The Mentor Sessions

I think many of us would agree that a strict, dogmatic focus on alignment in asana doesn't really serve our students, but the question you may be asking next is... what do I teach then? If I'm not telling students the right or wrong way to move their body, what am I teaching them? How do I communicate information about movement without taking away my students' agency? My friend Derek Cook is here to take us on a deep dive into anatomy, biomechanics, and pedagogy as we attempt to answer some of these questions! In this episode you'll hear: overarching themes we see in lineages that have an emphasis on alignment how bodies grow and change, the role trauma plays, and why that matters to yoga teachers what changes when we look at how a body is ORGANIZED as opposed to how it is aligned a breakdown of many of the most commonly used aesthetic cues and when they make sense to use and when they don't how Derek decides what to teach! Learn More From Derek: At his online class library, The Single Point Yoga On Instagram here and here

I am so excited to announce that my virtual yoga studio Stillness + Movement is officially open! This episode will take a deep dive into how I ended up creating a virtual yoga studio (it was kind of accidental!), what is so different about the way we teach, and how I recommend teachers listening set up something similar much more cheaply than the custom registration platform I had built! In this episode you'll hear: why I wanted the studio to have an "old school" structure the distinctive way we are teaching virtual yoga (hint: we do it sitting at a desk! No fancy camera, mic or lighting required) who our classes are for and what students can expect how I connected with the teachers who are teaching at the studio and what makes them each so special what I recommend if you want to host your own virtual yoga classes, but don't want to build a custom registration platform! Resources Mentioned: Stillness + Movement (come take a class!!) Acuity Scheduling (this is what I most recommend for teachers organizing their own virtual classes) Vagaro (also good!) Tara Lemerise Yoga (check her out, she has live virtual classes and a class library she built herself!) Monica Bright's website (check her out, she has live virtual classes and a class library she built herself!) Memberpress and Envira Gallery (these are the plugins Tara is using for her class library)

Creating and connecting with community has been one of my most important practices this year. I have a weekly Sunday night Zoom hang out with my best friends from college. I'm in a quarantine pod with my parents and have dinner with them most weeks. I have regular Slack and text chats with the Stillness + Movement teaching team. Checking in, venting, processing, uplifting, fantasizing and being together keeps me awake, grounded and grateful. The Where Do We Go From Here? series here on The Mentor Sessions has been such a great excuse to get some of my favorite yoga teacher colleagues on Zoom to process together, and out loud, where you can all listen in!! This is the fifth and final episode in the series, for now, and I can't wait for you to hear it! Susanna Barkataki and Amber Karnes are some of my most treasured yoga friends, and just talking to them lifted my spirits. The work they are both doing in the world is vitally important and they do it with such clarity and compassion. They inspire me and I know you'll feel the same way! In this episode you'll hear: What has been hard for Amber and Susanna this year, and what they have lost An important conversation about who is missing from our spaces and why Why online teaching is working well for the three of us and some things listeners can do to make their online teaching feel more sustainable The ways in which teaching online has made things more accessible When we each think we might teach in-person again Resources Mentioned In This Episode: State of Union (Yoga) My virtual yoga studio, Stillness + Movement I'm writing letters to help Get Out The Vote with Vote Forward Learn More From Susanna: In her new book! On Instagram On her website At her training school, Ignite Be Well Namaste Master Class Learn More From Amber: On her website, Body Positive Yoga At the Accessible Yoga Training School

This is the fourth episode in the Where Do We Go From Here? series here on the podcast and in this episode my guests and I acknowledge some of the particular challenges American yoga teachers are facing in the midst of COVID-19 and our country's semi-shutdown. We talk about the future of brick and mortar yoga studios, the challenges of teaching online, the difference between performing and teaching and creative ways YTT's are pivoting and the new accessibility that offers. Learn More From Matthew: On his website On Facebook In his book: Practice and All is Coming: Abuse, Cult Dynamics, and Healing in Yoga and Beyond On his podcast: Conspirituality Podcast On his blog Learn More From Theo: On her website On Facebook At Alt-AC (a home for the work of non-established, independent and early career researchers) On Crowdcast Through her research Other important resources: And a handy glossary of conspirituality-to-QAnon keywords And a handy summary of cult dynamics, plus resources

It is now September of this unprecedented year, and there is so much that is unknown about our future and our world. When I asked my friends Jules Mitchell and Arundhati Baitmangalkar to join me for this conversation about what happens next, particularly in the yoga world, they both cautioned me that they didn't really have many answers to my questions. "That's okay!" I said. "It's not important to give people sure and concrete answers, those don't really exist in the best of times anyway. It's just important to have conversations about what comes next out in public!" So I'm very excited to bring you the third episode in the Where Do We Go From Here? series here on The Mentor Sessions. In this episode you'll hear Jules, Aru and I get really honest about what these last six months have been like for us, and our best guess about what our work might look like a year from now. In this episode you'll hear: a honest conversation about the joys and challenges of teaching online how the events of this year might change the yoga world permanently what our work might look like a year from now what makes us feel hopeful about the future some suggestions for yoga teachers and studio owners as we continue to move through this challenging season Arundhati Baitmangalkar (she/her) is an Indian immigrant yoga teacher, studio business owner, podcaster and Bollywood choreographer. Based in Seattle, Arundhati has been teaching for 14 years, owns 2 studios businesses. Named as one of the top 20 POC yoga teachers to watch out for by Yogawalla in 2020…Arundhati focuses on merging the eastern and western worlds of yoga authentically through her teacher trainings, her weekly 'Let's Talk Yoga' podcast and other offerings. Her mission is to empower other yoga teachers like her to not only live their yoga but also thrive by building successful career around it. Jules Mitchell (she/her) MS, CMT, RYT is a Las Vegas based yoga teacher, educator and massage therapist. She blends the tradition of yoga with her extensive study in biomechanics to help teachers develop their craft and empower them with education. She regularly contributes to yoga teacher training programs and leads workshops worldwide, balancing the somatic aspects of yoga with the most current exercise science. Bringing the most useful and applicable pieces of that science into the yoga community is her passion, even when it invokes a discerning analysis of tradition. Her book, Yoga Biomechanics: Stretching Redefined, is now available through Handspring Publishing. Learn More From Arundhati Baitmangalkar: On Instagram On her podcast, Let's Talk Yoga On her website Learn More From Jules Mitchell: On Instagram On Twitter On Facebook On her website In her online 300 Hour Teacher Training In her Livestream Courses

So much has changed in our world in the last several months, and the questions I keep asking myself are: If everything is going to change, what matters most? If we are never going back to the old way of doing things, what do I want to create in the new world? I'm so excited to host a series here on The Mentor Sessions called, Where Do We Go From Here? where I get to ask leaders in our yoga world these exact questions. The feedback about the first episode has been great. Someone said this, "I think that the format of the three of you having a convo is really beautiful and effective. There was a casualness which actually made the conversation go deeper I think than if it had just been one persons' thoughts." Today my guests are Crystal McCreary and Monica Bright and I can't wait for you to absorb their wisdom and insight! Crystal McCreary (she/her/hers) is a Lead Yoga, Mindfulness and Health Educator & Teacher Trainer with 13+ years of experience in instructing yoga and mindfulness to people of all ages. She has a passion for implementing comprehensive wellness programs within schools and organizations to foster compassionate and equitable communities and sustainable work environments. Crystal's expertise is derived from a lifetime of harnessing powerful embodied, contemplative tools necessary to navigate the unique challenges of living as a Black cis-woman in an inequitable world. She has facilitated trainings for many organizations that aim to support the social and emotional wellbeing of youth and adults including and she currently works full-time in the Health Department at The Dalton School in New York. Crystal is excited to soon release a yoga and mindfulness resource for children with the support of Bala Kids Monica Bright (she/her/hers) is a master yoga teacher in the areas of anatomy, self massage, injuries and recovery strategies. With over 2000 hours of training in yoga & human movement, she continues to cultivate a deep love for the human body. Monica has co-led multiple Yoga Teacher Trainings, facilitates workshops on movement and injuries prevalent in yoga, leads anatomy trainings and hosts yearly international Yoga Retreats. She created and manages an online yoga membership with access to her video class library, instructional videos, audio classes, and playlists and keeps in touch with students all over the world. In this episode you'll hear: how Monica and Crystal made quick pivots in their teaching practice this spring the big changes they both think we will see in the yoga world next year what they think their work might look like a year from now some changes they both hope we are going to see in the next several years recommendations for listeners to consider as our world continues to change Learn More From Crystal: On her Website On Instagram On Facebook On YouTube Learn More From Monica: On her website On Instagram On YouTube

So much has changed in our world in the last several months, and the yoga world has been forced to pull in and take a pause. While many brick and mortar studios are closing and there are other related sad endings, I think we are also in a time ripe for positive and much needed change. If everything is going to change, what matters most?If we are never going back to the old way of doing things, what do we want to create in the new world? These are questions I have been asking myself, and I'm so excited to introduce this new series here on The Mentor Sessions called, Where Do We Go From Here? In this series I have paired up teachers and thought leaders in the yoga world so I can ask them these exact questions. My first two guests are Jesal Parikh and Bryn Chrisman. Jesal Parikh (she/her/hers) is a yoga teacher, movement educator, podcaster, author, and disrupter working on creative solutions for equity in yoga. She is one of the co-hosts of the Yoga is Dead podcast and is the Co-Director of Yoga Teachers of Color. Jesal's mission is to uplift those of us who are feeling isolated and marginalized by the yoga industry. Bryn Chrisman (she/her/hers) is a student, teacher and educator of yoga & body-mind practices and the founder and operator of Yogamaya Yoga Studio in New York City which opened in 2010. As a teacher, Bryn offers creative movement explorations guiding students to witness wonder, feel empowered and be more aware of themselves. As a studio operator, Bryn always wants to "do better" and provide education where students learn and teachers teach in an uplifting and fun atmosphere. In this episode you'll hear: what has changed for Jesal and Bryn since March of 2020 what predictions we have for the yoga world in the next six months what is lost when teaching yoga virtually what is gained when teaching yoga virtually what is most important about brick and mortar spaces and when we think we'll be gathering in them again what changes we are hopeful about in the next several years Mentioned in this episode: Yoga Teachers of Color Yogamaya Yoga Studio The Connective Studio The Connective's Anti-Racism Community Agreement Yogamaya's Teacher Training Learn More From Jesal: On her website On Instagram On her podcast Yoga Is Dead Yoga Teachers of Color on Instagram Learn More From Bryn: At her studio On Instagram

I'm really grateful to bring you this interview with Jivana Heyman, the founder and director of Accessible Yoga, because his voice and leadership is SO needed right now. Jivana has specialized in teaching yoga to people with disabilities with an emphasis on community building and social engagement. Out of this work, the Accessible Yoga organization was created to support education, training and advocacy with the mission of shifting the public perception of yoga. Over the past 25 years, Jivana has led countless yoga teacher training programs around the world, and dedicates his time to supporting yoga teachers who are working to serve communities that are under-represented in traditional yoga spaces. In this episode we cover: how Jivana's early experience as an AIDS activist informs his teaching today the relationship between Accessible yoga and human rights what practice looks like when it expands beyond the physical creative ways to adapt postures so they work for many different bodies accessible versions of sun salutations positive changes happening in the yoga world Learn More From Jivana: On his website About his Accessible Yoga Training On Instagram About his book: Accessible Yoga: Poses & Practices for Every Body

These are intense, unprecedented times. I know so much about your day to day life has changed in the last few weeks. As yoga teachers, our work has become quite challenging. But if you (and your students) have a computer and an internet connection, it is possible to stay connected with your students, continue to teach and continue to make money if your family depends on your yoga teaching income like mine does. This episode was pulled from a video training I shared, along with many other resources, on my blog. You can find all the videos and other resources I mention there. In this episode you'll hear: all the different ways you can teach online and the ONE way I most recommend how to support our students in taking the plunge to practicing yoga online and how to onboard a new student what to keep in mind while you're teaching, and why I recommend using almost exclusively verbal cues the equipment I recommend using for teaching yoga online and more!

NOTE: We recorded this podcast episode months ago, and life was different back then. I decided to release this episode for y'all now anyway for three reasons: 1. I thought it might get your creative juices flowing if you find yourself teaching non-traditional yoga classes...2. Sam is being treated as an employee by some of the companies where she teaches and will still be paid, even if the company is closed, so corporate gigs can provide some good stability.... And 3. I thought you might be interested in listening to some yoga-related content that isn't about the virus or teaching online, just as a change of pace. Teaching yoga classes in workplaces can be a great way to bring yoga to a population who otherwise might not have access to it, AND an awesome way to create well-paying teaching opportunities for ourselves. BUT...these teaching gigs can feel elusive and hard to find! Plus the logistics of managing these contracts can feel tricky even when you do make a potential connection! Teachers ask me for advice about this topic all the time, and honestly, it's just not my specialty. Luckily I know an AMAZING yoga teacher who is an expert in finding and teaching corporate yoga clients. Samantha Harrison teaches alignment-based vinyasa and gentle yoga in Greenville, North Carolina, and has been able to fully support her whole family (kids too!) teaching corporate and private yoga clients. In this episode you'll hear: how Samantha landed her first corporate client all the different Class Format Options and the pros and cons of each who to contact at a company and what to say in the initial reach out how to write a proposal and a contract and what to include in those documents who should pay for the class and how to accept payment

Today you're going to hear a live, unedited 1x1 mentoring session! I love connecting with teachers in 1x1 mentoring sessions because I get to listen deeply to the challenges they are facing and together we troubleshoot solutions to their biggest teaching conundrums. While the questions we ponder might seem small, I have seen, again and again, how holding space for teachers to think critically about their teaching can have a significant impact. Supporting teachers in being in compassionate inquiry about their teaching practice transforms not just their teaching, but their careers and their lives. I invited Mary Reddinger to join me on the show today because she is super smart and asks great questions! She has been a part of my teacher's community for a long time, and took The Science of the Private Lesson™ with me last year. She has been teaching since 2018, but she teaches seven group classes and four private clients each week and she speaks about teaching like someone who has been teaching much longer! In this episode you'll hear: what I recommend teachers do to help connect with private students when we don't see them consistently the best way to work with students who have particular pose goals in mind, especially if that goal pose doesn't seem appropriate If we should communicate changes in our teaching priorities to our students, and if so, how and when some advice about "finding a niche" in your teaching (and why my recommendation is a little different from most!) I think this conversation will be super useful for all you teachers who are wondering how you can grow and evolve in your teaching even more skillfully!

Back pain is complex and many students end up in yoga classes because they heard it would be good for their "bad back" so I'm super excited to share the wisdom of my friend Jesal Parikh with you today. Jesal has been teaching yoga since 2010, is the co-creator of the Yoga is Dead podcast and serves as a volunteer for World Spine Care Yoga Project. She has a strong background in anatomy, kinesiology and biomechanics for yoga teachers and teaches these topics in several yoga teacher trainings. In this episode you'll hear: a basic overview of the anatomy of the spine and related structures the most important role a yoga teacher can play in supporting someone working with low back pain specific guidelines for teaching students with lower back pain the most skillful and least skillful cues yoga teachers use when it comes to addressing low back pain in group classes and so much more! Learn More From Jesal: On her website By following her on Instagram By following World Spine Care Yoga Project on Instagram

What do you think of when you hear the word "marketing"? Does it make you think of sleazy sales tactics? Or does it remind you of all the things you think you are supposed to be doing, like social media and email lists, and make you feel immediately overwhelmed?? Whichever camp you fall into, this episode has something for you! Y'all have been asking me to talk about marketing for yoga teachers for YEARS, and I have resisted until now. I met someone who I am TOTALLY in agreement with when it comes to marketing and I'm so excited for you guys to learn from her. Nikki Naab-Levy is a Pilates teacher, licensed massage therapist, and certified functional strength coach with over a decade of experience helping clients build strength and overcome injury. She holds B.S. in Exercise Science and B.S. in Magazine Journalism from Ohio University and when she's not teaching a sneaky hard Pilates class, you can find her using her journalism experience to help yoga and Pilates teachers find creative and effective ways to market their workshops, classes, and online programs. In this episode you'll hear: what marketing actually is and why it is important the several phases of a yoga teaching career and the different kinds of marketing that is appropriate for each one the main obstacles yoga teachers run into when they market their offerings three simple things you can do right now to make your marketing more effective some specific homework from Nikki and I to help you get started with some marketing basics if you're not doing anything right now!

Did you know that arthritis is not one single disease, but a category of over 100 medical conditions that is actually the leading cause of disability in the US?? Before talking to Dr. Steffany Moonaz (and reading her book) I didn't either! Dr. Steffany Moonaz founded Yoga for Arthritis after 8 years at Johns Hopkins University where she studied the effects of yoga for people living with arthritis. She now serves as the Director of Clinical and Academic Research at the Maryland University of Integrative Health, which offers the nation's only Masters of Science in Yoga Therapy. She continues to conduct research on the effects of yoga for chronic pain and joint conditions, and is joining us on The Mentor Sessions today to talk about making yoga practices safe, welcoming, and appropriate for people with arthritis. In this episode you'll hear: some of the biggest myths about arthritis why the multifaceted practices of yoga are so supportive for people living with arthritis what is lost when yoga teachers and researchers focus only on asana the difference between chronic pain and acute pain as it relates to the brain how chronic pain impacts the anatomy and function of the brain circuitry and what yoga teachers can do about it how to teach yoga classes that are safe, welcoming and inclusive for people living with arthritis

The term self care is ubiquitous in our world today and since yoga practice is an important part of self care for some people the topic comes up for us yoga teachers quite often! Also, it can be difficult to practice good self care as a yoga teacher running all over town trying to make ends meet, so I am really excited to introduce you to my friend Gracy today! Gracy Obuchowicz is a Washington, DC-based group facilitator, retreat leader and self-care coach and a very good, real life friend of mine! She is also a certified Integral Facilitator, a 500-hour registered yoga teacher, and a continuing scholar of Ayurveda. She has written a book about self-care called selfcarefully that covers a wide range of topics and the relationship they have to self care including self-care & setting boundaries, self-care & soaking grains, self-care & the patriarchy, self-care & the moon, self-care & consumerism and self-care & perfectionism, just to name a few! In this episode you'll hear: how the phrase self care originated and became part of our everyday language some thoughts about the criticism that self-care is consumerism thinly cloaked as wellness and that self-care individualizes systemic problems some of Gracy's foundational self care practices a self care growth edge for Gracy and the one self care practice she recommends to the yoga teachers all the time!

Teaching yoga one-on-one requires a totally different skill set than teaching group classes and these unique skills are left out of most teacher trainings so if you have lots of questions about teaching 1x1 lessons that makes sense. I've been a full time yoga teacher since 2005, teaching 15-25 private clients a week for most of the last 14+ years so I've got plenty of experience in this realm and am so happy to answer your questions! In this episode I do a Quickfire Q + A and answer these questions: Is it rude if I bring a swiffer and clean my student's practice space? What should my cancellation policy be? And does it have to work both ways? Do you have an initial assessment/interview session to get to know your client and their needs? How do you best serve a client that you feel would benefit from a slower paced practice that always asks for a more challenging, faster pace class with difficult poses? What is the protocol for raising rates on existing private clients? What does it mean to meet students where they are? And more!

I'm honored to call Cecily Milne a friend. She is thoughtful, smart and an amazing force for change in the yoga world. As the creator of Yoga Detour, she is seen as a yoga "integrator", helping people bridge the gap between the yoga they already love and the other things, like strength and mobility, they're becoming increasingly curious about. You can find Cecily teaching digitally through Detour Method Online and traveling around the world introducing people to the transformative power of intentional, inquiry-based learning and movement. To hear more about Cecily and her approach to incorporating "non-yoga" movements into asana classes listen to our previous interview on Episode # 32! In this episode you'll hear: a conversation about yoga teacher education and critical thinking what might be missing from many yoga teacher training programs and how we can add it back in the hallmarks of high quality teaching in yoga and movement spaces the most important skills a yoga teacher needs to develop and the best ways to do that Learn More From Cecily: On her website On Instagram Read this blog post Cecily wrote about creating high quality teacher training programs

A large group of yoga teachers at YogaWorks in New York City is working together to create a labor union that would be the first of its kind. (!) This is what they have to say about it, "We are Yoga and Mindful Fitness Educators. We're coming together to have a voice in our industry, raise industry standards and create a more equitable and sustainable profession for all. Our goal is for employees, students, and businesses to thrive." I'm excited to share their work, stories, hopes, and goals with you all. This is a big deal. In Episode #56 (Avoiding Burnout: Self Care, Boundaries + Daily Routines) one of the first things I said was that as a culture we don't really value care work and making a living as a yoga teacher (and staying healthy and sane yourself) can be really tough. That episode focused on the daily rhythms of life and what yoga teachers can do to keep their wells full. I'm excited in this episode to talk about the wider world we inhabit and how we can work to create a new culture, one that values the kind of work yoga teachers do. In this episode, you'll hear from Markella Los, Toya Williford, and Julie Dohrman and we'll talk all about: the inception of the Unionize Yoga campaign when it became clear that a union was what was needed how unionizing will help all the teachers at YogaWorks (and beyond) how unionizing helps the studio and the industry as a whole some of the biggest union myths out there (and we'll correct the record) Learn More From Unionize Yoga: On Instagram Check out some of their press Subscribe to their newsletter for updates

Dr. Garrett Neill, or Dr. Yogi Gare as he's known online, is a Chiropractor and a yoga teacher and I LOVE following his work on social media. He shares tons of helpful information for yoga teachers and holds the space for really interesting conversations for our community. In his work with patients Dr. Garrett employs Chiropractic Manual Therapies, Soft Tissue Techniques and Corrective Exercises that emphasize stability, strength, and efficiency to ensure his patients are capable of moving in the best way possible. He writes and lectures about anatomy, biomechanics, & neuroscience and how they relate to yoga and he teaches weekly yoga classes. In this episode you'll hear: all about the difference between Active Range of Motion and Passive Range of Motion why it is important for yoga teacher to understand the difference between the two a discussion of the three main barriers to range of motion that show up in our joints some of the reasons the body might "tighten" and limit our range of motion what we should we be thinking about in terms of how we teach movement when it comes to creating stability how mobility and flexibility are different from one another Learn More From Garrett: On Instagram On Facebook On Shut Up And Yoga (this is the article our conversation was based so, so read it to dive even deeper!)

The shoulder is a notoriously complex and even injury prone joint, but we don't have to be afraid of it! Today we have Diana Zotos, our resident Physical Therapist, joining us on The Mentor Sessions to dive into everything yoga teachers need to know about the shoulder! Diana is the co-founder and co-director of Threes Physiyoga Method™ which is dedicated to teaching yoga teachers applied anatomy and kinesiology, and bridging the gap through advanced teacher training between yoga teachers and the healthcare industry. In this episode you'll hear: an overview of all the bones that make up the shoulder, including a deep dive into the scapula a description of the many joints that actually make up the whole shoulder complex the over AND underuse issues that come up in yoga practitioners some things that yoga teachers can do in class to encourage healthy and full use of the shoulders a quickfire Q+A about rotator cuffs, thoracic outlet syndrome, frozen shoulder, sore serratus anterior and overused trapezius muscles

I absolutely love Kathryn Bruni-Young's smart approach to movement and well-rounded strength and I'm so excited to have her back on The Mentor Sessions to share her wisdom with us! Kathryn Bruni-Young is an international teacher, a strength training enthusiast, teacher trainer and the host of the Mindful Strength Podcast. She produces an online studio from her country home in eastern Ontario, and she educates folks on how they can build their strength and add more strengthening to their yoga, pilates and functional movement classes. You can listen to my first interview with Kathyrn and hear more of an overview of her philosophy on Mindful Strength in Episode #5! In this episode you'll hear: why strength training might be more accessible to many people than body weight exercises like postural yoga how strength training can be used as a way to build up to body weight movement how can weight training help yoga teachers avoid injury easy ways to increase load as strength progresses or decrease load if a regression is needed what yoga teachers can do at home to incorporate strength training into their routine if they don't have access to a gym Learn More From Kathryn: At her website At her Mindful Strength Virtual Studio On her Mindful Strength Podcast On Instagram

I hear frequently from yoga teachers who feel burned out and are trying to figure out how to dig themselves out of that hole. I know it can be so tough! We become yoga teachers because we love the practice and are initially so excited to share it with others, but the realities of making a living as a yoga teacher can be very challenging. We find ourselves working constantly without making much money or the practice that once was a private spiritual life raft has become a public performance and sometimes that makes it lose some of it's special-ness. In today's podcast episode we are going to talk all about: Why yoga teachers get burned out Why the structure of our society sometimes makes it difficult to take care of ourselves and our families while teaching yoga What we can do with our teaching schedule to avoid burnout How to know if we should be hustling for more clients and classes OR NOT Why having clear boundaries about time and money go a long way in helping us avoid burnout How to manage Student/Teacher relationships to protect our energy reserves Two different kinds of Self Care and how to know which one you need more of right now Why you need a Sustainable and Sustaining Morning Routine and how to create one After you listen to the episode I'd love to hear how this episode landed for you! Do you have other Self Care practices that help you avoid or heal from burn out? Tell me in the comments below!

The yoga world is a subculture of our society; it mirrors both the beauty and the problems of the wider culture it inhabits. As a group we tend to spend more time teaching and talking about the things we deem "positive" about ourselves and our world, but in the long run this does everyone a disservice, both us and our yoga students. If we want our world to be different and better it is up to create that change. And that means we have to talk about the underbelly of the yoga industry. We have to shine a light on the dark, dusty corners and start cleaning up. For that reason I am SO honored and excited to introduce you to the Yoga Is Dead podcast. My friends Jesal Parikh and Tejal Patel created this podcast as a way to jumpstart critical conversations, elevate oppressed voices and expose the problems felt by anyone who isn't in the "in" crowd of the yoga industry. In this episode you'll hear: Why they decided to call their podcast Yoga is Dead and the reactions they've received so far Why they felt it was necessary for their first episode to cover the racism and cultural appropriation they've experienced All about "Karma Capitalism" and why it is a problem How power hoarding shows up in the yoga world and what can be done about it Suggestions for being a good ally And so much more! Listen here and please share any thoughts or questions below! Myself, Jesal and Tejal will be happy to answer any questions that come up! Learn More From Jesal + Tejal: On the podcast's website Resources to learn more about racism, cultural appropriation, privilege and being a good ally Resources to learn more about Karma Capitalism Follow them on Instagram Join the Yoga is Dead Facebook group

My spiritual practice is one that asks me to wake up to the world as it is. My spiritual practice asks me to be strong enough to see the truth about our society and understand my place in it. My spiritual practice values equity for all people and has a deep reverence for our inherent interdependence as a species. My spiritual practice has always understood that I am not free until all people are free. The evolution of this path led me to anti-racism work. As I began to see how living in a White Supremacist culture has infected everything I understand about myself and our world I was led to the work of dismantling the White Supremacy that is inside me, as the very important first step in dismantling White Supremacy out in the world. As I continued to walk down this path I ran face first into a wall. As a white woman teaching yoga is there any way to do that without appropriating and stealing from a culture that is not my own? I don't have an answer for that question. From my perspective, as a person committed to creating and supporting a better world for all people, it seems important that I get used to the discomfort that comes from living in the questions. Many of you are sitting with these questions as well, and I appreciate you reaching out to me to ask for support on this path. In my role as a mentor I am committed to holding space for difficult conversations and asking (hopefully) thoughtful questions. We are so so lucky to have Susanna Barkataki joining us on The Mentor Sessions today to bring her lived experience, wisdom and expertise to these questions. Susanna Barkataki helps yoga teachers, studios, nonprofits and businesses become leaders in equity, diversity and yogic values so they can embody thriving yoga leadership with integrity and she has worked in teaching and social justice for two decades. In this episode you'll hear: Why the yoga world so badly need to hear Susanna's message of diversity and inclusion A breakdown of the language often used in conversations like this. We'll define: Decolonization Cultural appropriation Diversity Inclusion Dominant Culture And accessibility specifically as it relates to yoga spaces The main difference between honoring yoga and appropriating yoga A conversation about how to update the movement practice and include learnings from modern movement science while still honoring the original teachings What members of the dominant culture can do to transform our society

Ann Swanson is a certified yoga therapist, mind-body science educator, and author of the beautiful new book, Science of Yoga. She is part heart-based healer and part science nerd. With a Master of Science in yoga therapy and roots studying yoga in India and tai chi/qi gong China, Ann uniquely applies cutting-edge research to mind-body practices while maintaining the heart of the traditions. She joins us on the podcast today to talk about the intersection of yoga and science. In this episode you'll hear: what the yoga world has to gain from diving deeper into the study of science all about the enteric nervous system and how yoga practice might affect it some of the Yoga Myths that were Ann's favorite to bust ;-) how Ann recommends we teach shapes and movement given that most yoga alignment cues are aesthetic what the research shows about yoga, meditation and chronic pain

Matthew Remski is a yoga teacher and author. As the survivor of two cults, his work has been pivotal in illuminating the shadows of globalized yoga and Buddhism, and showing that disillusionment and critical inquiry can be gateways to mature spirituality. Matthew has written a new and very important book called Practice And All Is Coming: Abuse, Cult Dynamics, And Healing In Yoga And Beyond and it should be required reading for all yoga teachers. The book explores abuse that took place in Mysore (as well as around the wider yoga world) AND offers us a path forward through the healing that happens in community. In this episode you'll hear: the important difference between intention and impact in the world of oppression and healing the importance of listening to and uplifting survivors stories complex ideas about cult dynamics explained in an easy to understand way and how this conversation might impact all of our teaching why seeing physical opening as a sign of spiritual advancement is a dangerous idea and what can yoga teachers do to dismantle that way of thinking in their own practice and teaching Learn More From Matthew: On Facebook On his website Buy the book here

Erin Jade has been working in massage therapy and yoga/movement instruction since 2004. In 2014 she began to pivot away from traditional asana into varietal movement drawing from the influences of Katy Bowman, Erwan Le Corre, Ido Portal, Igor Burdenko, Moshe Feldenkrais, FRC, Laban Bartenieff, contemporary dance and more. The search led her to movement education and rehab through the lens of applied neuroscience when she discovered education systems Z Health and Applied Movement Neurology Academy. Erin has begun to introduce these concepts to yoga and movement teachers and we are so lucky to have her on the podcast today teaching us the basics about applied neuroscience in yoga and movement classes. In this episode you'll hear: why it is important to assess how our nervous system functions and how we might do that how much of our movement ability is driven by our vision and what should yoga teachers should do with that information why what we do in class should translate to functional skills applicable to everyday life and what that might look like in an asana class and much more!

This is a VERY special podcast episode! To celebrate Episode #50 I decided to turn the microphone around and let someone interview ME. And it's not just any "someone". Almost by coincidence two of my very best friends from college, Alece Demeray and Nikki Hay, became yoga teachers many years after I did. We are Yoga Friends now but we still are Regular (Best) Friends first. I knew if I asked them to interview me you folks would get a glimpse at the real, unfiltered version of Francesca! In this episode you'll hear: about the most influential trainings and teachers in my life my current teaching schedule dream trainings I would love to take how I maintain the initial spark of being a student, even though I've been a teacher for a long time the systems I've built to make sure I maintain my self care practices the parts of my teaching I am most proud of what the next phase of my career might look like some of my worst qualities (!) my favorite TV shows, podcasts and apps

It is common for yoga students to come into class, tell us they have an injury and expect us to be able to modify for them or at least give them ideas as to what they should avoid. If those moments before class make you nervous then today's podcast episode is for you! Gabby DeLorenze has her Bachelor's degree in Athletic Training, a Master's degree in Biomechanics, a certification from NASM as a Certified Exercise Specialist and is also a yoga teacher and today we're going to talk all about how to offer modifications in a group yoga class. In this episode you'll hear us talk about a few of the common injuries that people bring into a yoga class and what teachers might suggest for those students including, Plantar fasciitis Pain in knee, both in flexion or weight bearing Pain in shoulder, especially in overhead movements Pain in shoulder due to rotator cuff injury Pain in lower back Learn More From Gabby: On her website On Instagram On Facebook Get 20% off her e-book using the code FCPodcast here

The path of a career yoga teacher can be a circuitous one. I find it so helpful to hear how different teachers navigate that terrain, and today we get to hear from Caitlin Casella, who has been teaching yoga and leading teacher trainings for a decade! Since adding strength training and other functional movement modalities to her repertoire, her practice and priorities have shifted. Now, as she pursues her Clinical Doctorate in Physical Therapy, Caitlin's aim is to make movement more accessible to the general population and demystify the science of the human body. In this episode you'll hear: Why Caitlin stopped referring to the movement practice that she teaches as Yoga and what sparked that shift. The emotional process Caitlin navigated as she made this change in her teaching. The yoga poses that Caitlin finds irrelevant, and how she suggests shifting them to make them more useful. Some of the roadblocks we see other teachers run into as they try to make their teaching safer or more thoughtful when it comes to optimal musculoskeletal function... and... The advice we can offer them from our experience!

Today I am THRILLED to introduce you to yoga teacher, writer, mama and studio owner, Octavia Raheem. This episode stands out as an all time favorite; the deep wisdom and beautiful words that Octavia shared felt like a salve for a wound I'd hardly even noticed was there. This path of teaching yoga asks us to constantly look at ourselves in deeper and more curious ways, and to process that intense work with a fellow sister on the path offered a joyful relief. Listen in and enjoy our conversation! Octavia Raheem leads a yoga and meditation teacher training called Be Still, Then Move at her home studio, Sacred Chill {West} in Atlanta, GA and offers ongoing continuing education and mentorship to yoga teachers. In this episode you'll hear: Octavia's advice for new teachers just starting on their path A conversation about what it means to "hold space" How Octavia recommends teachers deepen their ability to hold space for their students How to create community with your fellow yoga teachers What happens when yoga teachers are in purposeful, empowering inquiry together And more! Learn More From Octavia and Resources mentioned on the episode: Octavia on Insta Octavia's Website Sacred Chill {West} Octavia's Yoga studio Tracee Stanley Dr. Gail Parker

More and more yoga teachers are incorporating resistance bands into their teaching because they can be a wonderful complement to the movements found in a traditional asana practice! We are super lucky to have TWO amazing teachers who are EXPERTS at this joining us on the podcast today for a roundtable discussion on incorporating resistance bands into asana classes. Giulia Pline is a Threes Physiyoga Method teacher and she combines corrective exercise, functional mobility work, and knowledge from the physical therapy world with yoga. Giulia has developed a series of resistance band and yoga workshops that integrate resistance and mobility work for greater proprioception, strength, awareness, and spaciousness in the yoga practice. Laurel Beversdorf is the creator of Yoga with Resistance Bands Classes and Trainings and Body of Knowledge™ Anatomy and Biomechanics workshops. A Yoga Tune Up® trainer and senior teacher and teacher trainer for YogaWorks, Laurel is an interdisciplinary movement educator specializing in anatomy, biomechanics and yoga teaching pedagogy. In this episode you'll hear: why Giulia and Laurel started incorporating resistance bands into their movement practice in the first place some examples of the ways YOU might like to bring resistance bands into asana classes the most interesting benefit resistance bands can offer a yoga practitioner the most challenging part of incorporating resistance band work into your asana classes the kinds of band brands that Laurel and Giulia love! Learn More From Giulia: Giulia's Website Threes Physiyoga Method Giulia on Instagram Learn More From Laurel: Laurel's Yoga with Resistance Bands online classes upcoming events Yoga Tune Up®️ and Roll Model®️ Giulia and Laurel's favorite Brands of Bands!: Theraband Spri Therapists Choice (latex free) Synergee Perform Better

Have you been hearing yoga teacher friends talk about PAILs and RAILs and CARs and 90/90 and you're feeling a little left out because you have no idea what they're talking about? No worries... we're going to fix that today! Clayton Weakly is a friend of mine and while he started his teaching career as a Yoga Tune Up teacher he now works as a Functional Range Conditioning movement coach. We've got him on the podcast sharing tons of great ideas for incorporating FRC into yoga classes! In this episode you'll hear: what Functional Range Conditioning, or FRC®, is and how it is different from other mobility systems an explanation of the basic principles of FRC like: CARs-- Controlled Articular Rotations PAILs -- progressive angular isometric loading RAILs -- regressive angular isometric loading how FRC is different from PNF Stretching why mobility training, body control and joint strength are ideas yoga teachers should be thinking about some simple ways that yoga teachers could start to incorporate these principles into their teaching

Tax time is coming up here in the States and I know how stressful the process of filing and paying our taxes can be for yoga teachers! Did you know that every year yoga teachers around the U.S. overpay in taxes due to a lack of knowledge around beneficial tax deductions they can take as independent contractors? To helps us all understand everything we need to know to prepare and file our taxes we have Michelle Linane joining us on the podcast today. Michelle is the host of the Love Teaching Yoga Podcast and the creator of the Love Teaching Yoga website, a growing library of online resources to help yoga teachers refine their skills and build their careers. She's written an e-book called THE YOGA TEACHERS' GUIDEBOOK TO INCOME TAXES. In this episode you'll hear: the differences between being an independent contractor and employee when it comes to filing our taxes an explanation of basic tax forms that need to be filled out like 1040, SE, and Schedule C advice about record keeping and saving to pay our taxes an explanation of self employment taxes and 1099s some of the expenses we are able to deduct as yoga teachers There's some false and inaccurate tax advice circulating the teaching community, but you can trust this guidebook, THE YOGA TEACHERS' GUIDEBOOK TO INCOME TAXES. Written by a yoga teacher and based on years of experience, this guidebook combines expert advice from a licensed EA tax professional with proof directly from the IRS. Nowhere else will you find such a comprehensive and reliable source of tax advice specifically for yoga teachers. This is truly a one-of-a-kind resource.

Many yoga teachers want to have a meditation practice, or feel like they should have a meditation practice but don't for some reason. Other yoga teachers practice meditation but feel shy or uncertain about how to incorporate meditation into their teaching. We are very lucky to have Cyndi Lee (!) on the podcast today, talking us through everything that is important about practicing and teaching meditation in her Classic Cyndi Way: clear, steady, gentle and warm. In this episode you'll hear: the benefits of a meditation practice and why all yoga teachers should have a meditation practice how to go about building a home meditation practice Cyndi's advice for teachers who want to commit to their meditation practice, but struggle to show up regularly for it guidelines for sharing meditation in an asana class advice for teachers who want to incorporate dharma teachings into their yoga classes You can also check out our previous interview to get to know more about Cyndi and her incredible contribution to the yoga world in Episode #13: Obstacle As Path. Check out all of Cyndi's offerings: Meditation Teacher Trainings (online and in-person) Very Special Yoga Teacher's Retreat Traveling Workshop Schedule Website Instagram

Janie Ganga Fronek is a teacher of the Integrated Amrit Method of Yoga. Janie Ganga began practicing Amrit yoga in 2002 as a weekly student – until shifts in her life led her to Amrit Level I (RYT 200) certification in 2013. She believes in Health at Every Size - the simple premise that the best way to improve health is to honor your body – and offers Size-Affirming yoga workshops and Chair Yoga. Janie Ganga teaches private yoga & weekly group classes in Providence Rhode Island and she loves helping to make the ancient teachings of yoga accessible to ALL. In this episode you'll hear: how a side gig at Whole Foods has helped grow her yoga business stories of some of the most meaningful transformations Janie has been able to support in her students how finding a deep trust in herself changed Janie's teaching more than anything why she was reluctant to take the online version of The Science of the Private Lesson™, and why she is so happy she did how to best build community in a small town Learn More From Janie, and other resources mentioned in the episode: Her website Janie Ganga Santosha Yoga Studio Swansea Yoga Amrit Yoga Institute Curvy Yoga Let Your Yoga Dance

Over the next few weeks we're doing something new here on The Mentor Sessions. I'm going to introduce you to five amazing yoga teachers all of whom are engaged in active teaching practices in different parts of the country, and world! These five teachers also happen to be alumni from my teacher training, The Science of the Private Lesson™, and you'll get to hear directly from them what has happened in their teaching and business since our time together. Today you get to meet Karen! As a driven and overworked business owner, Karen began her yoga practice to help relieve stress and regain strength and flexibility. She eventually sold her language travel agency so she could dedicate her career to inspiring others to prioritize their health, wellbeing and stress relief through yoga. She lives in Luzerne, Switzerland and completed her yoga teacher training in Thailand in 2014. She specializes in teaching private clients and continues to work closely with a private yoga teacher mentor. In this episode you'll hear: an offer that Karen came up with for brand new students that I now give as homework to everyone who takes The Science of the Private Lesson™! the kind of shift that is necessary when our personal practice isn't reflected in our teaching the small shift Karen made in her language that made all the difference for her students how Karen developed a Deep Dive 8 week program that offers her group class and private students a more in-depth yoga (not just asana) experience Learn More From Karen and other links mentioned in the episode: Karen's Website Karen's Facebook page Karen on Instagram Samahita Retreat Practical Anatomy Advanced Training Pranayama & Your Yoga Practice Manorama

Over the next few weeks we're doing something new here on The Mentor Sessions. I'm going to introduce you to five amazing yoga teachers all of whom are engaged in active and full teaching practices in very different parts of the world! These five teachers also happen to be alumni from my teacher training, The Science of the Private Lesson™, and you'll get to hear directly from them what has happened in their teaching and business since our time together. Today you get to meet Samantha! Samantha Harrison teaches alignment-based vinyasa and gentle yoga in Greenville, North Carolina, where she also is the manager of YogiVibes Studio. She teaches students in a variety of settings including health centers, corporate settings and private and group yoga classes at YogiVibes Studio. Samantha has been practicing yoga since 2008 and teaching full- time since 2014. She received her initial 200-hour training from the Wilmington Yoga Center and completed her 500-hour RYT training with yoga teacher Cyndi Lee. In this episode you'll hear: what is takes to be a successful full time yoga teacher in a small town a story of how it is possible to be a yoga teacher AND the main breadwinner in the family how working at Starbucks helped get her yoga teaching career off the ground some of the funny places Samantha met potential students (like at the grocery store and the bank!) lots of practical ideas for creating corporate relationships and bringing yoga into offices best practices for teaching corporate yoga (including how to set up a contract and how to adjust your teaching to be appropriate for an office setting)

Megan Spears is a yoga teacher based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Megan teaches publicly, privately, and is also a lead teacher for EveryOne Yoga School 200 hour yoga teacher training. Megan has been practicing yoga since 2005 and teaching professionally since 2014. Megan has passionately pursued additional education with many teachers and mentors in areas of Trauma-Informed Yoga, Prenatal Yoga, Functional Anatomy and Sequencing, Private Yoga Teaching, and Mediation. She is a candidate for the Bachelor's degree of Science in Health Education and Promotion with an emphasis on Exercise Science from Oklahoma State University. Her personal practice, experience, and education informs her ability to effectively meet and teach each student based on where they are on their path. In this episode you'll hear: how defining and working within her scope of practice helped her teaching feel MORE expansive, not less why Megan writes proposals for the studio owners she works with when she wants to change something about her classes what helped Megan understand how to "read between the lines" with her private clients how a deep study into self-inquiry was the most surprising and special part of SPL Learn More From Megan: Instagram Facebook

Over the next few weeks we're doing something really special here on The Mentor Sessions. I'm going to introduce you to five amazing yoga teachers all of whom are engaged in active and full teaching practices in very different parts of the world! These five teachers also happen to be alumni from my teacher training, The Science of the Private Lesson™, and you'll get to hear directly from them what has happened in their teaching and business since our time together. First up is Raquel! Raquel Scalon is a full-time private yoga teacher in San Francisco. She specializes in delivering therapeutic and goal-oriented private yoga lessons to busy professionals, people healing from injuries, athletes and working mamas. She's been teaching since 2010 and has an extensive background in therapeutics, functional movement and fascial release. Raquel's teaching style is straightforward, lighthearted and informative. A great place to find Raquel online is on her YouTube channel Raquel SF Yoga, which focuses on developing a strong yoga foundation peppered with alignment and practices anyone can follow. In this episode you'll hear: the complete breakdown of Raquel's teaching schedule how Raquel defines "floating clients" and how she makes them work in her schedule why she decided to create a YouTube channel how Raquel decides and stays focused on and themes for each month, PLUS what she is teaching right now! why Raquel has taken The Science of the Private lesson twice Learn More From Raquel: Website YouTube channel Instagram Yelp Page Facebook

We are doing something new today on The Mentor Sessions! I'm reading some of the Most Frequently Asked questions I get about teaching private lessons and offering you my quick and dirty answers. Some of these topics very well may need their own episode, so please reach out and let me know what follow up questions you have. In this episode you'll hear: How to structure a private lesson so that it doesn't feel the same as a group class. How to deal with the boundaries of showing up for our clients through our own illness and hard times. How to set a timeline with privates clients that relates to their goals. My perspective on asking current clients for referrals and a tiny shift you can make in your relationship with your current students that could help you get more referrals! What I think about scheduling software, including the only one I recommend. Resources mentioned on this episode: A blog about the boundaries of chatting in a private lesson. Some ideas to help you find your first private client. The scheduling software I recommend.

Have you ever had a private client bring their partner or friend to a private lesson and wondered exactly what you should be doing? Have you ever struggled to teach private lessons to a couple who had wildly different physical and emotional needs? In today's episode we are going to cover all that and more! In this episode you'll hear: how to meet the needs of two individuals who have completely different needs how to do an intake with two people what to charge for a 2 person private lesson how to manage the dynamics of a couple in an appropriate way how you might break them up if that is best for everyone

In the conversations I have with colleagues about yoga teacher trainings the focus is almost always centered on the idea that 200 hours is not enough time to produce high quality baseline yoga teachers. I brought this question to my friend and teacher Jules Mitchell to get her opinion and very quickly our conversation veered from the serious but simple question, "How many hours of training should foundational YTTs have?" to the much more complex questions of, "Who gets to have the power to decide what makes a good yoga teacher?" and "If we raise the standards to make 'better' yoga teachers what communities get left further behind with less access to yoga than they already have?" Spoiler alert: We came up with almost no clear answers to these questions, but I think it is important for us to have these conversations publicly and often. If you don't already know Jules, she is a San Francisco based yoga teacher, educator and massage therapist. She blends the tradition of yoga with her extensive study in biomechanics to help teachers develop their craft and empower them with education. She regularly contributes to yoga teacher training programs and leads workshops worldwide, balancing the somatic aspects of yoga with the most current exercise science. Check out our previous interview to get to know more about Jules and the way she incorporates her knowledge of biomechanics into her teaching in Episode #9, right here! In this episode you'll hear: What Jules thinks is working well in the yoga teacher training culture. A conversation about the current standards yoga trainings follow and how they are (or are not) are serving teachers and their students well. Some thoughts about Yoga Alliance and whether or not yoga might be served by having an actual regulating body. Jules and I go down the rabbit hole of "Who gets to decide what 'good' yoga teaching looks like...and is that something we think should be defined at all??" Learn More From Jules: On her website On Instagram On Twitter On Facebook On YouTube Also! Yoga Detour Online Training is now open... It's been a long time coming but my friends over at Yoga Detour are finally releasing their online course which is only open for registration until November 2! Detour Method Online bridges the gap between the yoga you know and love with all the other stuff you know the body needs in addition to yoga like strength work, mobility training and overall feel good movement. It includes live calls with Detour founder Cecily Milne (you can check out her interview on The Mentor Sessions right here if you don't already know her!) plus a bunch of amazing bonuses like audio classes and downloadable resources. You can find out more about the course by checking out their website here and use the code "mentor" at checkout to get $50 off your registration!

Trina Altman is the creator of Yoga Deconstructed® and Pilates Deconstructed®, which take an interdisciplinary approach to foster an embodied understanding of yoga and Pilates and their relationship to modern movement science. Her book, Yoga Deconstructed®: Transitioning From Rehabilitation Back Into The Yoga Studio is slated to be published by Handspring Publishing in December 2019. Check out our previous interview to get to know more about Trina and her Yoga Deconstructed approach in Episode #3. In this episode you'll hear: Why it can be helpful to add more stability, strength and motor control into our asana classes. The difference between local stabiliser muscles, global stabiliser muscles and global mobilizing muscles. Some of Trina's favorite props to bring into a yoga class in a non-traditional way. Some cues that help students to support themselves in the poses rather than sinking in their joints. Here's some examples of exercises for the local stabilizers: Scapula circles Pelvic Sobriety Test Here's some examples of exercises for the global stabilizers: Crawling Here's some examples of exercises for the global mobilizers: Open Chain Bird of Paradise Hand Jumps Here's the link for the Adductor Slides video and here's the link for Trina's Pilates Style magazine article with 8 blanket slide exercises.

Dianne Bondy is a celebrated yoga teacher, social justice activist and leading voice of the Yoga For All movement. Her inclusive view of yoga asana and philosophy inspires and empowers thousands of followers around the world – regardless of their shape, size, ethnicity, or level of ability and we are so lucky to have her offering her wisdom and inspiration on The Mentor Sessions podcast today! In this episode you'll hear: How to make yoga spaces that are supportive of marginalized populations that have been traditionally left out of the modern western yoga world. What changes we hope come to the yoga world over the next several years. Some of Dianne's favorite ways to create inclusive and innovative warm-ups. How to teach hands free vinyasa flows. What we teachers can do to help students to trust their experience and take full agency over their bodies all the time, but especially in their yoga practice. About Dianne's upcoming book, Yoga is For Everyone: 50 Poses for Every Type of Body, including why this book needed to be written and what she hopes it brings to the yoga world. Learn More From Dianne: Find her on Facebook and Instagram.

It is becoming increasingly common for yoga teachers to bring movements and practices from outside the traditional yoga practice into their teaching. Are you one of these teachers? Do you want to be, but feel unsure about the most skillful way to bring non-yoga movements into the practices you teach? At the forefront of this cultural shift we find Cecily Milne of Yoga Detour and I am so excited to have her on the podcast today sharing her wisdom with us. An avid Ashtanga practitioner from 2003-2013, Cecily practiced under the guidance of senior teachers before becoming injured. This then led her to train with multiple movement enthusiasts including the Ido Portal team, Agatsu Inc and Dr. Andreo Spina, receiving her certification as both a Functional Range Conditioning Movement Specialist (FRCms) and a Functional Range Assessment practitioner. Cecily is known for seamlessly integrating the knowledge gained from her strength and movement coaches into a yoga practice that is informed, accessible and above all feels good! She works as yoga "integrator", leading her signature Move Well classes at Downward Dog Yoga Centre in Toronto and traveling around the world introducing people to the Detour method. In this episode you'll hear: Why Cecily thinks it is important to integrate movements from outside of the traditional asana practices into yoga classes. Some examples of the kinds of non-yoga movements she likes to integrate into asana classes. A discussion about why many teachers have some trepidation about doing this and some supportive suggestions for them. A discussion about whether or not it makes sense to keep calling our classes "yoga" when we start to bring in non-yoga movements. And so much more!

Have you ever had a pregnant yoga student walk into your group yoga class and immediately think, "Oh crap. I don't know how to modify the practice for her or keep her safe without changing my whole plan!" ? Today's podcast episode with prenatal yoga expert (and my old friend!) Deb Flashenberg will cover everything you need to know on this subject! Deb is the founder and director of the Prenatal Yoga Center in NYC and host of the podcast, Yoga | Birth | Babies. She is also a certified prenatal yoga teacher, labor support doula, childbirth educator, and mother of two. Deb is passionate about establishing safe, effective, and empowering yoga classes for pregnancy and beyond and she is full of wisdom for all yoga teachers. In this episode you'll hear: Some of the most important things teachers can keep in mind when trying to accommodate a pregnant student in an open level asana class. What can happen when a pregnant student doesn't modify her practice and how might it affect her birth. How we feel about the saying- "if you did it before you were pregnant you can continue to do it pregnant".

Crystal McCreary has a true teacher's heart and if you aren't already familiar with her work I am so excited to introduce you to her on today's episode! Crystal has taught yoga and mindfulness since 2007. She is committed to creating and holding safe spaces for people to connect, heal, learn, and build resilience in a world that often takes relentless hold of our bodies, minds, and hearts. Crystal leads 100-hour kids yoga and mindfulness teacher trainings for Little Flower Yoga and Bent On Learning, and facilitates trauma-informed yoga for court-involved youth in juvenile detention centers with Lineage Project. Crystal implements yoga programs in New York City Schools, youth development organizations, and in corporations committed to cultivating sustainable and compassionate work environments. In this episode you'll hear: How Crystral came to her teaching path a bit reluctantly. About the work Crystal has done with with teachers and professionals who support communities who suffer from trauma. Some examples of things yoga teachers might do that either create obstacles or foster a loving connection with diverse student populations. Us talk about the major barriers to people of color (or differently abled or LGBTQ or, or) becoming yoga teachers and opening yoga studios.

Have you ever taken (or taught!) a yoga class that was simple in sequencing but deeply powerful in its effect on you? Maybe you love teaching and practicing yoga in a simple way but you feel like you are the only one? Do you think that all your students want fancier, faster and more exciting asana classes? Whether this describes you or not, I am so honored to introduce you to my old NYC buddy Sarah Capua. Sarah is a yoga therapist and meditation teacher, a student of Buddhism and classical yogic practice, and a caregiver. The heart of her practice is rooted in the tradition of T Krishnamacharya and TKV Desikachar, who emphasized individualized practice and believed that yoga should be adapted to foster self inquiry and personal transformation. She also studied meditation and Buddhist teachings with Michael Stone, as well as contemplative caregiving at the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care, where she trained as an end-of-life doula. She lives in Beacon, NY and is currently in post-graduate training in chaplaincy under the supervision of Zen Buddhist Reverend Trudi Hirsch. In this episode you'll hear: What it means to embody our practice in our lives. How we can let our practice and our values guide our decisions in how we structure our classes. Specific examples of the ways we can use our personal spiritual practice to guide what we teach. The deep power in simple teaching and how to offer simple classes confidently. Learn More From Sarah: Check out her website here.

Do you have hip pain? Today's episode is all about the hip joint and hip injuries that are common in yoga practitioners. Many of you may already know this story, but I tore my hip labrum when I was 23 years old and I spent the first two years of my yoga teaching career walking with a cane and was in incredible pain. I had a slow, but amazing recovery from that injury, and now almost 12 years later I am stronger, healthier and more pain free than I have ever been in my life! If you are in pain, or have students who are struggling with hip problems, this episode is for you! I invited my friend Ariele Foster to join me in this conversation because in addition to being a doctor of physical therapy, yoga teacher since 2001 and an anatomy teacher for yoga teacher trainings, she also had a hip injury. In this episode you'll hear: The stories about our own hip injuries and subsequent healing. (There is hope if you have a hip injury!) The anatomy and structure of the hip joint. Specific poses and movements that increases the chances of a hip labral tears. Some warning signs and sensations that a person might not recognize as a problem until after damage it done. The relationship between "hip opening" poses, hypermobility of the hips and injuries. Learn More From Ariele: Check out our previous interview on The Mentor Sessions to get to know more about Ariele and her Anatomy Informed Yoga approach in Episode 7. A sequence for cranky hips. A sequence for posterior chain awakening. Facebook Group for Hypermobility and Yoga. Ariele's website's here and here.