Yogaland Podcast

We can all use a little more joy and creativity in our lives right now -- especially after months of teaching and taking online yoga classes. Chicago-based yoga teacher Bradshaw Wish is just the breath of fresh air we all need. It matters not that much of the world is going back into lockdown -- Bradshaw's annual Mariah Carey Christmas Flow must go on! We talk about this upcoming not-to-be missed...

We're getting into the spirit of Thanksgiving in Yogaland! This week, Jason and I are sharing the things we’re thankful for right now (yes, even in 2020!). We feel especially grateful for all of YOU!  Show notes: http://www.jasonyoga.com/podcast/episode217 Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/yogaland . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today's guest, Susanna Barkataki, is the author of a new book on yoga's history and culture called Embrace Yoga's Roots: Courageous Ways to Deepen Your Yoga Practice . This book is a call for all who study yoga to take a deeper look at how we interact with Indian culture, how we use our privilege, and how we can advocate for more equity within the practice we love.  Show notes: http://www.jas...

Religious Studies professor Andrea Jain is back on the podcast -- this time to talk to Jason about her new book, "Peace Love Yoga: The Politics of Global Spiritualization." Jain's book explores the connection between global spirituality and neoliberalism. While Jain acknowledges that yoga is healthy practice, she's concerned by the ways in which modern yoga (she uses the U.S., Canada, and India as...

This episode scratches the surface of how to approach knee pain in yoga poses. Jason talks us through how he approaches knee pain in Pigeon Pose, Bridge Pose, and Virasana (or Vajrasana, which is sitting on your shins). Shownotes include a link to our blog: 3 Backbend Cues for Tweaky Knees & Hips. Visit yogalandpodcast.com/episode214 to check it out! You can also train with Jason next week in...

On today's episode, Jason talks with Portland yoga teacher Abby Kraai about her experience of teaching and practicing yoga with scoliosis. This episode is packed with practical info about how to help students with scoliosis approach different yoga poses, which postures that people with varying degrees of scoliosis might want to avoid, and where to go to learn more. Show notes: http://www.jasonyoga...

What do you do when a student comes to you hoping you can help them with an injury? Just what is appropriate or inappropriate? How can you help students heal while not overstepping into the realm of medical clinician? Find out on today's episode! Show notes: http://jasonyoga.com/podcast/episode212 Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/yogaland . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for mo...

It was once common practice for yoga teachers to start every class with a simple question: "Is anyone working with any injuries or medical conditions?" On this episode, Jason talks about the reasons that this question does -- and does not -- hold up. The goal isn't to tell teachers what to do, but to share the pros and cons so that you can make the decision for yourself. Show notes: http://www.jas...

In this episode, Jason and I tackle yoga injuries, There may not be a way to completely prevent all injuries, but we're sharing some best practices that teachers and students can practice to minimize the risk. We cover a lot of ground, but here are a few top-level points: * Why there’s no one “right” way to approach any pose in order to prevent injury. * The four key things you should consider in...

As yoga practitioners we all know that the body is amazingly complex -- and there is so much to learn when it comes to getting the body into those shapes we call yoga poses. But even though yoga postures are complicated, yoga sequencing doesn't have to be. On this episode, Jason explains his simple yet thorough approach to sequencing for twists and backbends. Show notes: http://www.jasonyoga.com/p...

It’s been a while since we devoted an episode to answering listener questions, so that’s exactly what we’re doing this week.  In this episode, Jason tackles a few of the questions that have been submitted recently such as: *Internal or external hip rotation in forward folds? (A simple question with a not-so-simple answer) *Does that upper arm bone externally rotate in Chaturanga? *Is passivel...

I’ve received a lot of questions from white yogis recently about how we can be better allies to our BIPOC friends and studio owners in the community. My guest today, Dr. Jennifer Hutton, offers insightful guidance for this type of self-inquiry. Jennifer is a pediatric physical therapist from Nashville with a passion for nurturing children with developmental delays. She’s also become a leader in ta...

Helping yoga teachers make a decent living is something Jason and I are both passionate about. So in this episode, Jason and I have a candid conversation about what it takes to have a successful yoga business--particularly, how to get noticed by potential students online.  The big takeaways: Yes, it takes time and energy to grow a following online, but it is very doable, too. And there’s...

If you've practiced yoga for awhile, it's likely that you've heard a sweeping generalization about alignment in a pose. Often these generalizations get passed around until they become cemented as absolute truths -- when in fact, they're really just true under certain conditions at certain times. Or they're simply myths.  My guest today is Judith Hanson Lasater, who addresses all of this in he...

My guest this week wears so many hats! She's a yoga and Bollywood dance teacher, studio owner (Aham Yoga in Redmond, WA), and a brand new yoga podcaster! (Her pod is called Let's Talk Yoga.)⁠ ⁠ Arundhati hails from Southern India and moved to the states with her husband seven years ago. In her own words, "I've built a successful business as an immigrant, WOC yoga teacher with no business backgroun...

We’ve been giving a lot of tips for bringing your teaching online during the pandemic lately. This week, we talk through the challenges both teachers and students are going through. Then, we offer some thoughts and creative ideas (many of them from our students) on how to cope with those challenges. The challenges -- overcoming Zoom fatigue, the broken teacher-student “feedback loop,” the absence...

This week, Jason and I chat about a topic that's near and dear to my heart: Creating online content to help grow your teaching business. We don't yet know how COVID is going to impact the future of yoga teaching. But there's one thing I know for sure: Creating online content is incredibly beneficial. It helps you grow, it helps you hone your voice, it attracts students who are interested in your a...

Today’s guest is writer, illustrator, and yoga teacher Kristen Booker. For the past decade, Kristen has built a successful career as a freelance writer in New York -- her work has appeared in Elle, Marie Claire, Refinery 29, Well+Good, and more. A year ago -- just after finishing her yoga teacher training -- Kristen returned to her hometown of Charleston, West Virginia to care for her aging mother...

It's safe to say that we need all the help we can get right now to stay grounded. You might remember Jaimal from episode 61 where we talked about his memoir, All Our Waves Our Water . This time around we focus on Jaimal's newest book for kids -- Mop Rides the Waves of Life . This book is so sweet and clear and meaningful with beautiful visuals by artist Matthew Allen. It gives kids a relatable way...

On today's episode, I speak to author and religious studies professor Andrea Jain about her book, Selling Yoga: From Counterculture to Pop Culture . Her book is one of the best I've read in terms of tracing the globalization of yoga without oversimplifying it or vilifying modern yoga's evolution. We cover a lot of ground in this interview. Here are some highlights: Is it true that yoga is of Hindu...

My guest today is Jennifer Hutton, a pediatric physical therapist from Nashville. As a physical therapist, Jennifer is passionate about teaching others to use rock tape (more on that in the episode!). But she’s also become a leader in talking about anti-racism, and what it means to be an ally of the movement. She recently gave a webinar on the topic to 600 viewers and raised more than $10,000 for...

On this episode, I’m joined by Washington, DC yoga studio owner and world-traveling yoga teacher Faith Hunter. You may remember Faith from episode 37 where she shared her story of coping with the loss of her brother. I wanted to check in with Faith to find out how she's doing, to ask her about her new projects, and to get her take on how the white yoga community can be more actively anti-racist an...

This week, you get to hear Jason and I interviewed by Bridget Riepl of New Jersey Yoga Collective. It was part of a fundraiser for Goats of Anarchy -- those goats needed a new barn and we were happy to support. Bridget asked us about a whole host of topics -- from the history and intention behind this podcast, to the advice we have for yoga teachers and students grappling with the hardships of the...

There's no doubt that Covid-19 has changed the current landscape of how we practice and teach yoga. On this special episode (recorded live via Zoom with Jason's recent online teacher trainees), Jason and I talk through about the important conversations that will need to happen between studio owners and yoga teachers as things open up. We also talk about how this time of uncertainty calls creates s...

If you’re a yoga teacher who teaches online, you might wonder if there are extra steps you should take to protect yourself. The short answer is, “Yes!” But it isn’t as difficult or confusing as you might think. This week, I ask Sarah Waldbuesser, an attorney for coaches and online business owners, to explain, in simple terms, the legal documents and liability releases for online businesses we need...