We've gotten several questions from listeners about how to find the right balance between working hard and surrendering during yoga postures. How to find that elusive balance of two seemingly conflicting ideals, whether on our yoga mats or in our lives, leaves many of us scratching our heads. Like so many things in yoga, the answer is complicated. But in this episode, Jason and I share some of our insights and do our best to tackle the question. Here's what we cover: * What Patanjali wrote about...
Jul 10, 2018•42 min•Ep. 111
In this week's episode, Jason and I are live from Detroit Yoga Lab answering student questions about some of the most common yoga injuries, how to prevent and avoid them. Bonus banter: Find out why Jason has a black eye - unsurprisingly, it's not from yoga or a bar fight. And learn what Jason's three favorite bands are. (Our regular listeners will not be surprised to hear that Salabhasana (Locust Pose) come up a time or two.) Here's what we discuss: * Alternative poses for Warrior I and II for p...
Jul 03, 2018•1 hr 1 min
I put together this episode after the suicides of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain. The loss of both of these talented, successfully, beloved people in one week was tragic. A few days after it happened, I read two great stories that talked about how important it is to tell our stories about getting through depression. When the news media focuses on a suicide and how it happens, it can lead to contagion. But when people tell their personal stories of getting through depression or suicidal thoughts...
Jun 28, 2018•22 min
Do you remember the first time you did your favorite pose? Was it true love the first time you took the shape? Or did it take a few tries (or maybe even years!?) to appreciate it? A few weeks ago, I shared on Instagram that when I first started practicing Side Angle Pose, I thought it was a total snooze and now it's one of my favorite poses. I asked if anyone else has had this experience with a pose and got a resounding yes. For me, the process of appreciating Side Angle Pose represents the way ...
Jun 26, 2018•36 min•Ep. 109
If you're like a lot of yoga students, you probably feel a bit conflicted when it comes to social media: You want to spend more time in the present moment, but you also love how social media makes you feel connected with the people you love and what's going on in the world. It can be so hard to find a balance that allows you to enjoy the best social media has to offer without feeling like a slave to technology. In this episode of Yogaland, Jason and I share some practical tips on using social me...
Jun 19, 2018•44 min•Ep. 108
For this year's summer series, Jason and I are focusing on "Building a Sustainable Yoga Practice." Over the past year we've talked about injuries, fear of injuries, predatory teachers and we thought -- LET'S FOCUS ON THE POSITIVE FOR PETE'S SAKE. Let's empower ourselves to create a yoga practice that serves our needs. For the first episode, Jason and I talk about which poses are taught as beginner or "easy" poses and are actually torturous for us to execute. And the inverse of that -- which pose...
Jun 12, 2018•39 min•Ep. 107
Yoga offers us so much more than creating a healthy body and mind--it also helps us to get to know ourselves on a deep, intimate level. That deep knowing can help us make better decisions about every aspect of our lives, which is especially true during the childbirth process, says this week's guest Rachel Yellin. Rachel is a prenatal yoga teacher, childbirth educator, hypnotherapist, and a dear friend of mine. All of her work is centered around the idea of using mindfulness to help people tap in...
Jun 05, 2018•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 106
On this episode, I speak to Julia Lowrie Henderson, the producer behind ESPN's new 30 for 30 podcast series "Bikram." Bikram Choudhury arrived in the U.S. from Calcutta, India and opened a yoga studio in Beverly Hills in 1973. His intense system of yoga caught on quickly and Bikram became known as the "guru to the stars," with devotees ranging from Shirley MacLaine to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to Raquel Welch. Within two decades, Bikram built a "yoga empire" that included national television appearanc...
Jun 01, 2018•55 min•Ep. 104
Ai Kubo received a PhD in cancer epidemiology from Columbia University, and has nearly 40 scientific publications in peer-reviewed medical journals. Years ago, Kubo was told flat out, by one of the most renowned mindfulness researchers, not to try to create (and fund) mindfulness studies. At that time, studying mindfulness and yoga was too fringe, she was told. She heeded this advice and spent a decade studying the effect of nutrition on cancer. But, as a yoga teacher, she felt that something wa...
May 29, 2018•1 hr•Ep. 105
Why don't you have a seat and stay awhile? If you think meditating is boring, hard, pointless, or too time consuming, this episode is for you! This week, Jason and I discuss everything meditation. We unpack why it's important for yoga students to meditate. Plus, we'll give some practical tips for to start if you're new to the practice (or start again if not very consistent). We promise, you'll be glad you did! PS: Jason just launched a program on yogaglo called, "I Don't Meditate." It's six clas...
May 14, 2018•42 min•Ep. 103
There's a special place in my heart for Tias Little. I studied with him many years ago and the vivid imagery and metaphor he used had a profound impact on the way I think about the body. He's also got this dry, dry, dry humor that I love. In the years since I studied with Tias, he has started doing dharma talks and one of them inspired this episode. You see, I think most of us are perfectionists. And, as much as I love to put in a hard day's work full of drive and goal-crushing, perfectionism do...
May 08, 2018•47 min•Ep. 102
When your body hurts, it can feel like your soul hurts. And when you sustain an injury from yoga, it can be even more rattling. When an injury threatened Laura Burkhart's yoga practice—and her livelihood—she was forced to dig deep, be creative, and step into a new role as a yoga teacher, too. In this episode, she explains how she survived with humility and humor. (PS: Don't forget to read Laura's most recent Yoga Journal blog post! ) We talk about: * Laura's experience sustaining a hip injury du...
May 01, 2018•54 min•Ep. 101
When I first started taking yoga classes from Jason many years ago, I was struck by his voice. He has a voice that draws you in. It's soothing and encouraging. He speaks in a measured, comfortable pace. And he's a clear, succinct communicator. In essence, he's a natural when it comes to verbal communication. This week, I ask Jason to share how he's developed this skill set. And, although this episode is specifically geared toward yoga teachers, the ideas we here apply to everyone. We all have ti...
Apr 24, 2018•50 min•Ep. 100
Jason's back on the podcast answering some of our listeners most common questions. This week, we tackle questions related to Pincha Mayurasana (Forearm Balance). We dive into: * Headless Headstand - An alternative pose that recommends for students who are new to Forearm Balance * Three things the shoulders need to be in order to practice Forearm Balance * A conversation about Jason's biggest pet peeve that he sees students do when they're setting up for Pincha Mayurasana and Headstand (and why A...
Apr 17, 2018•37 min•Ep. 99
On this week's episode, neurophysiologist Dr. Robyn Capobianco returns and we cover a ton of interesting ground. I walked away from the conversation asking myself, ‘Are there absolutely, definitively good movements and bad movements within the framework of yoga poses? And do we know what they are?’ Here are the other points we discuss: * The difference between the "anatomy," "biomechanics," and "neuromechanics" and how they apply to yoga * What Robyn's research has shown her about squeezing the ...
Apr 10, 2018•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 98
We decided to give male listeners some TLC this week by answering their questions. While we focus on yoga for men in this episode, it has tons of insights for women who want to relate to the men in their classes and for teachers who want to help their male students. Besides, we've all struggled with feeling like the only person in class who can't do something , right? We talk about: * What it's like to be a male in a majority female yoga class + some good news for men who feel uncomfortable - th...
Apr 03, 2018•36 min•Ep. 97
This episode is in response to the overwhelming number of questions we've gotten about Handstand. We explore the logistical side -- what are the best prep poses for Handstand? And the emotional side, i.e., how do I cope with my fear of Handstand? You'll also learn: * The vital triad of forearm, finger, and shoulder strength for Handstand * Helpful prep poses yoga poses to help you build the strength for the pose * The importance of understanding scapular motion when learning Handstand * The musc...
Mar 27, 2018•39 min•Ep. 96
This week, Coral Brown offers her take on the psychodynamics of the teacher-student relationship in yoga. Coral is both a respected Prana Vinyasa yoga teacher and licensed mental health counselor with great insight into this topic. There are obviously major differences in the therapist/patient relationship vs. the yoga teacher/student relationship. Yet, many of the same psychodynamics arise. Coral shares how transference, countertransference, unmet needs and behaviors all make their way into the...
Mar 20, 2018•52 min•Ep. 95
This is our first-ever live podcast recording! From Jason's training in San Francisco at Love Story Yoga, we dig deep into how yoga teachers can serve their students better through offering hands-on, or manual, adjustments. We talk about: * The value of hands-on adjustments in yoga postures for students, and which students might benefit most. * Why Jason feels there should be a paradigm shift in the way teachers deliver manual adjustments and what that shift should be. * Ways to approach adjusti...
Mar 13, 2018•39 min•Ep. 94
Sexual misconduct in the yoga community isn't new. But the evolving #metoo and #timesup movements have brought to light the magnitude of the problem for women from all walks of life -- including within the yoga world. (Rachel Brathen collected more than 300 of them last year). It's opened an important dialogue about how to put an end to sexual misconduct and other abuses of power within the yoga community. There are a few thoughtful yoga teachers leading the way, and I talked with two of them in...
Mar 08, 2018•1 hr 26 min•Ep. 93
Did you know that the fastest growing demographic of new yogis is the 55 and older set? Neither did I. I learned all sorts of fascinating facts, statistics, and new research from this week's guest, Baxter Bell. Together with his co-author, Nina Zolotow, Baxter has a new book, Yoga for Healthy Aging and that's the main focus of this episode. I can't think of two people better-positioned to write this book: Baxter spent years practicing medicine as a family doc before becoming a yoga therapist and...
Feb 27, 2018•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 92
Jason's back on the podcast this week answering some of the best questions we've gotten in about yoga postures. (Yogaland listeners are a smart, inquisitive bunch!) We dive into: * Why he rarely teaches Virabhadrasna I (Warrior I Pose) and how he feels about "squaring" the hips * What Jason teaches instead of Warrior I (and what a relief it is) * The differences between Paripurna Navasana (Full Boat Pose) and Ardha Navasna (Half Boat Pose) and which one is better for strengthening the core muscl...
Feb 20, 2018•41 min•Ep. 91
This week, we continue our conversation with Jill Miller to learn even more about the mysterious (and amazing!) connective tissue that literally holds our bodies together: fascia. We talk more about: The three different layers of fascia, how each layer functions, and why each one is important Where in your own body you can feel the different textures of fascia What happens to the fascia when you stretch your muscles How to use tools like therapy balls, a yoga mat, or even a hard wood floor to cr...
Feb 16, 2018•51 min•Ep. 90
I've got a special two-part series this week Yoga Tune Up® founder Jill Miller about -- you guessed it -- fascia. There is more and more info. being shared about fascia. But I've found that it sometimes feels esoteric. My goal with these interviews is threefold: I wanted to offer clarity about what fascia is and then talk about why it is so important and how we can apply this info. to our yoga practice. By the end of Part II, I feel like Jill and I dug into all of these questions, so be patient!...
Feb 13, 2018•46 min•Ep. 89
Yogis often talk about the nervous system in terms of how it responds to stress. But if you've ever wanted to learn more about the science of how the nervous system works, this episode is for you! (Spoiler alert: It controls almost everything related to movement!) This week, I talked with yoga therapist and PhD candidate Robyn Capobianco, who studies at the Neurophysiology of Movement Laboratory at the University of Colorado, Boulder. She explains how her research applies to yogis and offers pra...
Jan 30, 2018•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 88
We pick up where we left off last week with Jason answering more of your recent questions! This week, he answers: * How often should I change my sequences? * How do I sequence given the large influx of new students in January without alienating my established students? * If I let my pelvis rotate during twists, will it cause a hip impingement? Shownotes: yogalandpodcast.com/episode87/ SHOUTOUT TO OUR SPONSORS!! 1. Did you know that you can save money on your life insurance just because you do yo...
Jan 23, 2018•34 min•Ep. 87
Jason Crandell joins me this week to answer your questions. We cover a lot of ground in this short episode including: * Strategies for Down Dog -- How to make it easier to step forward, what to do when a student can't straighten their arms * Lower Rib Flare -- Why it's important to think of core length, not just core strength * The Cue to 'Tuck Your Tailbone Under -- Is it dangerous? Appropriate? What's the deal. Please. Shownotes: yogalandpodcast.com/episode86 SHOUTOUT TO OUR SPONSORS!! 1. Did ...
Jan 16, 2018•31 min•Ep. 86
This week’s podcast with author and yoga teacher Michelle Marchildon focuses on her formula for theming your yoga classes. The formula comes from her book, Themeweaver: Connect the Power of Inspiration to Teaching Yoga and is a clear, thorough approach to creating themes that are meaningful, not cheesy, and will help your students really deeply connect their physical practice to Michelle talks us through: •The three types of students who come to class •The four elements that make a good theme •T...
Jan 10, 2018•59 min•Ep. 85
I love the idea of starting of the New Year with healthy, nourishing routines. Over the past few years, I’ve done that with my skincare routine and I find it to be a great form of self care. When you think of self care, you don’t think of smearing petroleum, endocrine disruptors or other toxic chemicals on your face, right? In the process of researching the products I use, I’ve learned that there is basically no federal regulation on our personal care products (or on most industrial chemicals in...
Jan 02, 2018•44 min•Ep. 84
Can you guess which podcast was the most popular of the year? I give you a glimpse into my analytics on this episode (spoiler alert: the #1 episode is not one of Jason's), plus we talk 2017 highlights (hello, creativity!) and lowlights (puffy eyes), what we're looking forward to in 2018, and how I aspire to channel both Maria Bamford and Oprah. (PS: Iyengar Yoga "belt" vs. "strap" question still not solved!!) Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/yogaland . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/...
Dec 26, 2017•31 min•Ep. 83
