Join host, Jivana Heyman, and guest, Michelle Cassandra Johnson, for a rich and insightful conversation about community, collective care, and the creative process. Together, Jivana and Michelle explore the evolving role of the yoga teacher, the importance of being grounded in humility and service, and how we can use yoga as a path to truth and connection. As an accomplished author, educator, and activist, Michelle offers insight into her books, including her first book, Skill in Action , and her...
Jul 08, 2025•52 min
Join host, Jivana Heyman, as he welcomes his longtime mentor and pioneer in yoga and accessibility, Matthew Sanford, for a powerful conversation about yoga and human potential. As Jivana reflects on his 30 years of teaching, they discuss the influence of Matthew's work on Jivana's journey and how Matthew’s first book, Waking: A Memoir of Trauma and Transcendence , inspired Jivana to start Accessible Yoga. Matthew shares stories from his early injury, the beginnings of his yoga path, and the evol...
Jun 24, 2025•1 hr 11 min
In this thought-provoking episode, Jivana Heyman speaks with marketing expert and equity activist, Tristan Katz, about the intersections of yoga, truth, identity, and social justice. Together, they explore how yoga can be a tool for personal and collective liberation, especially for the trans and queer communities in a time of sociopolitical tension and violence. In the second part of the episode, Jivana and Deanna reflect on a listener question from Rebecca Sebastion about the future of yoga. I...
Jun 10, 2025•1 hr 6 min
"Yoga isn't about achieving something. It's about being with what is and trusting that that's enough in the moment." – Sunny Barbee Join host, Jivana Heyman, and guest, Jacquie “Sunny” Barbee, for an uplifting conversation full of humor, vulnerability, honesty, and deep insight. Sunny shares her journey from self-doubt to self-acceptance, offering powerful reflections on satya (truthfulness) and how living her truth has made her a more authentic and relatable teacher. Together, Sunny and Jivana ...
May 27, 2025•1 hr 4 min
In this heartfelt episode, Jivana Heyman reconnects with longtime friend and fellow yoga teacher, Kristie Dahlia Home. The two first met in their 200-hour yoga teacher training in 1995 and together they reflect on the evolution of their practice, their shared history with Integral Yoga, and the role of spiritual community over the decades. Dahlia shares her radical life decision to live on a boat for five years, her shift into a more intuitive, devotional, and trauma-sensitive approach to teachi...
May 13, 2025•1 hr 6 min
Join host, Jivana Heyman, as he talks with renowned yoga teacher and writer, Kathryn Budig. Kathryn shares her journey through injury, healing, and transformation in her yoga practice and teaching. Together, they discuss the evolving world of yoga, the shift away from celebrity culture, the importance of authenticity as a teacher, and why it's okay — and essential — to be yourself. Kathryn opens up about her shoulder surgery recovery, her transition away from more athletic asana practices, and h...
Apr 29, 2025•1 hr 9 min
In this thought-provoking conversation, Jivana Heyman speaks with educator, yoga teacher, and sound healer, Shawn Moore, about the deeper dimensions of teaching yoga—especially the often-overlooked role of the yoga teacher as a leader and space holder. Shawn shares insights from his background in higher education, Buddhism, and stillness-based practices, unpacking what it means to hold ethical and energetic space for students. He discusses why self-care is a radical responsibility, and how rest ...
Apr 15, 2025•1 hr 11 min
In this episode, host, Jivana Heyman, reconnects with his guest and good friend, Amber Karnes, to reflect on non attachment and self acceptance through challenges and life changes. Amber, whom Jivana credits for shifting contemporary yoga culture, shares about her professional and personal journey since COVID. Together, they remember the work they have done together over the years, including starting this podcast in 2020. In the Question and Answer Segment, Jivana and cohost, Deanna Michalopoulo...
Apr 01, 2025•1 hr 4 min
Join host, Jivana, and guest, Rodrigo Souza, as they discuss teaching yoga with compassion and awareness, the role of yoga in healing trauma, and the importance of representation and advocacy for people with disabilities in yoga. Rodrigo shares his journey of living with a spinal cord injury and how yoga became a transformative tool for healing and self-acceptance. He reflects on his first time teaching a yoga class and the impact it had on his students and himself. In the Question and Answer se...
Mar 18, 2025•1 hr 5 min
In this powerful episode, host, Jivana Heyman, and guest, Tamika Caston-Miller, examine yoga as revolutionary—being a catalyst for personal and collective transformation. Tamika shares about her work in Houston, Texas, as both an educator and a permaculturist, creating a culture of sustainability, both in nature and within the community. Together they discuss their commitments to learning and expanding beyond comfort zones and practicing self awareness without judgement. In the Question and Answ...
Mar 04, 2025•1 hr 11 min
Join host, Jivana, and guest, Melissa Shah, to reflect on the fullness of the path of yoga as an inner practice that translates to outer action and service. Melissa shares about her grassroots efforts to support her LA community after the recent fires and together they discuss how yoga helps foster resilience, prevent burnout, and serve as a tool for community care. They share thoughts on the importance of slowing down to integrate teachings and embrace the present moment. In the Question and An...
Feb 18, 2025•1 hr 3 min
In this deeply personal and thought-provoking episode, Jivana spends time with artist and yoga teacher, Scottee, to explore identity, accessibility, and the power of yoga to support marginalized communities. Scottee shares stories of growing up in working-class North London to finding yoga as a form of healing and expression. Together, they discuss the intersections of queerness, class, neurodivergence, and yoga, questioning how yoga spaces can be more inclusive and equitable and a source of sup...
Feb 04, 2025•1 hr 18 min
“You can only wake up someone who is asleep, not someone who is pretending to be asleep.” - Indu Arora In this episode, host, Jivana Heyman, chats with his guest and good friend, Indu Arora, who shares her journey in yoga and the lessons she learned in her youth, which began a lifelong study of yoga. Together, they emphasize the importance of ethics and explore profound themes like humility in teaching, the intersection of tradition and modernity, and the joy of living a balanced life through yo...
Jan 21, 2025•1 hr
Host, Jivana Heyman, kicks off this celebratory series with the first of 30 conversations marking his 30th year of teaching yoga. In this episode, Jivana welcomes Shannon Crow, host of The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast and cherished friend, for an inspiring conversation about their shared journeys, the profound teachings of yoga, and the lessons that have shaped them. The question to start these conversations is, “What is a story, teaching, or practice from your past that continues to inspire y...
Jan 14, 2025•54 min
Welcome to season four of the Accessible Yoga Podcast! Host Jivana Heyman celebrates 30 years of teaching yoga by reflecting on his journey and setting the stage for a season filled with meaningful conversations with dedicated yoga practitioners and teachers. This episode is a heartfelt introduction to Jivana’s personal story, the history of Accessible Yoga, and what to expect from this season. Join Jivana as he shares his gratitude for the yoga teachings, the lineage of practitioners who’ve pre...
Jan 07, 2025•18 min
In this final episode of the Accessible Yoga Podcast, Anjali and Jivana discuss: What does it mean to make yoga accessible? The danger of oversimplifying a yoga practice The importance of reflecting on who we see as “experts” in yoga How caste still influences yoga today The nuances of saying “I’m not the teacher for everyone” Accessible Yoga Association’s newest podcast - For the Love of Yoga with Anjali Rao...
Dec 15, 2022•35 min
Saira (NOT Sara) Rao grew up in Richmond, Virginia, the daughter of Indian immigrants. For forty years, she wasted her precious time aspiring to be white and accepted by dominant white society, a futile task for anyone not born with white skin. Several years ago, Saira began the painful process of dismantling her own internalized oppression. Saira is a lawyer-by-training, a former congressional candidate, a published novelist and an entrepreneur. Saira is the co-founder of Race2Dinner, the New Y...
Dec 02, 2022•18 min
Teo Drake is an organizer, a teacher, and an artisan who works in wood and steel. As a queer and trans long-term HIV/AIDS survivor, the practices and philosophies of yoga and Buddhism have been both life-saving and provided the foundation for his organizing and teaching. He is a co-founder of the Transforming Hearts Collective, a collective dedicated to the spiritual care and liberation of queer and trans people, and has served in leadership in several different organizations in the worlds of HI...
Nov 07, 2022•1 hr 3 min
Tejal Patel is a first-generation Indian American yoga teacher, writer, podcaster, and community organizer. She advocates for yoga through a social justice lens and educates and empowers individuals and groups around the world to do the same. She accomplishes this with the Tejal Yoga online studio, the abcdyogi global community, and the Yoga is Dead Podcast . In this live episode, Jivana and Tejal discuss: The Yoga is Dead podcast How to go from having a concern or awareness and turning it into ...
Oct 11, 2022•48 min
Anusha is the Wellness Consultant for Hoag Hospital, one of the top rated hospitals in the USA where she leads on integrative medicine and implementing mindfulness and meditation practices for maternal mental health programs, early risk assessment for breast & ovarian cancer prevention programs and breast cancer survivorship programs. Anusha is very passionate about her work in STEM and is one of the first people to create a meditation program to be used in clinical research at Hoag Hospital...
Sep 30, 2022•41 min
The Accessible Yoga Podcast is back for Season 3 with a live podcast recording as a part of the grand opening of the new Accessible Yoga Community ! In this special episode, Jivana and Anjali discuss: The new Accessible Yoga Community How Anjali started practicing asana How yoga intersects with social justice The relationship between yoga and politics Binaries in yoga spaces What to expect during the upcoming season of the Accessible Yoga Podcast...
Sep 20, 2022•30 min
In this Season 2 finale, Amber and Jivana discuss: Their lives and current challenges How our activism and practice is showing up for us in this moment Amber’s bike reels on instagram Themes from Season 2: Community Care/Sharing Power/Community Collaboration Shift from top down teaching to community led Jivana’s remixes on instagram The current contemporary yoga world is complex, shifting to local Not getting caught up in a binary of “advanced” vs gentle How Accessible Yoga is often misused to m...
Aug 01, 2022•49 min
Shannon Crow is the host of The Connected Yoga Teacher podcast and a consultant for yoga teachers. She shares what she has learned (and continues to learn) as a yoga entrepreneur. She’s also the founder of Pelvic Health Professionals. Shannon is passionate about this work so that yoga teachers have more time and energy to share the yoga that lights them up. She became a yoga teacher in 2006 and continues to teach weekly group and private classes in Owen Sound, Ontario, with a specialty in Yoga f...
Jul 15, 2022•55 min
A community organizer, wellness activist and author of the book American Detox: The Myth of Wellness and How We Can Truly Heal, Kerri is recognized across communities for her work to bridge transformational practice with social justice. She’s been teaching yoga for over 20 years and is known for making waves in the wellness industry by challenging norms, disrupting systems and mobilizing people to act. Her leadership has inspired CTZNWELL, a movement to democratize wellbeing for all and is commi...
Jun 30, 2022•59 min
Matthew Sanford is an expert in the process of transformation through the healing power of yoga. Paralyzed from the chest down at age thirteen and beginning yoga at age twenty-five, Matthew knows firsthand the transformative effect that yoga can have on the mind-body relationship. He’s the author of Waking: A Memoir of Trauma and Transcendence, and the founder of the nonprofit organization, Mind Body Solutions. Book, Waking:A Memoir of Trauma and Transcendence Organization: Mind Body Solutions O...
Jun 06, 2022•46 min
In this episode, Amber and Jivana discuss: How Accessible Yoga is often misused to make us fit in rather than to celebrate our differences and individuality How ableism prevents folks from being seen in our classes What’s missing in our contemporary yoga practice How to make yoga classes more equitable Ways to share power with your students How to encourage students to find individuality in community The importance of inner experience vs outer appearance The intention behind trauma-informed teac...
May 23, 2022•52 min
Cindu Thomas-George is the Founder and Principal Trainer of Shakti Diversity and Equity Training. As a DEI practitioner, she designs and facilitates professional development experiences that promote equity, inclusion, anti-racism, and intercultural competence. As a nationally recognized speaker, Cindu’s speaking engagements are focused on encouraging cross-racial allyship, disrupting anti-Asian hate, moving beyond color-blindness to color consciousness, disrupting anti-Blackness in communities o...
May 16, 2022•35 min
Content warning: disordered eating, sexual trauma Nityda Gessel (she/her), LCSW, E-RYT, is a mother, licensed somatic psychotherapist, trauma specialist, yoga educator, speaker, author, and heart-centered activist, residing on the unceded land of the Chesepian people, commonly known as Virginia Beach, VA. Nityda has devoted her life to uplifting others, working at the intersection of Eastern spirituality, holistic mental health, and embodied activism. She is the founder of the Trauma-Conscious Y...
Apr 30, 2022•47 min
In episode 56, Jivana and Amber discuss practical ways we can embody the yoga teachings’ concepts in the way that we teach. They explore three themes from the yoga teachings (atman, non-attachment, and brahmacharya) and discuss how we can shift our teaching methodology to model these concepts for our students, making them more relevant to their real lives. In this episode... Amber & Jivana discuss the concept of atman and how we can do more to recognize each students inherent wholeness We ar...
Apr 19, 2022•57 min
In episode 55, Amber interviews Laura Sharkey, an autistic meditation teacher and social justice activist. They speak about their experience of ableism and other forms of oppression that are present in many yoga communities, as well as practical tools that non-disabled folks can use to confront bias. We discuss the importance of seeing our disabled community members as whole, capable human beings with agency and choice, and how we can support them in non-ableist ways. We talk about the difficult...
Mar 29, 2022•1 hr 1 min
