Wow wow wow -- it's been 10 years since the launch of Yogaland! It feels like it's been a heartbeat and also a lifetime. There's been so much learning, growth, and love while making these episodes for the past decade. I spent time compiling precious insights--gems if you will--that stood out to me from the past 10 years. We revisit moments with: Amy Ippoliti — free diving, environmental activism, and asking young people about purpose instead of popularity James Woods (Dat Yoga Dude) — bringing y...
May 20, 2026•1 hr 2 min
This week's podcast is such a special one because it focuses on our family. Jason sits down with his brother, Todd, to talk about growing up together, the chaos of addiction within family, anxiety, self-compassion, and healing as an ongoing process. I love both of these men so much, and I'm so proud of them for sharing so openly. This isn't a yoga-specific episode — it's a conversation between two brothers about family trauma and the instability that addiction creates for everyone, not just the ...
May 09, 2026•1 hr 46 min
As yogis, we’re certainly aware of the many benefits of stretching — but are you aware of what the research actually says about how to stretch effectively? Or how to evaluate that research honestly? On this week’s Yogaland, I’m sharing meta-analyses and systematic reviews to give you a clear, accurate, and intellectually honest picture of what actually increases flexibility. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why dynamic and passive stretching work through completely different mechanisms — and why y...
Apr 21, 2026•28 min
What happens when two yoga teachers fall down a NASA rabbit hole and can't stop thinking about non-duality, The Overview Effect, and Grandmother Moon? This episode of Yoga-ish — our more personal, less technique-focused podcast — is exactly that kind of conversation. Yoga-ish is where Jason and Andrea talk about their actual lives: what they're reading, watching, thinking about, and how all of it connects (loosely) to yoga, mindfulness, and the work of being a human. We covered so much this week...
Apr 15, 2026•44 min
If you've ever felt lonely as a yoga teacher — you're not alone. And that's exactly what this week's podcast is about. Teaching yoga is one of the most isolating jobs most people never see coming. You're surrounded by students, immersed in a tradition built on connection, and somehow you still end up feeling like you're doing it alone. In this video I'm naming that honestly — and talking about what we can actually do about it. Jason talks about: Why teaching yoga is more isolating than it looks ...
Apr 13, 2026•16 min
You've been told to stretch more. You've tried the releases, the routines, the one weird trick. And you're still not as flexible as you want to be. Here's why: flexibility isn't one thing — it's four. And until you understand all of them, you're only ever solving part of the problem. Chapters 00:00 — Why flexibility is misunderstood 00:33 — The 4 Factors that contribute to flexibility 01:47 — Factor 1: Structural factors — your fixed container 06:01 — Factor 2: Tissue quality — muscle, fascia, t...
Apr 13, 2026•35 min
The yoga world has done important work questioning its obsession with extreme range of motion — and rightly so. But the pendulum has swung too far. Flexibility and mobility aren't relics of an outdated paradigm. They're essential physical qualities with real implications for how well you move, how long you stay independent, and how good you feel in your body. In this podcast, Jason makes the case for why flexibility and mobility still matter — not as performance goals, not as aesthetic pursuits,...
Mar 25, 2026•19 min
Yoga philosophy gives context to the physical practices many of us experience first — postures, breathwork, and meditation. It connects modern yoga to its historical roots and helps us understand the deeper purpose of the tradition. In this conversation, I explore several reasons yoga philosophy still matters today. It provides a framework for values, offers existential perspective, and strengthens the mind in the same way that asana strengthens the body. Philosophy also helps protect yoga from ...
Mar 17, 2026•19 min
Most yoga teachers are taught that sequencing should be creative, complex, and always different. But these common beliefs often making teaching harder -- and keep both teachers and students stuck. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/yogaland . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mar 10, 2026•38 min
This is our second in a series of solocasts (you might remember that Andrea did one recently, Why Mindfulness is Still Important) . In this week's episode, I explain why strength matters for yoga practitioners and teachers — not as a performance goal, but as a foundational quality that supports stability, protects joints, improves proprioception, and ultimately helps us practice for a lifetime. 💡 In this episode, you’ll learn: • Why strength protects joints and connective tissue • How strength ...
Mar 03, 2026•11 min
On this week's podcast, Jason outlines why the old models of yoga sequencing are no longer effective in today's landscape. To name a few: More people cross-train. Fewer students are walking into studios. ClassPass has changed loyalty. Online platforms have shifted expectations. If you want better student retention, stronger engagement, and a more sustainable yoga teaching career, this conversation is essential. ⸻ ⏱ Highlights 2:23 Sequencing 2.0 — What’s New 6:00 The Two Traditional Sequencing M...
Feb 25, 2026•43 min
Most yoga teacher trainings prepare you to teach one class at a time. They don’t teach you how to build real student progress. Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 4:04 The hidden gap in yoga teacher training 5:50 Why “random” classes stall student progress 8:40 The burnout cycle for yoga teachers 13:24 The curriculum mindset explained 14:40 Monthly arcs, series & workshops 27:58 Expanding your teaching career In this episode, Jason breaks down the most overlooked skill in modern yoga teacher trainin...
Feb 19, 2026•34 min
In this Yogaland episode, Jason Crandell and I talk candidly about power dynamics in yoga, the potential for abuse of authority, and how students and teachers can protect what’s most important: trust, safety, consent, and healthy boundaries. We’re not psychologists or legal experts — but we’ve been in the yoga world for decades, and we’ve seen how quickly a “teacher-student relationship” can become unhealthy when authority, charisma, and vulnerability collide. The goal of this conversation is si...
Feb 12, 2026•47 min
In this solo episode, Andrea explores why mindfulness remains a vital practice—especially during times of collective stress, uncertainty, and moral overwhelm. Drawing from Buddhist foundations of mindfulness, personal experience, and years of teaching yoga and meditation, Andrea reframes mindfulness not as passivity or “everything’s fine” thinking, but as the practice of witnessing —with non-judgment and loving awareness—what is actually here. She reflects on: Why mindfulness helps us sit with d...
Feb 03, 2026•34 min
Most yoga teachers undervalue how powerful good demonstrations really are. In this episode, we break down how, when, and why to demonstrate yoga poses so students actually learn. Demonstration is one of the most overlooked—and misunderstood—skills in yoga teaching. In this episode of Yogaland, Jason shares how to demonstrate yoga poses effectively in both in-person and online classes, and why visual communication plays such a crucial role in student learning. You’ll learn: • When yoga teachers s...
Jan 14, 2026•41 min
The start of a new year can feel exciting and overwhelming for yoga teachers. New students, new expectations, new pressure. In this episode of Yogaland, Jason shares six foundational anchors to help you ground your teaching, reconnect with your students, and create classes that are sustainable—for you and for them. Rather than chasing trends or social media metrics, this conversation focuses on what actually builds strong classes and long-term teaching careers: consistency, kindness, real connec...
Jan 07, 2026•27 min
The holidays can be joyful… and also a lot—especially if you’re introverted, neurodivergent, parenting a neurodivergent kid, or trying to manage family expectations without burning out. In this episode, we share the holiday traditions that actually work for their family—and the boundaries that make those traditions possible. We talk about front-loading expectations, time boundaries, demand avoidance, and why it’s okay to let other people have their feelings when you don’t meet their expectations...
Dec 23, 2025•38 min
As the year winds down, we’re reflecting on the real gifts yoga has given us—beyond poses and flexibility. In this conversation, we talk about pranayama and nervous-system regulation (including HRV), learning acceptance as our bodies age, how yoga builds discernment around recovery, and what we’re grateful for (including health, community, and the unexpected growth that comes from changing course as parents and professionals). If you’re navigating stress, pain, aging, burnout, or a shifting rela...
Dec 17, 2025•41 min
Long before Jason was an anatomy nerd, a sequencing, and a technique nerd, he was a philosophy nerd. In fact, his undergraduate degree is in Philosophy. On this episode, he breaks down Patanjali’s 8-limbed path through a modern, practical model that finally makes sense -- not as a ladder to climb, but as concentric circles of self-regulation that move from the external to the deeply internal. We’ll explore how yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, and samadhi work together...
Dec 13, 2025•19 min
In this episode, we’re catching up on… us. Jason is out of retirement, teaching live classes at an exclusive spot in Carlsbad, Andrea shares how strength training and high-protein eating (like, super high-protein) has helped her get out of chronic knee and foot pain in post-menopause. We also talk shoulder rehab, why teachers don’t need to “do it all” in class, and what’s currently entertaining us (books, TV, and yes— Dancing With the Stars ). >> Jason announced a few live teaching events ...
Dec 04, 2025•51 min
What does it really feel like to teach yoga for the first time? In this episode of The Making of a Yoga Teacher , Jason takes you inside that nerve-wracking but transformative moment every new teacher faces: stepping to the front of the room. Laurel, Raquel, and Erin talk about what it was like to teach for the first time during the training. Through their stories, you’ll see that every yoga teacher starts here — nervous, vulnerable, and discovering that courage grows with each breath and each c...
Nov 26, 2025•33 min
Want to improve your shoulder health? Listen to this episode. It's a two-parter and it focuses on 1) an important functional movement of the shoulders that is often overlooked in yoga and 2) essential mobility drills for the shoulders that yogis can incorporate into their practice. I've got shoulders on my mind because I am about to begin teaching my Shoulders, Upper Back, and Neck Module of my 300-Hour YTT. We begin this Wednesday and I'd love to see you there. It's open to students who'd like ...
Nov 10, 2025•37 min
What does it really feel like to teach yoga for the first time? In this episode of The Making of a Yoga Teacher, Jason takes you inside that nerve-wracking but transformative moment every new teacher faces: stepping to the front of the room. Laurel, Raquel, and Erin talk about what it was like to teach for the first time during the training. Through their stories, you’ll see that every yoga teacher starts here — nervous, vulnerable, and discovering that courage grows with each breath and each cl...
Nov 03, 2025•22 min
If you’ve ever wondered what it’s really like to do a yoga teacher training—or if you’re looking for insight, motivation, and honesty about the process—this episode shows how transformation begins: one decision, one class, one breath at a time. You'll meet Laurel, Raquel, and Erin and find out what made them say yes to their journey toward becoming yoga teachers. 🎥 Episodes in this series: 1️⃣ How It All Begins — Starting Yoga Teacher Training 2️⃣ Finding Your Voice — The First Time Teaching 3️...
Oct 28, 2025•17 min
This week -- a solocast from Jason, fresh from his trip teaching a weeklong "Sequencing 2.0" training in London. On this episode, he breaks down a practical framework for scaling a single 60-minute sequence into: (1) shorter online formats (2) longer workshops (3) four-week series with clear objectives He also explains why real creativity comes from solving for a goal—not from random choreography—and how to communicate a simple plan so students feel part of something bigger. Psst! Don't miss nex...
Oct 16, 2025•51 min
If you’ve ever wondered how to balance structure and freedom in your teaching and how to help students problem-solve rather than memorize, Jason shares some ideas on this week's Yoga(ish). We also talk about "the examined life," and what that means to us. Lastly, we share how the "Wawa meet-up," went (spoiler: it was as quirky and sweet as we hoped it would be.) ⸻ ⏱️ Chapters 0:00 Life lately & Chihuahua meetup 4:15 What is the constraint-led approach to learning? 18:34 Applying it to yoga &...
Oct 02, 2025•43 min
This meditation is an invitation to find softness within you regardless of the chaos around you. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/yogaland . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sep 25, 2025•13 min
If you practiced yoga in the 90s, you know… it was different. Chapters: 00:00 Intro & why we’re talking about 90s yoga 04:03 Andrea’s first yoga class (and the clown car moment) 11:54 Jason’s first yoga class in college 25:11 Quirky studios, circus neighbors & wild props 31:26 What’s changed for better and worse Before it was in every gym, before online classes, before Lululemon — yoga in the U.S. was a quirky subculture you had to seek out. In this episode of Yoga-ish, we share our funn...
Sep 09, 2025•40 min
Some lessons change you forever — and yoga has given us more than we can count. After 30 years of practice, these are the teachings we still lean on every day — on and off the mat. In this episode of Yogaland, we share the timeless yoga lessons that have shaped our lives, improved our relationships, and transformed the way we move through the world. Highlights: 00:00 Why enduring lessons matter after decades of practice 01:34 Movement as a tool for emotional regulation 10:10 Self-regulation, ste...
Aug 19, 2025•55 min
After 30 years of yoga, we’ve discovered which poses, myths, and cues actually hold you back. Here’s what to let go — and what to focus on instead for a stronger, more sustainable practice. Over three decades of yoga practice, we’ve seen trends, techniques, and teaching cues come and go. In this episode, we share the poses we approach differently now, the myths we no longer believe, and the verbal cues we’ve retired for good. From letting go of “going to your edge” in every pose, to embracing st...
Aug 12, 2025•52 min
