intelligent edge yoga

Is Yin Yoga accessible? It can be! Nyk Danu, yin yoga trainer and yoga therapist, joins Kathryn to chat about responsive, inclusive approaches to the quiet practice.The intelligent edge yoga podcast was produced by Kathryn Anne Flynn; author of Teach Kind, Clear Yoga: A Guide for Practitioners and Teachers. To learn more about Kathryn, practice online, or find retreats and training opportunities, visit kathrynanneflynn.comShow Notes:Nyk Danu Is a Yoga therapist, Yin Yoga teacher trainer and, Yoga business mentor.She lives in the enchanted city of Victoria on magical Vancouver island, where she teaches Yoga MisFits; Gen Xers (and sometimes y) who don't feel at home in mainstream Yoga circles, alternative folks, rebels, underdogs, punx, introverts, geeks, and bookworms.When Nyk is not teaching Yoga, you'll find her expanding her personal tattoo collection, walking by the ocean, or curled up at home watching Star Trek or immersed in a book.You can learn more about on her website nykdanu.com/

How to engage with yoga with respect and awareness for its cultural context is the foundation of this discussion with Emmy Chahal. Emmy Chahal is a trauma informed yoga teacher, bodyworker/energy healer and workshop facilitator teaching at the crossroads of business, social justice, and spirituality. She lends her unique perspective to this pillar in the ethical use of yoga. Raised as a child with Yoga and Ayurveda, Emmy was introduced to yoga by her mother and grandmother. Through her North Indian heritage, which encompasses the practices of yoga, and an academic education rooted in systems of power, healing from systemic oppression, and embodied pedagogies - she works with clients to facilitate holistic wellness. Find her work at www.emmychahal.comThe intelligent edge yoga podcast was produced by Kathryn Anne Flynn; author of Teach Kind, Clear Yoga: A Guide for Practitioners and Teachers. To learn more about Kathryn, practice online, or find retreats and training opportunities, visit kathrynanneflynn.comShow NotesPodcast episode about Yogi Bhajan and other 20th century yogis in North America. Also here.Kallie Schut https://www.rebelyogatribe.co.uk/Jessica Barudin (indigenous yoga teacher) https://www.jessicabarudin.com/The Alchemy of Adversity online workshop through Yoga Outreach

A panel of yogis discusses the regulating (or lack thereof) of yoga, and the role of the Yoga Alliance. A conversation with Daniel Clement, Brea Johnson, and Mona Warner. We discuss...what aspects of the yoga experience could be regulated and the difficulties of such a diverse fieldwhat is the Yoga Alliance, and what it is notexperiences and frustrations with the Yoga Alliance, including the membership fees which are the same for an individual to an organizationis there an alternative to the Yoga Alliance?Find our guests today...Daniel ClementBrea JohnsonMona WarnerThe intelligent edge yoga podcast was produced by Kathryn Anne Flynn; author of Teach Kind, Clear Yoga: A Guide for Practitioners and Teachers. To learn more about Kathryn, practice online, or find retreats and training opportunities, visit kathrynanneflynn.com 

The intelligent edge yoga podcast was produced by Kathryn Anne Flynn; author of Teach Kind, Clear Yoga: A Guide for Practitioners and Teachers. To learn more about Kathryn, practice online, or find retreats and training opportunities, visit kathrynanneflynn.comShow Notes:A conversation sensing into the practice of accountability and repair with Mitzi Melaine Wilson. We discuss racism,  wisdom on the resourcing power of yoga, as well as exclusive spaces in yoga. We also arrive at the exclusionary space of yoga's social media, which is how we got here initially....Mitzi Melaine Wilson is a yoga teacher and consultant for non-profits with leadeship roles in behavioural health, community development, criminal justice and youth and young adult development. She is also a self described mystic. She loves observing life and all the magic the universe holds. The practices she shares are inspired by her own personal growth and healing experiences. Her goal is to be a healer by helping people in communities reconcile psyche and soul. After posting about "where theories of power and oppression meet policy" on social media, someone I mutually followed (Mitzi) initially "Liked" the post and disconnected from me on social media. Wanting to check in and own the possible impact of my post, I reached out to Mitzi and offered to chat, if she was interested. That was all - to connect and discuss what happened - but the potential for our conversation was evident. We decided to record the conversation and then decide if it would become a podcast. We wanted to share that yoga and its practices can cultivate the skillfulness to talk about racism, and as Mitzi shares toward the end of our chat, this is the beginning of ongoing conversations.Mitzi also wanted to share that she "honours Michelle Cassandra Johnson and her book Skill in Action.  I also acknowledge my mentor/teacher Linda Sama Karl, as well as all the teachers that saw me and were a part of my journey. I also acknowledge and honor my father and all my ancestors so presently with me. As well as Sonya Renee Taylor, I have been greatly influenced by her work.  In addition, the work Healing Justice frame shared by Prentis Hemphill. There are many more and I extend gratitude and appreciation for all who resource me with the words and wisdom known and unknown."LinksMitzi Melaine Wilson on InstagramThe BIPOC ProjectThis podcast continues through support by patrons like you. Offerings are as little as $5, and patrons receive exclusive resources, including video asana classes, livestream Q&A, and bonus podcast materials. Go to www.patreon.com/intelligentedgeyoga and click on the big orange button to join.For more information about Kathryn Flynn, go to www.intelligentedge.yoga 

The intelligent edge yoga podcast was produced by Kathryn Anne Flynn; author of Teach Kind, Clear Yoga: A Guide for Practitioners and Teachers. To learn more about Kathryn, practice online, or find retreats and training opportunities, visit kathrynanneflynn.comShow Notes:Megan Marie Gates is a queer sound practitioner, movement teacher and creative artist who uses crystal bowls, vocal toning, and other instrumentation to create sound meditations and experiences. We discuss the "sound" field and Megan helps us navigate some of the trickiness when you call it sound healing.We also discuss the difficulty of aligning bowls with chakras, and Megan encourages us to trust our own intuition and be observers of our experience when it comes to sound. Megan offers trainings to help yoga practitioners and any one else interested in offering sound experiences! Her upcoming training is online - May 28-31, register here. You can find more of Megan's work on her website here.

Half of the first Ayurveda Foundations lecture, including an introduction to the medic to the gods - Dhanvantari - and his origin story. The intelligent edge yoga podcast was produced by Kathryn Anne Flynn; author of Teach Kind, Clear Yoga: A Guide for Practitioners and Teachers. To learn more about Kathryn, practice online, or find retreats and training opportunities, visit kathrynanneflynn.com 

A few animal tales and what we learn from them - keeping it light! An introduction to the Panchatantra - moral tales from ancient India - and Jataka tales, their evolution into stories about the Buddha. A hilarious story about a dog from Hyperbole and a Half makes an appearance, as does Ludacris.The intelligent edge yoga podcast was produced by Kathryn Anne Flynn; author of Teach Kind, Clear Yoga: A Guide for Practitioners and Teachers. To learn more about Kathryn, practice online, or find retreats and training opportunities, visit kathrynanneflynn.comShow Links:Masters of Love (four ways of responding) Do Animals Overeat?When the Elephant Was a Buddha by Mark McGinnisGanesha Goes to Lunch by Kamla KapurHyperbole and a Half (book)Hyperbole and a Half (blog)

A sleep-specific approach to yoga nidra - guided meditation - sweetly designed to help you settle. Whether you are napping, supported on your yoga mat with props, or falling asleep in bed, the binaural beats of the background music gently lull, while you are guided through a rotation of awareness.The last 5 minutes are the background music slowly tapering off.  The intelligent edge yoga podcast was produced by Kathryn Anne Flynn; author of Teach Kind, Clear Yoga: A Guide for Practitioners and Teachers. To learn more about Kathryn, practice online, or find retreats and training opportunities, visit kathrynanneflynn.com

The intelligent edge yoga podcast was produced by Kathryn Anne Flynn; author of Teach Kind, Clear Yoga: A Guide for Practitioners and Teachers. To learn more about Kathryn, practice online, or find retreats and training opportunities, visit kathrynanneflynn.comShow Notes: A specific response to the coronavirus crisis and practice during this time. A little talk on moving your work online and other suggestions for this time, as well as shaping a personal practice for this season/situation, coping with anxiety in meditation, and some guidelines for right speech and "right social sharing". As promised:Mr. Music bit from John Mulaney's Sack Lunch Bunch on NetflixLetting Go of Control - a talk from Michael Stone

The intelligent edge yoga podcast was produced by Kathryn Anne Flynn; author of Teach Kind, Clear Yoga: A Guide for Practitioners and Teachers. To learn more about Kathryn, practice online, or find retreats and training opportunities, visit kathrynanneflynn.comShow Notes:The evening yoga nidra from the autumn retreat - 30 minutes of guided meditation for you. Choose a comfortable position; the closing music is absent for this episode so your closing is gentle.  

The second dharma talk from the autumn silent retreat, which continues along the theme of women specifically on retreat, including a humorous telling of Siddhartha's last night before enlightenment. We discuss the mindfulness meditation technique of mental noting and then partake in a 30 minute meditation. The intelligent edge yoga podcast was produced by Kathryn Anne Flynn; author of Teach Kind, Clear Yoga: A Guide for Practitioners and Teachers. To learn more about Kathryn, practice online, or find retreats and training opportunities, visit kathrynanneflynn.com

The opening dharma talk from this autumn's Supportive Silent Retreat, which happened to be attended by all women.What does retreat specifically mean to women? What are the burdens of stress specific to them, including the labour of care?We rove around pratyahara (sensory withdrawal), pranayama, Ayurveda, and the last night of the Siddhartha's life before enlightenment as The Buddha.The intelligent edge yoga podcast was produced by Kathryn Anne Flynn; author of Teach Kind, Clear Yoga: A Guide for Practitioners and Teachers. To learn more about Kathryn, practice online, or find retreats and training opportunities, visit kathrynanneflynn.com

The intelligent edge yoga podcast was produced by Kathryn Anne Flynn; author of Teach Kind, Clear Yoga: A Guide for Practitioners and Teachers. To learn more about Kathryn, practice online, or find retreats and training opportunities, visit kathrynanneflynn.comShow Notes:Erin Bidlake found relief from the symptoms of lyme disease through yoga, and now shares her passion for not just coping, but thriving, when you live with chronic pain. A death care community educator and death doula, Erin and I discuss what it means to be of service to those with life-limiting diagnoses. Erin is leading the Experience Restorative Yoga and Teach Restorative Yoga modules for the intelligent edge yoga 300 hour yoga program in February in Ottawa (you can attend one or either!)Erin is a death doula and hospice volunteerWe discuss the continuum of Yin to Restorative YogaShe shares about her journey through undiagnosed lyme disease and how living without a diagnosis upended her plans for lifeFind out more about Erin at www.erinbidlake.com.

For ten years, Geoff Outerbridge has been the Clinical Director for World Spine Care, a non-profit organization devoted to bringing spinal health and reducing pain in underserved global communities. We discuss the complexities of pain, causes of pain and injury, and how your spine is more resilient than you think.We also discuss...Evidence of yoga being slightly superior to other movement practices as a pain-prevention routineHow asymmetry is the rule of the body, and asymmetry is not going to necessarily cause you pain or injurySlump stretching and yin yoga - its effectiveness and who is it not appropriate for?The importance of sleep in your healthThe intelligent edge yoga podcast was produced by Kathryn Anne Flynn; author of Teach Kind, Clear Yoga: A Guide for Practitioners and Teachers. To learn more about Kathryn, practice online, or find retreats and training opportunities, visit kathrynanneflynn.comLINKSDr. Geoff Outerbridge bio and his clinic, Integrate OttawaAmazing People: Geoff OuterbridgeWorld Spine CareWorld Spine Care Yoga Project

The intelligent edge yoga podcast was produced by Kathryn Anne Flynn; author of Teach Kind, Clear Yoga: A Guide for Practitioners and Teachers. To learn more about Kathryn, practice online, or find retreats and training opportunities, visit kathrynanneflynn.comEcodharma - Buddhist teachings for the ecological crisis is a book by David Loy on his vision for modern Buddhists to tread the ecosattva path. We discuss practice in the age of the climate crisis, and he shares wisdom from his decades as a scholar and practitioner-teacher. Show LinksDavid R. LoyEcodharma: Buddhist Teachings for the Ecological CrisisRocky Mountain Ecodharma Retreat Center

Isn't yoga stress reduction? Some people say no, but stress reduction is one of the primary reasons people start a yoga program. This episode explores some of the reasons we're stressed, stressed differently, and how they relate to a spiritual program.The intelligent edge yoga podcast was produced by Kathryn Anne Flynn; author of Teach Kind, Clear Yoga: A Guide for Practitioners and Teachers. To learn more about Kathryn, practice online, or find retreats and training opportunities, visit kathrynanneflynn.com

Harry Potter yoga philosophy continues! Finishing up pedagogy (teaching methods) with Lupin, the answers of Albus Dumbledore, the karma of Sirius Black, and finally visiting texts that elicit strong emotional responses. "Da da da da da da da da..." (textual reprensetation of Hedwig's Theme) The intelligent edge yoga podcast was produced by Kathryn Anne Flynn; author of Teach Kind, Clear Yoga: A Guide for Practitioners and Teachers. To learn more about Kathryn, practice online, or find retreats and training opportunities, visit kathrynanneflynn.com

What do the magic of Harry Potter and yoga have in common? We discuss commonalities between the books and the way they portray magic, as well as the first half of a conversation about pedagogy (teaching methods) and Hogwarts.Episode one of two! The journey continues with the next episode.The intelligent edge yoga podcast was produced by Kathryn Anne Flynn; author of Teach Kind, Clear Yoga: A Guide for Practitioners and Teachers. To learn more about Kathryn, practice online, or find retreats and training opportunities, visit kathrynanneflynn.com

Receiving feedback is not a moral failing, and offering it helps hold community leaders accountable. It's a critical component of responsible spiritual leadership, and so I thought I'd chat about my biggest takeaways from receiving feedback and some insight from the facilitator's seat.The intelligent edge yoga podcast was produced by Kathryn Anne Flynn; author of Teach Kind, Clear Yoga: A Guide for Practitioners and Teachers. To learn more about Kathryn, practice online, or find retreats and training opportunities, visit kathrynanneflynn.com

The podcast returns to ask what's next! Making yoga work (and how to know what you're doing isn't working), as well as making yoga podcasting work.The intelligent edge yoga podcast was produced by Kathryn Anne Flynn; author of Teach Kind, Clear Yoga: A Guide for Practitioners and Teachers. To learn more about Kathryn, practice online, or find retreats and training opportunities, visit kathrynanneflynn.com

The intelligent edge yoga podcast was produced by Kathryn Anne Flynn; author of Teach Kind, Clear Yoga: A Guide for Practitioners and Teachers. To learn more about Kathryn, practice online, or find retreats and training opportunities, visit kathrynanneflynn.com Show Notes:Leslie Kaminoff is one of the most recognized and respected names in American yoga, but he owes it all to Canada... We talk about his beginnings as a teacher, the Yoga Alliance standards creation and review, as well as some breathwork techniques and when holding the breath makes sense.We also discuss...Leslie's forty years as a teacher, and he got started with teaching in Canada! Learning from Swami Vishnudevananda and his senior students in Val Morin, Quebec, so as a Canadian, I insist on credit for his education. (We also talk about TKV Desikachar, who was his Teacher.)We discuss the difference between instructor and teacher, and how Leslie sat at the table during the creation of the Yoga Alliance standards (back when it was Unity in Yoga). We discuss the Standards Review Yoga Alliance is undertaking, and what we both think will come of them.Since Leslie knows so much about breath work and breath anatomy, we discuss breath retention and how it's a natural inclination that can be really helpful. 

The intelligent edge yoga podcast was produced by Kathryn Anne Flynn; author of Teach Kind, Clear Yoga: A Guide for Practitioners and Teachers. To learn more about Kathryn, practice online, or find retreats and training opportunities, visit kathrynanneflynn.comShow Notes:Elise Joan is a bright, bold presence - she puts herself out there - and has done yoga DVDs, television, and has a thriving online yoga business. We talk about putting it all out there, and her initial start in acting and musical theatre and how she could translate making it in one tough industry to another when her voice gave out and she had to make a change. We also discusss...Elise's original pursuit of acting and musical theatre, and making it work in difficult, competitive fields. (She started off on the road to medical school, and decided on musical theatre instead!), grieving the end of her acting career and moving yoga online for sustainable practice. 

Michael Lee of Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy had a good thing going, but still decided to change course and pursue yoga, and ultimately yoga therapy. We talk about his 30+ year career and his takeaways as a long-term practitioner and teacher. The intelligent edge yoga podcast was produced by Kathryn Anne Flynn; author of Teach Kind, Clear Yoga: A Guide for Practitioners and Teachers. To learn more about Kathryn, practice online, or find retreats and training opportunities, visit kathrynanneflynn.com  

The intelligent edge yoga podcast was produced by Kathryn Anne Flynn; author of Teach Kind, Clear Yoga: A Guide for Practitioners and Teachers. To learn more about Kathryn, practice online, or find retreats and training opportunities, visit kathrynanneflynn.com Show Notes: It can be an uncomfortable topic, unless you're speaking with someone as ebullient as Ava Taylor. The founder and chief catalyst of YAMA Talent, Ava is optimistic and pragmatic about the business of yoga, and she shares her story, what it's like working with yogis, and the qualities that make a successful yogi.We discuss…Ava's background, including the impact of inherited trauma from her great-grandparents' slavery, and how she got into yoga to re-directThe yoga scene in the 90s in California, and how Ava saw that yogis needed help figuring out the business sceneNo, it turns out, some people will not sign contracts during Mercury RetrogradeWhat's the next big thing in yoga? We talk about the increasing and needed role of niche-yoga, but what's the potential for yoga teachers in the future-       Ava's best advice for yoga teachers who want to refine their promotion skills and the qualities successful teachers share 

Looking to change some habits? Pretty much anyone who practices yoga is invested in improving their discernment, discipline, and cultivating healthy ways of living. Following up from last episode on willpower, we talk about the psychology of habits, the yoga philosophy of them, and even touch on a summary of Gretchen Rubin's habits read "Better Than Before". the Amy Schumer skit about a clothes shop where you shop for your "future size" inspired the title of this episode what I forgot to include about willpower last time around, especially the theory of "ego depletion" (running out of willpower) karma, samskaras, and other yoga philosophy that should inform how we proceed with behavior in the world The Psychology of Habit by Charles Duhigg, what we learn from mental energy and habit formation and what he and The Willpower Instinct reference that may not be true a summary of Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin, provided by my friend and peer, Erin Bidlake a story to sum up why we're cultivating excellent spiritual practice even in our householder lives (since we may feel like the practice isn't that spiritual!) Get the links I reference in the show at www.intelligentedge.yoga

Yoga philosophy does not characterize the universe as a glorious place designed to fulfill all your wishes if you ask it nicely. That doesn't mean goal setting is bad - quite the contrary - but this is a cheeky exploration into the difference between new age spirituality pop religion and yoga philosophy. We go into some psychology on willpower and self-control, too!Give that it's the new year, we talk about...Where the phrase "the universe has your back" came from and Gabrielle Bernstein (who is a heck of a lot more popular on instagram than I am)How heavily influenced by latent Christian culture new age spirituality can be, including evangelical movementsHow this differs from yoga philosophy, which does not see the universe as omniscient and providingWhy goal setting is a good thing for yogis to do and participate in, and some interesting facts about willpower from The Willpower Instinct by Kelly McGonigalAnd more!The intelligent edge yoga podcast was produced by Kathryn Anne Flynn; author of Teach Kind, Clear Yoga: A Guide for Practitioners and Teachers. To learn more about Kathryn, practice online, or find retreats and training opportunities, visit kathrynanneflynn.com

Disagreeing with people can be uncomfortable, but it's a part of life and one that often helps further understandings of other people's experiences and opinions. Culturally, we're getting worse at disagreeing with each other, and the popular perception of yogis often makes disagreeing more difficult. Let's talk about disagreeing in conversation, and then a little bit about disagreements in the yoga world right now.I talk about generally disagreeing with people and frame it within the yogic system of ego/preferenceWhat happens to us on a physiological level when we disagree?Some of the critiques being leveled against the Ashtanga system right now, and a brief note about Sri Pattabhi Jois' abuses toward his studentsWhy disagreeing around Ashtanga is so personalThe intelligent edge yoga podcast was produced by Kathryn Anne Flynn; author of Teach Kind, Clear Yoga: A Guide for Practitioners and Teachers. To learn more about Kathryn, practice online, or find retreats and training opportunities, visit kathrynanneflynn.com

Ayurveda's nourishing practices with Mona Warner! Find her at www.janatiyoga.com. Mona is a yoga teacher and an Ayurvedic practitioner, and she's one of my favourite people on the planet. We talk about different designations in Ayurveda, how you can work with practitioners, approaches to diet and wellness, and Ayurveda's ability to support people going through intensive treatments.The Ayurveda of dogs and puppies (not kidding – we briefly talk about this!)Why Kapha dosha (earth and water elements) govern early life, and not Vata (air and space elements)Pathology and its causes, including touching on cancer and the complexity of doshic-imbalance when it comes to pathologyWho can help you in Ayurvedic consultations, and what the designations are and the difference in their scopes of practiceHow Ayurveda can support people undergoing cancer treatment, or similarly invasive, intense allopathic (“Western”) medicine treatmentsHow yoga and Ayurveda dialogue and they're ability to help us in self-realization and self-healingThe disconnect between popular yoga diets and Ayurvedic recommendationsConserving our Ayurvedic opinions (brahmacharya) until people ask for our opinionsOur experience of wellness is contrasted against the most suffering and the most joy we've ever hadHow often the feelings of wellness that are celebrated in our culture are not necessarily the nourishing practices for our biologyAnd! how over-nourishment comes from a sense of depletion, because that's our cultural modus operandiThe relationship between yoga and eating disorders, and how we choose diets to exercise food restrictionsHow Ayurveda views vegetarianism and veganism, since it supports dominantly eating plants!The emotional “stuff” of food and sharing mealsExploring food sensitivities and if you actually have one or not, and developing tools to navigate sensitivitiesSupplements' role in Ayurvedic wellness and working with an APThe importance of individualized wellness, and a sidenote about triphala (a three-fruit supplement)The new frontiers of Ayurveda, and what they can offer to local folk wisdomThe intelligent edge yoga podcast was produced by Kathryn Anne Flynn; author of Teach Kind, Clear Yoga: A Guide for Practitioners and Teachers. To learn more about Kathryn, practice online, or find retreats and training opportunities, visit kathrynanneflynn.com

Fear and difficult emotions are often part of the pregnancy experience, and many women turn to yoga - or continue their yoga - through their pregnancy to help with the anxiety of navigating pregnancy and labour. Nicky Poole is an experienced mum, prenatal yoga teacher, and teacher trainer, and we chat about moving from rules-making to contextual reasoning to think our way through what's appropriate for parents-to-be.We chat about...Nicky's background as one of the first studio owner's in Vietnam with her first studio in Ho Chi Minh CityHer move to Canada, and starting her teaching career in Toronto as she also became mum to her second sonHow parenting influences teaching yoga, both the content and the practicalitiesThe pressures on women to perform pregnancy in a particular wayThe culture of fear around pregnancy and labour, and how we can support women in processing their experiencesAllowing for the multiplicity of emotions that women may have, and acknowledging that there's no homogenous birth experienceThe importance of cultivating trust in a prenatal yoga community and cultivating dialogueSensitivity to pregnancy loss in a prenatal settingThe importance of talking about labour in prenatal yoga settingsTeaching prenatal yoga teacher training with logical reasoning and discussion rather than rule-makingMinimizing postures that increase intra-abdominal pressure during pregnancyCreating space for both strengthening and relaxation in prenatal classes, including teaching them how to activate their pelvic floor and learning to relax the pelvic floorSome excellent resources for yoga teachers interested in learning about female anatomy and labour (all linked in the show notes!)Find Nicky at www.nickypoole.comThe intelligent edge yoga podcast was produced by Kathryn Anne Flynn; author of Teach Kind, Clear Yoga: A Guide for Practitioners and Teachers. To learn more about Kathryn, practice online, or find retreats and training opportunities, visit kathrynanneflynn.com

The intelligent edge yoga podcast was produced by Kathryn Anne Flynn; author of Teach Kind, Clear Yoga: A Guide for Practitioners and Teachers. To learn more about Kathryn, practice online, or find retreats and training opportunities, visit kathrynanneflynn.comShow Notes:Maybe one of the most experienced yogis to ever grace this podcast in past or future, Yoganand Michael Carroll is a treasure trove of amazing stories and yoga philosophy. A must listen for anyone interested in the history of yoga and its philosophy!How he had an appetite for spirituality that was not sated by his strict fundamentalist Christian family, but found a spiritual path at Kripalu when it was still an ashramYoganand was at the ashram when Amrit Desai, Kripalu's founder, was asked to leave when it was revealed that he was having extra-marital affairs with students (who were all supposed to be practicing celibacy)What yoga has lost by going mainstream, but what it's gained, too, given the guru culture of India and early-American yogaFinding a clear path toward balance, and how our understanding of spirituality and psychology are nuancedPracticing the Shat Kriya (six rites/cleansing rituals), and confrontational practices like dhauti (cloth swallowing) from the Hatha Yoga PradipikaWhat excites and interests Yoganand about the Pradipika and scholarship on Hatha Yoga's arrival in the 10th century, contextualized to the Sutras and GitaThe variety of definitions of yoga in the Bhagavad Gita and how Krishna was using them to help prepare ArjunaHow yoga student/teacher guidance used to work before texts were widely availableHow texts used to be written in purposefully obscured languageCan Kundalini energy be raised with ease or is it only for the enlightened?The limitations of the rational mind to understand metaphor for conveying spiritual conceptsHow we stress the body just the right amount to get stronger, and how in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika there's energetic and physical recommendations of stress to apply for growthChakras have changed, and how they weren't coloured or associated to musical notes, etc in history, and how you don't have chakras – you create themWe conclude with the consolation that there has never been a time where there was a universally agreed upon definition of yoga 

Why are you talking like that? An exploration into what makes a voice, what is "yoga voice", and why we may do it.Yoga teachers sometimes adopt a breathy voice that sounds like they floated in on a cloud. We turn to psychology, some trends in yoga culture, a wee bit of Ayurveda, and vocal anatomy today to consider...What is a voice, and how unique are our voices exactly?An example of yoga voice, and possible reasons that we may adopt certain yoga voicesAyurvedic constitution might influence your use of metaphorsWhy some people borrow cues from other teachers, and if that's karmically cool or notA troubling trend in yoga voices seeking authority in the fieldVocal warmups so you sound your best before you teachThe intelligent edge yoga podcast was produced by Kathryn Anne Flynn; author of Teach Kind, Clear Yoga: A Guide for Practitioners and Teachers. To learn more about Kathryn, practice online, or find retreats and training opportunities, visit kathrynanneflynn.com

The intelligent edge yoga podcast was produced by Kathryn Anne Flynn; author of Teach Kind, Clear Yoga: A Guide for Practitioners and Teachers. To learn more about Kathryn, practice online, or find retreats and training opportunities, visit kathrynanneflynn.comShow Notes:A conversation about yoga conversations with Carol Horton, PhD, including the early days of the yoga blogging community, how the change in tone in the yoga community has prompted some changes in her work, and staying focused on being of service to others.Carol's academic background, even her dissertation, on politics and race in Political Science, and her current shift away from yoga writing toward political writingHer earlier career in the non-profit sector looking at class and inequality in early childhood, and then moving into a sociological context of modern practiceThe Yoga Service Council's work on racial issues, outreach and accessibility of yoga, including the criminal justice system, for veterans, and an upcoming book on sexual trauma survivorsSeeing the zeitgeist of yogic inquiry in the yoga community and academics, including the history of yoga coming to AmericaEarly yoga blogging community in about 2010, connecting with other yogis, and why she wrote Yoga PhD and co-edited The 21st Century of YogaThe current conversations that need to be had in the yoga community, including the rising nationalism and use of yoga as a political tool by Prime Minister Narenda ModiWhy it's a good thing that your reading list will never be entirely readThe shift toward a more politicized dynamic and the pull toward a desire for concrete answers, and how that can be difficult in the context of spiritual inquiry that are always in process (thus resist absolute)Some of the aggressive nature of online conversation in the yoga world that errs toward polarization and the disincentives to moderate voices in social mediaIdentifying as a yogi within your life as a whole and figuring out how to keep growing as a human being and being of service to others 

The intelligent edge yoga podcast was produced by Kathryn Anne Flynn; author of Teach Kind, Clear Yoga: A Guide for Practitioners and Teachers. To learn more about Kathryn, practice online, or find retreats and training opportunities, visit kathrynanneflynn.comShow Notes:Let's talk about mental health and yoga teachers, since so many people who turn to yoga are seekers or individuals looking for greater wellness. Kim McNeil from Calgary, Alberta and I open the conversation - imperfectly, compassionately, and honestly.We talk about Kim's background, and what it's like to be an introvert in a job that favours extroverts.How teaching yoga can cultivate a different persona in front of classes, and introduce the term "cult of personality" as it applies to yoga teachersThe secrecy around mental health challenges for yoga teachers, as if perfect mental health were a pre-requisite for teachingThe difference between learning from a difficult situation and teachers making excuses for being "challenging" (ie is that person a mirror for you?)The needs of co-regulation and community that yoga is attempting to provide, imperfectly, and developing skills for being wellAcknowledging the need for creating a stable, healthy relationship for teaching yoga (building confidence) and being steady in yourself

Interested in plant medicine? This conversation with Amber Westfall of The Wild Garden offers practical advice for integrating plant medicine into your life, and reveals the potency of what we can find in our local environment.Amber Westfall is an herbalist and owner of The Wild Garden, a tiny farm and educational space where she grows local, organic and sustainably harvested wild foods and herbs and runs workshops on herbal literacy.We talk about her journey through holistic traditions into plant medicine, and I ask about her biggest wins and any fails (just one!) that she had in her experimentation.She shares her practical advice, including a widely available plant that can take the bite out of mosquito bites and other scratches, and some of her techniques that go into creating her herbal boxes.Since so many yogis and Ayurvedic practitioners are interested in herbal medicine, I thought we'd talk to someone who is trying to encourage relationship to your local environment. Her work is inspiring!The intelligent edge yoga podcast was produced by Kathryn Anne Flynn; author of Teach Kind, Clear Yoga: A Guide for Practitioners and Teachers. To learn more about Kathryn, practice online, or find retreats and training opportunities, visit kathrynanneflynn.com

The difference between CBD and THC, what marijuana does to the brain, how we receive it from an Ayurvedic perspective, and what you may want to think about before you host a marijuana and yoga event.What are the different types of marijuana products, and are they more for working with pain symptoms or for achieving a highWhat are the physiological influences of marijuana on our systems? How does it effect our brains and what are the outcomes?Considerations for if you were going to host a yoga and cannabis eventWhat yoga philosophy and Ayurveda have to say about marijuana useFeedback from my yoga community on their thoughts about cannabis yoga eventsA snippet from Elena Brower on her recovery from marijuana addiction from the Wanderlust SpeakeasyWhy it's not something that's for my practice and my teachingThe intelligent edge yoga podcast was produced by Kathryn Anne Flynn; author of Teach Kind, Clear Yoga: A Guide for Practitioners and Teachers. To learn more about Kathryn, practice online, or find retreats and training opportunities, visit kathrynanneflynn.com

Trains of thought on being in the teacher's seat. Inspired by my recent conversations with yoga teacher trainees, we talk about a few questions around facilitating yoga classes - including whether to gently awake sleeping students in Savasana.It's an interesting time at the end of teacher training. Lots of great questions come up, but they're really questions that should be asked and answered once you are doing some teaching. And asked again, and again, and again - since we should always be refining!I noticed a lot of questions coming up about facilitation specifically though, so this week we address a few questions about what to do when...You should praise your students, which inspired a whole thread on talking to students in and out of class in general.Integrating pranayama and meditation into your teaching (i.e. it's only weird if you make it weird)Should you wake up snoring students? I put this one to Instagram in a story, and share my community's responses.When should you share inspiring quotations? As well as some considerations on reading selectionWhat do you do about students who are late? Once? Often? What shapes how you get to handle this situation? The intelligent edge yoga podcast was produced by Kathryn Anne Flynn; author of Teach Kind, Clear Yoga: A Guide for Practitioners and Teachers. To learn more about Kathryn, practice online, or find retreats and training opportunities, visit www.kathrynanneflynn.com

Heart and Bones is the result of Brea Johnson's heart work and a long relationship with yoga and inquiry, particularly into anatomy and movement as it applies to teaching asana. She joins me to wander through a bit of her history as a faciliator and studio owner, her yoga existential crisis and resulting content, and what it's like to move online. We also discuss... What it's like to focus your yoga teaching more online, what you gain and some early perspective on what you may lose The cyclical nature of teaching to be inspired and needing to be inspired to teach The surprising difficulty of tiny movements that are good for you Brea's yoga existential crisis and how she moved away from and back toward yoga after incorporating a more diverse approach to yoga asana Yoga leadership, which includes boldness, walking a path that hasn't been trod, and being OK to stumble on that path The co-creation of yoga in a "post guru" era Collaborative approaches to yoga - open source yoga! - and balancing owning our own authority Being comfortable and even enthusiastic about owning a yoga business and marketing your work Resisting the pressure to play down your goals and desires to incorporate a leadership style that's ethically guided and professional The living tradition of yoga and how we walk our path to inspire people to do the "heart work" Show Notes on www.intelligentedge.yoga

A yogi mama with a diversity of experience in the yoga-Ayurveda world, Jennifer Hardy-Berthiaume (Jenny Bee), recently published her first book on using Ayurveda to parent with greater ease and for greater health and harmony in the household. We talk about how we know each other, just a little nostalgia, before getting into conversation about the challenges of parenting, and how critical yoga and Ayurveda are for knowing yourself and your kids. Jenn shares the super cute way she describes the doshas in her book, and some of the ways she integrates Ayurveda into her parenting her active kid, her more passive little guy, and what dinnertime is like in their household. We commiserate on the challenges and surprises of parenthood, but even if you're not a parent, you probably teach a lot of them. Get to know a little bit about some insider information on what it's like to be a yogi mama. For show notes and more information on where to find Jenn's book, go to www.intelligentedge.yoga

This week I talk about what it means to have healthy bowel movements by modern healthcare's definition, as well as Ayurveda. We learn all about what's reasonable to expect, some interesting facts about feces, the anatomy of defecation, and some practical advice for pooping well. After devoting a couple of yoga classes to eliminating well, I decided to bring it online to the intelligent edge yoga podcast community. We talk about... research into whether elimination aids like the Squatty Potty are effective or not what goes into poop? Literally what's the physiology of pooping? Why do an elephant and a human poop at the same rate? which Ayurvedic dosha is responsible for digestion, and what are the four types of digestion (agni) according to Ayurveda what the pelvic floor muscle is, and why it influences our ability to eliminate well during pregnancy and postpartum what pelvic floor physiotherapists are concerned about and when you may want to see one the Squatty Potty and more interesting, candid, calm facts about eliminating well Find the show notes, including links to cited articles and books, at www.intelligentedge.yoga

Part 2 of a conversation with the poetic Ayurvedic practitioner Balaram Chandra das, where we dig into some of the challenges of being a responsible teacher, models of education and how they work (or don't) in yoga and Ayurveda, as well as multiple Ayurvedic concepts, including springtime Ayurvedic concepts and care. • Balaram's familial history of curanderos (healers), and how he's stepping into his lineage as a healer through Ayurveda • Being introduced to Ayurveda through the food science of cooking for best digestion, and learning how to cook for his guru's Ayurvedic diet • The unusual experience of his first encounter with an Ayurvedic practitioner • The impossibility of separating philosophy and practicality of Ayurveda, and the challenges of being a responsible teacher • Ayurveda's holistic perception of your experience, including all of your abilities, limitations and culture • Giving clients the option of perceiving reality differently through consistent regular association and digestible amounts of theory • I ask Balaram for his “quick and dirty Ayurvedic springtime tips”, and he gives us a wonderful explanation of why there is no one prescription for springtime • He even carries it through to summertime Ayurvedic practices www.intelligentedge.yoga

Meet Balarama Chandra das, one of my teachers from Ayurveda school, who is a fascinating person wonderfully capable of expanding on philosophical and Ayurvedic concepts with poetic commentary. Balarama has many places in his beginning, and many places in his continuing story. Born Boaz Ramos in Arizona, he was driven by inquiry to study with his teacher in an ashram in San Diego, and ultimately followed him to India and then traveled the world with him. So we hear how Balaram got on his path as it has taken shape the way I know him, but also how… He questioned the utility of his official university education, and made peace with it once he was pursuing his spiritual education and came to appreciate what it offered him The development of his perspectives on living a life of service, and how he got involved in activism in border issues near the Mexican/American border How the anger from his activism had to be balanced and tethered to spiritual practice, and led him to realize he needed to do one with more enthusiasm How we have two options: cultivate something new, or reform something that exists Evolving as a student and assistant to his guru, who initiated him into his lineage and gave him his name He drops a number of cool stories from his education and experiences into our conversation, including the differences between spiritual and material people, and how people see themselves as a part of the whole The 3 ways in which we can learn things, including the power of stories How we're getting education too late, and the education that is specific to us happens later in life as early education is non-personal There's always 3s in the Vedic paradigm – and how there are 3 types of personalities Show Notes at www.intelligentedge.yoga

Exploring Sun Salutations and their mythology, we talk about how when we know something well, it brings certain good qualities and other challenges. I offer some thoughts on evolving our approach to Sun Salutations, including different approaches to cues, sequencing, and how to approach plank, wrist stability and spinal articulation in cobra. The story of Hanuman the monkey-faced god eating Surya, the sun God, and how the Sun Salutation became Hanuman's offering What grilled cheese has in common with the Sun Salutation Taking something we think we know and changing it enough that we're willing to explore it with fresh eyes Why I don't teach a breath-matched-to-movement approach to Sun Salutations A bit information on how to integrate a little more stability into your hands, wrists and shoulders in plank posture Our options for not doing Chaturanga and what we can do instead How we approach Cobra, what we should call it, how we can cue it, and working on spinal articulation through our approach Find out more about Kathryn and get the show notes, as well as teacher resources and blog posts at www.intelligentedge.yoga

Raised in Montreal by the original yogi-mama seeker, Hali Schwartz lives and teaches in Toronto, Canada and visits India annually. Devoted to living and sharing yoga through philosophy, chant and mantra, Hali is a dedicated practitioner who helps yogis add the philosophical framework of yoga to their path. We talk about her unusual upbringing and how her mother met her guru, and then continue through various tenets of yoga philosophy and why bother - the remembering of our own divinity. We also talk on... Why yoga philosophy if you're not interested in going down the rabbit hole How the external practice influences our interior and vice versa The chronic misunderstanding that enlightenment and "real" spirituality is devoid of emotion, when it has more to do with being present to emotions without being overwhelmed by them We touch on the Hindu philosophical systems of Vedanta, Sankhya and Yoga and how these philosophies reveal that our perception is flawed Using philosophy as a lens for self-discovery, and seeing students as fellow journeyers The flow of money between teacher and students, in Indian ashrams and in our own Western satsang (community gathering) The importance of personal Sadhana (practice) for being wrong with ourselves, but not "putting it all over other people". Wow! What a fascinating woman - author, teacher, and musician. You can find out more about Hali from her site, which you can find linked from the show notes. Find the show notes on www.intelligentedge.yoga

A Q&A on sequencing recorded from the Toronto Yoga Conference! I share quite a bit about my thoughts on abdominal strengthening (core) exercises in yoga classes, as well as when and how to teach pranayama in asana classes. The episode concludes with advice on how to integrate the things you learn in your yoga education into your teaching - especially when you feel like it's different from what you've been doing. My approach to teaching core strength is at the beginning of class - the "it was all a dream approach" to teaching core strength! I explain why I like this approach, and the only caveat you need to keep in mind. I also talk about which types of pranayama I might put at the beginning of class, and which I prefer to save for the end and why. But aside from these specifics, whether you study with me or anyone else who teaches you a method you want to integrate into your teaching, how do you do that when your community is used to a certain approach? We end with some practical advice on doing just that.

Western Insight Meditation and yoga teacher Dawn Mauricio brings her light, introspective approach to sincere meditation. We chat about personal practice and teaching, cultural appropriation in spiritual communities and spiritual bypassing. We talk about the limitations of social media for authentic shares, and how/when to share your personal processes with your community. Dawn talks about her history with meditation and why she prefers to refer to Insight Meditation as "Western Insight", which leads to a chat about cultural appropriation in the Buddhist and yoga spiritual communities. We finally touch on spiritual bypassing - the avoidance of personal pain and interpersonal exploration for spiritual "heights" - and how doing interpersonal work is a required component of spiritual practice. From Montreal, Dawn teaches and practices internationally, and you can join her in person or in her free 21 Day Meditation course, offered in partnership with Lole. See the show notes for details! Show Notes

Hands-on assists are a source of fear for a number of teachers who want to do the right thing for their students. I invited my friend dallas delahunt to come back and have a conversation with me about teaching hands-on. We are both known for doing hands-on enhancements when we teach, and so we talk about why and how, and some strategies for moving forward with hands-on teaching. www.intelligentedge.yoga

The brilliant and indefatigable Joanne Sarah Avison, Certified Yoga Therapist, Structural Integration practitioner, and author of Yoga: Fascia, Anatomy and Movement joins me for a conversation. Joanne weaves together anatomy, history, architecture, motherhood, teaching, reconceptualizing how we talk about movement needs, sacred geometry - the list goes on! You have to listen to believe it. Joanne takes us through a tour of the definition of fascia, biotensegrity, and a reconceptualization of the body and mind away from the language of biomechanics. We touch on the balance of forces in the body, and the fascia as a sensory organ, but you also get a tour through the historical politics of cadaver work and the sacred geometry of our makeup! Those of you with no experience with fascia and anatomy trains education may be bowled over by the vastness of information coming at you, but Joanne sprinkles our conversation with personal stories, metaphors, and tangents that will keep you fascinated. Those of you with tons of education in this area will want her to come back for another chat and to read more from Joanne. Fortunately for all of us across the pond, some online learning is coming available from her soon. Show Notes: www.intelligentedge.yoga

A yoga primer for new students. This episode is for you to share with people you think would benefit from a yoga practice, but maybe need to hear it from someone else. It might also be of interest for yoga teachers to hear how you can speak to the benefits of yoga to people who aren't on the yoga train yet. Do you remember how difficult it was to walk into your first yoga studio? The landscape of yoga has changed a lot in the last 10 years, but once you're on the inside, sometimes it's hard to imagine how foreign it can seem from the outside. This episode includes some practical information for people beginning a yoga practice, since there's a few things they may want to know on the beginning of this journey. Show Notes: www.intelligentedge.yoga

In this week's episode, I answer a lot of the questions that come my way from students in class and teacher training. I explore certain cues, alternatives and engagement approaches to the poses Happy Baby, Bridge, standing balances, gate pose variation, and Shoulderstand poses.For more information on Kathryn's work, where to find her, and more podcasts, visit www.intelligentedge.yogaFor online practices, including accessible yoga classes from retreat and specifically recorded for patrons, visit www.patreon.com/intelligentedgeyoga

Book recommendations! I'm always being asked what I'm reading or what I'd recommend on particular topics, so I plucked three well-loved books off my shelves on Ayurveda, Yoga and Anatomy and tell you what's great about them, including some of my favourite passages and information.The Everyday Ayurveda Cookbook by Kate O'DonnellWhile it may seem unusual to recommend a cookbook for reading, Kate's book is a cookbooknot a recipe book. She fronts the recipes with a wonderful and thorough section on some of the theories and concepts behind Ayurveda cooking and digestion.21st Century Yoga: Culture, Politics and Practice, edited by Carol Horton & Roseanne HarveyThis collection of essays is essential reading to the socially minded yogi. I always recommend it to yoga teacher training grads who are looking for some of the cultural issues pertinent to the evolution of yoga. Published in 2012, it's still a relevant read even if some things have happily evolved with the conversation, and many things have not. A great way to get into the minds of some smart yogis you may not have heard of yet, and original writing from those you have.The Story of the Human Body: Evolution, Health and Disease, by Daniel E. LiebermanA history of how humans arrived at being human from being apes, which we learn was not a foregone conclusion! A fascinating journey through how and why we evolved into what we are, what we lost as we gained a long the way, and the impact that culture (not just modern culture!) has had on us. This book has been so useful in my teaching and understanding of anatomy.For more information on Kathryn's work, where to find her, and more podcasts, visit www.intelligentedge.yogaFor online practices, including accessible yoga classes from retreat and specifically recorded for patrons, visit www.patreon.com/intelligentedgeyoga

Tiffany Cruikshank joins the podcast to discuss what it's like to be one of the best known yoga teachers on the international circuit, her teacher training levels of Yoga Medicine, her history and future of teaching, and Traditional Chinese Medicine.For more information on Kathryn's work, where to find her, and more podcasts, visit www.intelligentedge.yogaFor other online practices, including accessible yoga classes from retreat and specifically recorded for patrons, visit www.patreon.com/intelligentedgeyoga