On And Off Your Mat

For our 46th episode, I sat down with Anodea Judith. Anodea is the director of Sacred Centers a teaching organization for yoga, psychology, and transformational wisdom. She holds a doctoral degree in Human Health, a Master’s in Psychology, is an E-RYT 500 yoga teacher. She is considered the foremost Western writer on the subject of the chakra system, with several best-selling books, including the classics Wheels of Life and Eastern Body-Western Mind. She teaches world-wide and is considered the go-to authority on the chakra system.5 BIGGEST TAKE-AWAY FROM THIS EPISODE1- The chakras are centers of organisation for the reception, assimilation, storage and expression of your life force energy. They are balancing portal between the inner and outer world.2 -They serve as a system that guide us in integration of mind and body within a spiritual framework, mapping the full spectrum of human potential.3- The chakras are a guide on human evolution and human history, mapping the development age of our so

For our 45th episode, I sat down with Manny Weintraub. Manny specializes in explaining investing to people who haven’t seriously considered it before. As an avid meditation and yoga enthusiast, he looks beyond Wall Street’s conventional wisdom and focuses on mindful investing. During his 30-year career as a Chartered Financial Analyst, Manny has looked after hundreds of clients and managed more than 1.5 billion dollars.  5 BIGGEST TAKE-AWAY FROM THIS EPISODEMindfulness helps you make clear decision about your money, stay out of the fear business, take action without over worrying and be less reactive to the market.Stay grounded in the present to make your money decisions. Base yourself on how things are now and not how they might be in the future, or they were in the past. Don't wait for the perfect market to invest. Do the best you can with what's available. Let go of your desire of perfection. Doing something with your money is better than doing nothing

For our 44th episode, I sat down with Nicolai Bachman. Nicolai holds an M.A. in Eastern Philosophy, an M.S. in Nutrition. He has studied extensively at the American Sanskrit Institute, the Ayurvedic Institute, the American Institute of Vedic Studies and the Vedic Chant Center. Nicolai has been teaching Sanskrit, chanting, yoga philosophy and Ayurveda since 1994. He has authored several books on Sanskrit and Yoga Philosophy. Today, we sat down to talk about the importance of Sanskrit within the yoga tradition.5 BIGGEST TAKE-AWAY FROM THIS EPISODE1- To go deep in yoga you have to start learning Sanskrit. You have to include something more than posture. Not only does it shows you respect the practice and the tradition, but the name of the pose carry information about the intended experience.2- The pronunciation of the language is of the highest priority. The vibrating energy of the words expresses prana and carries the meaning of the word. 3- When doing mantras, If you pronounce the words wro

For our 43rd episode, I sat down with Peter Sterios. Peter is a yoga teacher, writer, architect, the founder of MANDUKA®, and the creator of LEVITYoGA™. He taught yoga at the Obama White House for First Lady Michelle's anti-obesity programs, and in 2018, was brought in by the Pentagon to share yoga’s therapeutic effects with the US Marine Corps. Today we sit down to discuss Peters new book Gravity & Grace, the evolution of his renowned instructional DVD selected as one of Yoga Journal’s top 15 videos of all time.5 BIGGEST TAKE-AWAY FROM THIS EPISODE1- Grace is the attraction between 2 bodies that occur at a level deeper than the physical body; in the subtle body.2- The connective tissue in our body wraps the muscles, joints, organs but also goes much deeper. We now know that it penetrates muscles and bones. It's the primary inhibitor of movement and it's a repository for physical and emotional trauma. 3- The most effective and powerful emotions to create flow in our energy and our bodies is

For our 42nd episode, I sat down with Melina Meza, Melina is a pioneer in the field of yoga, nutrition, and Ayurvedic Health, sharing her knowledge with yogis around the world for more than 20 years. She is the author of Seasonal Health and Wellness and the Art of Sequencing as well as the creator of Yoga for the Seasons – Fall Vinyasa DVD. Her teachings can also be found on Yoga Anytime, YogaUonline, and Gaiamtv. Whether it’s with individual clients, workshops or retreats, Melina teaches a holistic practice that features lifestyle, diet, and yoga practices tailored to the rhythms of the four seasons.5 BIGGEST TAKE-AWAY FROM THIS EPISODE1- Ayurveda is a practical, experiment based, preventative health science teaching people to tune in with the flow of nature to address their needs in order to balance yourself with the elements.2- For optimal health, keep track of digestion of what you take in (food and experience), good energy levels, ability to focus, good sleep, creativity. 3- In fall,

For our 41st episode, I sat down with Richard Rosen. Richard a renowned yoga teacher and the author of five books on yoga. He trained in Iyengar Yoga in San Francisco, and has been teaching for more that 30 years. He, Clare Finn, and Rodney Yee founded the Piedmont Yoga Studio (now called "Nest Yoga") in Oakland in 1987. He is a contributing editor of the Yoga Journal and president of the Yoga Dana Foundation. He has written hundreds of reviews of yoga books and videos for magazines including Yoga Journal, and has given workshops in countries all around the world. Today we sat down to talk about the basic concepts around pranayama.5 BIGGEST TAKE-AWAY FROM THIS EPISODE1- You can't push yourself in pranayama. You have to remain calm, patient, take your time and back off from your desire to get something done. If you feel, anxious, frustration or anger, you're pushing to hard.2- When we are not breathing efficiently, generally in comes form tension in the body, and emotions like fea

For our 40th episode, I sat down with Heather Reinhardt. Heather is an author, speaker, producer, entrepreneur, yogi, and Yerba Mate addict. she created a lifestyle brand and product line called Amour De Soi™, which includes Affirmation Candles™ and Self-Love Jewelry. Her debut book, Go Love Yourself, was released in Spring 2019 and she’s now working on a four-part book series that’s currently being adapted for television called Past Life Husbands. Today we sat down to talk about self-love and the journey through it.5 BIGGEST TAKE-AWAY FROM THIS EPISODE1- Yoga impacts your self-love journey because it shows you who you are. The mat is a mirror for your entire life.2- Self-love is a righteous knowing of your identity; an understanding of your past choices and a clarity on your future choices. Only when you know yourself, can you love yourself. You stop judging yourself, and when you stop judging yourself you stop judging others. Self-love then becomes the seeds of what is needed to heal the plan

For our 39th episode, I sat down with Tom Cronin. Tom is the founder of The Stillness Project, which is a global movement to inspire 1 billion people to meditate daily. He’s been teaching meditation for top-level companies in Australia, from Nova Fm, CBA, Rivkin Finance, Criteo and Fairfax Media. He is the author of 5 books and has written for The Huffington Post, Mind Body Green and Finermind. He’s also been featured on national TV, and in prints, including Vogue magazine, The Daily Telegraph, Business Review, Conde Naste Traveller, and Sydney Morning Herald. Tom has also spoken on stage presenting keynote talks in Mexico, Malaysia, USA, Bali and Australia. We sat down to talk about his latest project : The Portal, a documentary on mindfulness and meditation.5 BIGGEST TAKE-AWAY FROM THIS EPISODE1- You don't have to wait for your life to be in crisis to start to make a change. If you're already in crisis, just start by listening in, so you can come back home to that connection with your&nb

For our 38th episode, I sat down with Courtney Seiberling. Courtney is a writer, yoga teacher, and educator. She dedicates herself to projects that inspire and help people and is passionate about yoga philosophy. Her latest book : YOGA’S YAMAS and NIYAMAS – 10 Principles for Peace & Purpose is inspiring reader to apply these yoga philosophy concepts in their practice on the mat and in the life off the mat. So what a better subject for this podcast!5 BIGGEST TAKE AWAY FROM THIS EPISODEQUESTIONS SHE ANSWERED DURING THIS EPISODE :Where does your passion for yoga philosophy comes from? How can knowledge of yoga philosophy impact the physical practice of asanas, (postures) on the mat?Why is it still relevant today although it was written thousands of years ago?Where can a student start if they are curious? What’s a good entry-level text? What text, which version/translation/commentary would you recommend people to dive in first ?What do you tell students that are feeling intimidated by

For our 37th episode, I sat down with Brenna Geehan. Although Brenna is a San Francisco based teacher, I’ve never had the chance to practice with her, but I’ve heard amazing things about her and her classes. One thing I've heard is how her classes are perfectly energetically balanced, so I thought she’d be the perfect guest to talk about Hat-ha Yoga and the balancing of the masculine and feminine energies.5 BIGGEST TAKE AWAY FROM THIS EPISODE1. We are forgetting half of ourselves when we continuously only rely on one type of energy. We need to use both energy to their fullest aspect to really do anything fully. 2. We mostly seek joy and happiness in our external world but it truly comes from our internal world. So cultivating more lunar energy, which is helping you to turn inward, will help you replenish and find joy and happiness. 3. A complete yoga practice needs to include pranayama and meditation : You need the moving inward techniques to balance your energies.4. Asana is hel

For our 36th episode, I sat down with Ana Forrest and Jose Calarco. I never had the pleasure to practice live in person with them, but I love the importance and the attention to healing that Forest Yoga stands for. The intentions behind the practices are truly powerful and the spectrum of tools to get reconnected to the body, to the truth, and to move through our suffering is really making those practices much richer, and so I wanted to sit down with them to chat about what healing possibility yoga can offer us.5 BIGGEST TAKE AWAY FROM THIS EPISODE1. Your life is infinitely precious. Don't waste it. Thinking that you are not enough is a lie. Tend to your life force and to your spirit in a respectful and reverent way.When you act in a way that doesn't serve you, deep down you know, so stop. Instead do things that help you evolve.2. Yoga alone might not be enough to heal deep wounds. The body needs movement and action, the mind needs to be still, the emotions need expression and the spirit needs nouri

For our 35th episode, I sat down with Michele Klink. Michele was one of my mentors throughout my first teacher training. She supported me in my growth as a new teacher, and I was always inspired by her passion and dedication for teaching. I have been amazed with how she weaves in philosophical, energetic and spiritual context in her classes, and when I saw that she was offering a workshop on Yoga and the 5 senses, I thought that would be the perfect opportunity to have her on the show as a guest.5 BIGGEST TAKE AWAY FROM THIS EPISODE1. The senses are the window to the world we see. Over stimulation of the senses create a fatigue that dulls our senses and therefore our view of the outside world in a way that prevents us to see what is truly there.2. The goal is to focus on one sense, then withdraw a little bit away from the sense to quiet the mind chatter that is associated with that sense.  Allow the awareness of your consciousness to grown until you withdraw completely to be able to r

For our 34th episode, I sat down with Sharon Salzburg. Sharon is a world renowned meditation teacher. We’ve never met in person but I follow her work. I listen to her podcast, The Metta Hour and I’ve been reading her book Real Love, The Art of Mindful Connection. Although the book has been out for a while now, love has always been a difficult concept for me to fully grasp and this book was full of ah-ha moments, of explanations and ways of putting things I could really relate to. It gave me hope and tools for the future, so I thought it would be a great subject for us to tackle today.5 BIGGEST TAKEAWAYS OF THIS EPISODE1. Love is not a feeling it's an ability we all have to connect deeply to ourselves and others. The love you experience is in your own hands, it's inside you, it's yours to tend.2. Loving kindness is the antidote to fear and mindfulness gives us the ability to understand our emotions and the space to experience and move through them.3. It's correct to want to b

For our 33rd episode, I sat down with Melissa McLaughlin. Melissa is yoga and meditation teacher here in the Bay Area, but also has a background of Personal training, so her classes are grounded in exercise science and anatomy. She has experienced many different challenges and used yoga as part of her healing process. We recently sat down to talk about life and I was amazed by her journey so I thought it would be interesting to sit down and talk about it on the podcast.5 BIGGEST TAKEAWAYS OF THIS EPISODE1. Healing is a recognition of your own wholeness. You're not doing yoga to make yourself more perfect. You're doing yoga to realize that you are already perfect and whole, as you are. 2. Yoga is not the medicine or the solution to the problem, but it affects the way you experience and face the challenges, and it helps you body to allow any healing you need to have to unfold.3. Look for a teacher that inspires you, encourage you to modify as you need, empowers you, doesn't take credit

For our 32nd episode, I sat down with Jane Austin. Since Jane is San Francisco based pre and post natal yoga teacher, I’ve never personally taken class with her, but I’ve heard numbers of fellow teachers raving about her, her classes and her trainings. When I saw she was also leading workshops on the pelvic floor, I thought we could make a great episode that anybody could relate to, mom to be or not.5 BIGGEST TAKEAWAYS OF THIS EPISODE1. Yoga gives you an opportunity to shift form all the external chatter (from what people think you should be doing) to the internal experience. When you understand that what you're experiencing is true for you, you can learn how to trust yourself.2. When you listen to your own truth, you will make choices and decision for yourself (and your baby) that are going to be appropriate. And what's true for one women is not true for an other. You know your body better than anybody else.3. You don't HAVE to go to a class to practice yoga. Roll out your mat a

For our 31st episode, I sat down with Tiffany Cruickshank. I met Tiffany at Yoga Journal Live Event in SF. I took some of her Yoga Medicine workshops over a few years and I absolutely loved her approach to the body, her attention to the anatomy, physiology and biomechanics. Since then I’ve been following her online and dreaming of doing her trainings. I’m in awe with all the work she does as a yoga teacher, teacher trainer, author, and activist, so I was very excited to sit down with her and chat about it all. As always, I really appreciate your support. So as you leave a review on iTunes or on your iPhone podcast app, you automatically enter a giveaway. Athleta is generously continuing to support this podcast in their effort to ignite a community of strong women who lift each other up, and is giving out a 75$ shop card! If you're not sure how to leave a review, check this article. Thank you so much if you left a review. The winner of this episode's giveaway is iTunes u

Guys! 30 episodes already? Can you believe it?For our 30th episode, I sat down with Jeremy Falk. I met Jeremy on line and then realized we had many friends in common in San Francisco. Yoga is a small world. When I saw that he was an ambassador for Yoga Journal and he was going travel around to document the impact of yoga in the west, I was in total awe with him, and so inspired to think that maybe someday I could do something like that myself. I knew right away I wanted to sit down with him to talk about that and a bit of everything else he does to get to know him better.Thank you so much for listening and being part of our 30th episode! We have other great guests lined up for you including Tiffany Cruikshank, Jane Austin and Sharon Salzberg to name a few so make sure to subscribe to the podcast where ever you listen to not miss an episode!As always, I really appreciate your support. So as you leave a review on iTunes or on your iPhone podcast app, y

For our 29th episode, I had the honor to sit down with Jai Uttal. I heard about Jai’s Kirtan a long time before I was able to attend in person, but the wait was totally worth it. The music itself was transporting, the performance was exciting and calming at the same time, it left me feeling totally grounded, open and connected. As soon as It was done, I knew I wanted to sit down with him to talk about music, chanting, kirtan and devotion.As always, I really appreciate your support. So as you leave a review on iTunes or on your iPhone podcast app, you automatically enter a giveaway. Athleta is generously continuing to support this podcast in their effort to ignite a community of strong women who lift each other up, and is giving out a 75$ shop card! If you're not sure how to leave a review, check this article. Thank you so much if you left a review. The winner of this episode's giveaway is iTunes user YogawithDana. Email me at erika.belanger@gmail.com or DM me on instagr

For our 28th episode, I had the opportunity to sit down with Nubia Teixeira. Nubia and I have been part of the same yoga circles here in the bay area, but I have never directly studied with her. She’s known for her using yoga and dance as a way to connect to the heart, to create healing and feel alive. She teaches Bhakti Yoga and just published a book called Yoga and the art of Mudras and today we sat down to talk about all of that!As always, I really appreciate your support. So as you leave a review on iTunes or on your iPhone podcast app, you automatically enter a giveaway. Once more Athleta is supporting this podcast in their effort to ignite a community of strong women who lift each other up, and is giving out a 75$ shop card! If you're not sure how to leave a review, check this article. Thank you so much to all of you who left a review. The winner of this episode's giveaway is user YoginiHeart108. Also, special shout out to iTunes users feeling_it, Vivian Taub

For our 27th episode, I had the pleasure to sit down with Sarah Ezrin. Sarah is a friend and a colleague now, even a brand ambassador for Athleta with me but we met when she was my one teacher trainers in my 300h. I've always love her classes, her playfulness and her sense of community. I recently discover another side to her : her incredible talent for writing. Today we're sitting together to talk about how writing can be healing when we go through hardship.We have other great guests lined up for you so make sure to subscribe to the podcast where ever you listen! As always, I really appreciate your support. So as you leave a review on iTunes or on your iPhone podcast app, you automatically enter a giveaway. Once more Athleta is supporting this podcast in their effort to ignite a community of strong women who lift each other up, and is giving out a 75$ shop card! If you're not sure how to leave a review, check this article. Thank you so much if you left a review. Really, the