J. Brown Yoga Talks

Paul JJ Alix, founder of Yoga for All, returns to talk with J about the future of his yoga business and the nature of karma. They discuss pricing for home studios, revenue streams and projected profits, people with money and those without, giving stuff away and valuing your work, karma, Ayn Rand, a mature vision of God, relationship to the divine, Desikachar and yoga sutras, teachings of Jesus, ignorance and salvation, auspiciousness of snakes, discerning right and wrong, and the unburdening our ideas so that truth can be revealed.   To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Say thank you - buy J a coffee. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.    

Will Revak, co-founder of Orawellness, talks with J about the oral microbiome and dental self-empowerment. They discuss common dental issues, periodontal disease myths, hidden lies in toothpaste labels, crystal nature of teeth, decay and enamel loss, choosing a dentist, statistics and outcomes, fluoride vs hydroxyapatite, mindful brushing, naturally sourced xylitol, the importance of saliva, navigating scams, Bass method, Chinese hygiene arts, tongue scrappers, and becoming an effective steward of your oral microbiome.   Use promo code: jbrown and get 15% off all Orawellness products.   To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Say thank you - buy J a coffee. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.    

Troy Hadeed, founder of Beyond Yoga and author of My Name Is Love: We're Not All That Different, talks with J about coming to know the love of God. They discuss Bob Marley and Jesus, interpretations and denominations, moving away from the church, connecting to Christ, yoga in Trinidad, Sean Corn, breath practice as prayer, divine agency, collective consciousness, questioning orthodoxy, slippery Gnostic slopes, grounding through faith, name and form, the one thing that makes us all the same, and the moment when truth is no longer in question.   To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Say thank you - buy J a coffee. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.    

Grace Gessel, once founder of the Trauma-Conscious Yoga Method now offering faith-centered counseling at Through Faith Therapy, talks with J about leaving yoga and becoming a follower of Christ. They discuss religious trauma, being a public voice, questioning narratives around social justice and anti-racism, identity politics, church hypocrisy and exploitation, getting to the end of yourself, breath and prayer, somatics, waking up to Jesus, the Holy Trinity, spiritual warfare, and moving from a self-led to a Holy Spirit-led life.   To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Say thank you - buy J a coffee. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.    

John Friend, founder of Anusara Yoga and Bowspring, talks with J about the history of Anusara Yoga, its collapse, and the aftermath. They discuss the reason for having John on now, 60's generation of free love, consciousness expansion, business backgrounds in the 80's, studying with Iyengar and Gurumayi, founding Anusara in 97, standardization, the scandal and collapse, wicca and tantra, ethical codes, power differentials, universal principles of alignment, Bowspring, optimizing spirit, changing the world, making a living, and market trajectories.   To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Say thank you - buy J a coffee. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.    

David Singleton is a long-time listener and friend of the show and he joins J to talk about relationship to our environment and ourselves. They discuss finding yoga during his wife's illness and passing, discovering the podcast and following along with J's journey, deep love of the outdoors, motorcycles, becoming a fire ranger, operating vineyards, big agriculture, healthy soil, regenerative farming, organic labeling, permaculture, living in harmony with ants, defining success, personal spirituality of going outside, and truly caring for land and people.   To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Say thank you - buy J a coffee. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.    

Elisa Malinverni returns to touch base with J about making pragmatic choices in the face of a collapsing industry. They discuss the contraction of 2025, part-time work in communications, transitioning and schedules, backlashes from physical practice, warrior 2 and triangle, yin repertoire, longer holds and repetition, unfounded claims, business coaching for teachers, feeling bitter about advertising, whether the heyday is over, false promises and hard times, technology, empathy, and remaining curious about our unfolding future.   To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Say thank you - buy J a coffee. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.    

J takes a moment to check in with listeners and reflect on the closing of his yoga center, the state of his professional career, and his plans for the future. He discusses the factors that led to letting go of his commercial space and moving his weekly classes into his living room, sober assessments and hard truths regarding personal brands and business marketing, contradictions between career pursuits and paternal responsibilities, expanding ones perspective to be open to new possibilities, faith in God, and remaining rooted in the wonder of being.   To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Say thank you - buy J a coffee. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.    

Todd Norian, author of Tantra Yoga: Journey to Unbreakable Wholeness, returns to talk with J about the impact of different philosophical viewpoints on living in the word and what it means to be liberated. They discuss renunciation, misdeeds of the gurus, kundalini awakening and psychotic breaks, the collapse of Kripalu ashram and Anusara, authentic tantra, ethical codes and power, non-local consciousness, intimacy, wisdom and divinity, discernment and evil, boundaries and freedom, and the vulnerability required to heal our wounds.   To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Say thank you - buy J a coffee. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.    

Christopher Wallis, author of Tantra Illuminated and creator of Tantra Illuminated Online and the Tantra 112 app, returns to talk with J about the defining characteristics and sources for authentic tantra, They discuss origin narratives, lineage and initiation, institutionalized gatekeeping, divine revelation, practice joined to a coherent view, renunciation and integration, Vedanta, Hatha Yoga, Kundalini, supreme being or consciousness, devotion, morality, psychology and spirit, grace, surrender. and the embodiment of one's true nature.   To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Say thank you - buy J a coffee. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.    

Amy Landry, author of The Ocean of Yoga, talks with J about honoring the history, philosophies, and purpose behind yogic inquiry. They discuss the impulse towards deeper study, grasping historical context and ancient origins, discerning the vedas, asceticism and tantra, classical Hatha Yoga, energy bodies and subtle anatomy, pranayama and mind control, inaccurate claims and systematization, alignment of values, devotion and God, nature and deities, knowing what we are doing and why, and confidently trusting in a chosen direction. To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Say thank you - buy J a coffee. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.    

Lizzie Lasater returns to the show to talk with J about using AI technology and creating social media campaigns. They discuss the rumor that her mom is retiring, showing up consistently, being declarative vs provocative, doing Savasana wrong, a legacy of patriarchal rules, collaborating with language models, popularity and outrage, longer holds and her controversial yin yoga post, AI anatomy chat bots, setting boundaries around technology, and a holistic vision of the future based on healthy choices and shared intention.   To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Say thank you - buy J a coffee. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.    

Chris Preist, co-director of Bristol Zen Dojo and author of Zen Streams, returns to talks with J about the intersection of zen and yoga. They discuss spiritual practice vs performance, learning rules through experience, connection between sound and spirit, feeling with intention, textual meanings, learning objectives, professionalization and marketing, actualizing non-duality, understanding emptiness, spacious luminosity, digital technology, freshness of words, and the discipline needed to retain authenticity in a capitalistic world.   To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Say thank you - buy J a coffee. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.    

Rachel Morarjee, former journalist and friend of the show, talks with J about the arc of gen-xer perspectives on yoga and the world. They discuss receiving shaktiput, the early yoga scene in china, external gurus and choosing teachers, expressions of authority, developing a personal practice, transcending ego, chanting, death of retail, spirituality and faith, battle for souls, meeting challenges of modern society, devotion to God, fall of the yoga masters, life stages, and facing darkness by anchoring yourself to a source of grace.   To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Say thank you - buy J a coffee. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.    

Bernie Clark, author of PRANA: One breath, many worlds, talks with J about his new book exploring philosophy, physiology, and the energetic axis of the yoga experience. They discuss stories imagining pre-vedic to Vedic tim es, shamans and yogis, evolution of societies, tribal ritual and institutional gods, reincarnation, relationship with the divine, role of prana in tantra, Desikachar and Descartes, Theosophy and Chakras, fascia, clairvoyance and energy healing, and understanding the difference between spirit and soul.   To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Say thank you - buy J a coffee. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.    

Joanne Spence, author of Trauma-Informed Yoga: A Toolbox for Therapists and founder of Yoga in Schools, talks with J about the origins of trauma-informed care and the relationship between yoga and faith. They discuss coming to yoga through life challenges, exploring different approaches, breath focus, early paths into yoga therapy, working at a psychiatric hospital, trusting in lived experience, scientific explanations, attending seminary, being part of a church, secular approaches, and keeping communications straightforward and kind.   To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Say thank you - buy J a coffee. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.    

Leslie Howard and Richard Rosen, co-authors of SAVASANA - Between Breath and Death, talk with J about the importance of practicing final relaxation. They discuss the shortening of savasana over the years, death doulas and cafe's, the dissolution of self, the moment of death, guided meditation, asana and pranayama, reincarnation, falling asleep, alignment, using props and minimizing distraction, breath focus, rolling  to the side, being the witness, fitness orientation, embracing things as they are, and recognizing the precious nature of life.   To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Say thank you - buy J a coffee. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.    

David Procyshyn, founder of doyogawithme.com and author of a Freedom from Anxiety newsletter, talks with J about the current state of the online yoga space and different ways to think about marketing. They discuss the ebb and flow of online sales, loyalty and word of mouth, knowing your audience, saturation and competition, paying for advertising, affiliates, Facebook, discounts and promotions, customer segmentation, maximizing user experience, websites, retreats, and questioning assumptions that inhibit playfulness.   To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Say thank you - buy J a coffee. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.    

Jim Bennitt, co-founder of Tejas Yoga and founder of Yoga for Grapplers, talks with J about the trajectory and evolution of Gen-x yoga careers. They discuss the yoga wave that started in the early nineties, old-school classroom dynamics, finding community, appeal of Jiu-Jitsu, cult aspects across different modalities, discernment of alignment, opening a center in the golden years, functional movement, accessibility, male friendships, post pandemic numbers, people leaving yoga, and the inspirational sparks that keep us motivated.   To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Say thank you - buy J a coffee. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.    

Sharon Molloy is a close personal friend of J and she joins the show to talk about their shared journey through yoga into faith. They discuss coming together around non-achievement, getting off on esoterica, discovering mystical realms, discerning materialism, making sense of lies and injustice, transhumanism, proof of the soul, evil, biblical prophecy, believing vs following, holy alignment and baptism, brokenness and the nature of self, hearing the voice of God, and experiencing the pinnacle of love through saving grace.   To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Say thank you - buy J a coffee. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.