J. Brown Yoga Talks

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium. Beth Shaw, founder of YogaFit and author of Healing Trauma With Yoga & Mind-Body Techniques, talks with J about the role she played in bringing yoga into the mainstream. They discuss the genesis of YogaFit and starting a multi-million dollar business out of her trunk, developing a style of practice that was appealing to gym culture, getting flak from the yoga world, spiritual interventions and inclusive language, credentialing and yoga therapy, social media, and having the courage of your convictions to offer something transformational.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium. Concetta Troskie, creator of Mindfully Embodied, is an old friend of J's and they reunite to talk about their respective journeys of healing and spirit. They discuss the thriving art and yoga scene in Brooklyn in the early aughts, being supported as young teachers, searching for answers and almost becoming a nun before choosing to live in the world, getting sick with a brain tumor and losing everything that defined her, EMDR and Ketamine assisted therapy, recovering souls, and cultivating a differential reverence rooted in love and humility.

Annabelle Brown, J's youngest daughter, returns to talk about how she has been managing her mental health and the process of healing our traumas. They discuss what it felt like when she started to have OCD, being unable to communicate because of compulsions, the moment that it seemingly turned for her and what motivated it, her therapist and how being able to talk about what is happening helps, the evolution of her relationship with her sister, a brief cameo from Mom, and appreciating the innocence and wisdom of a sensitive child. To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium. Ron Brent talks with J about time spent with Yogi Bhajan and Muktananda. They discuss his awakening experience, a brief stint in Scientology, stumbling upon Yogi Bhajan on Melrose Ave, actual sources of Kundalini Yoga, spontaneous kriyas vs a technology of practice, discovering Muktananda, seeing Yogi Bhajan admonished by his guru Virsa Singh, questioning ethics and morals, guru and disciple traditions, transmission and shaktipat initiation, and understanding how formlessness expresses itself through the forms of our culture.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium. Daniel Simpson, from the Ancient Futures Podcast, guest hosts to ask J about the evolution of J. Brown Yoga Talks and the entwinement of his personal growth with the creative process of producing a weekly show. They discuss the original motivations behind starting the podcast, the process by which episodes are generated, how J's family feels about his "radical transparency," stoking controversy and learning better of it, cultural appropriation, coming to God, and the spirit of friendship and inquiry that fuels J's passion for facilitating conversation.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium. Joshua Schrei, host of The Emerald Podcast, returns to talk with J about our place in this alive world. They discuss the context in which yoga arises, implications of an animistic worldview in modern times, dictates of the western scientific tradition, fuzzy boundaries and the animacy of inanimate objects, entertwinement of subjective and objective reality, dualistic nonduality, an expanded vision of personhood, existence as a continuum, evil entities and a creator spirit, musical interelationality, and ceding agency to the theater of stone and time.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium. R. Sriram, coauthor of Natya Yoga: Peace Passion Pain Mapping Emotions, reunites with J to talk about the deeper questions of purpose and meaning in yoga. They discuss his understanding of T Krishnamacharya's and TKV Desikachar's view on God, the effects of connecting to source, humility and faith, Vedic chanting with J Krishnamurti, academic bonafides and diverging from Vyasa's commentary on Patañjali's Yogasūtras, limitations of science and potential of human spirit, and respecting the personal artistic nature of the divine.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium. Gill Lloyd, former teacher trainer for the British Wheel of Yoga and former chair of both Viniyoga Britain and KHYF-UK, talks with J about her life in yoga and the influence of TKV Desikachar. They discuss her first class in the mid eighties, Vinyasa Krama in principle and practice, stories of watching Desikachar teach, the importance of chanting and heart-to-heart connection, watching "Sir's" health decline and the scandal with his son, religiosity, personal practice and educating teachers, and learning the art of living peacefully in this world.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium. Hari-kirtana das returns to revisit questions of nonduality and the relationship between an individual sole and a supreme being. They discuss reimagining our definitions of God and religion, divine and ecological person-hood, simultaneous immanence and transcendence, conforming to highest truths vs shaping truth to our desires, the difference between speaking personal truths and the voice of God coming through, freedom within the prison of material life, evil, and the benefit of relying on something greater than yourself.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium. Jessamyn Stanley, co-founder of The Underbelly and author of Yoke: My Yoga of Self-Acceptance, talks with J about body acceptance and challenging preconceived notions. They discuss her entry into yoga and why she started posting her practice on Instagram, how she landed a Gatorade commercial, The Yoga Journal cover controversy, the difference between fat and body positivity, navigating "tokenism," naked yoga on only fans, Shibari (Japanese Rope Bondage), and the value of starting uncomfortable conversations that foster growth.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium. Andrew Tanner returns unbound to talk with J about his experience of escaping a yoga cult and shaping the yoga industry. They discuss the life changing moment with his father that led to his commitment to Dahn Yoga, the history and philosophies of Korean Taoist traditions, what went wrong and why he left, scaling the business side, working for Kripalu and Yoga Alliance, what happened with the standards review project, problems with the status quo, and meeting the challenge of our times by keeping soul in the game.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium. Bashira Muhammad, owner of Zoom Out Mycology, is an old friend of J's and they talk about her work in mycology. They discuss the fact that Bashira was the youngest person to do J's teacher training over a decade ago, the qualities in her that lent to yogic inquiry at a young age and led to her interest in mycology, her time farming through a fire season, some of the ins and outs of fungi and applications for mushrooms, science and spirit of mycelium, the recent farm bill, and the benefits of learning about the interrelationship of all beings and ecosystems.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium. Lisa Miller, Ph.D., author of The Awakened Brain: The New Science of Spirituality and Our Quest for an Inspired Life, talks with J about a belief in God and the neuroscience showing its benefits. They discuss the passing of J's mother, forms of knowing, empirical evidence for innate spirituality, post-traumatic spiritual growth, spirituality associated with cortical thickness in the regions of perception and a lessening of anxiety and depression, neural seeds of awareness, and being open to receive the intelligent and loving force that is your birthright.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium. Kamini Desai, founder of I AM Education and Yogeshwari of the Lakulish Lineage, talks with J about her journey to becoming a lineage holding and the principles of divinity her teachings encompass. They discuss the history of Kripalu Yoga, growing up at the ashram and rebelling against the family tradition, learning from the experience of scandal around her father, Yoga Nidra and energetic practices, impermanence and infinite consciousness, and the deeper layers of stillness that reveal our essential wholeness.

Genny Wilkinson, co-founder of Mission, talks with J about what has happened to yoga centers, lessons learned, and the new space that she is opening. They discuss why she departed from triYoga and the role she played there, the reasons why so many centers had to close, the genesis of the new center and what they are doing differently, dismantling elitism, transparency and honor around both pricing and teacher pay, online vs in person classes, and the need to orchestrate human interaction after the hangover of so many years in isolation. To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium. Dona Holleman, Honorary President of The Centered Yoga Dona Holleman Association, talks with J about her storied career and the formative relationships that shaped yoga in the west. They discuss the Theosophical Society and the origins of J. Krishnamurti, world wars and being born in a prison camp. talks with Krishnamurti in Saanen and Gstaad, Iyengar as a young man, Vanda Scaravelli's influence, the emergence of teaching certification, emptying your body to fill it back up, consciousness, and the individual path of finding your true self.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium. Lolly Stirk, teacher at Mothertime and teacher trainer at YogaBirth, talks with J about the history of the active birth movement and prenatal yoga classes. They discuss her arrival in London during the summer of love, opening one of the first vegetarian restaurants down the street from Abbey Road, hanging out with the Beatles and making dinner for BKS Iyengar, softening practice, how Vanda Scaravelli taught, studying with Sheila Kitzinger and Michel Odent, and the power of learning to surrender to the process of life.

Peter Blackaby, author of Intelligent Yoga, talks with J about ways of perceiving the phenomenal world and the emergence of spirit. They discuss what is meant by the term "nonmaterial," ways of understanding how a human being takes in censorial information, intuitive resilience as the by-product of accumulated experience or divine intervention by a higher power, using words like God or spirit or soul, what materialists and mystics fear, and recognizing the unifying connection we all share as co-inhabitants of nature in all its wonder. To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium. James Matthew Brown talks with J about the boom years for yoga in the early aughts and the legacy of his teacher, Maty Ezraty. They discuss his gigs teaching the Gore family during the 2000 election and touring with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, how he became a student of Maty, the formation of Yoga Works teacher training, alignment vs flow, the sale of the centers to venture capitalists and the conundrum of scaling, leaving the yoga world only to learn that its where you truly belong, and the aspects of teaching that remain true over time.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium. Mike De Masi, student of Srivatsa Ramaswami, bassist for Ali Omar El-Farouk, and founder of the Worldwide Krishnamacharya Yoga Community Facebook Group, talks with J about honoring the many different traditions of yoga. They discuss Mike's early studies and inquiring into the teaching of T. Krishnamacharya, the experience of learning from Ramaswami's elucidations on Patañjalayoga, Vinyasa Krama, the nuance of the breath in āsana practice, and finding vehicles for dialogue so that we can learn and grow from one another.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium. Acharya Shunya, founder of The Awakened Self Foundation and author of three bestselling books including Roar Like a Goddess, talks with J about the source of yogic wisdom. They discuss her grandfather's return to ancient vedic roots, Sanskrit grammar and translations, priestly caste and the growth of dogmas, embracing shadows, deep inner soul propensity, the role of a guru, three frames of mind as a seeker, authenticity and householder paths, universal spirit, and staying connected to divine truth and a Great Omniscient Dimension.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium. Monica Gauci, co-founder of 8 Limbs and Chintamani Yoga, talks with J about learning how to heal ourselves. They discuss her early studies with Shandor Remete, pursuing a degree in chiropractic, studying with Patabhi Jois, overemphasis on asana, incorporating other healing modalities, the myth of sequencing, hyper-mobility and the need to develop strength, re-educating the deep spinal stabilizing muscles, active vs passive therapies, being an expression of divinity, and cultivating an integrated understanding of your body.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium. Colin Dunsmuir, founder of True Yoga and author of How to Find Stillness Within, talks with J about the teachings of TKV Desikachar and the nature of yoga transmission. They discuss Colin's decision to forgo the final stages of authorization in Ashtanga Vinyasa and become a yoga therapist, the training process he went through, distinguishing characteristics of an individualized approach, Desikachar's unique example, principles of personal practice, and understanding the stages that lead to deeper spiritual truths and awareness.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium. Hamish Hendry, owner of Astanga Yoga London and publisher of Pushpam Magazine, talks with J about tirelessly teaching a daily Mysore program in London for over 25 years. They discuss the purpose of chanting, avoiding dogma, finding Ashtanga Vinyasa in the late eighties, becoming authorized or certified back when and how it changed, ways in which he has evolved as a teacher and runs the center to stay in line with his beliefs, and the humble consistency of always remaining true to a deep and abiding commitment to service.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium. Lisa Petersen, somatics innovator and yoga teacher, talks with J about the cross pollination of somatic movement modalities and traditional yoga. They discuss her training at Vivekenanda Kendra, defining a felt inner sense experience, Body Mind Centering and Hanna Somatics, resetting the nervous system, pandiculation instead of stretching, deliberately simplified spaces, strategies for changing underlying patterns, form and finding newness, radiating from the fluidic pathways of our earliest being, and discovering divinity.

John Stirk, author of Deeper Still, talks with J about the non-material aspects of yoga and the importance of noticing. They discuss the influences of R.D.Laing, J. Krishnamurti, and Vanda Scaravelli, sensation and awareness, touching the inner void, the value of not knowing, making a contribution to the field of shared energy, that which lays beyond fear and expresses our capacity for love, understanding nothing in particular, unconditioned sources of wisdom, calcification of the soul, coming gently to a halt, and trusting in our own experience. To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.

J takes a moment to break from his usual format to reflect on the challenges of the last year and share some of his biggest take-aways. He talks about his daughters mental health struggles and the medical care she has received, conclusions on the results of his MRI and persistent hip pain, scientific lenses in the alternative health sphere, knowing when to follow and when to part ways from existing protocols, acknowledging the unexplainable wisdom at the center of a persons being, and embracing the role of spirit in yoga and healing. J. Brown Yoga Teacher Training - new group starts Jan 2023 To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium. Richard Rosen, author of Yoga by the Numbers: The Sacred and Symbolic in Yoga Philosophy and Practice, talks with J about keeping yoga vibrant despite life's challenges. They discuss Richard's long-time friendship with Rodney Yee, the Piedmont Yoga Center, Iyengar method in the early days, teaching headstand and shoulderstand, the appropriate use of pranayama practices, Yogi Ramacharaka and the Worlds Fair, living with Parkinson's Disease, children's poetry for adults, and the intuitive process of living a rewarding life.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium. Elisa Malinverni, author of Yoga for Recovering Addicts: Stories of Hope and Ways of Self-Healing, returns to talk about overcoming addictions. They discuss the ways media and society distort information about addiction, the moral high horse, the open drug scene in Berne in the eighties and nineties, opposing positions on what addiction is, the surprising fact of natural recovery, when yoga becomes addictive, psychedelics and states of consciousness, admitting to vulnerability, and the role of prayer and spirit in overcoming challenges.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium. Adam Bucko, author of Let Your Heartbreak Be Your Guide: Lessons in Engaged Contemplation, talks with J about prayer and divine grace. They discuss Adam's childhood in Poland during the totalitarian regime, a life-defining experience in India, working with homeless youth, occupy wall street and social change, monasticism, being present with your pain, showing up without buffers, a sense of falling apart that leads to a calling, teachers holding their roles differently, being in a state of receptivity, and transforming ourselves into more loving people.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium. Bernie Clark, author of the Your Body Your Yoga Trilogy, talks with J about the completion of the third and final volume on the upper body and the larger picture of biomechanics and yoga. They discuss functional vs ascetic approaches to the body, stressing tissues, what air line pilot cockpits tell us about human variation, anti-fragility and stability, close chain and open chain exercise, open packed and close packed joints, asymmetries and proportions, nocebo, the value of x-rays or MRI, and understanding that each person is unique.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium. Rick Olderman, author and creator of the Fixing You® Method at Home Course and for Health Professionals, talks with J about his systems thinking approach to addressing pain. They discuss the limitations of traditional physical therapy education, incorporating Anatomy Trains and Hanna Somatics, biomechanics and common patterns of dysfunction, J's body and right anterior femoral glide syndrome, locking knees and healthy glute activation, pillars of chronic pain, and creating bridges to function so that we can live pain-free.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium. Esther Gokhale, founder of the Gokhale Method, talks with J about alleviating pain through anthropologically informed postural work. They discuss the imprints of her childhood in India, how her studies in biochemistry led to acupuncture and the Aplomb Institute in Paris, the crippling back pain and unsuccessful back surgery that led to her lifelong crusade to vanquish back pain, indigenous cultures and J-shaped spines, the use of wearable technology, butt muscles and gait, and learning to turn posture knowledge into postural habits.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium. Jonni Pollard, cofounder of 1 Giant Mind and author of The Golden Sequence, talks with J about Vedic Meditation and the universal nature of our existence. They discuss going from punk kid to spiritual lover, Bija mantras, creating a movement around social and environmental coherence, scaling group meditation to alter the larger fields, a meeting with the Dalai Lama that changed everything, the split within science, guru function, prying open subtle dimensions, and the innocent instinct to nurture a deeper sense of belonging

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium. Tanis Fishman, founder of the School of Sankulpa, talks with J about experiencing unity consciousness. They discuss surrender and awakening moments including a bad car accident Tanis was in at age 19, her travels and time at the Bihar School of Yoga, "I-ness" and distortion fields, feeling beyond our mental impression storehouse, touching pure frequencies, using the word God, prayer as communion with higher consciousness, being ready to give up everything so you can come to knowing, and being witnessed upon the humble path.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium. James Swanwick, co-founder of Swanwick Sleep, talks with J about wearing blue light blockers and eliminating alcohol consumption for better health. They discuss the positive effects James observed when he stopped drinking, how it lead to producing glasses with orange lenses to block blue light, the evolution from natural to artificial lighting, screens and the ill effects of blue light on melatonin release, alcohol toxicity, caffein consumption, optimal sleeping conditions, and creating habits that help optimize performance and well being.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium. Sam Wilde, founder of The Sacred Order of the Great Mother and host of the Fertile Feminist Podcast, talks with J about a connection they made years ago and nurturing a felt sense of The Great Mother. They discuss a formative conversation they happened into together two decades back and the import it held, Sam's experience of not fitting into the yoga world, her work as a minister and study of feminist liberation theology, fertility as shakti and feminism as shiva, and being a midwife to the desires of the heart and spirit of mothering for all.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium. Laurel Beversdorf, creator of Yoga with Resistance Bands Teacher Training and host of the Movement Logic Podcast, talks with J about the integration of resistance bands and other implements into the deeper aspects of yoga. They discuss the tendency of persistent pain to shape practice, conditioning the body and the value of strength training, maturing beyond the demonization of yoga poses, titles and descriptions, the fallacy of certifications, definition of training, and decoding the subtle elements of discovery that make yogic unique.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium. Eric Shaw, author of Sacred Thread: A Comprehensive Yoga Timeline: 2000 Events that Shaped Yoga History, talks with J about the arc of yoga and its relationship to culture from ancient times to modern day. They discuss Eric's early efforts to translate yoga scholarship into more common vernacular, life on the yoga circuit, the infamous Facebook post, his tendency to collect little known details and facts about yoga, bifurcation at odds with unitary philosophy, and anchoring ourselves in transparency and truth.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium. Catherine Annis, core teacher for Intelligent Yoga Teacher Training, talks with J about Scaravelli-inspired yoga and the evolution of yoga teacher training. They discuss her start as a dancer and early inspirations, discovering her primary teacher, moving into a space of ease rather than seeking out challenge, structure and the use of form in somatic-based practices, meeting people where they are while still offering a deeper inquiry, defining parameters for training teachers, and having the courage to share your authentic experience.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium. Libby Hinsley, author of Yoga for Bendy People, talks with J about the prevalence and education gap regarding hypermobility syndromes. They discuss the lack of understanding and confusion around diagnosing Hypermibility Spectrum Disorder and Hypermobility Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, varied issues that overly lax collagen can present, distinguishing between mobility and flexibility, the benefit of slower and simpler movements, appropriate strength training, and the role of yoga in addressing pain and easing suffering.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium. Nikki Costello talks with J about the changing dynamics between yoga teachers, students, and institutions. They discuss their parallel trajectory of practice over the last thirty years, Nikki's evolution and identity as an Iyengar lineage holder, the pedagogy of liberation, dogma and co-creation, the role of a teacher in facilitating inquiry, discernment of students in the information age, the problem with the scaling of yoga teacher training, and reimagining the classroom to embody the qualities and values that are fundamental to healing.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium. Sukadev Bretz, founder of Yoga Vidya, talks with J about going from being a disciple of Swami Vishnudevananda to founding a democratically run non-profit spiritual Yoga organization. They discuss what it was like to become a disciple and take vows in the eighties, when institutions become more about rules than people, bearing witness to the hypocrisies of gurus, choosing to leave and creating something with community rights and safeguards, adapting to the needs of our passing times, and allowing ourselves to be guided by the Divine.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium. Jeff Carreira, author of The Path of Spiritual Breakthrough: From Awakening to Cosmic Awareness, talks with J about the process of awakening into deeper awareness of our spiritual existence. They discuss the realization that there is more to reality than the sum total of everything we've ever known or have been told exists, how we make meaning of our experiences, intuitive knowing, organic growth, the disappointment of a spiritual path, aligning your life with your heart, and the courage to embrace a field of infinite possibility as the new paradigm.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium. Robin Rose Bennett, author of Healing Magic: A Green Witch Guidebook to Conscious Living and The Gift of Healing Herbs, talks with J about the language of plants and the need for radical revitalization. They discuss the value of dandelion, lessons to be learned from Ginkgo biloba trees, reclaiming the sacredness of dirt, turtle medicine, synchronicity, oat straw, reality as the most magical game around, earth spirit teachings, Robins upcoming course on Radical Self-Care, and the evolutionary impulse towards embodying our "kin-dome" with all of life.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium. Glenn Murphy, author and Founder of NC Systema, talks with J about the Russian martial art of Systema and the intersection of self-defense and self-development. They discuss the origins and history of Systema, Glenn's background in other types of martial arts, the limitations of over adherence to form, Vladimir Vasiliev and Mikhail Ryabko, practices that cultivate seeing what suggests itself, remaining calm when someone punches you in the face, breathing as a Rosetta stone for regulating state, and experiencing yourself as part of nature.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium. Linda Cassidy, old-school teacher and listener of the show, talks with J about yoga being founded on a exploration and realization of the divine. They discuss her religious background and early studies in eastern philosophies, breaking from dogma, presentations of spirit that meet people where they are, Bhagavad Gita, the action of relating, consensual reality and inner knowing, moving away from materialism in practice and beyond, art of Sushumna Nadi, and tickling the possibility of being in touch with a metaphysical center of being.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium. Alma Duran, PhD, is a cultural anthropologist, yoga teacher, and friend of J's who joins the show to talk about the migration of yoga over time and the cultivation of discernment. They discuss the early days of yoga in the eighties and Alma's time as a tv and film producer, Yogaworks in LA in the nineties, being inspired by TKV Desikachar teachings, cultural anthropology and the history of humanity, the progression of yoga from the forest to the palace to the mall to the internet, belief systems, and yoga education as an integrated part of living a life.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium. Lauren Walker, founder of Energy Medicine Yoga and author of The Energy To Heal, returns again to further convince J that we are electromagnetic beings with the capacity to heal. They discuss ways to feel your own energy, the nine energy systems of the body and the significance of "Triple Warmer," bringing principles from one-to-one Energy Medicine to group Yoga, democratizing energy practices, the difference between healing and curing, understanding elemental theory, and moving from a field of trauma to a field of magic.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium. Monica Voss, co-owner and director of Esther Myers Yoga Studio, talks with J about her studies with Vanda Scaravelli and Esther Myers. They discuss her discovery of yoga through Esther and their transition from traditional Iyengar to Vanda's approach, structure and freedom, individual agency and creating your own language, the three fundamental principles behind Vanda's teaching, unwinding, elongating with wavelike pulsations of the spine, tapping into outer realms through poetry, and staying true to your convictions.