Go With The Flow: Yoga Conversations with Ben & Rianna

We have a new episode! New-ish. It took us half a year to edit and upload but we have it! Seriously speaking, we really took some time out of podcasting to take care of so many things in the last few months. We weren't even able to close the last season officially! But this new lockdown is making us feel familiar things, which we talked about in this season finale. Even if it's seven months old, many things still ring true in this episode. We hope you find it as enlightening as it was therapeutic for us. The good news is, we have a new season coming up! For now, enjoy this episode and let us know what you think and how you feel! You know where to reach us. Namaste.

In this episode, we talk about "dharma", or our sense of duty or purpose. Like karma, people throw the word dharma around without really know what it means or how it relates to our lives. You would think you were listening to the Secretaries of Labor and Education in this episode as we explore the concept of dharma in the context of our own lived experiences and the study and career choices that we made (or were made for us). Guess who wanted to be medical doctor and who wanted to be a veterinarian? But while we both ended up teaching yoga, we come from different backgrounds that are shaped by the choices that we made and how we perceived our dharma in life. If, after listening to this episode, you realize that your dharma involves sharing the practice of yoga, check out www.innerpowervinyasa.com/training and consider taking our 200H Vinyasa Yoga Teacher Training. Follow us on Instragram: www.instagram.com/innerpowervinyasa www.instagram.com/yogawithben www.instagram.com/riannayoga Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/innerpowervinyasa www.facebook.com/yogawithbenph www.facebook.com/riannagatusyoga Visit our website: www.innerpowervinyasa.com If you enjoyed this episode, please don't hesitate to rate us 5 STARS on Apple Podcasts! It helps people find the podcast more quickly. Don't hesitate to reach out and let us know what you thought about it. You can get in touch with us at contact@innerpowervinyasa.com :)

In this episode, we debunk all the misconceptions of Karma and shed light into how the Yoga philosophy sees it. Learn about it's context as we talk about how old yogic texts really define what this universal concept means. It might surprise some of you! We really enjoyed this conversation. Give it a listen! Follow us on Instragram: www.instagram.com/innerpowervinyasa www.instagram.com/yogawithben www.instagram.com/riannayoga Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/innerpowervinyasa www.facebook.com/yogawithbenph www.facebook.com/riannagatusyoga Visit our website: www.innerpowervinyasa.com If you enjoyed this episode, please don't hesitate to rate us 5 STARS on Apple Podcasts! It helps people find the podcast more quickly. Don't hesitate to reach out and let us know what you thought about it. You can get in touch with us at info@vinyasawithbenandrianna.com :)

In light of recent events, we found it fitting to publish this recording as an episode of our podcast so that it may reach more yogis out there. On June 20,2020, in celebration of the International Day of Yoga, we delivered a talk on "Yoga as Freedom". In yoga practice, much has been said about the myth of the peaceful warrior—practitioners waging a silent war within, using asana, pranayama, and meditation to conquer whatever inner demons we have. But if the universe within us is the same universe within others, then it must be equally important to fight for the peace of others. Their peace is also ours. Find out how to harness the transformative energy of yoga and channel it towards a social manifestation of the great change that we can create for ourselves.

The uncertainty in the midst of this pandemic is scary and confusing for us yoga teachers. We totally understand how you feel and we are here for you. On April 25 and May 6, we did free webinars on navigating this digital shift and understanding our roles as teachers in this crisis. We shared our experience on how we've been handling the situation ourselves and some tips and advice on how to hold virtual space for others. We thank our fellow yoga teachers who participated for allowing us to record the webinar audio so that we can upload and publish it as a podcast episode. Here it is! Have a listen.

We're back! In this episode, we discuss Yoga in the Time of Corona and how our practice has come forth in this strange time in our lives. Listen to our conversation about how the teachings of Yoga apply in the way we deal with this pandemic, and the people around us. DONATE TO PAWS: https://paws.org.ph/donate/ Follow us on Instragram: www.instagram.com/innerpowervinyasa www.instagram.com/yogawithben www.instagram.com/riannayoga Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/innerpowervinyasa www.facebook.com/yogawithbenph www.facebook.com/riannagatusyoga Visit our website: www.innerpowervinyasa.com If you enjoyed this episode, please don't hesitate to rate us 5 STARS on Apple Podcasts! It helps people find the podcast more quickly. Don't hesitate to reach out and let us know what you thought about it. You can get in touch with us at info@vinyasawithbenandrianna.com :)

Our conversation with long-time practitioner Ana David goes to show the value of following your own rhythm in yoga. We discuss her love for set sequences, crosstraining, and how important it is to find teachers you love and trust. Through the many phases of her life, yoga has been her safe space. And no matter what, she always finds her way back onto the mat. Connect with Ana: https://www.instagram.com/manilalovesyoga Follow Ben & Rianna on Instragram: www.instagram.com/vinyasawithbenandrianna www.instagram.com/yogawithben www.instagram.com/riannayoga Follow Ben & Rianna on Facebook: www.facebook.com/vinyasabenrianna www.facebook.com/yogawithbenph www.facebook.com/riannagatusyoga Visit our website: www.vinyasawithbenandrianna.com If you enjoyed this episode, please don't hesitate to rate us 5 STARS on Apple Podcasts! It helps people find the podcast more quickly. Don't hesitate to reach out and let us know what you thought about it. You can get in touch with us at info@vinyasawithbenandrianna.com :)

In one of our most in-depth discussions about creating an inclusive and accessible practice, Yoga Therapist Ivy Hapitan discusses trauma informed yoga. If you're a teacher, we highly suggest you give this a listen. It makes us raise questions about the environment we create for our students and help us grow as continue teaching yoga. This is definitely a topic that we are passionate about.  We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did!  Connect with Ivy: https://www.facebook.com/accessibleyogaph 09477313844 accessibleyogaph@gmail.com Follow Ben & Rianna on Instragram: www.instagram.com/vinyasawithbenandrianna www.instagram.com/yogawithben www.instagram.com/riannayoga Follow Ben & Rianna on Facebook: www.facebook.com/vinyasabenrianna www.facebook.com/yogawithbenph www.facebook.com/riannagatusyoga Visit our website: www.vinyasawithbenandrianna.com If you enjoyed this episode, please don't hesitate to rate us 5 STARS on Apple Podcasts! It helps people find the podcast more quickly. Don't hesitate to reach out and let us know what you thought about it. You can get in touch with us at info@vinyasawithbenandrianna.com :)

In this episode we interview one of our graduates, Trina Sotto! She has been practicing since 2003 and we talk about her journey towards going for her dreams of teaching yoga from her corporate job. We focus a lot in this interview on her as a prenatal and post partum yoga teacher so you'll hear a lot of questions from us about it. This interview was also really helpful for us to clarify misconceptions about how to deal with pregnant ladies in our classes. If you're a teacher, listen! We hope you enjoy this light-hearted and informative conversation as much as we did. To our dearest Trina, we are so proud and happy for you! Follow Trina on Instagram: www.instagram.com/thesottos Follow Ben & Rianna on Instragram: www.instagram.com/vinyasawithbenandrianna www.instagram.com/yogawithben www.instagram.com/riannayoga Follow Ben & Rianna on Facebook: www.facebook.com/vinyasabenrianna www.facebook.com/yogawithbenph www.facebook.com/riannagatusyoga Visit our website: www.vinyasawithbenandrianna.com Please don't forget to give our podcast a five-star (yes, five!) on Apple Podcasts. It will help other people find the podcast faster. Follow us on Spotify as well. Share the podcast via Instagram stories and tag us if you want to interact! Sponsorships: off for this episode Episode performance All time

For Dona, yoga has been present in her life in so many ways -- from games that sharpened her intuition as a child, to her love for music and movement, to her connection with her feminine energy, as well as the people she has learned from. This episode shows how maturity in the practice is setting aside labels and being too stern about what Yoga is and is not. Listen to this inspiring conversation that makes us confident in being unapologetically ourselves. Follow Dona on Instagram: www.instagram.com/mindbodydona Follow Ben & Rianna on Instragram: www.instagram.com/vinyasawithbenandrianna www.instagram.com/yogawithben www.instagram.com/riannayoga Follow Ben & Rianna on Facebook: www.facebook.com/vinyasabenrianna www.facebook.com/yogawithbenph www.facebook.com/riannagatusyoga Visit our website: www.vinyasawithbenandrianna.com Please don't forget to give our podcast a five-star (yes, five!) on Apple Podcasts. It will help other people find the podcast faster. Follow us on Spotify as well. Share the podcast via Instagram stories and tag us if you want to interact!

Listen in on our out of this world conversation with Harnadh as we talk about her life and how trusting your inner teacher and being resilient leads to your purpose. Get inspired to live a life that is free from attachment and see things as learning experience. We discuss the community of Anam Cara and her vision to unify people through the practice of Yoga.  Follow HarNadh and Anam Cara on social media: www.instagram.com/harnadh_maitreya_marisa www.instagram.com/anamcaramanila https://www.facebook.com/pg/anamcaramanila/ Support Anam Cara Manila: https://gogetfunding.com/anam-cara-manila-co-create-our-future-community/?fbclid=IwAR3AgLcRhEpryusf0LnnvTPOnL7KpgoNO2Ytl3kQZ51T7PNPsUX8g1Yb4iA Follow Ben & Rianna on Instragram: www.instagram.com/vinyasawithbenandrianna www.instagram.com/yogawithben www.instagram.com/riannayoga Follow Ben & Rianna on Facebook: www.facebook.com/vinyasabenrianna www.facebook.com/yogawithbenph www.facebook.com/riannagatusyoga Visit our website: www.vinyasawithbenandrianna.com Please don't forget to give our podcast a five-star (yes, five!) on Apple Podcasts. It will help other people find the podcast faster. Follow us on Spotify as well. Share the podcast via Instagram stories and tag us if you want to interact!

Fresh from the critical and commercial success of her one-woman play, Every Brilliant Thing, and a few weeks before she is due to give birth to her third baby, we sat down with Teresa Herrera at her home to talk about yoga, the Global Mala Project Manila, motherhood, theater and everything that this multi-talented individual has dabbled in. With her lifelong experience as a model, yoga teacher, actor, mother, and global citizen, we all can learn a thing or two from Teresa. There's no better way to get that perspective than from listening in to this conversation. Whether you practice yoga or not, you will surely appreciate Teresa's insights on life, doing what you love, and just going with the flow. Follow Teresa Herrera and the Global Mala Project Manila on Instagram: www.instagram.com/love.teresaherrera www.instagram.com/globalmalamanila Follow Ben & Rianna on Instragram: www.instagram.com/vinyasawithbenandrianna www.instagram.com/yogawithben www.instagram.com/riannayoga Follow Ben & Rianna on Facebook: www.facebook.com/vinyasabenrianna www.facebook.com/yogawithbenph www.facebook.com/riannagatusyoga Visit our website: www.vinyasawithbenandrianna.com Please don't forget to give our podcast a five-star (yes, five!) on Apple Podcasts. It will help other people find the podcast faster. Follow us on Spotify as well. Share the podcast via Instagram stories and tag us if you want to interact!

If you're a yoga practitioner from outside Metro Manila, you can most likely relate to our guest in this episode, Pranalaya Yoga & Wellness owner Gelie dela Peña. Gelie is a Hot Yoga, Vinyasa, and Kundalini yoga teacher and an AntiGravity Fitness instructor. She built a Baguio yoga community virtually from scratch by following her heart and starting her own yoga studio. If you're interested in creating your own yoga community where you are now, Gelie might spark some inspiration in you. Listen to the episode and maybe visit Pranalaya Yoga in Baguio when you're in the city. Follow Pranalaya & Gelie on Instagram: www.instagram.com/pranalayayoga www.instagram.com/gelie.delapena Follow Pranalaya Yoga on Facebook:  www.facebook.com/pranalaya Follow Ben & Rianna on Instragram: www.instagram.com/vinyasawithbenandrianna www.instagram.com/yogawithben www.instagram.com/riannayoga Follow Ben & Rianna on Facebook: www.facebook.com/vinyasabenrianna www.facebook.com/yogawithbenph www.facebook.com/riannagatusyoga Visit our website: www.vinyasawithbenandrianna.com Please don't forget to give our podcast a five-star (yes, five!) on Apple Podcasts. It will help other people find the podcast faster. Follow us on Spotify as well. Share the podcast via Instagram stories and tag us if you want to interact!

This episode is special because we get to sit down and chat with our yoga loves, Bry Reyes and Shiela Matias. Although we are in touch all time, we still learned a few new things about Bry and Shiela's yoga journey, from when they were just starting out as first-timer yoga practitioners to the present as full-time yoga teachers. We learn more about the Rocket Yoga practice, its history and methodology, and its prospects for the future here in the Philippines! Listen in and get an insight on their philosophy as teachers and practitioners. Note: There are many times when we get too excited in this episode. Sorry for the noisy laughter! Get ready with your volume buttons! Follow Bry & Shie on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rocketyogaphilippines www.instagram.com/hellobrygirl www.instagram.com/binibiniyogini Visit their websites: www.hellobrygirl.com www.binibiniyogini.com Follow Ben & Rianna on Instragram: www.instagram.com/vinyasawithbenandrianna www.instagram.com/yogawithben www.instagram.com/riannayoga Follow Ben & Rianna on Facebook: www.facebook.com/vinyasabenrianna www.facebook.com/yogawithbenph www.facebook.com/riannagatusyoga Visit our website: www.vinyasawithbenandrianna.com Please don't forget to give our podcast a five-star (yes, five!) on Apple Podcasts. It will help other people find the podcast faster. Follow us on Spotify as well. Share the podcast via Instagram stories and tag us if you want to interact!

Live Awake Meditation is the brainchild of Neil Salang and Sara Black that aims to bring inner peace to everyone. Listen in on how meditation has made a profound impact on each of their lives, their views on the practice and social media, and how they have come together with a mission to get everyone started on a sitting practice. If meditation is something that you've always been interested in and don't know how to start, hit "Play" now!  Follow and connect with Live Awake Meditation: https://www.instagram.com/liveawakeph https://www.facebook.com/liveawakeph http://www.liveawakemeditation.com liveawakemeditation@gmail.com Neil:  https://www.instagram.com/brovinda Sara: https://www.instagram.com/seethelight.bethelight Follow and Connect Ben & Rianna: https://www.instagram.com/vinyasawithbenandrianna/ https://www.facebook.com/vinyasabenrianna/ https://www.instagram.com/yogawithben/ https://www.facebook.com/yogawithbenph/ https://www.instagram.com/riannayoga/ https://www.facebook.com/riannagatusyoga/  Visit our website: www.vinyasawithbenandrianna.com

Yoga teacher, drummer, Animal Flow Instructor, educator, husband, and dad: such are the many different hats that our friend David Esteban wears. In this episode, we get to know David better and ask him about his varied interests in movement, music, and flow. But it seems like we've barely scratched the surface in this episode! Find out more about the original "Pogi Yogi" by clicking on "Listen". Follow David Esteban: https://www.instagram.com/groovethewanderer Follow Ben & Rianna: https://www.instagram.com/vinyasawithbenandrianna/ https://www.facebook.com/vinyasabenrianna/ https://www.instagram.com/yogawithben/ https://www.facebook.com/yogawithbenph/ https://www.instagram.com/riannayoga/ https://www.facebook.com/riannagatusyoga/ Visit our website: www.vinyasawithbenandrianna.com

Hello yogis! We're back for another season of yoga conversations! For our maiden episode this season, we are joined by our friend, Ashtanga Yoga Authorized Level II Teacher Patrick Santos. This is one of the most fun episodes we have done to date. We ask Patrick about his Mysore experience, his take on the Ashtanga practice, and a lot of other things that we know you're dying to ask. We won't spoil it any further so go ahead and hit "Play" now! To register for Sharath Jois in Manila: https://sharathmanila.com Follow Ashtanga Yoga Manila: https://www.facebook.com/AshtangaYogaManila https://www.instagram.com/AshtangaYogaManila Follow Patrick Santos: https://www.instagram.com/nomnomenclature Follow Ben & Rianna: https://www.instagram.com/vinyasawithbenandrianna/ https://www.facebook.com/vinyasabenrianna/ https://www.instagram.com/yogawithben/ https://www.facebook.com/yogawithbenph/ https://www.instagram.com/riannayoga/ https://www.facebook.com/riannagatusyoga/ Visit our website: www.vinyasawithbenandrianna.com

In our last episode for our first season, we share our wishlist for the future of yoga. From the integration of yoga in traditional schooling systems to someday having specific studies about the Philippine yoga community, we believe that the future is looking bright. Give this episode a listen and let us know what's on your wishlist! Thank you for supporting us. See you in the second season. ✨ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/vinyasabenrianna http://www.facebook.com/yogawithbenph http://www.facebook.com/riannagatusyoga  Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/vinyasawithbenandrianna http://www.instagram.com/yogawithben http://www.instagram.com/riannayoga

Yoga teaching is a fun and fulfilling profession. Most people are not familiar how the yoga teaching job is set up. In this discussion, we talk about what it's like working in the yoga teaching industry and our other imagined work set up. While most teachers are engaged as freelancers, we also discuss what it would be like to be employed as a full-time yoga teacher. There are benefits and challenges to both and we discuss them fully in this episode. We'd love to hear from you on our social media platforms!  Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/vinyasabenrianna http://www.facebook.com/yogawithbenph http://www.facebook.com/riannagatusyoga  Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/vinyasawithbenandrianna http://www.instagram.com/yogawithben http://www.instagram.com/riannayoga

As yoga teachers, we passionately promote that yoga is for everyone. But every time a beginner or maybe a senior student comes into class and shows a frustrated or confused look on their face in every pose, we sometimes wonder if we have done our jobs correctly and made the class accessible to everyone. With group classes becoming the predominant way of experiencing yoga, we will have more and more mixed level classes. As teachers, it is important to know how to navigate this environment. In this episode, we discuss special populations that have difficulty accessing yoga - beginners, seniors, persons with disabilities, and men. What are the challenges and how can we make it work for everyone? Listen in! For more information about our teacher training, visit www.vinyasawithbenandrianna.com. We'd love to hear from you on our social media platforms! Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/vinyasabenrianna http://www.facebook.com/yogawithbenph http://www.facebook.com/riannagatusyoga Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/vinyasawithbenandrianna http://www.instagram.com/yogawithben http://www.instagram.com/riannayoga

Happy International Women's Month! In this episode, we tackle the tricky topic of yoga and empowerment. Does yoga promote a healthy body image or does it perpetuate the idealized form of the aspirational "yoga body”? We also discuss yoga and consumerism. While it is easy to paint women who go to yoga classes wearing trendy sportswear as mere consumers, there is no denying the fact that yoga has created careers for many women teachers and allowed the rise of women entrepreneurs. In women's health and in building strong and supportive communities, yoga has consistently shown that it is a catalyst for women empowerment. This process may not be perfect but the business of women empowerment is always a work in progress. We'd love to hear from you on our social media platforms! Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/vinyasabenrianna http://www.facebook.com/yogawithbenph http://www.facebook.com/riannagatusyoga Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/vinyasawithbenandrianna http://www.instagram.com/yogawithben http://www.instagram.com/riannayoga

Much as we try, we've all got some poses that push our buttons and make us tick! In this episode, we share our opinions on “finding your edge” and how we approach the postures we love to hate. Give it a listen and let us know what asanas you have a love/hate relationship with! We'd love to hear from you on our social media platforms! Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/vinyasabenrianna http://www.facebook.com/yogawithbenph http://www.facebook.com/riannagatusyoga Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/vinyasawithbenandrianna http://www.instagram.com/yogawithben http://www.instagram.com/riannayoga

Have you ever considered taking a yoga teacher training? In this episode, we give you an idea of what a typical day in YTT is like. We answer frequently asked questions and debunk common misconceptions about it — what is “authentic”, who is ready for it, and whether or not there are too many teachers out there. Listen in to this conversation and share your thoughts with us through our social media links below. Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/vinyasabenrianna http://www.facebook.com/yogawithbenph http://www.facebook.com/riannagatusyoga Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/vinyasawithbenandrianna http://www.instagram.com/yogawithben http://www.instagram.com/riannayoga

In this episode, we talk yoga etiquette. From cellphone use in class to sweat pools on the floor, listen to our experiences and other stories people have shared about moments that ticked us off in yoga class. Join in on the conversation and share your stories with us through our social media links below. Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/vinyasabenrianna http://www.facebook.com/yogawithbenph http://www.facebook.com/riannagatusyoga Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/vinyasawithbenandrianna http://www.instagram.com/yogawithben http://www.instagram.com/riannayoga

What are the funny things that you've heard or experienced in yoga class? This week, we are taking it easy. After diving head first into deep yoga conversations, we're letting loose and keeping it light in this episode. Like, what do you do when someone farts in class? What if you fart? Listen in as we ROTFL at the hilarious sh*t that we've said, heard, and done. Share your stories with us through our social media links below. Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/vinyasabenrianna http://www.facebook.com/yogawithbenph http://www.facebook.com/riannagatusyoga Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/vinyasawithbenandrianna http://www.instagram.com/yogawithben http://www.instagram.com/riannayoga

In this episode, we talk about yoga and money. "Why is yoga expensive?" We get asked this question a lot and we put it into the context of a student seeing things from the outside of a yoga studio they want to join. We answer this question by bringing in the perspective of yoga teachers and yoga studio owners. Full disclosure: we are both partners in a yoga studio. There are no trade secrets in running a yoga business. Find out what "expenses" make yoga "expensive" and why we feel that this question stems from an incomplete understanding of yoga philosophy. The answer is a matter of perspective. At the end of the day, whether we are yoga students, teachers, or business owners, all we want is to come from a place of comfort and stability in order to live a good life. Coming from this place of sympathy, we will better understand what the answer to this question is.

In this episode we tackle #yoga in the time of social media. Ben thinks that in this day and age, you have to be on social media. But Rianna asks: do we really have to? Find out what we think about taking yoga classes online and how we really feel about #instayoga challenges having taken and led some. We also discuss the "innovations" on yoga from #goatyoga to #beeryoga, the "innovative" classes we are willing to lead and the ones we are willing to take, and our on whether or not social media exposure has taken a toll on the authenticity of the yoga practice. Ben also answers some rather personal questions from listeners about the last two episodes. Thanks to social media, you, too, can ask us questions. Follow us on social media: IG: @vinyasawithbendandrianna @riannayoga @yogawithben FB: @vinyasabenrianna @riannagatusyoga @yogawithbenph Web: http://www.vinyasawithbenandrianna.com

In this episode, we attempt to define “yoga” by talking about what it means to us based on our own (sometimes funny) experiences of having to explain yoga to other people. From Dhalsim to gender bias, follow us as we navigate this big and hairy topic in our desire to put our understanding of yoga into words. Were we successful? You have to give it a listen! Follow us on social media: IG: @vinyasawithbendandrianna @riannayoga @yogawithben FB: @vinyasabenrianna @riannagatusyoga @yogawithbenph Web: http://www.vinyasawithbenandrianna.com

Welcome to Episode 1, yoga friends! We swap stories about how we found ourselves in our first ever yoga classes. Listen to how the reception of yoga as a practice has evolved within the span of a decade (from “is that a cult?” To “isn't that only for flexible people?”) in the Philippines. We touched on how yoga helps us deal with grief, stress, mental health, etc. Share your stories with us, we'd love to hear from you! Namaste. Follow us on social media: IG: @vinyasawithbendandrianna @riannayoga @yogawithben FB: @vinyasabenrianna @riannagatusyoga @yogawithbenph Web: http://www.vinyasawithbenandrianna.com