacred journey of yoga, the figure of the guru—the teacher, the revealer—is not merely someone who instructs us in techniques. The guru is the light that removes darkness, the presence that dispels confusion, and the voice that calls us back to the Self. The Sanskrit word guru itself is formed from gu, meaning darkness, and ru, meaning remover. The guru is not the source of light—but the on...

Many of us come to yoga seeking relief. Relief from pain, from restlessness, from uncertainty. And sometimes we find it. But over time, what we discover is more lasting than relief. We discover presence. We discover steadiness. We discover a kind of joy that doesn't have to shout. It only has to be. So we practice. Not to get rid of pain, but to know it. To meet it with clarity and care. And in th...

In the closing prayer of the Ashtanga practice, we chant: svasti prajābhyaḥ pari-pālayantāṁ, nyāyena mārgena mahīṁ mahīśāḥ, gobrāhmaṇebhyaḥ śubham astu nityaṁ, lokāḥ samastāḥ sukhino bhavantu. These ancient words are an offering — a prayer for all beings to be protected, for the rulers of the earth to walk the path of righteousness, for all sacred beings to be blessed, and for every living soul ac...

As we go deeper on the spiritual path—whether through yoga, meditation, or self-inquiry—we often discover a paradox: We feel more peace… but we also feel more pain. The highs become transcendent. The lows, unbearable. We start to feel everything more intensely. This intensity is not a mistake. It is the heart of the path.   The Buddha says: you have felt more grief than the ocean holds water. This...

Sometimes we may not understand why it is necessary to engage in strong practice. This talk dives into how the effects we put into asana practice cultivate a powerful internal fire of purification. This was a talk given after a 4 day immersion with Kino and Tim in Bangkok.   Practice LIVE with me exclusively on Omstars! Start your journey today with a 7-day free trial at omstars.com .   Limited ti...

Kino and Tim discuss how to honor the lineage in the absence of our teachers. They further dive into the definition of what constitutes merit in the practice of Yoga. Ending with a Q&A that captures the spirit of the conclusion of their first week of teaching in Bali   Practice LIVE with me exclusively on Omstars! Start your journey today with a 7-day free trial at omstars.com .   Limited time Off...

Why yoga? Anyone who has practiced for a decade, two decades, or even a lifetime knows that the answer to this question is anything but simple—or perhaps so simple that words fail to capture it.   Some truths can only be understood through embodied knowledge, a form of wisdom that arises not from intellectual effort but from deep receptivity. Yoga is a path of insight, not just the accumulation of...

Join Kino and Tim as they explore Tristhana, the foundational framework of Ashtanga Yoga that unites breath, body, and mind. Whether you are new to the practice or have been teaching for years, this episode offers a deeper look at how these three elements work together to cultivate presence, focus, and transformation.   Breath serves as the bridge between body and mind, asana creates embodiment an...

Astrology is more than just predictions. Join Kino and Gahl for a conversation about spirituality, past lives, and how astrology can help guide us along our journey Gahl Sasson makes Kabbalah, astrology and psychology engaging, illuminating, and fun. His book, A Wish Can Change Your Life , (published by Simon & Schuster and co-written with Steve Weinstein), blends wisdom and metaphors from culture...

With set sequences, rules, and repetitions, Ashtanga is often seen as a devotion to discipline. But if you look closely, it is a delicate orchestration where breath, movement, and focus unite to reveal the clarity within. In today's episode, we reflect on the purpose behind the method, exploring how every inhale, every exhale, and every asana carries intention. Ashtanga challenges us to set aside...

Mary Taylor and Richard Freeman join us to share timeless insights exploring how impermanence and interconnectedness form the foundation of a meaningful life. With wisdom rooted in years of spiritual practice, they reflect on the paradox of happiness – not as something to chase but as a natural state revealed through presence and self-awareness. Our conversation invites us to look beyond rigid str...

The lineage of Ashtanga has always been a living tradition carried forward by devoted practitioners. But what happens when the Guru who once held the lineage are no longer present? Without an Acharya to guide us, the responsibility shifts to each of us – to show up, to practice, and to nurture the teachings within ourselves. And it's not about perfection or mastery. It's about presence. The simple...

Ashtanga Yoga is more than a personal ritual - it's a living tradition carried forward by generations of teachers and students. Those who came before us made sacrifices to do so and as yogis, we share a responsibility in keeping the lineage alive. So in this episode, we explore what it means to honor our teachers. Not through idolization, but by asking: How do we sustain a lineage that has given u...

Ashtanga Yoga reminds us that practice is not about perfection, it's about presence. And while this truth features throughout life's ups and downs, let's take a moment to reflect on this through the lens of accessibility. There is, after all, great power in offering adaptations that make the practice available to all bodies and abilities… And what does it mean to stay connected to practice through...

While our practice connects us to a lineage of timeless teachings, its essence is deeply personal and woven into our breath, our movement, and our awareness. It's here within this space that we begin to understand the true source of the practice - our being - and the resilience it cultivates both on and off the mat.  Yet, the journey is not always easy. Life's challenges whether physical, emotiona...

As we honor the life and teachings of Sharath Jois, we are reminded of the deep roots and enduring spirit of the Mysore yoga tradition. This episode invites us to reflect on the profound relationship between teacher and student – a connection built on humility, surrender, and a flow of wisdom passed through generations. Grief, like yoga, requires us to sit with discomfort, to embrace impermanence,...

As Lebanon endures yet another wave of conflict, Hala speaks candidly about the heartbreak of leaving her homeland to protect her young son while holding fast to her role as a guide and healer for her community. Her journey reminds us that yoga is a practice far beyond the mat – it's a call to connect, to serve, and to hold space even in the most difficult of times. In this conversation, Hala open...

Yoga is an invitation to meet ourselves just as we are, embracing both the ease of sukha and the discomfort of dukkha with presence and patience. It's a practice that calls us to observe the fluctuations of the mind – our desire for comfort, our resistance to pain – and, through each cycle of breath, to cultivate a quiet resilience that meets both without reaction. Much like life's trials, yoga al...

Perfection is enchanting—but it promises an end destination that doesn't exist. Yoga, if you listen carefully, asks us to turn inward, embracing tapas - disciplined effort - not as a demand for perfection but as a gentle guide through life's ups and downs.  Let's be humbled by the reminder that yoga is not a performance after all. It's a daily ritual that meets us exactly where we are. It's a lett...

In a world where we often seek certainty, clear answers, and the comfort of knowing, yoga offers a humbling reminder: truth is rarely as simple as it seems. It's in this awareness of our behavioral patterns we can take the opportunity to question our reality… Or maybe we don't get a choice. It's easy to assume that our view of the world is objective but by returning again and again to our mats, th...