Gina Caputo has so much to offer to Yogaland: In addition to practicing and teaching yoga for nearly two decades, she's been on the ground floor of opening and managing three different yoga schools -- Sacred Movement in Venice, California, Kansas Siddhi Yoga Studio, and and The Colorado School of Yoga in Boulder, Colorado. Gina also has a FANTASTIC sense of humor. One of my favorite things she says in this interview is, "Be sincere, not serious." On this episode, I asked Gina to share her though...
Jun 12, 2017•1 hr 2 min
Susan Cain is the reason the word "introvert" came back into everyday conversation. Her book Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking" spent more than four years on The New York Times Best Seller List, her Ted Talk on the topic has been viewed more than 16 million times, and she's the co-founder of the organization Quiet Revolution. She also loves yoga! We talk about why yoga is so appealing for introverts, the reasons introverts make great leaders, and ideas for when to...
Jun 04, 2017•29 min
On this episode Jason answers listener Kat's question, "How do I make sure I'm not leaving anyone out as I teach my mixed level classes?" The solutions include acknowledging that the reality for modern yogis is that we all learn together regardless of our level, using humor to diffuse tension in the class, and encouraging students to engage in the learning process even if they can't do the final shape of the pose. Shownotes: yogalandpodcast.com/episode50 Support this show http://supporter.acast....
May 28, 2017•31 min
On this little bonus episode, I offer my own story of the panic attacks and depression that plagued me in my twenties and the subsequent shame I felt about being a yogi and making the choice to take anti-depressants. If you're suffering, I created this podcast to let you know that you're not alone. And if you're feeling guilty about taking the meds, I want to help you clear that guilt, to help you NOT put another layer of pain on top of the suffering. Shownotes: yogalandpodcast.com/episode49/ Su...
May 26, 2017•25 min
Richard Rosen returns to the podcast and answers some common questions about hatha yoga, including who the "original yogis" were, the meaning of the word "hatha," plus he opens up about Parkinson's Disease and shares his love for pranayama (breathing practice). Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/yogaland . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 22, 2017•33 min
Two-time Brazilian Jiu Jitsu world-champion and yoga teacher Sebastian Brosche joins Jason on the podcast this week. AS a competitor in his twenties, Sebastian was in a cycle of chronic injury that was so uncomfortable, he couldn't put on his socks. He had no intention of trying yoga until he saw a beautiful woman teaching class -- who is now his wife. Hear him tell the story of how yoga healed his body and how he founded an online training program that helps other BJJ practitioners stay healthy...
May 14, 2017•47 min
Jessamyn Stanley is a world-traveling yoga teacher and self-proclaimed body positive advocate with a new book, Every Body Yoga. Several years ago she decided to document her yoga practice on a brand new app called Instagram, having no idea that she would garner nearly 300,000 followers, many of whom begged her to become a yoga teacher. We talk about the evolution of her yoga practice from her early days as a Bikram yogi to a vinyasa teacher, how yoga studios can make efforts toward being more in...
May 07, 2017•36 min
A hike in the Ajanta Caves in India several years ago sparked a massive creative project for artist and yoga teacher Amanda Giacomini: To put 10,000 Buddhas out into the world. Her work has appeared on murals, canvases, and prayer wheels in cities from Washington DC to Los Angeles to Panama. Amanda tells the story of what inspired the project, her creative process, and how it feeds her own life and yoga practice.Shownotes: yogalandpodcast.com/episode45/ Support this show http://supporter.acast.c...
Apr 30, 2017•39 min
Tiffany is a renowned yoga teacher and the founder of Yoga Medicine. She's also a doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine and ran an acupuncture clinic at Nike headquarters for years. Tiffany offers her unique perspective on how to modify our diet, asana, breathwork, and meditation for spring. She also (very patiently) answers my questions about the ways that Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine overlap. This is a great ep for all the complementary medicine geeks in the crowd (like myself).S...
Apr 23, 2017•49 min
Jason comes back to Yogaland to answer your questions, specifically:- Is the cue 'flatten your tailbone' correct or outdated?- Why do yoga teachers tell us to flex the foot in Pigeon Pose? How does it protect the knee?- Why is sacroiliac pain such a pain in the a$$?Thank you to all of you who have sent in questions!We have a sequence on the blog for low back pain. Link on the shownotes page: yogalandpodcast.com/episode43/ Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/yogaland . Hosted on Acast. S...
Apr 16, 2017•38 min
Maty Ezraty is a genuine pioneer of yoga in the U.S. One of the original co-founders of YogaWorks, Maty is a true teacher's teacher. On this episode, Maty shares stories from her early days as well as how her practice has changed with age. She also shares her approach to mentoring teachers and students, which is an alchemy of communication, love, and meeting people where they are.Shownotes for this episode: yogalandpodcast.com/episode42/ Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/yogaland . Ho...
Apr 08, 2017•1 hr 6 min
In this age of insta-celebrity and everyone chasing their 15 minutes of fame, it's refreshing to talk to a long-term, successful yoga teacher. Deborah Burkman is one of these people. She's been teaching for 17 years, in many settings, and loves her job. She's not famous and, at this point in her life and career, she's grateful for that. Her message to all of us: Find your purpose and come back to that. And know that who you are is enough.Shownotes: yogalandpodcast.com/episode41/ Support this sho...
Apr 02, 2017•52 min
Alexandria Crow grew up in a fundamentalist Christian family and her grandfather was a traveling preacher. These days she travels the country teaching yoga -- and it recently dawned on her that there are parallels between the two. Because of this, she's careful about not cultivating a guru persona -- her hope is to teach her students to use the tools that she presents to investigate on their own and think for themselves. We talk about this idea of being "transparent" as a teacher, the role of ch...
Mar 26, 2017•59 min
Richard Rosen is a yoga scholar and teacher who has authored five yoga books that are well worth reading. I talked to him about his most recent, "Yoga FAQ, Almost Everything You Need to Know about Yoga -- from Asanas to Yamas." This book is rich with tons of historical info and yet, Richard is refreshingly honest about how traditions change and evolve. We focus mostly on his Patanjali's Yoga Sutra -- who was Patanjali? Who was Vyasa? And why is this text a seminal part of modern Western yoga? Sh...
Mar 13, 2017•45 min
This week, I talk to Nikki Estrada about the first two ethical guidelines in the Yoga Sutra: ahimsa (nonharming) and satya (truth). Nikki has more than 20 years teaching experience and has been leading 200 and 300-hour teaching trainings for more than 12 years. She was Director of Trainer Development for YogaWorks for more than 7 years where she supported and mentored teacher trainers. She leads intensives, immersions and workshop series in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. She contributes ...
Mar 05, 2017•43 min
Jason takes on questions that surround yoga teaching this week including:- To use Sanskrit while teaching or not?- How to care for yourself during an injury?- How do you help individuals find their unique pose in the midst of a group class?You can find shownotes for this episode, with lots of blog posts from Jason about teaching at yogalandpodcast.com/episode38/ Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/yogaland . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Feb 26, 2017•24 min
The Q&As with Jason are back! On this episode we talk about hopping back to Plank Pose, what happens when your wrists won't cooperate in arm balances, and tips for Triangle Pose. The BIG TAKEAWAY is this: Not all poses work for all bodies. Take that in. Let it bum you out. Then listen to the episode and let that truth set you free. Shownotes: yogalandpodcast.com/episode36/ Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/yogaland . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Feb 19, 2017•26 min
On this episode, I talk to Kelsey Crowe, the co-author of the book, "There is No Good Card for This: What to Say and Do When Life is Scary, Awful, and Unfair to People You Love." The book is funny, it's written without judgment, and it's filled with helpful and achievable ideas to help us connect to and support each other when life gets tough. It's also designed by the fabulous Emily McDowell.Shownotes: yogalandpodcast.com/episode35/ Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/yogaland . Hosted...
Feb 13, 2017•51 min
I bet you can conjure it up pretty easily: The image of the calm, benevolent yoga teacher who NEVER GETS ANGRY. You might wish that you were that person. And perhaps such people exist. But the rest of us mere mortals get pissed sometimes. And sometimes getting pissed is OK and warranted. The question is, how do you take your anger and channel in ways that are positive? And how do you learn and grow from your anger? What's beneath the subtext and how do you cope? I'm happy to have Sally Kempton b...
Feb 05, 2017•1 hr 4 min
Bex Urban joins me on this episode to share her many years of navigating the challenges of putting together a successful retreat. We talk risks, rewards, coping with busted septic tanks, and more. My hope is that this episode will inspire retreat newbies -- both students and teachers.Shownotes: yogalandpodcast.com/episode33/ Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/yogaland . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Jan 29, 2017•54 min
Among her other great qualities, I like to think of Stephanie Snyder as the queen of the playlist. On this ep, she offers her intention behind including music in class, her thoughts on the tradition of sound in yoga, plus mistakes she's made over the years. BONUS: One of Steph's favorite bands, Young Moon, create the soundtrack for this episode. For more shownotes go to: yogalandpodcast.com/episode32/ Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/yogaland . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy ...
Jan 23, 2017•25 min
Bo Forbes spent years as a practicing psychologist and is now a yoga teacher with a keen interest in neuropsychology. On this episode we talk about how to cope with empathic distress as well as the different between the brain's default mode vs. direct experience mode. Shownotes: yogalandpodcast.com/episode31/ Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/yogaland . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Jan 16, 2017•1 hr 18 min
I live in a state of duality when it comes to New Year's resolutions. On the one hand, I loathe them. I loathe the intense focus on self-improvement and self-achievement that's emblazoned across magazine covers in the month of January. And yet, I love the idea of taking a moment to pause and reflect on the previous year and to think about how I'd like to live in the coming year,This episode focuses on three resolutions that really get to the heart of what has created happiness in my life: self a...
Jan 05, 2017•17 min
Hello Yogaland! On this episode, we reflect on 2016 and the ways that we've grown. We talk highlights and challenges and reveal our top secret (sort of) plans for 2017!Shownotes: yogalandpodcast.com/episode29/ Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/yogaland . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dec 30, 2016•40 min
On this episode, I reflect on one of the most important reads of the year for me -- Kelly McGonigal's book, The Upside of Stress. A psychologist and yoga teacher, Kelly's book is filled with compelling research about how the way we think about stress may be more harmful for our health than stress itselfShownotes: yogalandpodcast.com/episode28/ Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/yogaland . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Dec 20, 2016•10 min
Before jetting off on his most recent trip to Hong Kong, I sat with Jason to answer more listener-submitted questions. This time we just happened to get questions that all centered around the lower body. So, we talk about:* How to best work with tight hamstrings?* How to best recover when your hamstring has been overstretched?* How to find stability and strengthen the low back, quadratus lomborum (QL), and sacrum after pregnancy? * What's up with hearing about yogis having hip replacements? How ...
Dec 05, 2016•30 min
This week I chat with Kate Holcombe of The Healing Yoga Foundation in San Francisco. Kate has an amazing story to tell -- and I asked her to tell it in the top half of the interview -- about how a life-threatening accident while studying abroad in India during college set her on the path of becoming a student of TKV Desikachar. The second half of the interview focuses on a few of the sutras that helped Kate navigate the difficulty of going through breast cancer treatment. I've never known a teac...
Nov 27, 2016•1 hr 19 min
On this episode, Jason answers questions submitted by listeners:* What are your views on what it means to be a yoga student today?* What's the difference between a yoga student and a yoga consumer?* How do you deal with the yoga community where there is so much inconsistency and fakeness?* What do you think will be important for yoga teachers to focus on in the next decade?* What do you think about yoga hybrids like Yoga HIIT, Pi-Yo, etc.?* How do you and Andrea work together and find a balance ...
Nov 20, 2016•45 min
This week's episode is like a shot of happy for your soul. I spoke to Dana Trixie Flynn, co-founder of Laughing Lotus about her new project: Dana is working on opening a donation-based yoga studio in the seventh ward of New Orleans. If you know Dana at all, you know how much she lives, breathes, and loves music -- so this new center will have live New Orleans jazz music. In this interview with Dana, I felt how uniquely suited she is to set up this studio and to nurture her students. She is all a...
Nov 14, 2016•55 min
On this episode Jason answers three of our listener questions and it just so happens that they all focus on some aspect of shoulder anatomy. We also talk about cats a lot. Here are the questions:* Why do we flex the ankle in poses like Reclined Pigeon?* Is "pull the shoulder blades down" a "bad" alignment cue?* In Plank Pose, do you push strongly through the arms and upper back? Or soften the shoulders?For practice inspiration, go to the shownotes page for links to shoulder-focused blog posts wi...
Oct 23, 2016•26 min
