As you know, every Friday is new episode Friday on the Leadership and Yoga podcast... but the last Friday of the month is now special... The real episode today is inside of Patreon, it's a LIVE episode on burnout and one critical change that makes all the difference. But, I did not want to abandon you here, dear listener! So please enjoy a bit of juice, in this short yoga story. I hope that it inspires you to document your own yoga stories. And perhaps, I will see you inside of Patreon for the r...
May 29, 2026•14 min•Season 3Ep. 237
Tim Feldmann is a beloved Ashtanga yoga teacher, originally from Denmark and globally renowned for his authentic, joyful, and devoted approach to the practice. Tim shares how he weaves yoga philosophy into the physical practice, how learning to be uncomfortable on the mat trains the nervous system, expanding the body’s capacity to sit with discomfort, and so much wisdom about embodied movement. This was a delightful conversation that will leave you feeling inspired and encouraged on your path as...
May 27, 2026•1 hr 26 min•Season 3Ep. 242
Part two of the episode from last week! After going deep in the yoga, we find that yoga is so much more than poses, identity, or surface-level spiritual aesthetics. In this episode, I share part two of 10 lessons I have learned from going deep with yoga: let’s talk how yoga helps us feel our humanity, accessing true presence through yoga, respecting yoga and cultural appreciation vs cultural appropriation, why yoga takes time and patience, and the what the Bhagavad Gita’s definition of yoga is. ...
May 22, 2026•1 hr 4 min•Season 3Ep. 241
Today on the Leadership and Yoga podcast, I talk with Poranguí about the power of music to heal, awaken, and reconnect us to ourselves. In this episode, Poranguí shares what it feels like to improvise music in front of thousands of people with no set plan, trusting whatever wants to come through in the moment. We talk ritual, creativity, flow states, consciousness, ancestors, collective human connection, nervous system regulation, coherence as leaders, and music as medicine. Poranguí reminds us ...
May 20, 2026•1 hr 19 min•Season 3Ep. 240
After going deep in the yoga, we find that yoga is so much more than poses, identity, or surface-level spiritual aesthetics. In this episode, I share part one of 10 lessons I have learned from going deep with yoga: let’s talk spiritual materialism, devotion, creativity, stress, self-awareness, and what it really means to live yoga beyond the mat. We talk about why yoga practice is the boat, not the destination and how practice can become prayer, why discomfort creates freedom, and how real yoga ...
May 15, 2026•50 min•Season 3Ep. 239
In this sixth roundtable, yoga teachers from across the country and around the world share what teaching yoga means to them, lessons learned on the mat, bits of wisdom they've carried on from their own teachers, and their own “billboard messages.” See the link below if you're a yoga teacher and would like to participate in the next roundtable! Yoga Teacher Roundtable free community events & mailing list Thank you so much to the participating yoga teachers! Links to connect with them: Simon...
May 13, 2026•48 min•Season 3Ep. 238
It’s time for Leadership and Yoga CLUB. Because your dreams are meant for people like you, and you meet your true friends on the mountain. Founding CLUB member special pricing is available until MAY 31, 2026. To support my work on this podcast, to meet fellow listeners, and more… Join below. See ya on the inside?? :) https://www.patreon.com/cw/shawnakru Time stamps: 00:00 intro 01:00 find your community 3:00 CLUB tour 10:40 the time is now 13:00 you meet your true friends on the mountain 16:00 m...
May 08, 2026•24 min•Season 3Ep. 136
In this episode, yoga teacher Nicole Wild shares what she's learned about life and yoga from confronting death: both in the cadaver lab and through working in hospice, being with people in their last moments. She shares how sitting with grief and impermanence are part of her yoga practice, bringing in a deeper reverence for life. This conversation is about fear, discomfort, embodiment, gratitude, and embracing your life (and teaching) as you are, today. "Allowing space for letting go, allowing s...
May 06, 2026•1 hr 3 min•Season 3Ep. 236
Aren’t we all looking for that feeling of energy of waking up happy to be alive? That’s what it feels like when we learn to flirt with our life, to romanticize things enough to pay attention to the details. Flirting with your life is about patience, rather than convenience and instant gratification. It’s about being ornate, not ikea. And when we do this, we overcome numbness and feeling stuck and replace it with creative flow, and freshness. Flirting is about freshness, about putting flowers on ...
May 01, 2026•47 min•Season 3Ep. 235
5 steps to let go of your embarrassment whether that’s in life, teaching yoga, or creating. Let’s talk embarrassment, fear, perfectionism, how to be confident, self-compassion, awkward people, self-conscious people, and why highly embarrassed people are also often highly judgmental people. Public speaking is a major part of teaching yoga, so let’s dissect in thrilling detail how we can confidently share what we know. “The minute that we stop overstating our own self-importance, the embarrassment...
Apr 24, 2026•1 hr 17 min•Season 3Ep. 234
This is an immersive special episode, brought to life with music and sound effects. Listen for spoken word and storytelling written by me, Shawna Krueger, on the nature of time and anxiety, sending love to past versions of yourself, healing your past, finding hope in mental health darkness, and finding a way to create and show up as a creator for social media, or as an artist despite your own suffering. Today you will learn how to send prayers to YOURSELF, forward and backwards, and I will warn ...
Apr 17, 2026•48 min•Season 3Ep. 233
Ashish Arora is a yoga teacher based in Seattle, Washington, originally from Delhi, India, and currently leading teacher trainings and retreats around the world. In this episode we delve into the art of teaching, what tradition actually means in the context of yoga, yoga philosophy, and navigating cultural appropriation as a yoga teacher. Ashish also shares tips for remembering your students' names and finding your teachers. If you're a yoga teacher thinking deeply about why you teach, where the...
Apr 15, 2026•1 hr 5 min•Season 3Ep. 232
I started a top 5% Spotify video podcast without being an influencer, and the years that you didn't see, built everything. Truthfully, I feel like I'm just getting started, but when I pause, I see that I have come a long way! This podcast is my "true north" and the reason I wake up and get to "work" writing, interviewing and creating every day. I believe in the power of inspiration, especially in times like these. I wanted to tell my full story, for those who are asking. I hope you feel inspired...
Apr 10, 2026•1 hr 27 min•Season 3Ep. 231
Londrelle shows us how spiritual practice becomes music that heals the world. Welcome to the inner workings of Londrelle’s songs, his creative process, and how he shares what he knows with the world. His music is communion with God, and he follows the Bhagavad Gita as instruction for everything he creates. Let’s talk about his spiritual practice and how it has made him the artist we know today: from maha mudra, kriya yoga and meditation to making music that elevates our vibration. Londrelle brin...
Apr 08, 2026•1 hr 28 min•Season 3Ep. 230
FOR CONTEXT, SEE THE FULL EPISODE. This is the musical poetry, quick taste of my episode on the architecture of a moonshot dream coming true. It also is a standalone piece to get you thinking about your dreams and how to move towards them. Is it spring for the tree of your dreams stop trying to hold your life together with glue, and start giving your attention to what you actually want to grow. (In the style of my immersive special episodes... )...
Apr 03, 2026•8 min•Season 3Ep. 230
This is the architecture of a moonshot idea coming true (a transmission, not a list.) Let’s talk about how improbable dreams become reality. Blending mindset, spirituality, yoga philosophy, and personal storytelling, this episode explores manifestation, self-belief, identity shifts, intuition, and the energetic process of becoming. Perfect for listeners interested in personal growth, spiritual development, leadership, and conscious living, this is a reflective, poetic transmission designed to ex...
Apr 03, 2026•1 hr 3 min•Season 2Ep. 229
Kirby Gordon is a yoga teacher based in Austin, Texas and hosting retreats around the world. In this episode we talk about nomadic teaching, building confidence and decisiveness as a teacher, and advice on hosting your first retreat. Kirby also shares tips for teaching yoga and finding your people. If you're a yoga teacher looking to travel, are ready for your next adventure or to take that next step, this episode is for you! Kirby’s Website: https://www.kirbyyoga.com Find Kirby on Instagram: @k...
Apr 01, 2026•55 min•Season 3Ep. 225
Hey fellow underdog. Did you know that the world loves an underdog? Let’s talk about why, and what that means for you. If you feel stuck, behind, or like an underdog in your life, business, or creative path, this episode will show you how to turn that struggle into your greatest advantage. We break down the underdog mindset, the biggest mistakes keeping you stuck (like comparison, shiny object syndrome, and self-doubt), and practical steps to build momentum, confidence, and long-term success as ...
Mar 27, 2026•1 hr 6 min•Season 3Ep. 223
In this yoga teacher roundtable, yoga teachers from around the world share stories from teaching and practicing yoga: their "goosebump moments," unexpected lessons, synchronicities, and their very own billboard messages. See the link below if you're a yoga teacher and would like to participate in the next roundtable! Yoga Teacher Roundtable free community events & mailing list Thank you so much to the participating yoga teachers! Links to connect with them: Chelsea Forte: @fortechelsea , h...
Mar 25, 2026•46 min•Season 2Ep. 222
So much of the wellness world has become busy work to keep up from focusing on the bigger problems in the world. But our own selfish pursuits don’t bring happiness anyways. So can we take more accountability for what’s happening around us? In a season of world politics and wars that feels like spiritual wintertime, let’s talk about ignorance and neutrality vs standing up, jumping to conclusions vs thinking for yourself, and how we can stay informed while not losing our power and sanity. Who is t...
Mar 20, 2026•1 hr 13 min•Season 2Ep. 221
DJ Taz Rashid is a DJ and music producer creating music with a deeper mission to awaken, uplift, and empower humanity with music. His work lives in yoga, breathwork, dance and wellness spaces around the world, and you’ve likely already heard some of his tracks in a yoga class or added them to a playlist of your own. In this episode, we explore the power of music, how a carefully curated playlist can completely shift the energy of a yoga class, the practice of creating with intention, and more. D...
Mar 18, 2026•1 hr 13 min•Season 2Ep. 220
Here’s me telling the truth about how stuck I’ve felt over the last 4 months and what finally set me free. Feeling stuck, living at home, my parents are selling the house that raised me, and all our excuses. We paint reasons in our minds about “why we are stuck” or “why now isn’t a time that I am capable of breaking a cycle.” Which is NOT TRUE. Today is the day you get UNSTUCK: motivation with a side of humor and funny stories. What’s the point if literally everything we do makes us stressed and...
Mar 13, 2026•42 min•Season 2Ep. 221
In this conversation, Jarrett Green, lecturer in law at USC Law School and internationally recognized well-being, stress resilience, and peak performance consultant, shares how mindfulness and yoga extend far beyond the mat and into the world of leadership. Working with major law firms and Fortune 500 companies through NBK Consultancy, Jarrett helps individuals and organizations lead with intention. In this conversation, we explore his journey from practicing law to teaching the “yoga of the min...
Mar 11, 2026•48 min•Season 2Ep. 218
Through breath, visualization, musical poetry and storytelling, I guide you through a meditation for personal transformation: the dragonfly’s dream. If you’re feeling called toward something new, questioning your direction, or experiencing a period of growth in your life, this immersive special / meditation episode is an invitation to reconnect with your energy. You are the dragonfly. Everything I’ve learned from Richard Rudd of the Gene Keys, Frederick Dodson of Levels of Energy and Parallel Un...
Mar 06, 2026•43 min
“Yoga doesn’t need governance, it needs leadership.” American Yoga Council is like LinkedIn for Yoga and Ancestry.com for lineage, an alternative to Yoga Alliance. We talk the whole yoga ecosystem: power, money, education, technology, ethics, and impact. Can we step away from 200 hour teacher trainings?? A yoga retirement plan? What does the future of yoga and teaching yoga look like? Find Shawna on instagram: @shawnakru Shawna’s website Try OfferingTree for free with my link here (My ...
Mar 04, 2026•1 hr 18 min•Season 2Ep. 216
My typical Friday bedside chat episode has a special guest today: Maria Mir! Maria is a long-time listener of the Leadership and Yoga podcast who joined my last retreat in Costa Rica. I was thrilled to discover her work, the Pensando Nada podcast many months ago, and to meet her in person. Maria teaches us about Reality Creation and is from Argentina. Today we talk about what is ACTUALLY possible for us, beyond what we may allow ourselves to believe. We talk imagination, manifestation, law of at...
Feb 27, 2026•42 min•Season 2Ep. 215
Lana Wedmore tells us that yoga and nature are more alike than we realize. She has hosted presidents of Costa Rica in her lodge, and fights for systemic change, but she also teaches yoga and helps heal individuals. She speaks to the animals and teaches us how to see the subtle realms of nature we may be missing, and what happens when we are reconnected with them. “The longest journey you will ever take is the six inches: from your head to your heart.” This episode is a powerful reminder that whe...
Feb 25, 2026•1 hr 25 min•Season 3Ep. 214
So you want to host a yoga retreat. Behind every beautiful retreat is a human like you. A yoga teacher navigating money, nerves, imposter syndrome, leadership decisions, and pivots... so I have some yoga retreat planning tips for ya. In this episode, I’m sharing the real story of hosting my last retreat, the shaky anxiety before it began, the moments where the experience didn’t match my expectations, the double-booked shala, the breakfast pivot, the unexpected abundance, and the leadership lesso...
Feb 20, 2026•1 hr 2 min•Season 2Ep. 213
In this episode, Carling Harps shares her journey through 15 years of teaching yoga and how her practice has evolved over time. She reflects on cueing, identity, accessibility, and learning to trust the different seasons of practice. Carling speaks to the importance of yoga community, joy and play in a movement practice, and why there is no self-liberation without collective liberation. Carling’s Instagram: @carlingnicole Carling’s Website Find Shawna on instagram: @shawnakru Shawna’s we...
Feb 18, 2026•1 hr 11 min•Season 2Ep. 212
It’s here!! The 2 hour special with Victoria Hutchins, aka the daily victorian, to ask her everything about life, creating, writing, poetry, fears, breakthroughs and her new book. Victoria is a handstanding poet. She is the woman behind the iconic poetry and yoga flow that feels like a dose of big sister reassurance mixed with a level of depth that reminds us what it means to be human. She brings us a sincere reminder to have hope. Her words are raw, moving, ironic at times, and hard to feel the...
Feb 13, 2026•2 hr 1 min•Season 2Ep. 145
