Live Like You Love Yourself

Have you ever thought about the role that the body plays in… prosperity? In this fun meeting of the minds, Chara and Michelle Boulé discuss what has led Michelle to where she is today. With Michelle being a dancer, Chara was curious about the connections between how she moves, lives in her body, how she is in the world, and how that translates to how she supports others in breaking through the things that hold them back.Michelle Boulé is a Dancer, Healer, and Transformational Life and Business Coach with a unique methodology that creates profound change for her clients.She's been featured in The New Yorker, The New York Times, Thrive Global, Bloomberg Businessweek, Dance Magazine, and The Today Show, amongst others.Her work, which includes online group and private coaching, speaking, and in-person retreats, gives creative artists, entrepreneurs, and professionals all over the world the clarity and tools they need to manifest their visions and align with their truth confidently.With over 25 years of practice in somatic therapies, energy medicine, mindset psychology, spirituality, and her award-winning international career in dance, the heart of her work is LOVE. After 21 years of living in New York City, Michelle now resides in Missoula, MT.Resources & Mentions:Follow Michelle Boulé on Instagram - @michelle.bouleMichelle Boulé's website: https://www.michelleboule.com/

Who doesn't love a story of embracing change and seeing where it will take you? In this conversation between Chara and long-time yoga teacher, trainer and mentor Julie Smerdon, we hear the story of how Julie came to yoga, or how yoga came to her. It's one of the more colorful and beautiful stories of how yoga can genuinely change lives and it's full of harrowing moments and profound wisdom.Resources:Julie Smerdon's website - https://juliesmerdon.com/Follow Julie Smerdon on Instagram - @juliesmerdon

What are the most important synergies between yoga and psychology? Chara speaks with Dr. Lauren Tober about her evolution as a yoga teacher and psychologist and how that has been informed by the ways that yoga and modern-day psychology have slowly moved toward each other over the course of the last couple of decades. We explore why and how yoga is an important context for yoga teachers and students to become more aware of and how to live and practice in a world where nearly everyone is touched by trauma of some kind. We also hear about Lauren's upcoming Mental Health Aware Yoga course!Resources:Dr Lauren Tober's Mental Health Aware Yoga Training - http://www.mentalhealthawareyoga.com/hybrid Dr Lauren Tober's website - https://www.laurentober.com/ iRest Institute - https://www.irest.org/

The honest, fresh and activating energy of Reggie Hubbard shines through as he speaks with Chara about his passion for yoga, politics and activism. They dive into his background, ambitions and what motivates him.Reggie started Active Peace Yoga with a mission to make the practice of yoga and living the yogic lifestyle more accessible to all - regardless of race, gender, body type or practice level - to form peace of mind and general well being as a foundation, not as an afterthought.Buckle up and enjoy, as you are in for an enlightening & fun conversation.Resources:Active Peace Yoga - https://activepeaceyoga.com/

Bronnie Ware shares with Chara some beautiful and inspiring lessons she has experienced. She has walked through life with her eyes and heart wide open and has generously shared the lessons of living and dying in her books, The Top Five Regrets of the Dying, Your Year for Change, and Bloom. Dig into this episode and embrace the richness found in living that fills the gaps in our understanding of who we are and why we're here.Resources:Bronnie Ware's books - https://bronnieware.com/books/

Chara speaks with David Charlton and Ranju Roy to dig into some deep questions about life. They look at the many fibers that make up who we are in this moment and what the process looks like in getting to know yourself. They discuss the struggles and pitfalls that come up and the overall beauty within the gift of knowing yourself. ResourcesEmbodying the Yoga Sutra: Patanjali for the 21st Century workshop - https://www.sadhanamalayogatraining.com/patanjaliforthe21stcentury

A diving off point for a deeper inquiry into the practice of Living Like You Love Yourself. What are the life challenges that keep us from holding ourselves in more sacred, informed and loving ways? What is our relationship with the concept of self love and how does that bleed into our actions with ourselves and the world? In this episode we explore a view on the elements of "living like we love ourselves" that provide a context for this season of conversations and sharing. “One of the best guides to how to be self-loving is to give ourselves the love we are often dreaming about receiving from others. – Bell Hooks”

A deep dive into the nature of consciousness, supported by the yoga sutras and our experience of everyday life! Michael de Manincor returns to the podcast to share wisdom and insights into the most challenging questions of our existence. In this brilliant conversation we wonder about unanswerable questions and how asking them can change who and how we are forever!Resources:The Yoga Institute - https://yogainstitute.com.au/

What if the most powerful tool for waking up is sleep itself? Chara and Lucy chat with Lucy's dear friend, John Vosler, holistic wellness educator, conscious coach and yoga nidra guide and deeply wise soul about his practice of Yoga Nidra “Yogic sleep” and its potential to transform the way we relate to ourselves and the world around us.John Vosler's passion is providing education on how thoughts, emotions and physical being are connected.As an energetic bodyworker for more than 25 years, John is able to assess each client and determine the best modality or combination of modalities to help them connect with their divine consciousness and inner healer.Through meditation, movement, holistic bodywork and Conscious Coaching, John's Los Angeles-based wellness practice has empowered countless clients to improve their lives. Executives, athletes, celebrities, busy moms and burnt-out professionals are attracted to his intuitive awareness and vast knowledge of the science of meditation. And, his infectious humor and compassionate heart make working with him a joy-filled experience.Resources:www.johnvosler.comiRest website: https://www.irest.org/IAM yoga nidra website: https://amrityoga.org/yoga-nidra/

Lucy and Chara are joined by Maya Breuer, to talk about the shape and future of yoga as a tool for connection across and within cultures. Maya shares the story of the creation of the retreat for women of color and how she sees yoga alliance expanding its focus and reach to better include and support its diverse membership and ever-broadening reach.Maya Breuer, Yoga Alliance Vice President of Cross-Cultural Advancement, supports diversity, inclusion, and cross-cultural competency across all Yoga Alliance activities. In doing so, she builds relationships with community leaders and leads the evaluation of incoming grant requests to Yoga Alliance Foundation. Celebrated as one of America's distinguished Black Yogis by Black Enterprise magazine, Maya, president and co-founder of the national Black Yoga Teachers Alliance, is a preeminent yoga instructor, practitioner, author, community activist and consultant with a career spanning over three decades. She has been training and certifying yoga teachers throughout the United States since 2001 and offers a bi-annual Yoga Retreat for Women of Color at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health. Her mission and dharma has been to teach yoga and empower individuals to renew body, mind, and spirit to achieve health and well-being.RESOURCES & MENTIONS:Website: http://www.mayabreuer.com/Unity in Yoga Podcast: https://www.yogaalliance.org/Membership_Benefits/Unity_in_YogaYoga Retreat for Women of Color at Kripalu: https://kripalu.org/presenters-programs/yoga-retreat-women-color-rediscover-your-divine-selfYoga Alliances Teaching for Equity program - https://www.yogaalliance.org/Foundation/Teaching_for_Equity_ProgramInternational Gathering SanghasBell Hooks - Sisters of the Yam

Chara and Lucy connect with Jana Long, the founder and executive director of Black Yoga Teachers Alliance, in an exploration of the stories that define who we are and provide a foundation for who we can be. We get a look into a life touched by 50 years of yoga practice and we get a sense for why Yoga Journal named Jana one of it's Game Changers! Resources & Mentions:Black Yoga Teachers Alliance (BYTA) - https://blackyogateachersalliance.org/Facebook Page - Black Yoga Teachers Alliance - https://www.facebook.com/blackyogateachersalliancePower of One Yoga Center - https://powerofonecenter.com/Facebook Page - Power of One Yoga Center - https://www.facebook.com/powerofoneyogaInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/powerofoneyoga/Documentary - The Uncommon Yogi by Jana Long - THE UNCOMMON YOGI

What is pain and how can the tools of yoga and yoga therapy best acknowledge, manage and heal the complex experience of those living with it on a daily basis? Lucy and Chara speak with Yoga therapist, researcher and author Marlysa Sullivan about her work in Yoga therapy and pain management and how yoga provides a holistic lens for understanding and alleviating the root causes of pain.Marlysa's Bio:Dr. Marlysa Sullivan is a physiotherapist and yoga therapist with over 15 years of experience. Marlysa balances clinical research and practice with education, speaking and writing. She is the Physical Therapy Coordinator of the Empowered Veterans Program at the VA. This is a comprehensive pain care program that integrates whole health coaching, psychotherapy, and mindful movement with a chaplain, psychotherapist and physical therapist. She trains physical therapists as well as offers the mindful movement component integrating therapeutic pain education, mindfulness, acceptance and commitment therapeutic principles with movement practices. She is an Assistant Professor in Yoga Therapy and Integrative Health Sciences at Maryland University of Integrative Health and holds an adjunct position at Emory University, where she teaches the integration of yoga and mindfulness into physical therapy practice in the DPT program. She is the author of Understanding Yoga Therapy: Applied Philosophy and Science for Well-being and co-editor of Yoga and Science in Pain Care: Treating the Person in Pain, as well as several peer-reviewed articles.Resources & Mentions:Marlysa's Website: https://marlysasullivan.com/Books & Articles Discussed: Yoga and Science in Pain CareUnderstanding Yoga Therapy Yoga Therapy and Polyvagal Theory: The Convergence of Traditional Wisdom and Contemporary Neuroscience for Self-Regulation and ResilienceBooks Lucy recommended:John Sarno - “The Mindbody Prescription” & “The Divided Mind”Alan Gordon - “The Way Out - Healing Chronic Pain” - includes the concept of neuroplastic pain

Who could you be if you knew that just by loving yourself you could change the world? Chara and Lucy speak with yoga teacher, social justice educator and author Jacoby Ballard about the beauty, power, and challenges of making a difference in the world by starting from within. They discuss Jacoby's new book and his path as a queer activist, educator, and advocate for the power of self-love, compassion, and practice to connect and elevate us.Resources & Mentions:Jacoby Ballard Website - https://jacobyballard.net/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jacobyballard/Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/jacoby.ballardJacoby's Queer Dharma Book Club - https://jacobyballard.net/book/

How can yoga support us in improving our relationship with our bodies? This was the question that we explored with psychologist and yoga therapist Janet Lowndes, a dear friend of Lucy's and a woman who is doing amazing things in the world. Her Melbourne, Australia based practice assists people with eating disorders and body image challenges. So we talk about the part that yoga plays in creating and solving this problem in our modern world! Fabulous conversation. The first of Season two!!Info and resources:Janet Lowndes is Founding Director and Principal Psychologist at Mind Body Well, a private practice in Melbourne providing outpatient therapies for people with Eating Disorders and concerns about eating behaviours, body image and wellbeing - from a Non-Diet, Health at Every Size® perspective.Her approach is one which emphasises wellbeing rather than weight, focusing on embodied self compassion and interoceptive awareness. She believes that Yoga is an act of embodied liberation, and she encourages yoga teachers and therapists to provide weight inclusive spaces which celebrate the wonderful diversity of bodies and minds.Here's where you can find her!Web - www.mindbodywell.com.auFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/JanetLowndesPageInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/janetlowndes.therapist/

Touching base to let you know what's coming up in Season 2 and to introduce you to my guest Co-host for the season!Resources & MentionsElements of Yoga Ayurveda for Yoga Teachers CourseThe Center for Holding Space - Foundation ProgramYoga Communication

How to find yourself is a question that new age self help… and yoga, to some degree, have made infamous. But it's a journey that all of us are consciously or unconsciously engaged in every day. In this final episode of season one of the podcast, Maria and Chara unpack the principles and particulars of self seeking. What does it really mean? What does it look like? And more importantly, what makes it all worth doing? We talk about all of this and provide some clues for the seekers and sleuths out there.

What do we all need to know as human beings walking around on this earth with a pelvis? What are some of the misconceptions around what the pelvic floor is, how it supports and impacts our experience of living and how to keep it (and us) healthy In this penultimate episode of Season 1 of the Live Like You Love Yourself podcast, Chara and Maria speak with , yoga teacher, podcaster and pelvic floor health specialist Shannon Crow about some of the confusion that we all experience around this vital aspect of our being and what we can do to own and nourish who we are by educating ourselves about the pelvic floor. Resources & Mentions:Pelvic Health Professionals - https://pelvichealthprofessionals.com/pelvic-health-resources/The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast - https://www.theconnectedyogateacher.com/podcast/Tobias WigginsWhat is a pessary?Squatty Potty

A beautiful moment of connection and introduction.  Saved from an earlier start at the podcast, this unpublished conversation was one of the first recorded conversations we ever had.  It was a “first meeting” on air and has turned out to be a sweet goodbye to a beautiful friend. Chara interviews Maria about her life, her discovery of yoga and what she’s learned along her journey of teaching and practice. 

What is the role of yoga in times like these? Who must we be as practitioners to experience its full potential and ours as well? How can we characterize the dance that yoga and modern science are currently engaged in, and what are the potential pitfalls and windfalls of this pairing? What does the world need from yoga teachers right now? These are just a few of the inquiries that shaped our conversation with Dr. Michael de Manincor - Director and senior lecturer at the Yoga Institute in Sydney Australia. It was a delightful connection with a few interesting surprises along the way!References & Resources:The Yoga Institute: https://yogainstitute.com.au/michael-de-manincor/The Yoga Foundation: https://www.theyogafoundation.org.au/Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram: https://www.kym.org/Michael de Manicoor on J Brown Yoga Podcast: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/yoga-talks-podcast/2018/12/michael-de-manincorAyurveda for Yoga Teachers with Chara Caruthers

A candid conversation with Maria and Chara about the challenges of living and how our yoga can serve us when aspects of life (like Covid and cancer) take us by surprise. The conversation started as an inquiry into what the world needs from yoga right now. Our answer came through the lens of our own current struggles and hopes for the future.Resources & MentionsYoga for Older Grown ups course ONLINE with Maria - http://www.yogaforgrownups.comElements of Yoga: Ayurveda for Yoga Teachers ONLINE course with Chara - https://bit.ly/ElementsofYoga

What do you do when the physical and financial foundation you’ve been building all your life starts to crumble? What is the process for coming to terms with the reality that you’ll never be disease free? What goes through the mind of someone who has lost everything and gained themselves in the process? And what does it look like to discover your true gifts and share them? These are just a few of the questions that we’re asking and living on the podcast this week with Fleur Marks, wellbeing expert, coach, founder and curator of The Wellbeing Store in Byron Bay.References and Mentions:https://thewellbeingstore.com.au/https://www.linkedin.com/in/fleurmarkshttps://www.instagram.com/thewellbeingstore/The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown: https://brenebrown.com/thegifts-hub/Kristin Neff: Self Compassion: https://self-compassion.org/Ayurveda for Yoga Teachers Course with Chara - https://bit.ly/ElementsofYoga

What is meditation supposed to look like? How are meditation and yoga supposed to serve us in our lives? What happens when reality messes with our stories about how things are supposed to be? We dive into these questions and so much more with the amazing Caitlin Cady author of Heavily Meditated and self professed Meditation Junkie, who’s used the power of the “good sit” to turn her health, happiness and world around. And whose mission is to remind YOU of your magic!”Resources & MentionsDrop Chara an email about how your feel your truthCaitlins Website: www.caitlincady.comCaitlin’s Book: https://caitlincady.com/pages/heavilymeditatedYoga Teacher Training with Rod Stryker: https://www.parayoga.com/parayoga-master-training-online-curriculum-2/Tara Brach: https://www.tarabrach.com/Sally Kempton: meditation sit up: https://www.sallykempton.com/resources/life-questions/the-mentalogue/Danielle Laporte Core desired feelings is the way you set goals: daniellelaporte.comAyurveda for Yoga Teachers Training with Chara: https://www.blissbodyandsoul.com/ayurveda-for-yoga-teachers/

What are the key tools we need as individuals and groups moving through challenging moments of transition. What supports create opportunities for transitions to truly transform? Why is holding space a vitally important skill to cultivate at this point in our history? Chara & Maria explore these questions and more in this enlightening conversation with Heather Plett, author or The Art of Holding space: A practice of love, liberation and leadership.Resources:Heather's Website: https://heatherplett.com/Center for Holding Space: https://centreforholdingspace.com/the-art-of-holding-space/

What is it about conversation that changes us and the world around us? Is there a meditative quality to discussion that has the potential to shift aspects of our character and relationships that might not otherwise be noticed or moved? Our chat with Rane Bowen and Jo Stewart, hosts of The Flow Artists podcast shed some internal and external light on these questions! It was an opportunity to dive deeper into how it feels to speak out loud about the things that are important and sometimes unknown and how talking, like yoga, has the power to connect, inspire and enrich us in ways we might not always consider.Resources & MentionsGarden of Yoga https://gardenofyoga.com.au/:The Flow Artists Podcast: https://podcast.flowartists.com/Thrive Northside https://thrivenorthside.com/Rane’s response to being named one of the 20 Yogis of Color to watch in 2020 - https://www.gardenofyoga.com.au/videos/ranes-big-idea/https://www.gardenofyoga.com.au/videos/list/Guide for applying for grants https://thrivenorthside.com/tips/grant-writing-tips-and-strategiesMycelum Made https://thrivenorthside.com/stories/mycelium-madePandemic Portraits https://www.instagram.com/pandemicportraits_au/Alli Black https://www.alliblack.com/Accessible Yoga Training. https://www.accessibleyogatraining.com/Jivana Heyman: https://www.accessibleyogatraining.com/about-usChair Yoga with Claire Cuneen. https://www.getfitwhereyousit.com.au/teachertrainingMichelle Cassandra Johnson: Skill in Action book. https://www.michellecjohnson.com/skill-in-action-book20 Yoga Teachers of Color to Watch in 2020 list https://www.yogawallanyc.com/blog/2020/1/9/20-yoga-teachers-of-color-to-watch-in-2020Dr Gail Parker: Race Based trauma: https://podcast.flowartists.com/episodes/dr-gail-parker/

2020 has been a challenging year for so many reasons, some of which we’ve talked about and a number of which we haven’t. In this bonus episode Maria and Chare dive into one of the biggest issues that we’ve been quiet about this year… Maria’s cancer diagnosis. Chara has a chance to ask the questions she’s avoided asking and Maria has an opportunity to share what it feels like to come face to face with your own mortality.

Yoga is a practice that nearly everyone buys into. It’s promise of flexibility and adaptability are a powerful and enticing invitation to engage in the uncomfortable for a greater good. But what does it mean to LIVE your yoga? And how can yoga be a tool for changing not just our bodies but our world? Maria and Chara explore these ideas with Kristine Weber and Kiesha Battles, two courageous yoga teachers who have created a project aimed at offering yoga’s ancient principles for ethical living as a lens, and tools for transforming racism and the landscape of social justice from the inside out!Kristine and Keisha’s course: Yoga Ethics For Transforming Racism: https://go.subtleyoga.com/transformation-1Keisha Battles: https://www.kieshabattles.com/Kristine Weber: https://subtleyoga.com/kristine-kaoverii-weber/Mentions:Maya Breuer: http://www.mayabreuer.com/Course: https://kripalu.org/resources/finding-my-seat-circle-yoga-retreat-women-colorKriya Yoga: https://yogainternational.com/article/view/yoga-sutra-2-1-translation-and-commentaryDave Charlton and Ranju Roy: Embodying the Yoga Sutra: https://embodyingtheyogasutra.com/Yoga Alliance session on Ahimsa: https://www.yogaalliance.org/Get_Involved/COVID-19_Resources/Archived_COVID-19_Workshops_and_Events/CE_Workshop_Yoga_as_a_Living_Practice_AhimsaWhite Ally: by Sonia Roberts: https://www.awakenedlovewarrior.com/products/white-ally-a-guide-to-cultivating-a-deeply-spiritual-antiracism-practice-signed-copy-by-sonia-robertsKelley Palmer: “one of Keisha’s teachers of the yamas and niyamasWebsite: https://peacefilledmama.com/about/Course on Accessible yoga training site: https://www.accessibleyogatraining.com/race-equityBlack Teacher’s Yoga Alliance: https://blackyogateachersalliance.org/Desikachar’s book “The Heart of Yoga” :https://www.amazon.com/Heart-Yoga-Developing-Personal-Practice/dp/089281764X/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+heart+of+yoga&qid=1602275216&sr=8-1Debra Adele’s book: The Yamas and Niyamas https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/7057515-the-yamas-niyamas-exploring-yoga-s-ethical-practiceAmplify and Activate: Jasmine Hines. https://www.amplifyandactivate.com/about-usGeorge Floyd: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/george-floydBreonna Taylor: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/breonna-taylorState of the Union:https://stateofunionyoga.com/Race in America: https://otmtraining.offthematintotheworld.org/p/race-in-america-2020Georg Feurstein: https://www.traditionalyogastudies.com/Michelle Cassandra Johnson: https://www.michellecjohnson.com/

How does who we are and where we come from live in our bodies and in our yoga? What does the story of how and where we move tell us about who we can be? Maria and Chara speak with cultural anthropologist and yoga and meditation instructor Alma Duran to explore the landscape of the intersection of yoga and cultures and how they uniquely inform the way we carry our past, present and future in the moment and in life.Highlights:“I didn’t come to yoga because there was something wrong with me. I came to yoga because I saw happy people.”“We carry the story of our culture in our bodies.”“My yoga training and my mindfulness training have helped me enormously to deal with uncertainty and know that it is okay”"The price that I have had to pay was to disintegrate my previous lives. I had to shed my skin as a snake does when it grows……It has been a process of simplifying, deeply simplifying my external life and of letting go of a lot."Resources & Mentions:Viniyoga: https://viniyoga.com/Gary Kraftsow “We practice yoga because it prepares us for death.”Maty Ezraty: https://matyezraty.com/Fred L Miller; http://fredlmiller.com/Meet_Fred.htmlSivananda yoga: https://sivananda.org/Larry Payne: Yoga Rx:on J Brown’s Podcast: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/yoga-talks-podcast/2018/9/larry-payneOn Yoga International: https://yogainternational.com/profile/larry-payneDesikachar: The Heart of Yoga https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/The_Heart_of_Yoga/vV0oDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&printsec=frontcoverDave Charlton and Ranju Roy: our interview https://www.blissbodyandsoul.com/podcast/“Ishvara pranidhana: faith that the universe is supporting you”Emma Balnaves: our conversation https://www.blissbodyandsoul.com/podcast/

Chara and Maria reconnect with Maria’s former student Shonali Sabherwal, now a nutritionist who’s been leading the macrobiotic eating charge in India with three books and a long list of Bollywood star clients. Shonali talks about what it took to get there as a single woman in India, what her work means to her and what the future holds for her work and the health of her country!Resources & MentionsWebsite: www.soulfoodshonali comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShonaliSabherwalSoulFood/community/?ref=page_internalSoul food Conversations Podcast on AudibleShonali’s books: The Detox Diet, The Love Diet, The Beauty DietDr. K.G. RaveendranGary Vaynerchuk - Crushing it.

Description: What is the role of conscious communication in our living and healing? What is the value of communication to the vital responsibility we have as teachers of yoga to hold space for our students? How can we as individuals become more aware and effective at knowing and sharing what’s in our hearts for the good of our relationships and the world? We explore these questions and more in this heartfelt and enlightening conversation with yoga teacher and communication expert Lucy Karnani.Episode Highlights:Lucy talks about her recent transformation and new found love for cookingWhy she started teaching yoga and what keeps her coming backThe keys to connecting with students… and yourselfThe power of the mentoring relationship and how mentoring has impacted her lifeWhat it means to hold space and how holding space relates to communicationThe role of communication in healingHow she’s changed her mind about AyurvedaLucy KarnaniWebsite: https://www.yogacommunication.org/lucy-karnaniBook: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/0648260119/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_ep_dp_QRofBb6AAY9ZZMentionsThe Yoga Institute: https://yogainstitute.com.au/lucy-karnani/Michael de Manicor: https://yogainstitute.com.au/michael-de-manincor/Richard Miller: https://www.irest.org/about-irest-instituteHeather Plett: https://heatherplett.com/holdingspaceresources/Ayurvedic cleanse links:4 signs that you need an Ayurvedic cleanse quiz: https://www.doyou.com/4-signs-that-you-need-an-ayurvedic-cleanse/Chara’s website: https://www.blissbodyandsoul.com/7 day cleanse with Chara

What does the process of owning your yoga look like? What is the role of a yoga teacher in helping you to get there? And what is the ultimate value (or the point) to doing the work to create yoga that is uniquely yours? These are some of the things we talked about in this juicy conversation with yoga therapist and physiotherapist, Libby Hinsley. We go deep into the heart of teaching and practicing yoga guided by Libby’s wide-ranging wisdom, experience and passion. A fabulous discussion about many concepts that are dear to our hearts and our practice!We talked about...Cultivating an internal practice rather seeking to master external alignment cues - the yoga of knowing yourselfInteroceptive cues and the overlap of hyper mobility and agingShould we teach our students anatomy?Is it up to us as teachers to set the goal for the practice?Why having the perspective of anatomical variability will put a lot of people at ease.What messages we send with the language that we useWorking with chronic painHow yoga can help you answer the question, ‘what matters to me?’How yoga creates a vital space for community that is key to “heart happiness.”Anatomy bites: http://www.anatomybites.com/cuesResources & Mentions:Libby Hinsley: https://www.libbyhinsley.com/Paul Grilley’s bone gallery: https://paulgrilley.com/bone-photos/Krishnamacharya Yoga MandiramHypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome

How does it feel to hold space while moving through a powerful change? So many of us are working through this as teachers, parents, siblings, partners and friends. What is the role of yoga in helping us not just to weather the storm, but to be fully present and learn through it? We explore these questions and so much more with our guest Kelley Palmer, yoga teacher, activist, coach and creator of Race & Equity in Yoga: Disruption As a Practice, an online training course for yogis and yoga teachers in the principles and practices of dismantling white supremacy in yoga and the world.Episode highlights...Kelley shares how feeling hopeful and deeply sad coexist in her life and work.The history of Kelley’s activism and work in over turning racismHow different generations agree and differ on the issues of black lives matterKelley’s work to make sure other people, people of colour have access to yoga practiceWhy yoga and social justice go togetherKelly’s dismantling racism course: https://www.accessibleyogatraining.com/race-equityThe complexity of integration in America.What black people should be doing right nowPerceptions of safety and of the police for black mothers and white mothersRESOURCESKelley’s websiteInstagram: @peacefilledmamaKelley’s Dismantling Racism courseThe story of Mansa Musa, the 14th Century West African ruler who was so rich his generous handouts wrecked an entire country's economy.Sanctuary in the City; the history of creating a yoga space for black and brown people outside of white gaze. Daily online classes, meditation and panel discussions.Dr. Gail Parker - inspired Kelley and guided the set up of Sanctuary in the CityJivana HeymanOur podcast episode with Jivana HeymanAccessible Yoga TrainingCoretta Scott King: “Every generation has a responsibility to liberty and liberation.” https://www.bustle.com/p/8-coretta-scott-king-quotes-the-resistance-needs-to-read-54043Reverend angel Kyodo WilliamsMichelle Cassandra JohnsonOur podcast episode with Michelle Cassandra JohnsonOctavia RaheemIlya Parker Decolonising FitnessMaria’s Yoga for Mental Health Course

What is yoga and how does it support our dharmic path? These are some of the questions that Emma Balnaves from Shadow Yoga set out to answer in the process of bringing her first ever film, AgniYogana to the screen. Maria and Chara talked with Emma about the journey and meaning of the film and its impact on her life, her yoga and her understanding of who we are... and who we can be!Highlights from the episode include...The key requirements for practicing Hatha Yoga according to the Shiva SamhitaShould we teach yoga in a secular way?How to teach and access the universal aspects of yoga without losing the essence.The roles that yoga and Ayurveda play in a balanced lifeClassical practices of Hatha yoga that you don’t typically see in yoga classesThe significance of AgniThe four times a day to do sadhanaThe importance of the seasons to yogaCleansing practices in yoga and ayurvedaResources and Mentions: Shadow YogaAgniyogana: Lower the head and invoke the fire filmOn SBSAgniyogana Study GuideFilm Press KitPashupatinath TempleSadhanaDr Robert SvobodaSeasonal Mandala for WomenElements of Yoga: Ayurveda for Yoga Teachers & Students w/Chara Caruthers

If you’ve ever thought that accessible yoga was all about tailoring the practice for older or less “able bodied” folks, you’re gonna wanna listen to this one. Maria and Chara talk with Jivana Heyman, teacher, activist and founder of Accessible Yoga. And in this conversation we learn why all yoga teachers have a responsibility to make yoga accessible and what that means we need to do both on the mat and off. Jivana shares what decades as an activist have taught him about people and pandemics and he leaves us with some deep questions that have changed how we think about and share the practice of yoga.We talked aboutHow online teaching supports accessibility.The overlap of epidemics, accessibility and social justice movementsHow can we take the philosophical teachings of yoga out of the academic realm and make them more practical and accessible.When social justice feels overwhelming, how yoga helps us identify what we can do.What is the practice of service?How yoga teachers can help their students to come into a place of safety and belonging to access the practices of yogaWhat it means to create safety and accessibility as yoga teachersWhy svadhyaya is how we make anything into yogaHow you can tell you are doing your practice.Why self care is service to yourselfRESOURCESThe first online version of the Accessible Yoga Training: https://www.accessibleyogatraining.com/coursesJivana’s book Accessible YogaEmbodying the Yoga Sutras Book by David Charlton and Ranju Roy Here's the podcast we did with themMichelle Cassandra Johnson. Her book Skill in Action. The podcast we did with her.Elements of Yoga: Ayurveda for Yoga Teachers & Students w/Chara Caruthers

They say that the subtle aspects of yoga are the most powerful and transformative. Our guest this week knows all about this… and more. Chara and Maria talk with Kristine Kaoverri Weber, a dear friend of Maria’s who knew her as a fledgling self-care evangelist back in graduate school. It was a wonderful and very wide-ranging conversation about everything from self care and social justice, to marketing and weight loss with a touch of neuroscience and generous sprinkling of yogic wisdom for good measure!Highlights from our chat include:How Kristine has been coping with these strange timesThe importance of creating safe communities online - “watch parties”The reason Kristine teaches yoga to behavioural health professionalsHow subtle yoga can address the crisis of self loathing in the worldHow the systems of racism are toxically intertwined with the systems of trauma.How self care for clinicians will create a foundation for offering trauma informed careSelf care beyond Netflix, wine and a mani-pedi.What is the actual work of yoga?How subtle is different from gentle.Why active relaxation is more effective for losing weight than exerciseHow do we make yoga more accessible?Kristine defines the challenge of public health.

We decided to take a deeper look at the process of digesting experiences that challenge our beliefs and what we know about ourselves. Neither of us could stop thinking about the conversation we had with Michelle Johnson on the subject of social justice, racism, yoga and politics. It brought up so many new feels and inspired lots of talks, and the beginnings of new beliefs. So we decided to sit together (as we do) to talk about the impact of that conversation and how we’re each carrying it in our bodies, minds and yoga!

Social justice is ultimately everyone’s responsibility. Yoga philosophy and practice can be a foundation for seeing and advocating for a more just world. Chara and Maria talk with Michelle C. Johnson, a yoga teacher, clinical social worker and dismantling racism educator about the unique challenges for people of color in the current global uprising related to the Black Lives Matter movement. We unpack terms like “spiritual bypassing” and “cultural appropriation” and talk about the personal and collective tools we’ll need to keep this vital conversation moving in the direction of change.

Maria and Chara sit down with yoga teacher and podcaster J. Brown to talk about his work, motivations and what he’s managed to learn in his time on the planet, thus far. We talk about how yoga informs J’s politics and parenting, why he started a podcast, and the not so silent influence that provides the balance he needs to engage in the business of yoga.

We’re talking to yoga teacher and yoga business mentor Mado Hesselink! She’s the host of the Yoga Teacher’s Resource podcast, but also a mother, and holder of space. She’s built a growing community of yoga teachers online who are looking to connect and better understand how to live your yoga while making a living from it! Mado is a master of life and business wisdom, and in this conversation we get to hear where she’s come from, what she’s passionate about and what she believes yoga has to teach us... especially now.

This week we are talking with Shannon Crow, the host of The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast and Facebook group about the connections between yoga and politics and the challenge of how to support communities of color and ALL communities through these challenging times. A fantastic conversation with heartfelt vulnerabilities and heartwarming openness.

Change is in the air… can you feel it? As the world slowly begins to come to grips with reopening, a lot is coming up! Chara and Maria chat about what this NEW transition looks like for them right now and what they’ve learned from yoga and Ayurveda that is helping to support them through the precarious process of figuring out what’s next!We talk about:Chara’s upcoming Solstice Retreat: https://bit.ly/2zC2osuChara’s ONLINE Classes: https://www.blissbodyandsoul.com/yoga/Kate Pell on You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCz4UVYlaPw5avbFkHn_ehxw/videosMaria’s teacher Judy Krupp in Sydney on Zoom: https://www.theyogaroom.com.au/timetable.htmlMaria’s Online Yoga for Mental Health Teacher Training: https://www.yogaforgrownups.com/online-yoga-for-mental-health-training.htmlMaria’s online classes: https://www.yogaforgrownups.com/online-classes.html

Maria and Chara speak with Ranju Roy and David Charlton, yoga teachers, creators of Sahana Mala Yoga training and and authors of the new book Embodying the Yoga Sutras: Support, direction, Space. They talk about a wide range of subjects mostly centering around the value, beauty and approaches to integrating ancient yogic wisdom into our everyday lives! For details of their upcoming courses check out their website courses page

Maria and Chara talk about the challenges of embracing technology as a yoga teacher and how they are tackling tech fear. They also dive into a discussion about their experience of the yoga sutras and why they are suddenly relevant in their lives now, in preparation for an upcoming discussion with Ranju Roy and Dave Charlton, yoga teachers and authors of the new book “Embodying the Sutras”.

Chara & Maria chat about what's happening in their lives and their yoga as they live through the social distancing situation. Maria shares details of a recent health scare and the impact it has had on her thoughts about her own tools for loving herself in the midst of real challenges.

Maria and Chara sit down with Yoga therapist, yoga teacher trainer and author Leila Stuart, who uses the principles of embodied anatomy in her therapy and teaching work. Leila shares details of her long, varied and unconventional history with the practice of yoga and how that inner work created the foundation for what she now shares with the world. Her most recent book is “Pathways to a Centered Body” and she’s currently at work on a new book! Enjoy this deep and joyful chat between three passionate and engaged teachers.

We’ve been getting questions from students and clients about the coronavirus. What’s the best thing to do? What should be avoided or embraced? So we decided to sit down and talk about what we know, what we don’t know, and what we’re doing to navigate the choppy water of this pandemic as it ripples through our lives and our communities.

Relationships and sex therapist Isiah McKimmie is out to help people see the deeper side of sex and themselves. On a journey of self discovery herself, we talk about what makes sex healthy, why ageing can actually improve your sex life and how Ayurveda’s third pillar of health contributes to our ultimate desire to live in alignment with our true nature. Also Chara finds out what a sexologist is! Don’t miss this beautiful and wide ranging discussion!

Maria and Chara talk about the Ayurvedic approach to healthy eating along with Chara's book on the subject.We explore:Why Chara wrote her book after initially resisting the pull to focus her Ayurvedic teaching around foodHow organising the book in seasons allowed Chara to address both the Ayurvedic approach to food and the application of ayurvedic Principles to people’s daily lifeHow the sister sciences of ayurveda and yoga differ in their intentions and approaches to eating.

Chara has a conversation with Deacon Carpenter a Clinical Ayurveda specialist, entrepreneur and author who’s road to becoming a modern healer has been anything but ordinary! From his awkward overweight beginnings as a teenage immigrant from the UK to the USA, to healing himself at an early age with the help of Ayurveda and yoga to a lifetime rollercoaster ride through the healthy and not so healthy worlds of fashion, media & advertising, technology, Big Pharma and the military industrial complex. He’s learned first hand the secret to what holds us together, tears us apart and ultimately heals the mind, body and soul… and it might not be what you think! Definitely have a listen!

In this episode Chara and Maria talk about what it takes to make sure your practice continues to serve you as you age. What are the signs when your practice needs to adapt and change to serve you better, as you age, or anytime? Why is there so much resistance to changing and adapting practice to aging, and what teachers can do to help their students overcome that resistance? Once we do acknowledge that change needs to happen, where do we start? What happens when you age? What can potentially go wrong, and what do we need to do in yoga to address or ideally prevent problems? How can we adapt yoga without making it into a geriatric, boring practice?How can an understanding of the ashramas (the traditional yogic stages of life) help us to reorient and adapt our practice and our teaching? What skills and resources do teachers need to cultivate in their students to help them navigate changes in an empowered, safe way? What does using yoga to age well look like? Join us for this wide ranging discussion.

Maria and Chara engage in a juicy conversation about Ayurveda, diving into the basics of what it REALLY is, what’s important to know about it, how to use it in your life and why you should. Chara talks about why Ayurveda is such an important tool for yoga teachers (or anyone who teaches anything) and shares her experiences with applying the ancient science of living in her yoga classes and in her life!

In this inaugural episode we talk about what brought us together and why we were compelled to do this podcast. What are the questions that infuence our daily experiences, what are the issues that we find ourselves trying to unravel and what we want to talk about and share with you on this glorious adventure.