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. Eve Grzybowski, author of Teach Yourself Yoga talks with J about being an early yoga adopter and a radical vision for communal retirement. They discuss yoga in the 70's and 80's, the yoga schools she founded, starting a blog back when that was a thing, moving to Mitchells Island NSW and creating a small community of friends to live out their latter years together, trials and joys of adult shared housing, the teachings that come when facing end stages of life, and the power to heal, grow, and share through relationships.

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. Sally Kempton, author of Meditation for the Love of It and Awakening Shakti, talks with J about different paths in yoga and opening the subtle body. They discuss the 70's yoga scene, Swami Muktananda and her "30 years in obedience," why she left the ashram life and became a householder, asceticism and tantra, personal enlightenment vs collective good, spontaneous kundalini experiences and goddesses, "the magical level," and the mystical elements of yoga that people are usually reticent to talk about. This episode is sponsored by Moonclerk.

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. Brian Cooper, PhD, co-founder and director of Yoga Professionals (aka Yoga Alliance Professionals,) talks with J about raising the standards and quality of yoga teaching. They discuss Brian's background in practice, the impetus behind starting an association, why hours-based curricula are inherently flawed, necessary elements in fostering yoga education, the mainstream fantasy narrative of yoga, if mystical realms exist, and fostering yoga that is personal, transformative and maintains integrity. This episode is sponsored by Moonclerk.

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. Frank Jude Boccio returns to the show for an in-depth discussion about his writings Religious But Not Spiritual, The Secret, Neo-Liberal Buddhism, and McMindfulness: The New Capitalist Spirituality. They discuss the etymology of the word religion, what it means to be spiritual, supernatural pseudo-spirituality, science, reductionism, materialism, belief in a soul or lack thereof, the problem with teaching mcmindfulness, the role of intuition and purpose of ceremony, and the honest exchange of ideas and opinions that lead to a discerned 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. Brendan McCall. movement artist and educator, talks with J about parallels between contemporary dance and yoga. Brendan and J went to college and made collaborative performance art together. They discuss the experimental performance training they received, conditions that enable creatives to discover and grow, experiential anatomy and Allan Wayne work, Jean Hamilton Floor Barre and Mary Overlie's Six Viewpoints, and the spirit of somatic inquiry and purpose that inspired wonder in them both. This episode is sponsored by Moonclerk.

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. Julie Smerdon, founder of Shri Yoga, talks with J about the golden times for the yoga profession and the challenges it now faces. They discuss Julie's early formative health challenges, her transition from fitness to yoga, becoming a teacher and moving from the US to Australia, opening a center and building a community, having to close during the pandemic, pros and cons of doing teacher trainings, online vs in-person teaching, and finding out if it's possible to make a living teaching without a center? This episode is sponsored by Moonclerk.

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. Kristine Kaoverii Weber, founder of Subtle® Yoga, talks with J about the subtle nuances of embracing a practice and life of yoga. They discuss Kristine's early years on "walkabout," yoga becoming a profession and going against the vinyasa flow grain, neuroscience as a lens, implicate order and the crisis of misperception, moving to New Zealand and back, mystical realms, listening for divine messages, and bridging the seeming chasms that keep us bound and resistant to the birthright that is love. Listeners can take a free class with Kristine.

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. Dave and Stacy Dockins, creators of the Yoga Project™ studios, talk with J about closing their yoga centers and living in a van. They discuss what happened when the pandemic hit and letting go of owning and operating three yoga studios after fifteen years, deciding to buy and renovate a van, the benefits of online teaching and training, day-to-day of being on the road including showers and finding places to sleep, and the profound philosophical impact of breaking from conventional life. This episode is sponsored by Moonclerk.

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. Divya Kohli, author of Finding Peace in Difficult Times: grounding techniques for inner calm, talks with J about taking a stance and simple ways to pull us through. They discuss Divya's time as a journalist, counter-narratives and bridging divides, navigating difficult conversations, surrender as a practice, insecurity vs uncertainty, grounding in the moment, insomnia, chasing cures and experiential awareness, self-soothing through touch and other practices, and how we can stay sane and steady in an increasingly fast, complex and stimulated 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. Kate Herrera Jenkins, owner or Kiva Hot Yoga in Birmingham, AL, founder of Native Strength Revolution and Stripper Soul, talks with J about building bridges and connecting to spirit. They discuss her time as a dancer in NY and discovering her purpose, her faith in Jesus, Cochiti Pueblo heritage, her Grandma Julie, hot yoga and kivas, christianity and native american connection to the spirit world, and healing indigenous communities through relationship and personal empowerment. This episode is sponsored by Moonclerk.

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. Jennifer Kurdyla, coauthor of Root and Nourish with Abbey Rodriguez, talks with J about developing a reverent and nurturing relationship with food. They discuss the many hats that Jennifer has worn including her work as an editor, her experience of coming to yoga and greater awareness around food, Ayurveda and western herbalism, seasonal eating, kitchari, gut-brain connection, the rule of threes and lying with your left side down, why "you are what you digest," Ojas, and learning to engage food respectfully as a sacred act of existence.

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. Jay B. Marcus and Christopher S. Clark, coauthors with Robert Keith Wallace of The Coherence Effect, talk with J about the healing effect of making the mind and body function in a more orderly or coherent way. They discuss entropy and the second law of thermodynamics, homeostasis systems, Transcendental Meditation and brain wave function, Ayurveda, western medicine, science behind sacred sounds, and changing society by enhancing and spreading inner coherence. This episode is sponsored by Moonclerk.

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. Alison West, founder of Yoga Union and one of J's primary teachers, joins the show for the first time to talk about their shared past and the what they see going forward. They discuss Alison's former career as an art historian, her transition to yoga, when they met in the early nineties and her first teacher training, when grassroots organizing stopped NY state from regulating teacher training, back care and scoliosis, using dowels and rope walls, and the tenderness and inspiration shared through yoga inquiry. This episode is sponsored by Moonclerk.

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. Kari Hohne, author of Decoding the Night Sky: Ancient Babylonian Astrology and The Mythology of Sleep: The Waking Power of Dreams, talks with J about oracles and the field of interconnectivity underlying reality. They discuss Kari's early interest in dreams, studying physics and ancient systems to make sense of her experiences, interpreting the symbols of the mind and creating a dream dictionary, Tao te Ching and I Ching, convergence and synchronicity, and the expansiveness of trusting life is benign. This episode is sponsored by Moonclerk.

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. Norman Blair returns to the show to assess the current state of the yoga teaching profession and encourage creative ways of moving forward. They discuss the impact of the pandemic on yoga teachers and centers, online teaching and getting back together in person, pay equity for yoga teachers and the formation of a yoga teacher union in the UK, the benefits of keeping things small and cooperative, poetry and regulation of the nervous system, and daring to think creatively about our future. This episode is sponsored by Moonclerk.

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. Kelly Kamm was recommended to J by a listener and it lead to this talk about the NY yoga scene, mythology, and the current state of play. They discuss the atmosphere of learning in earlier times, opening and closing a yoga center, misgivings of vinyasa yoga, seeking deeper connection to the invisible forces of magic and spirit, hindu mythology and fringe dwelling goddesses, leaning into the uncomfortable void, coming to grips with incorrect assumptions, and fusing the sacred and the everyday. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

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. Jessie Nieusma (he/him/his) answered J's call to join him for a discussion to dispel misinformation and humanize trans people. They discuss the realities of trans kids, the importance of ensuring that trans people receive the care they need, myths about sports and bathrooms, scare tactics used to discriminate, statistics behind what the trans community endures, spectrum's along both gender and sex, different ways that people work to move the needle towards equality, and getting to know each other across our differences. Resources: Regarding the words transexual versus transgender. Dr Rachel Mckinnon (aka Veronica Ivy) on trans people in sports. Chair in Transgender Studies through the University of Victoria in Canada. History of Transgender people. Podcasts: Queer America Making Gay History Nancy Queery LGBTQ&A The Laverne Cox Show Documentaries: Disclosure on Netflix Real Boy on Prime The Death and Life of Marsha P Johnson on Netflix Trans in Trumpland on Prime and Topic TV Man Made on Prime Historical Films: The Lavender Scare Stonewall Uprising Screaming Queens The Times of Harvey Milk When We Rise TV: Pose on FX Tales of the City on Netflix Sense 8 on Netflix

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. Kathryn Anne Flynn, author of Teach Kind, Clear Yoga, talks with J about yoga methodology and pedagogy. They discuss the influence of yoga in Kathryn's childhood, some of the roots behind teaching yoga for the general population, magic, Madame Blavatsky and the Theosophical Society, the "ceptions" and exploratory practice, pigeon pose, mobility and stability vs strength and flexibility, strategies for making practice fit needs, forever student mindset, and daring to be simple. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

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. PLEASE NOTE: This episodes contains opinions that some find harmful to the trans community. For an opposing view, please listen to EP 265 - Jessie Nieusma - "Trans, Gender and Sex Education" Katchie Ananda, J's first yoga teacher, returns to the show to talk about gender spectrum and biological sex. They discuss how Katchie ended up becoming active and writing about the issue, the cancel campaign waged against her in response, what it means to change a persons sex with puberty blockers or surgical interventions, whether intersex people prove that sex is assigned rather than observed, woman's liberation and individual expression, Big Pharma in trans medicine, and every persons right to be whoever they want to be,

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. Gregor Maele, author of How to Find Your Life's Divine Purpose, talks with J about belief systems and realizing a purposeful life. They discuss pros and cons of experiencing the entirety of everything at once, perceptual filters and the process of enculturation that cut us off from sacred knowledge, infinite human capacity for bullshitting ourselves, how we know what we know and how we know if were wrong, the happy side effect of feeling freer from a fear of death, and individual and collective purpose in finding peace with 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. Rachel Feinberg, old friend and Iyengar yoga teacher, talks with J about what's been happening since they last spoke 14 years ago. They discuss Rachel's lack of online presence and how she has managed to keep it local, fond memories of the old days and grassroots practice, the role of alignment in Iyengar yoga, her experience teaching at IYAGNY, having your own space vs teaching at a center, weathering the pandemic, and the subtle exchange between teachers and students that communicates yoga. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

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. Madhava Setty, MD, author of WOKE. An Anesthesiologist's View and The Conspirituality Podcast: Clear Signal or More Noise?, talks with J about asking questions and challenging official narratives. They discuss his early career in the Aerospace and Defense Industries, his transition to studying medicine and what he learned from observing people under Anastasia, questions around the pandemic and vaccines, the official story of 9/11 WTC7, institutions of power, and the radical implications of interconnectedness.

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. Sheena Sood, PhD, Philly-based healer, writer, educator, and activist scholar of South Asian descent, talks with J about the painful history of caste and politicizing yoga towards healing justice. They discuss Sheena's writing on Spectacles of Compassion, Decolonizing Yoga, Collective Healing, as well as some of the current politics behind the protests in India, International Yoga Day and the Modi government, and the radical possibility for a liberatory yoga of true compassion, solidarity and equity. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

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. Valerie Hauser, Director of the Office of Native American Affairs at the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, talks with J about her work protecting indigenous culture. They discuss the role she plays advising the US government, understanding land-based spirituality and Traditional Knowledge, working through bureaucracy, the disheartening reality of how many people just don't care, burnout and demoralization over the last four years, and the continued fortitude to fight for what is right and embody justice and equality for everyone.

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. Kiko Ellsworth, Emmy Award-Winning Actor, Men's Evolution Coach, and Self Defense Expert, talks with J about discovering a spiritual life and the work men need to do for a better world. They discuss the process of abandoning egoic pursuits to find a deeper sense of self, the allure of celebrity, finding practices and ideas that help in confronting our demons, learning to better serve our partners with humility and grace, choosing to be a force of love and connection, and the unstoppable power of coming together with shared purpose.

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. Gil Hedley, Ph.D., author, Director of Somanautics Workshops and producer of the The Integral Anatomy Series, talks with J about the substance and meaning of existence in a human body. They discuss theology and ethics, the models with which we view our bodies, denial of the feminine and releasing dogmas, "the fuzz" and "perifascia," understanding interconnectedness of all things by observing it within our own systems, and fully embodying the majesty and grace that imbues our cells. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

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. Todd Mclaughlin, oo-founder and director of Native Yoga Center and host of the Native Yoga Toddcast, talks with J about current events and pressing matters. After appearing on Todd's show, J felt like it captured the spirit of what he loves about podcasting and decided to re-release it on Yoga Talks as a fun switch. They discuss the storming of the US Capital and politics, the exposing of fake gurus and processing the fallout, surviving the pandemic and dealing with stark realities, and finding hope through conversation and connection.

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, former foreign correspondent and author of The Truth of Yoga: A Comprehensive Guide to Yoga's History, Texts, Philosophy, and Practices, talks with J about exposing truth in both journalism and yoga. They discuss Daniels experience of writing for the NY Times after 9/11, why he decided to leave behind a career in journalism and pursue yoga scholarship, what we actually know about the origins of yoga, and making clear distinctions between what texts say and what we choose to do with them. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

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. Lucy Karnani, coauthor of Connecting: Conscious Communication for Yoga Teachers and Therapists, talks with J about utilizing tools for understanding connection and communication. Lucy and J have been interacting for some time and this was an opportunity for them to connect and discuss her background in facilitating effective communication, the importance of values and motivations, levels of listening, conditions for change, and the link between our experience of practice and being able to share it with others in a way that is helpful.

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. Krishna Das, best-selling western chant artist of all time, talks with J about what a real guru is and the practice of chanting. They discuss KD's experience of Neem Karoli Baba and the role of a guru, his early beginnings of leading kirtan in NYC, singing to clean out the dark places, overcoming the pitfalls that come from becoming more interesting to others, doing things for the right reasons and understanding deeper love, and entering into heart spaces to experience the interconnectedness of all. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

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. Trina Altman, author of Yoga Deconstructed®: Movement Science Principles for Teaching, returns to the show to touch base with J on expanding movement diets and meeting goals. They catch up on whats been happening since they last spoke and how they have been navigating the pandemic, discuss the evolution of yoga teaching, Trina's views on utilizing movement and working with people on an individual level, what we are doing when we develop strength, and the deeper inquiry into ourselves that transcends labels or categories.

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 Rosenstock, host of the Touching Into Presence Podcast, talks with J about Rolfing and other forms of mind/body therapies. They discuss the history of the Rolfing modality, what goes into being "rolfed," Andrew's viewpoint on different aspects of both technique and philosophy, parallels between structural integration and yoga therapy, Rolf movement, gait analysis, holism in assessment and application, what can actually be done to a structure and why, and the somatic exploration at the heart of facilitating awareness and health.

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, founder of Way of The Mother Bern, talks with J about handling the quarantines and moving forward. They discuss the similarities and differences between how Switzerland and the USA have dealt with the pandemic, the blog she wrote early on about teachers giving away classes for free and devaluing the profession, navigating the guidelines for in-person teaching, the deep value of community and circles of trust, and the need for teachers to reimagine their relationships with centers and retain individual platforms.

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. Christopher Wallis, Founder and Head Faculty of Tantrika Institute and author of Tantra Illuminated, returns to the show to talk about shifting paradigms of existence and near enemies of the truth. They discuss cultivating a reverent feeling towards life, balancing devotion with discernment, understanding gurus and holding leaders accountable, kindness and tough love as pedagogical strategies, receiving downloads of innate intelligence, and understanding subjectivity. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

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 Schwartz, yoga teacher and podcast listener, talks with J about the dark underbelly of Yoga to the People NYC. They discuss the @yttpshadowwork Instagram account that started publishing anonymous testimony of manipulation and abuse at what was a premier yoga presence in the NY scene prior to covid, Adam's first-hand experience of practice and training at YTTP, inner workings of the staff and studio policies, lessons to be learned, and the daunting realities that grassroots yoga teachers are facing in the midst of the pandemic.

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. Lucie Vogel, Original Goat Yoga Mama and survivor of the Dahn Yoga cult, talks with J about holding institutions accountable and a defamation lawsuit filed by Matthew Remski. They discuss Dahn Yoga and her involvement in the organization, when the locust of control shifts in high-demand groups, the process of reclaiming personal empowerment, legal barriers to accountability, why Lucie wrote an article exposing Remski's lawsuit, and making sure our efforts to achieve justice are true to purpose. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

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. Chris Preist, co-director of Bristol Zen Dojo, talks with J about the teachings of TKV Desikachar and collectivizing institutions of yoga. They discuss Chris's history and study in both yoga and zen, the process of mind and ego at work in yoga transmission, devising practice and the role of oo-jai pranayama in going from gross to subtle awareness, deep commitment in practice, teacher/student relationships, the failing of institutions to address abuse, and the power of sincere friendship and mutual bonds of affection.

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. Heather Plett, author of The Art of Holding Space, talks with J the day after the 2020 election about what it means to hold space and learning to navigate in the dark. They discuss the liminal threshold of ambiguity and disorientation that occurs when we find ourselves transitioning from who we once were to who we are becoming, the circles of trust and vulnerability needed to provide support, brave vs safe spaces, power and privilege, selective judgement, and creating new social contracts that foster equality and humility.

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 Krasno, author and host of the Commune Podcast, talks with J about the trajectory of yoga in our culture and its role in the larger collective fate of humanity. They discuss the origins and spirit of Wanderlust, downsides to turning yoga teachers into rock stars, the vital contribution that earnest teachers have in society, our current perilous moment, being open to learn from opposing viewpoints as a counter to the rampant polarization of everything, and keeping faith in our institutions. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

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. Hong Gwi-Seok, author of The Gift of Somatic Particularity in Iyengar Yoga and teacher at the Iyengar Yoga Detroit Cooperative, talks with J about evolving practice and bottom-up social change. They discuss her history with Iyengar Yoga, misconceptions about BKS Iyengar's teaching, the notion of somatic particularity, hierarchical power abuse and the inadequacy of institutions to address it, how yoga is inherent in social change and justice, and the spirit of inquiry at the heart of exploring interconnectedness with all things.

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. Judith Hanson Lasater, author of Yoga Myths: What You Need to Learn and Unlearn for a Safe and Healthy Yoga Practice, returns to the show and talks with J about letting go of the myths that once dominated yoga classes and embracing the spiritual underpinnings of practice. They discuss the genesis of her latest book not tucking the tailbone, the inner workings of triangle pose, Mula Bandha as an energetic technique of spontaneous creation, and the heart space that really makes it all work. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

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. Simon Borg-Olivier, co-founder and owner of Yoga Synergy, talks with J about both the science and metaphysics in his work uncovering the essence of yoga. They discuss his experience of studying with the gurus and pioneering yoga in the west, the influence of tradition in the process of innovation, science behind energy in the human system, modern body vs traditional body, natural breathing and active movements, and clearly understanding the purpose of yoga to be a recognition of our inherent interconnectedness and mutuality.

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. Seane Corn, co-founder of Off the Mat, Into the World, talks with J about a PSA she posted regarding QAnon and the 2020 election. They discuss the recruitment of wellness influencers and their followers into the QAnon web of conspiracy theories, the co-option of legitimate causes, well financed Instagram accounts utilizing social media prowess to manipulate and deceive, discerning truth, practicing radical accountability, and the hope that out of this mess will come a reckoning. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

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. Amy Weintraub, author of Temple Dancer and Yoga for Depression, talks with J about old times and her new fiction work on sacred sexuality. They discuss her pioneering direction in yoga for mood management and mental health, getting caught up in admin and moving away from developing teacher trainings, her return to fiction writing and the voice of her characters coming through, the story of the temple dancers, suppression of female polarity, and the ways in which we can heal and embrace the spiritual power that is inherent in all of us.

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 Freeman and Mary Taylor, coauthors of When Love Comes to Light: Bringing Wisdom from The Bhagavad Gita Into Modern Life, talk with J about their new translation and interpretation of the Bhagavad Gita. The conversation begins with a check-in on how things are going in the pandemic and then turns to the relevance of the Gita to our current situation. They discuss the text as a commentary on hierarchies and power structures, and a primer for intuitive knowing and overcoming difficulties. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

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. Dr. Monea Tamara Abdul-Majeed, Racial Justice Educator and Yoga Teacher, talks with J about anti-racism and the need for all voices to be heard. They discuss having courageous conversations with family and friends, change making from top down and bottom up, radical viewpoints and self care, understanding privilege without shaming, being resilient in the face of entrenched injustice, performative allyship vs real dialogue, the fraught polarization of our current politics and being forced to choose the lesser of evils in the coming election.

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. Carol Horton, author of 21st Century Yoga and Yoga PhD, returns to the show to provide a sober analysis of authoritarianism on both sides of the political aisle and perspective on the choices we all are facing. They discuss the erosion of dialogue and debate among online yoga communities and beyond, the politics and social mores that are fueling the polarization we are experiencing, illiberalism and decentralized authoritarianism on the left, and finding ground for wisdom and hope. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

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. Kishor Stein is a former student of Manouso Manos who talked with J at the end of last year about the abuse he witnessed, but it was never made public until now. Seven months later, they reconnect to introduce the episode by discussing why it was not originally released and why they are doing so now. The original conversation is about the overt and subtle abuse that is commonplace in yoga classes, power imbalances and sexual assault, charisma and cult of personality, and the pain of having a teacher you once admired but can no longer support.

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. Tias Little, author of The Practice is the Path and Yoga of the Subtle Body, talks with J about liminal spaces and subtle body healing. They discuss his background and evolution from rigorous physicality to somatic embodiment, mining dreams for messages from beyond, using slower movement and poetic language to encourage greater awareness, delving deeply into emotional shadows and unlocking a plenum of possibility, reconciling the imaginary realm with turmoil and injustice, and learning to embrace the wonder of existence.

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. Max Strom, author of There Is No App For Happiness and A Life Worth Breathing, talks with J about emotional healing and fulfilling core human needs. They discuss experiences and influences that shaped Max's work, the fundamental relationship between bodies and feeling, using breath-work to heal emotional wounds, the ethical causes needed to support well-being, societal factors that present obstacles, and the ways in which we can overcome negative presets and have a more meaningful life. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.