Yogaland Podcast

All yoga teachers have their off days. Even those who are as experienced as Jason. This week, Jason’s back on the podcast to share his insights on how to recover from those times when a yoga class you’re teaching just doesn’t work out the way you hoped it would. He shares:* Why the class you’re teaching probably isn’t going as badly as you think * One thing to be mindful of when you are in the midst of teaching a less than stellar class. (This is what Jason says he struggles with most.)* Two practical things you can do during class to handle anxiety that might come with feeling like you’re teaching a bad class* The most important thing to do after you’re finished teaching a class you feel wasn’t up to par* Plus, a pep talk for teachers who think they're students aren't engaged--or worse--pack up and leave in the middle of class.Show notes: Jasonyoga.com/podcast/episode174SHOUT-OUT TO OUR SPONSORSKIND snacks are created with real, wholesome ingredients. They never use high fructose corn syrup and you

Happy New Year! It’s so good to be back for another season of Yogaland.My wish for you in this new year (and new decade!) it’s to develop compassion for yourself. And in this episode Jason and I talk about why compassion plays such a huge role in personal development and why you have to learn to be kind to yourself before you can show up for others in your life. We talk about:* The difference between self-care and self compassion* Why our brains are wired to cling to the negative and ignore the positive * I share my favorite 3-part definition of self compassion from author Kristin Neff* How we use these principles to develop a meditation habit that sticks in my online course, Start Your Year with Self Care (starting next week!)Show notes: http://www.jasonyoga.com/podcast/episode173SHOUT OUT TO OUR SPONSORSWhatever your style, Betabrand has the pants to match. Choose from dozens of colors, patterns, cuts, and styles - like boot-cut, straight leg, skinny, cropped, and more - they even have a pair with 8 (y

Can you believe this is the last Yogaland episode of 2019? This week, Jason and I reflect on the many ways we’ve changed and grown during the past year, we talk about our favorite episodes, the year’s biggest challenges, and what you can expect from us in 2020. Here a quick overview of the episode:*We talk about how Jason’s teaching has shifted in the last year + a few of my biggest moments of the year*We share what have been our biggest challenges of the past year  *We also let you in on what new and exciting projects you can expect to see from us in 2020 *Plus, we talk about some major events from 2019, like the passing of YogaWorks founder Maty Ezraty, and how they impacted our lives.Show notes: http://www.jasonyoga.com/podcast/episode172SHOUT-OUT TO OUR SPONSORSStitchfix makes it possible for you to have a professional stylist curate your everyday look.When you complete your style profile, an expert stylist will pick out 5 items and send them to you based on your style and preferences.

This week, Jason and I are tackling another common question that modern yoga students ask: Is yoga enough to keep you healthy? Or do you need to do other forms of exercise to stay fit?The answer, of course, depends on the goal. But we chat about our own thoughts as long-time practitioners and weigh in on some of the benefits we’ve noticed from adding additional forms of exercise into our routines.SHOUTOUT TO OUR SPONSORSStitchfix makes it possible for you to have a professional stylist curate your everyday look.When you complete your style profile, an expert stylist will pick out 5 items and send them to you based on your style and preferences. Choose between automatic shipments or get a box on demand. For an extra 25% off when you purchase all the pieces in your box, visit Stitchfix.com/yogaland today.Acuity is a scheduling assistant that works 24/7 behind the scenes to fill your calendar and takes hours of work off your plate — so you can keep your zen, and focus on all the other important aspects of your y

International yoga teacher and activist Seane Corn joins us this week. Seane recently added another title she says she never thought she’d hold to her list of accomplishments: Published author. Her new book, Revolution of the Soul, is a powerful mix of personal narrative and a thoughtful unpacking how yoga and mindfulness practices + other healing modalities can help one’s personal healing journey. The book is raw and real--she tells her story from the beginning and goes into such detail that it’s hard not to relate. This interview takes us behind the scenes of Seane's process and how she uses her own trauma and pain to help others.Show notes: http://www.jasonyoga.com/podcast/episode170SHOUT-OUT TO OUR SPONSORSStitchfix makes it possible for you to have a professional stylist curate your everyday look.When you complete your style profile, an expert stylist will pick out 5 items and send them to you based on your style and preferences. Choose between automatic shipments or get a box on demand. For an extr

Whether you're yoga teacher or a student, you've witnessed:⁠⁠** The Moaner -- The student who seems to be enjoying class a leetle too much.⁠** The Rebel -- The student who's just gotta do their own thannnng (and ignore what the rest of the class is doing)⁠** The Savasana Protester -- So what if everyone's in Savasana? She's kicking into Handstand and no one's gonna stop her.⁠⁠We talk about all of the behaviors -- and more -- on this week's podcast. Tune in to find out how Jason handles these uncomfortable (yet common!) yoga room behaviors.⁠SHOUT-OUT TO OUR SPONSORSStitchfix makes it possible for you to have a professional stylist curate your everyday look.When you complete your style profile, an expert stylist will pick out 5 items and send them to you based on your style and preferences. Choose between automatic shipments or get a box on demand. For an extra 25% off when you purchase all the pieces in your box, visit Stitchfix.com/yogaland today.Acuity is a scheduling assistant that works 24/7 behind the sce

For decades Yoga Alliance has been the main credentialing body for yoga teachers and schools. But the organization has been widely criticized for being nothing more than a list service that teachers feel required to pay for. Over the past few years, the leadership at Yoga Alliance has changed and current CEO, Shannon Roche, is my guest this week. My goal for this interview was to get a full picture of what the goals are within the organization right now, how they plan to provide real value to yoga teachers and schools, how they are addressing sexual misconduct and ethical violations, as well as the outcomes of their most recent major project -- The Standards Review Project. Shannon also took the time to answer listener-submitted questions.Shownotes: yogalandpodcast.com/episode168SHOUT-OUT TO OUR SPONSORSStitchfix makes it possible for you to have a professional stylist curate your everyday look.When you complete your style profile, an expert stylist will pick out 5 items and send them to you based on your sty

One of the more polarizing topics in modern yoga is the merits (and potential dangers) of attending yoga in a heated room. (To be clear, we're not talking about Bikram or Bikram-derived sequences in this ep; but vinyasa in a heated room.) So, this week Jason and I share what we believe are the pros and cons: How can you assess whether it's better for you physically? Does it encourage mental steadiness or is it distracting? And can you really "sweat out toxins?" All this and more this week!Show notes: http://www.jasonyoga.com/podcast/episode167SHOUT OUT TO OUR SPONSORSStitchfix makes it possible for you to have a professional stylist curate your everyday look.When you complete your style profile, an expert stylist will pick out 5 items and send them to you based on your style and preferences. Choose between automatic shipments or get a box on demand. For an extra 25% off when you purchase all the pieces in your box, visit Stitchfix.com/yogaland today.Cirkul is a water bottle and flavor cartridge system that le

The scent of lavender wafting from every local yoga studio’s doors may be a relatively recent phenomenon, but essential oils have been used to bolster health and well being for thousands of years, says this week’s guest Elena Brower, who is a New York yoga teacher and Doterra wellness advocate. If you’re curious about how essential oils work, which ones are best for certain situations, and how to use them to help keep you and your family at optimal health, this episode is for you.Here’s what we talk about:* Essential oil basics: Their history, how they’re made, how to tell the difference between a quality oil and a synthetic one, how to use a carrier oil, etc.* Three ways to use essential oils: Aromatically, topically, and internally. (Plus, Elena shares her reservations about people using essential oils internally.)* The qualities and uses of the most popular essential oils. Elena talks about her favorite oils for relaxation, meditation, public speaking, grounding, uplifting, skin issues, and muscle aches, a

It's October. Which means it's Breast Awareness Month. It's not an easy month for breast cancer patients, survivors, caregivers, or for those who have lost loved ones to the disease. So, for this episode I spoke to Susanna Harwood Rubin, a yoga teacher who has been raw and real about her own struggle with breast cancer this past year. Susanna shares specific ways that her practice supported her through her cancer experience, what you can do to support a loved one with cancer and more. I both hope this episode helps anyone who has been touched by breast cancer -- and even those who haven't. (That said, this episode could be triggering, so please take care of yourself and only listen if it is helpful to you.) Show notes: http://www.jasonyoga.com/podcast/episode165SHOUT-OUT TO OUR SPONSORSStitchfix makes it possible for you to have a professional stylist curate your everyday look.When you complete your style profile, an expert stylist will pick out 5 items and send them to you based on your style and preference

You want to leave your yoga audition with a big fist pumped saying, "Nailed it," right? This week's episode can help -- Jason gets real about how to ride the waves of the modern yoga job audition, where you get a very short amount of time to showcase your skills, your approach, and your personality. ⁠He offers his thoughts as well as some commiseration.Here’s an overview of what we cover:* The one thing that the yoga teacher hiring manager is likely looking for from yoga teacher auditions* Keep it simple. Give a few solid instructions for each pose, take your time, and make contact with the students.* How to handle nerves and step into the role of the teacher, even when you don't feel confident* What to do if you don’t get the job + some encouragement for yoga teachers who are in the process of establishing themselves  Show notes: http://jasonyoga.com/podcast/episode164SHOUT-OUT TO OUR SPONSORSStitchfix makes it possible for you to have a professional stylist curate your everyday look.When you compl

This week, I’m talking to Lara Benusis, a longtime yoga teacher and yoga therapist who has taught yoga in a healthcare setting for years. (She was the first full-time yoga teacher at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.) She’s also on the PhD track at Columbia University studying applied physiology. Her focus is exploring the efficacy and mechanisms of exercise and yoga on the survivorship of cancer.  Lara is a wealth of knowledge and a critical thinker. I love what he has to say about yoga research and her ideas for how yoga can be betterintegrated into the healthcare system.Some of the things we talk about are:* Why it’s important to study yoga from a scientific perspective, the challenges of defining yoga in a clinical setting, and the challenges of using human research subjects in studies* The research pyramid - and why some types of research or more reliable than others* What she thinks of Yo science and how to separate the good, research-backed data from unsubstantiated claim

Being a yoga teacher takes skill, knowledge, dedication, and often, perseverance. But you can have all of those things in spades and never quite earn enough money teaching group classes to be financially secure. Not to mention, racing from one studio to the next teaching group classes can be draining—both physically and mentally. One way to avoid this kind of burnout and bolster a your income is to find a few regular private yoga clients—something Jason enjoyed doing for many years.In this episode, Jason shares his best advice for both the business and methodology of teaching yoga privates.You’ll learn:* Why it’s important to diversify the ways that you teach, both for business reasons and to help you avoid burn-out* How teaching private yoga sessions can build your skill set as a yoga teacher* How to start finding private students and how to price those sessions* How to help students set goals and structure sessions around that* A few ground rules to put into place before you take on a new private clientShow

I am so excited to share this new season of Yogaland with you! This week, we kick off the season with a live episode that Jason and I recorded at triyoga in London during Jason’s recent teacher training.If you’re a long-time listener, you might know that both Jason and I identify as introverts. So, we understand why some students tend to shy away from speaking up or asking questions in a large group settings. Jason encourages engagement by asking students in his trainings to split into smaller groups and share what they love about the practice.Today, we’re answering those questions ourselves, so you can get to know us a little bit better, too.You’ll learn:* Our yoga origin stories (why we went to our first yoga class, what it was like, and what kept us coming back!)* What teachers have been most influential for us through the years and how different approaches to the practice have helped us become the yoga practitioners we are today* How and why we decided to make the leap from student to teacher* How we feel

For our season two finale episode, we’re talking to Las Vegas-based yoga teacher and author Jules Mitchell. We dive deep into the biomechanics of yoga in this episode and talk about Jules’ new book, which is a comprehensive look at the science of stretching. We can’t cover the whole book in this short format, but I think you’ll find the highlights are fascinating, thought provoking, and relevant to the broader discussions we’re having in the yoga community today.We talk about: * Why it was so important to Jules to define the anatomy terminology in her book (and why Jason tries to do the same thing in his trainings) + Why language is so important in the yoga room!* She explains what compressive load and tensile load means for listeners* Hypermobility, the pros and cons of passive stretching, and her recommendations for students who are really flexible. Plus, Jules shares why she cautions teachers against diagnosing students with hypermobility (what to do instead).* The long-held myth that strong and

If there’s one topic that eludes yoga teachers most, it’s not the correct angle of the front knee in Anjaneyasana. It’s how to teach yoga and make a livable wage. We recorded this week's episode live at Jason’s 300-hour training at Lovestory Yoga in San Francisco and answered student questions creating content that's authentic and sustainable.We talk about:* Why quality is so much more important than quantity when it comes to content--even in the fast-paced world of social media* A few ideas for diversifying your streams of income so you’re not relying solely on public yoga classes to pay your bills* How to decide how much content to give away* How to get beyond the daily grind to create a teaching curriculum* When to hire others to help you scale your business (and what to contract out)Show notes: http://www.jasonyoga.com/podcast/episode159SHOUT-OUT TO OUR SPONSORSSweaty Betty is a woman-owned activewear company based in the U.K. Their clothing is made of great fabrics and are always a phenomenal fit. P

Today’s guest is Nicole Cardoza, founder of Yoga Foster. I couldn't be more excited about Nicole's mission to bring more movement into classrooms across the country. Her approach is innovative, too -- Nicole's background in tech inspired her to create a platform that offers yoga curriculum and teacher trainings to classroom teachers. It's a scalable idea and one that empowers classroom teachers to bring mindfulness breaks into their classrooms throughout the day. I love the idea of yoga being incorporated into the school day in a seamless way. Nicole also opens up about her recent experience doing a cover shoot with Yoga Journal and how important it was for her to speak out about a surprise cover survey they did after the fact. I ask her how she handled a situation that was shaming, ignorant, and racist and turned it into an opportunity to help others.Show notes: http://www.jasonyoga.com/podcast/episode158SHOUT-OUT TO OUR SPONSORSSweaty Betty is a woman-owned activewear clothing company based in the U.K. that

I've talked a lot on the podcast about how motherhood has changed my yoga practice. I know first-hand how easy it can be to fall into the trap of mom guilt and feeling like you just can't keep up with your practice and the demands of your family life.So, I'm so excited to share this episode with Anne Cushman with you. Anne writes beautifully about motherhood as a spiritual practice in her new book, The Mama Sutra: A Story of Love, Loss, and the Path of Motherhood.Anne shares:* The creative process of writing a book, why it took her until her son went off to college to finish her latest book, and how her yoga and meditation practice helped her to be kind to herself through the whole process* How, in many ways, motherhood is such a good way to experience spirituality. Plus, how it differs from the types of spirituality practices that have been traditionally passed down by men.* Anne shares some profound insights for people who feel that they "should" be spending more time on their yoga mats or meditation c

This week, we're talking to Erica Rodefer Winters, a yoga teacher in Charleston, SC who specializes in teaching prenatal yoga and postnatal yoga.When the magical, "natural" birth of her first daughter didn't go to plan, Erica reflected and changed her approach the second time around. Instead of magical thinking, she leaned into her intuition and used her yogic tools to go deeply inward and trust herself. She uses this guiding philosophy now when she teaches her students. It's a great reminder to trust your gut at any phase of life when you're unsure of the next course of action.We talk about:* Her yoga origin story and how her first teacher inspired her* Why she teaches prenatal yoga (even though she didn't love prenatal yoga classes during her first pregnancy)* How she uses yoga asana, breathing, and mindfulness practices to tap into her intuition -- a practice that helped her during the birth of her daughters. And a couple ways that she helps her students to learn to listen to their intuition, too.* Plus, h

This week I talk to Sarah Kucera, author of The Ayurvedic Self-Care Handbook: Holistic Healing Rituals for Every Day and Season, all about her book and what Ayurveda can teach us about taking care of ourselves. If you’ve followed this podcast for a while, you know that I think self-care is vitally important in order to live a happy, healthy life. (I even created an online course about self care!) You might also know that I dabble in Ayurveda, and I’m fascinated about what little nuggets of wisdom I can learn from yoga’s “sister science.” So, I was thrilled when I came across a new book that talks about Ayurveda from a lens of self care. We discuss:* How Sarah’s struggles with feeling low-energy and stressed led her to look for solutions from Ayurveda and write her book* The Ayurvedic clock--and why your bedtime and waking time is as important as the number of hours you sleep* Why self care can be accessible to all (even those who are short on time and/or money). She explains why it doesn’t have to b