Yogaland Podcast

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/podcast/episode209 Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/yogaland.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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 passively stretching a muscle or group of muscles (like the psoas and other hip flexors) that is both tight and weak a good idea? Or is there a better way to approach? *Any tips on floating from Uttanasana to sit and jumping through? Show notes: http://www.jasonyoga.com/podcast/episode208 Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/yogaland.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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 talking about anti-racism, and what it means to be an ally. She recently gave a webinar on the topic to 600 viewers and raised more than $10,000 for the National Association of Black Physical Therapists. On today’s episode, Jennifer shares her framework, which includes awakening, education, self-examination, and action. I’ve learned a ton from her and I hope you do, too! Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/yogaland.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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 more good news! You don’t need as many “followers” as you might think in order to do what you love and grow a thriving business as a yoga teacher.  Here’s a few other points we make in the episode: * Why Andrea says it’s time to shush any voices of self-doubt and put your “CEO pants” on so you can start making the online content your students want and need * One of the biggest misconceptions about yoga influencer teachers on social media -- their income might not be coming from teaching yoga classes * Advice on how to make authentic, genuine connections online with potential students. * A few do’s and don’ts for online content creation. For example DO define your content scope and DO create a content calendar. But don’t expect overnight results. Show notes: http://jasonyoga.com/podcast/episode207 Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/yogaland.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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 her newest book, "Yoga Myths: What You Need to Learn and Unlearn for a Safe and Healthy Yoga Practice." Here are a few highlights from our conversation: * We talk about how she is handling shelter-in-place and how it's affected her teaching * Her thoughts on “right and wrong” in yoga and how she frames that conversation instead * 3 common cues you might hear in yoga class that she says are based on myths about the body * When it’s appropriate to question something that you’ve learned from your yoga teacher * Why she says the pelvis is everything! Show notes: yogalandpodcast.com/episode206 Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/yogaland.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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 background, no Handstands -- just pure instinct and the free information I found on google. There are very few Indian, immigrant yoga teachers out there. And even fewer South Asian owned yoga studios."⁠ ⁠ I loved connecting with her and hearing her story. I'm also grateful to her for sharing openly from her perspective as a South Asian woman -- how does she feel about the word Namaste at the end of class? What are the things that feel different in yoga spaces in the West? And what are some ways that she's been made to feel invisible in yoga rooms in the past? Thank you, Aru, for leading with such an open heart!  Here are a few things we talk about: * How she got her start in yoga after years as a professional Bollywood dancer, and how that blossomed into a thriving studio business * The creative way she runs her studio that keeps her costs low, and her focus on the yoga * Her thoughts on Western yoga students referring to each other as “yogi” and beginning and ending class with the word 'Namaste' * A peek into her new podcast (Jason is one of her first guests!), and what we can expect to learn from her in future episodes Show notes: http://www.jasonyoga.com/podcast/episode205  Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/yogaland.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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 of manual adjustments, and the additional challenge of finding + retaining students. The solutions? Ideas for engaging yoga students and bringing back the sense of community we’re all craving right now, focusing on growth, innovation, and taking this time to plan classes. *Plus, we share our best advice for yoga students as they are navigating this new normal Show notes: http://jasonyoga.com/podcast/episode204 SHOUTOUT TO OUR SPONSORS Betabrand's dress pant yoga pants make work wear that's as functional, comfortable, and inspiring as your favorite workout gear--perfect for long work days or working from home. For a limited time, Yogaland listeners can get 25 percent off their first order by going to BetaBrand.com/yogaland. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/yogaland.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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 approach. There are so many reasons! On this episode I share my top five, plus some key ideas for how to get started. If you'd like a print-out of the takeaways from this week's episode, head over to the shownotes page: Show notes: http://www.jasonyoga.com/podcast/episode203 Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/yogaland.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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. On this episode, Kristen shares her experience of going home and teaching yoga in a part of the world that has more traditional values than she’s used to. While she’s quick to point out that racism (both overt and implicit) is not a location-specific problem, her experiences have given her insight, which she eloquently shares in today’s episode. Show notes: http://www.jasonyoga.com/podcast/episode202 Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/yogaland.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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 to practice mindfulness of feelings every day. Whether you are a kid or an adult feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or just plain grumpy, Mop offers a very relevant reminder to ride the waves as they come. Jaimal and I talk about what inspired him to write his first children's book, how Mop came to life, and we share our experiences of letting go during COVID. Check out the shownotes page for links to Jaimal's book for your littles and try his meditations with your kids, too! Show notes: http://www.jasonyoga.com/podcast/episode201 Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/yogaland.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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 origin and, if so, does that mean that Is the way we practice yoga in the West cultural appropriation?  - How can Western yoga practitioners educate themselves about cultural appropriation and practice in a way that is respectful to the culture where yoga originated? - Jain makes the case that yoga shouldn’t “belong” to any one group of people.  - We talk about “Godmen” and why the relationship between teacher and student opens the door to abuse of authority in yoga as well as other groups. - Jain makes the case that yoga as it is practiced today could be considered a religious practice. And we go into the pros and cons of looking at it that way. - She also gives us an overview of her next book, Peace, Love, Yoga: The Politics of Global Spirituality, which will be available in September. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/yogaland.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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 the National Association of Black Physical Therapists.  Here are the highlights from the episode. *How watching her cousin, who has Cerebral Palsy, go through his therapies inspired her to become a physical therapist  *Her approach to working with children by helping each individual child accomplish what’s possible for them regardless any any diagnosis they might have *She talks about times when she has seen racism in her professional life and explains how she has learned to respond *We talk about the framework for allyship she presented in her webinar, including awakening, education, self-interrogation and examination, and action * Plus, how this can apply to yoga teachers and studio owners so that they might make their classes more inclusive to BIPOC SHOUT-OUT TO OUR SPONSORS Get your yoga studio in a flow with Acuity Scheduling, the all-in-one scheduling tool for classes and private sessions. How Acuity works is simple: we clear the minds of busy studio owners and managers (just like you!) by handling all of the day-to-day booking and billing drudgery, freeing you up to be fully present in the moment. As a special bonus for our friends at Yogaland, your first 45 days of Acuity are 100% free – no credit card needed! All you have to do is sign up at acuityscheduling.com. Offering Tree makes it easy to build your own yoga website in about 30 minutes. It includes class scheduling, appointment booking, online payments, email marketing, website analytics, and more. It’s fully customizable and all services are included so it’s easy to get your business up and running. For 20% off your first 6 months, visit OfferingTree.com/YOGALAND now. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/yogaland.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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 and support the BIPOC community. A few things we cover: * Faith talks about her new online platform, Embrace Om and her new talk show, Spiritually Fly Lifestyle * We talk about the tendency to bypass or ignore the problem of racism within the yoga community * She shares how yoga studios can take steps toward supporting the BIPOC community * We talk about the importance of representation, inclusive language, and collaboration This is the first of many conversations I hope we have within our community. SHOUT-OUT TO OUR SPONSORS Get your yoga studio in a flow with Acuity Scheduling, the all-in-one scheduling tool for classes and private sessions. How Acuity works is simple: we clear the minds of busy studio owners and managers (just like you!) by handling all of the day-to-day booking and billing drudgery, freeing you up to be fully present in the moment. As a special bonus for our friends at Yogaland, your first 45 days of Acuity are 100% free – no credit card needed! All you have to do is sign up at acuityscheduling.com. Offering Tree makes it easy to build your own yoga website in about 30 minutes. It includes class scheduling, appointment booking, online payments, email marketing, website analytics, and more. It’s fully customizable and all services are included so it’s easy to get your business up and running. For 20% off your first 6 months, visit OfferingTree.com/YOGALAND now. Storyworth makes it easy and fun for loved ones to tell their stories. Simply purchase a subscription for someone you love and each week Storyworth will send them a question about their life. After a year, stories are bound in a beautiful book. For $10 off, visit storyworth.com/yogaland. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/yogaland.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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 Covid-19 pandemic to making yoga more inclusive practice. SHOUT-OUT TO OUR SPONSORS Get your yoga studio in a flow with Acuity Scheduling, the all-in-one scheduling tool for classes and private sessions. How Acuity works is simple: we clear the minds of busy studio owners and managers (just like you!) by handling all of the day-to-day booking and billing drudgery, freeing you up to be fully present in the moment. As a special bonus for our friends at Yogaland, your first 45 days of Acuity are 100% free – no credit card needed! All you have to do is sign up at acuityscheduling.com. Offering Tree makes it easy to build your own yoga website in about 30 minutes. It includes class scheduling, appointment booking, online payments, email marketing, website analytics, and more. It’s fully customizable and all services are included so it’s easy to get your business up and running. For 20% off your first 6 months, visit OfferingTree.com/YOGALAND now.   Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/yogaland.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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 space for creativity. And lastly to my yoga teachers: Please start your own email newsletter. And send it consistently. This is my wish for you. ❤️ SHOUT-OUT TO OUR SPONSORS Get your yoga studio in a flow with Acuity Scheduling, the all-in-one scheduling tool for classes and private sessions. How Acuity works is simple: we clear the minds of busy studio owners and managers (just like you!) by handling all of the day-to-day booking and billing drudgery, freeing you up to be fully present in the moment. As a special bonus for our friends at Yogaland, your first 45 days of Acuity are 100% free – no credit card needed! All you have to do is sign up at acuityscheduling.com.   Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/yogaland.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.