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Explore every episode of the podcast Skillful Means Podcast

Dive into the complete episode list for Skillful Means Podcast. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.

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TitlePub. DateDuration
#107 Awakening the Heart Part 1: Accentuate the Positive10 Jun 202500:24:03

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While the world may feel increasingly more fraught, we can't sustain ourselves on anger and fear alone. We must remember what we're fighting for and, as Tennessee Williams asks of us, save the love.

This latest episode kicks off a series of episodes on Awakening the Heart - theories, teachings, and practices that will better sustain us in the months and years to come. 

This month, we take a look at why shouldn't feel guilty for taking time out of resisting to foreground what brings us joy and happiness. In fact, making sure we build in positive moments in our lives is going to set up our brains to be more creative and energetic warriors. 

Some highlights include: 

- Dr. Barbara Fredrickson's theories on  "micro-moments of connection" and Broaden & Build

- The Mahayana Buddhist concept of bodhicitta (open-heartedness)

- Dr. Rick Hanson's "Taking in the Good" practice.


Resources Mentioned on the Show

Love 2.0 ~ Dr. Barbara Frederickson

Bodhicitta ~ Tricycle Magazine

Taking in the Good - Dr. Rick Hanson

*** Jen's got space on her coaching roster. If you'd like to work 1:1, go here for more info: https://www.sati.yoga/ifs-coaching/index.html

And you might also like Jen's newsletter: https://www.sati.yoga/letter/index.html

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SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga

Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

#106 Strong Back, Soft Front Guided Meditation27 May 202500:33:38

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This month's practice features an embodied mediation to help you stay present with life's challenges without becoming overwhelmed or shutting down. 

Inspired by Roshi Joan Halifax's teachings, you'll cultivate a foundation of stability to underpin your capacity for openness and compassion.

This meditation includes several periods of silence of around 3-6 minutes. The guidance assumes you're sitting (chair or cushion are fine) so that you can experience the support of the spine. 

The practice starts at 2:43 after a brief talk. If your player supports chapter markers, you can skip ahead.

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SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga

Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

Preview Pod: Upaya (Skillful Means) As Life Practice21 Jan 202500:06:09

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This preview pod explores the concept of upaya (skillful means) and its relevance in today's polarized world + how this focus will be reflected in the next iteration of the show.

Jen emphasizes the importance of developing presence and awareness in order to meet life's challenges with courage and heart.

Highlights include:
• Cultivating what Roshi Joan Halifax calls a strong back and soft front
• What kind of awareness is needed for this moment
• Recognizing "lab time" on the mat as preparation for real-life challenges
• Building a diverse toolkit of practices for various situations

Listener feedback and support is essential to the evolution of the how, so don't forget to fill out the survey form: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

~ ~ ~

SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga

Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

BONUS: Guided Heart Center Practice With Sarah Powers07 May 202000:28:33

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In Episode 17, Sarah Jane and Jen spoke with their teacher Sarah Powers about the wisdom and opportunity for awakening amidst the suffering of the coronavirus pandemic.

During the recording of that episode, Sarah generously led an inquiry meditation for holding and healing wounded and distressed parts of ourselves with maitri, loving friendship to ourselves. We decided to release this meditation separately so that you can return to it again and again as need.

The meditation begins at 00:27 and is approximately 15 minutes long.

Following the meditation is a dialogue where Sarah Jane and Jen share about what arose for them during the practice. Sarah skillfully unpacks their experiences within the wider context of "parts work" according to the Internal Family Systems (IFS) model. This is a teaching unto itself, and it is our greatest hope that it will be of benefit.

The dialog begins at 16:00.

Skillful Means Podcast offers these guided practices to help you deepen into your yoga and mindfulness journey.

You can find more audio recording from Sarah Powers on her website.

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, or send us a note at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com with your comments. 

~ ~ ~

SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga

Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

#17 A Conversation with Sarah Powers07 May 202001:18:29

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Our primary teacher Sarah Powers has spent decades studying, living, and teaching from the Wisdom traditions--Buddhism, Yoga, Taoism, and contemporary western psychology. As the new coronavirus pandemic spread, Sarah joined us via Zoom from London to talk about the wisdom and opportunity for awakening amidst this suffering.

From how to be sick, to parenting, to lifestyle medicine, in this episode we hear about aspects of the harmonious approach to living Sarah developed well before our current circumstances. We examine the question, "how do we foreground what is most important and bring meaning to this precious, impermanent life?" In repsonse, Sarah discusses developing an inner life, taking risks, and healing ourselves as well as supporting others.

Sarah illuminates our 21st-century predicament – violence, environmental crisis, the harm caused by industrialized food – and shares her vision of the gifts in this global pause. May we look back on this five years from now and see, as Sarah envisions, that this is “the moment we kicked over into something totally renewed.”

During the recording of this episode, Sarah generously led an inquiry meditation for holding and healing wounded and distressed parts of ourselves with compassion. We decided to release this meditation separately as a bonus along with a very potent dialogue about Internal Family Systems (IFS) parts work.

Find out more about Sarah Powers and in the Insight Yoga Institute.

Inspiring books mentioned by Sarah Powers in this episode:

The Legacy of Luna by Julia Hill Butterfly

Lessons from the Light by Kenneth Ring, PhD, and Evelyn Elsaesser Valarino

The Light Between Us by Laura Lynne Jackson

The Overstory by Richard Powers

Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson

Unattended Sorrow by Stephen Levine

Intimacy from the Inside Out by Toni Herbine-Blank, Donna M. Kerpelman, Martha Sweezy

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, or send us a note at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com with your comments.

~ ~ ~

SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga

Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

#16 Sympathetic Joy Guided Practice23 Apr 202000:22:26

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Mudita, or sympathetic joy, is the third in the series of the four most highly regarded qualities, or “sublime states,” in Buddhism: metta (loving-kindness), karuna (compassion), mudita (sympathetic joy) and upeksa (equanimity). 

Mudita is a potent practice that helps us experience joy even when life feels difficult and warm feelings are hard to access. 

In this guided meditation, Sarah Jane helps you bring forth feelings of joy so they will be more likely to arise spontaneously in daily life.

Skillful Means Podcast offers these guided practices to help you deepen into your yoga and mindfulness journey.

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, or send us a note at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com

~ ~ ~

SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga

Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

#15 Yin Yoga For Strengthening Wei Qi Guided Practice26 Mar 202000:23:02

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In Chinese Medicine, the immune system is comprised of a protective barrier of energy (Qi), called Wei Qi ( pronounced “way chee”), that circulates through the body while also emanating about an inch around the outside of the body. The Taoists believe that, like a force field, Wei Qi prevents external pathogens, like viruses and bacteria, from making us sick.

In this guided practice, Jennifer shares a gentle Yin Yoga practice that targets the Kidney, Urinary Bladder, Lung, Large Intestine, Spleen, and Stomach meridians to help strengthen Wei Qi.

You’ll need a yoga block or similar substitutes such as a thick book or a firm pillow.

The episode starts with a brief description of Wei Qi. The practice starts at 1:46. If your app supports chapter markers, you can skip ahead and get started right away. You can expect moments of silence so that you can practice the inner methods offered.

Disclaimer:
The information and postures shared in this episode are not a substitute for proper medical care. If you are ill or injured, please consult your physician.

Practicing asana comes with inherent risk. It is up to you to assess whether the postures shared in this practice are appropriate for you. Consult your physician before beginning any exercise or movement program.

You assume responsibility for any injuries suffered while practicing these techniques.

~

Skillful Means Podcast offers these guided practices to help you deepen into your yoga and mindfulness journey.

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, or send us a note at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com with your comments. You can get in touch with Jen directly at https://sati.yoga

~ ~ ~

SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga

Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

#14 Yin Yoga for the Physical Body (Part 2) 12 Mar 202000:37:05

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Continuing the conversation on how Yin Yoga affects the physical body, Jen and Sarah Jane talk about the physical benefits of the practice, immediately zeroing in on the elephant in the room: the edge.

What is it? Why is it important? Is it safe to spend time there? How might we describe it to students so they can safely encounter it, so they can find their sweet spot?

In the course of this discussion Jen coins a phrase: ujayii bypassing. If you don’t immediately have an idea what that might be, you might be doing it, and missing out on an important aspect of yin yoga asana practice: feeling.

No discussion of yin yoga would be complete without delving into sensation and the practitioner's attitude or relationship to it. And what about pain? Is it possible for a practice to help us redefine or diminish it?

Jen thinks Gate Control Theory may be at play in the way in which yin yoga asana minimizes her back pain. Sarah Jane muses whether yin yoga could have made her stronger. (More likely it improved her proprioception.)

Finally, Jen and Sarah Jane wend their way toward the healing effects of embodiment practices on trauma and body image, and how well suited yin yoga poses are to this work.

Resources

Not Too Much and Not Too Little,” an article in which Bernie Clark explains the “Goldilocks position” 

Gate Control Theory and the Brain,” a recent article on Very Well Mind 

The Neurobiology of Pain and Yoga as its Medicine an article on helping students reframe their relationship to painful sensation using internal methods and asana.

Enhancing Proprioception and Interoception in Yoga, Jen offers some practical advice for yin and yang teachers.

Overcome Trauma with Yoga (video) from Bessel van der Kolk on KripaluVideo

How Yoga Helps Heal Trauma: A Q&A with Bessel van der Kolk” on Kripalu.org

Center for Trauma Embodiment and Trauma of the Justice Resource Institute is the epicenter of trauma-sensitive yoga and yoga teacher training

Paper from David Emerson et al. that codified principles of trauma-sensitive yoga, which Sarah Jane incorporates into her yin yoga instruction

Yoga, Body Image, and Self-Acceptance: A Review of Yoga & Body Image” in Yoga International by Jennifer Mattson

Body Positive Yoga with Amb

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SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga

Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

#13 Compassion Guided Practice27 Feb 202000:18:00

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Karuna, or compassion, is the second in the series of the four most highly regarded qualities, or “sublime states,” in Buddhism: metta (loving-kindness), karuna (compassion), mudita (sympathetic joy) and upeksa (equanimity). 

Compassion arises when loving-kindness meets suffering and stays loving. It's more of a process than a static quality. In practice, we call upon this natural capacity of the heart and purposefully sustain it through the repetition of phrases. 

In this guided meditation, Sarah Jane encourages you to draw on the natural care that arises when considering a beloved person’s measure of suffering. You'll take that energy and direct it to you both before expanding in all directions to include all beings.

Skillful Means Podcast offers these guided practices to help you deepen into your yoga and mindfulness journey.

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, or send us a note at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com

~ ~ ~

SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga

Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

#12 Yin Yoga for the Physical Body (Part 1)13 Feb 202000:43:52

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In this episode of our continuing series on Yin Yoga, Jen and Sarah Jane talk about the physical benefits of the practice. Many of us practice Yin Yoga, at least in part, to give ourselves the chance to experience “just being,” an antidote to the stresses produced by our busy lives. But even as we enjoy the emotional and mental effects of slowing down in Yin poses, all sorts of wonderful things are happening on the physical level.

As we unpack the benefits of Yin Yoga, including better mobility, Jen addresses common misunderstandings about the impacts of the practice on various tissues in the body. The result is a mini-primer on contemporary and emerging understanding of topics such as “stretching”--what is it?--to the longevity of the effects of practice, topics every yin yoga teacher should be at least somewhat familiar with.

And we didn’t even get to embodiment and body image, topics in the realm of the physical that are inextricably linked to Yin for so many practitioners! Stay tuned for those discussions in part 2, episode 14, next month. (Interceding odd-numbered episodes are guided practices.)

Resources
Facebook Group: The Art and Science of Teaching Yin Yoga

Jen’s Online Fascia Course: Fascia 101

Jules Mitchell’s new book: Yoga Biomechanics: Stretching Redefined

Paul Grilley’s book: Yin Yoga: Principles and Practice



~ ~ ~

SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga

Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

#11 3-Part Check-in Meditation in Butterfly Pose Guided Practice30 Jan 202000:12:45

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Many yoga and mindfulness practices are specifically designed to grow one's capacity to remain present - internally and externally - from moment to moment.

In this guided practice, Jennifer shares a simple practice for getting to know the current state of your body, heart, and mind so that you have the information you need to take care of yourself in a practice or in daily life. This meditation is particularly beneficial at the very beginning of a yoga practice, so that you have a better snapshot of what you need and how your body may react to the practice. 

The meditation is presented in the container of Butterfly, a relatively easy and widely accessible Yin Yoga posture. It is based on techniques shared with Jennifer and Sarah Jane by their teacher Sarah Powers. Being in non-neutral shapes can accelerate our ability to move out of the busyness of the thinking mind and into the more intuitive body mind.

This episode begins with a short explanation. Instructions for Butterfly begin at 1:30. The meditation starts at 2:45. If your app supports chapter markers, you can skip ahead and get started right away.

Skillful Means Podcast offers these guided practices to help you deepen into your yoga and mindfulness journey.

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, or send us a note at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com with your comments. You can get in touch with Jen directly at https://sati.yoga

~ ~ ~

SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga

Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

#10: The Life-Changing Magic of Yin Yoga16 Jan 202000:49:07

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Yin yoga, the slow and quiet approach to asana, flows against the current of mainstream yoga practices these days. With this episode, we urge you to try it based on the ways in which it bolstered us during challenging times.

Not to dismiss the physical and energetic benefits of the practice, here we’re talking about an often unspoken aspect of Yin Yoga, that the poses serve as accessible containers for mindfulness meditation and similar practices.

In this episode, we get personal and share our early experiences with the practice and the ways in which it accelerated our relationship to the inner methods and transformed our lives.

In a yang society that encourages us to strive to the detriment of our health, Yin practice is a key tool for balance and awakening.

We would love to hear from you! Send us your stories about how Yin Yoga has impacted your life. You can email us feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com or tag us on social (@skillfulmeanspodcast) on Facebook and Instagram.

If you want to know more about us, find Sarah Jane at https://www.sjswellness.com and Jen at https://sati.yoga

Mentions:
If the opportunity to study with these yoga teachers comes along, take it! 

Biff Mithoefer

Sarah Powers

And here is an introduction to Mindfulness of the Body from Ralph Steele: Dharma Talk

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SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga

Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

# 9 Loving Kindness Guided Practice02 Jan 202000:26:12

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Metta, or loving-kindness, is the first of a series of meditation practices offered by the Buddha to cultivate the four qualities of love: metta (loving-kindness), karuna (compassion), mudita (sympathetic joy) and upeksa (equanimity).  Practicing loving-kindness (metta bhavana) begins a process that, when mature, leads to a more accepting, kindly, and caring relationship towards one’s self and others.

In this guided meditation, Sarah Jane takes you on a sweet and tender journey to self compassion.

Skillful Means Podcast offers these guided practices to help you deepen into your yoga and mindfulness journey.

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, or send us a note at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com

~ ~ ~

SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga

Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

Skillful Means Podcast is returning!14 Jan 202500:04:44

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This preview pod marks the return of the Skillful Means Podcast, where Jen introduces a new format focused on listener questions and community storytelling... plus a little preview of what's on the horizon for the show.

Send me your questions, favorite resources, and vignettes to help shape the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

Mentioned in the episode:
Lojong Slogans

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SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga

Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

#8 Maintaining Practice While Traveling & Visiting Family19 Dec 201900:40:32

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Maintaining practice is a must for yoga and meditation teachers, as well as serious practitioners of all sorts who are interested in spiritual growth. Establishing and maintaining the habit of practicing regularly is often hard won. It doesn’t take much to disrupt a daily routine, so what happens when holidays arrive? What happens when we travel for work or go on vacation? How does our practice life fare when we are among family we rarely see, or who don’t understand—or worse, don’t value—our path? 

Knowing that consistency is key, we need to be clear about the circumstances that crowd out opportunities to practice or that tend to challenge our dedication, as well as the strategies that help us honor our commitment as practitioners.

In this episode we share our stories and approaches from standing meditation in the shower to practicing in airport corners and keeping the peace with family. We also consider issues around practicing in public (beaches and airports) and identifying and attending studio yoga classes in faraway cities.

Share your tips for maintaining your practice outside your normal rourtine on Facebook and Instagram, or send us a note at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. Tag us at @skillfulmeanspodast and we’ll share your tips with our listeners. 

Mentions:

Thanissaro Bikkho discusses how to work with challenging family members in his talk “Skillful Shelter” published on Tricycle.com.

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SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga

Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

#7 Body Scan Guided Practice05 Dec 201900:23:18

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This relaxing Body Scan practice is inspired by a Buddhist teaching called Mindfulness of the Reality of the Body that appears in the First Foundation of Mindfulness. It's designed to help cultivate non-attachment to the body and to demonstrate one of the Buddha's most fundamental teachings: impermanence.

Jennifer begins this episode with a short talk on the context and intention behind the Body Scan practice. The meditation begins at 2:40.

Skillful Means Podcast offers these guided practices to help you deepen into your yoga and mindfulness journey.

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, or send us a note at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com with your comments. 

~ ~ ~

SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga

Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

BONUS: RAIN Guided Practice21 Nov 201900:13:22

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In this bonus episode and companion to Episode 6, Sarah Jane takes you through a guided RAIN practice. Experience for yourself this transformative method for reframing your relationships with your feelings while cultivating self-compassion.

Skillful Means Podcast offers these guided practices to help you deepen into your yoga and mindfulness journey.

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, or send us a note at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com with your comments. 

~ ~ ~

SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga

Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

#6 What is RAIN meditation?21 Nov 201900:39:27

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RAIN (Recognize, Accept, Investigate, Nurture) is a mindfulness meditation method developed by western Insight Meditation teachers to support practitioners in skillfully dealing with difficult emotions. RAIN can be used as an antidote to obstacles when they arise during meditation practice, as a practice in and of itself, in partnership, or off-the-cushion as a means to simply and mindfully pause during a challenging situation.

Sarah Jane is a regular practitioner of RAIN, and Jen has questions. In this episode, Jen shares what she has heard about RAIN meditation and asks Sarah Jane to help fill in the gaps. Together they cover its purpose, method, and benefits...and how it fits with each of their developing understandings of the Buddhadharma.

In an effort to make what she believes is an incredibly transformative meditation practice seem as accessible to others as it feels to her, Sarah Jane attempts to breathe life into what may at first sound systematic. Get a sense of the creativity involved in using RAIN to go from a contracted state of over-identification, confusion or denial into a state of loving awareness.

Sources and Resources:

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SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga

Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

#5 Walking Meditation Guided Practice07 Nov 201900:17:14

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In this practice episode, Sarah Jane guides you through the practice of walking meditation. You can expect instructions, reminders, and several periods of silence for you to focus on the experience.

A formal meditation practice doesn't have to be static. Walking meditation is particularly helpful when you're feeling restless, but it also takes your practice off the cushion and into daily life. And the Buddha himself was fond of this practice.

Skillful Means Podcast offers these guided practices to help you deepen into your yoga and mindfulness journey.

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, or send us a note at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com

~ ~ ~

SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga

Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

#4: Advancing in a Yoga Practice24 Oct 201900:38:59

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In #4, we discuss what it means to advance in a yoga practice. Through the lens of the koshas--concentric layers of a human’s identity described in the Upanishads--you can view advancement as moving from the gross to the subtle, from the physical to the mental.

We unpack the koshas and their related practice methods from the outside in, from asana for anamaya kosha (the physical or “food” body), to pranayama for the pranic body, and so forth. 

From her perspective as a private teacher, Sarah Jane shares the qualities that arise as harbingers of an advancing practice, and reveals her guiding principles for establishing a self-led practice. Throughout the show, Jen offers some nuggets for yoga teachers on how to bring a wider variety of teachings into the yoga room. This discussion would not be complete without noting how crucial it is to resist external pressures to focus too closely on asana.

As yoga teachers, we are concerned with the integrity and depth of the methods available to us and our students. And as Buddhist practitioners we cannot help but bring up wise effort and muse how anandamaya kosha, the innermost sheath seems akin to buddhanature. We finish with resources for people who want to move beyond asana and pranayama.

Follow us on Facebookand Instagram, or send us a note at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com

Sources and Further Reading:

Training Beyond Asana:

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SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga

Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

#3: Mindfulness of Breathing Guided Practice10 Oct 201900:13:09

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Breath awareness is the heart of a mindfulness practice, a gift that brings the mind and body together in the present moment. This simple, yet profound, meditation will help you relax while also boosting concentration and focus.

You can practice with this meditation by itself. The short format also makes it ideal for meditating before a yoga practice to help you settle the mind and cultivate a state of inner listening.

Skillful Means Podcast offers these guided practices to help you deepen into your yoga and mindfulness journey.

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, or send us a note at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com

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SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga

Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

#2: Skillful Means30 Sep 201900:38:06

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In Episode 2, we unpack “skillful means”: teachings and methods that support a practitioner’s journey on the path toward enlightenment. Serious yoga practitioners and teachers know this both includes and goes beyond asana and pranayama. So, what other means can we take up to wake up?

According to the Buddha, there is no one prescription. In Buddhism, skillful means (Pali: upaya) are whatever is expedient to continuing along the path, and appropriate to the circumstances (and discarded when no longer so). They are accelerative and adaptive, but may not lead to the ultimate truth...and that is okay. Examples from our practices include enhancement methods such as yin yoga, compassion meditation, and self-inquiry. 

While the concept of upaya is used in some Buddhist contexts to classify teachings in a hierarchy, we use the concept to discern what is and what is not skillful when it comes to trends in contemporary western yoga (enter: goat and beer yoga).

Follow us on Facebookand Instagram, or send us a note at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com

Sources and Further Reading:

  • An overview of Skillful Means from the online wiki Encyclopedia of Buddhism 

  • The Parable of the Burning House from the Lotus Sutra, translated by Gene Reeves and published online by the Montreal Institute of Applied Mindfulness  

  • The Tricycle.com article “When to Let Go of the Dharma, Too,” includes the Raft Parable, and teacher Stephen Batchelor discusses letting go of means to a particular end, and the empowering approach of secular dharma

  • In contrast to Batchelor’s secular lens, in the Tricylce.com article “Entering the Lotus,” Zen priest Michael Wenger shares the role the vast and iconic Lotus Sutra plays in Buddhist practice

  • The Aimee Mann song, That’s Just What You Are  

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SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga

Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

#1: Spiritual Friends30 Sep 201900:43:36

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In Episode 1, we start at the beginning, with the phenomenon that gave rise to the shared project that is Skillful Means Podcast: spiritual friendship. 

In Buddhism, spiritual friends (Pali: Kalyāṇa-mitta, Sanskrit: -mitra) provide support and encouragement along the path. They may be monastic, lay peers, or teacher/student pairs. These relationships are fertile ground for better understanding the nature of the mind while also being protective in a world where contemplative practice is counter-cultural. 

We use stories from the Buddhist Canon as well examples from our own lives to illustrate the purpose of spiritual friendship (supportive of practice), how it operates (encouraging the wholesome), and what a spiritual friendship is not (concerned with fixing). We also talk about whether and how it shows up in parts of the yoga world.

Our hope is to inspire you to identify and foreground spiritual friends or potential spiritual friends in your life. We end with resources that will help in this endeavor.

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, or send us a note at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com

Sources and Further Reading:

  • Spiritual Friendship,” excerpted from a lecture by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi and published by Bodhi Monastery.

  • A big part of creating the conditions necessary for true happiness, according to Thanissaro Bikkho in his talk “Skillful Shelter” published on Tricycle.com, is choosing admirable friends.

  • In “The Whole of the Spiritual Life,” American Buddhist nuns Thubten Chodron and Ayya Tathaaloka discuss friendship in an interview with Sarah Conover on Tricycle.com.

  • Making Friends on the Buddhist Path,” by Norman Fischer on Lionsroar.com opens with Ananda’s incomplete insight into the role of friendship in spiritual life and the Buddha’s teaching to Meghiya on the “five things [that] induce release of heart and lasting peace.”
     
  • In “Good Friendship is the Entire Spiritual Life,” published by the Garrison Institute, Josh Korda reflects on social connection in spiritual community.

  • In Beginning Anew: Four Steps for Restoring Communication, Sister Chan Khong, long-time friend of Thich Nhat Hanh and nun in the Plum Village monastic community, describes the conflict resolution process developed among the Plum Village monastics. 

Resources for developing spiritual friendship and sangha:

  • Spirit Rock’s Kalyana Mitta (Spiritual Friends) network “Guidelines” and “

~ ~ ~

SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga

Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

Trailer: Introducing Skillful Means Podcast13 Aug 201900:02:22

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Welcome to Skillful Means Podcast.

Through the lens of Insight Yoga, hosts Sarah Jane Shangraw and Jennifer O'Sullivan will offer conversations on a variety of topics including:

  • an emphasis on the quieter, yin aspects of practice
  • nourishing the energy body
  • weaving in meditation with asana, and
  • inquiry methods, particularly Internal Family Systems

Launching: Late September 2019

Future episodes will drop every other week on Thursdays.

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, or drop us a note at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com

~ ~ ~

SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga

Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

#97 Delighting In Joy Guided Practice15 Sep 202300:15:31

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Jen wraps up her partial series on the Brahma Viharas with Mudita, commonly translated as "sympathetic joy." With Mudita, we're asked to rejoice in the good fortune of others, admittedly not easy.

This is why Jen likes to think of Mudita as "delight," specifically delighting in joy itself whether it's originating from someone else or from within. But, when we are able to delight in other's happiness, it's further solidifies our connection and sense of interconnectedness, helping to ease the suffering of loneliness and isolation.

The meditation starts at 3:39. If your podcast player support chapter makers, you can skip ahead.

~

Skillful Means Podcast offers these guided practices to help you deepen into your yoga and mindfulness journey.

We welcome your comments. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, send us a note at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com, or leave us a voicemail at https://www.speakpipe.com/skillfulmeanspodcast.

You can get in touch with Jen directly at https://www.sati.yoga where she offers yoga and mindfulness classes, workshops, trainings, and IFS coaching.

~ ~ ~

SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga

Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

#96 Portals of Mindfulness Guided Practice 01 Sep 202300:12:27

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Have you ever caught yourself (or been caught by someone else) with your head buried in your smartphone while doing something mundane like brushing your teeth or walking through your home?

If so, you can probably relate to the lure of distraction when certain moments don't seem worth our full attention. 

In this contemplation, Annie invites us to view these small, ordinary moments during the day as portals to mindfulness that may reveal a hidden treasure of simple awe that awaits our ordinary attention.

To skip the talk and go straight to the mediation, fast forward to 3:33 or use the chapter marker if your player supports them.

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Skillful Means Podcast offers these guided practices to help you deepen into your yoga and mindfulness journey.

We welcome your comments. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, send us a note at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com, or leave us a voicemail at https://www.speakpipe.com/skillfulmeanspodcast.

You can find  Annie at https://www.sunandmoonstudio.com where she offers dharma talks and meditation on Wednesdays. 

~ ~ ~

SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga

Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

#95 Tonglen Guided Practice18 Aug 202300:15:40

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Continuing her mini-series on the Brahma Viharas, the Four Immeasurables, Jen shares the Tibetan practice of Tonglen. This training in compassion is an inner alchemy where the practitioner seeks to transmute the suffering of others.

Tonglen teaches us how to grow our hearts beyond the boundaries of those in our in-crowd. It invites us to embrace our common humanity as an extension of our own being.

This particular variation of Tonglen is inspired by a version by Roshi Joan Halifax.

To skip the talk and go straight to the mediation, fast forward to 4:18 or use the chapter marker if your player supports them.

~

Skillful Means Podcast offers these guided practices to help you deepen into your yoga and mindfulness journey.

We welcome your comments. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, send us a note at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com, or leave us a voicemail at https://www.speakpipe.com/skillfulmeanspodcast.

You can get in touch with Jen directly at https://www.sati.yoga where she offers yoga and mindfulness classes, workshops, trainings, and IFS coaching.

~ ~ ~

SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga

Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

#94 Drawing A Line Guided Practice04 Aug 202300:12:10

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It’s counterintuitive but essentially true: all phenomena itself is neutral, including people and events, and they have equal capacity to provoke suffering or ease alike – it all depends on how we meet the moment.

As we continues our series of practice this summer, Annie offers a contemplation on how we might work with discernment in shaping a skillful state of mind when facing difficult circumstances.

The meditation starts at 2:57. If your podcast app supports chapter markers, you can jump ahead.

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Skillful Means Podcast offers these guided practices to help you deepen into your yoga and mindfulness journey.

We welcome your comments. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, send us a note at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com, or leave us a voicemail at https://www.speakpipe.com/skillfulmeanspodcast.

You can find  Annie at https://www.sunandmoonstudio.com where she offers dharma talks and meditation on Wednesdays. 

~ ~ ~

SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga

Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

#93 Loving-Kindness Guided Practice21 Jul 202300:23:11

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Some of the most treasured and widely-practiced Buddhist Teachings are the Brahma Viharas (The Four Immeasurables). They also appear in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras as one of the many practices that settle mind.

Sometimes referred to as "The Four Faces of Love," these teachings help us to foreground love in all our encounters... with ourselves, loved ones, community members, and even people that we don't particularly like.

As part of our summer series of practices, Jen is going to share 3 of the four "Divine Abodes," starting with metta (loving-kindness). In this practice, we're training up the capacity to tap into our shared humanity and awaken goodwill towards others.

The meditation starts at 2:04. If your podcast app supports chapter markers, you can jump ahead.

~

Skillful Means Podcast offers these guided practices to help you deepen into your yoga and mindfulness journey.

We welcome your comments. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, send us a note at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com, or leave us a voicemail at https://www.speakpipe.com/skillfulmeanspodcast.

You can get in touch with Jen directly at https://www.sati.yoga where she offers yoga and mindfulness classes, workshops, trainings, and IFS coaching.

~ ~ ~

SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga

Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

#92 Mundane Ecstacy Guided Practice07 Jul 202300:12:03

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The old Zen proverb that says “before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water” is a gentle reminder that chasing the ecstatic will ultimately let us down. Instead, if we can stay close to the ordinary matters of each moment, we may be much better positioned to experience luminous presence.

In this practice, Annie discusses the true meaning of mindfulness, and invites you to use your immediate surroundings as a platform for awakening to the moment.

The meditation start at 2:40. If your podcast app supports chapter markers, you can jump ahead.

~

This summer, we here at Skillful Means Podcast are taking a hiatus from releasing discussion episodes. Travel plans being what they are, it was going to be a challenge to get together.

But we aren't leaving you hanging! Join us for bi-weekly practices that you can practice wherever you are. No props necessary.

~

Skillful Means Podcast offers these guided practices to help you deepen into your yoga and mindfulness journey.

We welcome your comments. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, send us a note at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com, or leave us a voicemail at https://www.speakpipe.com/skillfulmeanspodcast.

You can find  Annie at https://www.sunandmoonstudio.com where she offers dharma talks and meditation on Wednesdays. 



~ ~ ~

SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga

Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

#91 Mindfulness of Four Elements of the Body Guided Practice23 Jun 202300:14:37

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In the last of our series on the less common practices of the First Foundation of Mindfulness (Mindfulness of the Body), Jen shares a practice of contemplating the four elements of the body: earth, water, fire, and air. 

Because everything in the manifest world contains these elements, this practice helps us to embody interconnectedness. We're also encouraged to soften our sense of exceptionalism. We are, after all, just this.

The meditation starts at 3:00. If your podcast app supports chapter markers, you can jump right to it.

~

Skillful Means Podcast offers these guided practices to help you deepen into your yoga and mindfulness journey.

We welcome your comments. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, send us a note at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com, or leave us a voicemail at https://www.speakpipe.com/skillfulmeanspodcast.

You can get in touch with Jen directly at https://www.sati.yoga where she offers yoga and mindfulness classes, workshops, trainings, and IFS coaching.

~ ~ ~

SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga

Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

#90 Yoga Beyond Asana09 Jun 202300:48:44

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Could you imagine a yoga class without postures?  In fact, millions of dedicated yoga practitioners don't practice asana at all. 

In this episode, Annie and Jen discuss ways to engage with the teachings separate from asana, drawing on guidance from the "Bhagavad Gita" and their own experiences.

"Bhagavad Gita" quote mentioned in the episode:
Chapter 2 Verse 42-43
"There are ignorant people who speak flowery words and take delight in the letter of the law, saying that there is nothing else. Their hearts are full of selfish desires, Arjuna. Their idea of heaven is their own enjoyment, and the aim of all their activities is pleasure and power."

Summer Recommended Reading
Contemplating Reality, Andy Karr
Waking, Matthew Sandford
David Copperfield, Charles Dickens
Silo Series, Hugh Howey

~ ~ ~

We love to hear from you! Reach out to us on  Facebook and Instagram. We also welcome your messages at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com or in our voicemail box on SpeakPipe.

You can get in touch with Jen through her website (http://www.sati.yoga).

Find Annie at  Sun & Moon Yoga Studio (https://www.sunandmoonstudio.com) on Wednesday nights (in person or online) for meditation and dharma talks.

~ ~ ~

SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga

Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

#105 Embracing Difficult Emotions13 May 202500:19:12

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This month, we're looking at a question that comes up a lot:

All parts are supposed to be welcome, but how do we work with feelings we don't like?

Drawing on Buddhist wisdom and the function of emotions, we're exploring:

  • Why equanimity is about including our feelings, not surprising them.
  • What the Buddhist teachings on dukkha (suffering) can tell us about why fighting against our emotions creates more suffering.
  • How so-called negative emotions serve as important internal motivators.

+ Simple techniques to start reframing your relationship with difficult feelings in order to create a welcoming inner atmosphere for all your parts. 

Mentioned In The Episode:
Join me for one of my upcoming Pause and Reset gatherings—hour-long meditative sessions combining desk-friendly yoga, mindfulness practice and parts work meditations. The next one is on June 4th and is pay what you can. 

~ ~ ~

SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga

Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

#89 Mindfulness of Skin, Flesh, & Bones Guided Practice26 May 202300:19:17

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In the First Foundation of Mindfulness, the Buddha shared several practices that were intended to help practitioners release their attachments to the body. Whether we are concerned about it's size and shape, the body's age, specific parts... we're encouraged to experience the body as it simple is: comprised of hard and soft tissues... organs... parts.

In this month's guided practice, Jen shares a variation on the contemplation of the anatomy of the body.

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Skillful Means Podcast offers these guided practices to help you deepen into your yoga and mindfulness journey.

We welcome your comments. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, send us a note at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com, or leave us a voicemail at https://www.speakpipe.com/skillfulmeanspodcast.

You can get in touch with Jen directly at https://www.sati.yoga where she offers yoga and mindfulness classes, workshops, trainings, and IFS coaching.

~ ~ ~

SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga

Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

#88: A Conversation with Sarah Powers on Embodying Love & Compassion12 May 202300:56:48

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We are thrilled to welcome Sarah Powers, author and co-founder of the Insight Yoga Institute, onto the show to talk about embodying the qualities of love and compassion. This is the "finale" episode our series on the 12 Embodiments of Yoga.

Sarah was the perfect guest for this topic as compassion is such a central theme in her teachings. Throughout the sweeping conversation, Sarah helps trace the line between practicing on a mat and love and compassion as an orientation towards living life.

Notable touchpoints include:
~ why starting a practice with self-compassion sets the mood for what's to come
~ an attitude of wonder vs imposing a strict structure on our practice
~ yoga practice as a container for meeting our full selves
~ getting comfortable with discomfort
~ the pressure to perform our best selves
~ are we practicing for ourselves or others?
~ how to be in touch with others' pain without attempting to carry it for them
~ being with the tumult in our world without drowning in it

Sarah teaches all over the world. To sign up for her next training or retreat, visit: https://sarahpowersinsightyoga.com/

If you want to take her US-based Level 1 Yin Yoga Teacher Training in DC at Sun & Moon Yoga Studio, follow this link: https://sunandmoonstudio.cowtinker.com/om/workshops/sarah-powers-insight-yoga-teacher-training-intensive-summer-2023

~ ~ ~

We love to hear from you! Reach out to us on  Facebook and Instagram. We also welcome your messages at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com or in our voicemail box on SpeakPipe.

You can get in touch with Jen through her website (http://www.sati.yoga).

Find Annie at  Sun & Moon Yoga Studio (https://www.sunandmoonstudio.com) on Wednesday nights (in person or online) for meditation and dharma talks.

~ ~ ~

SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga

Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

#87 Mindfully Eating an Orange Guided Practice28 Apr 202300:14:10

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While we may train up mindfulness in formal settings, our true aim is to become present and aware all the time. So, at some point, we must take the practice off the cushion or mat and point it towards the everyday things that we usually take for granted.... washing our hands, preparing a meal, folding laundry.

In this guided practice, Jen guides you to mindfully eat an orange. Even if you don't particularly like oranges, this is still a surprisingly potent practice because it helps us to separate the experience of mindfulness from what we prefer, enjoy, or dislike.

Props: one orange

~

Skillful Means Podcast offers these guided practices to help you deepen into your yoga and mindfulness journey.

We welcome your comments. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, send us a note at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com, or leave us a voicemail at https://www.speakpipe.com/skillfulmeanspodcast.

You can get in touch with Jen directly at https://www.sati.yoga where she offers yoga and mindfulness classes, workshops, trainings, and IFS coaching.

~ ~ ~

SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga

Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

#86 Embodying Kindness & Generosity17 Apr 202300:39:32

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In their continuing exploration of Annie's 12 Embodiments of Yoga, in this episode, Annie and Jen discuss the nuances of Kindness and Generosity.

While this may seem like a breezy topic, these qualities (and their corresponding actions) ask of us a certain amount of magnanimity that has to be cultivated and applied intentionally.  Jen & Annie look at how to do that and how their own orientation has changed over their decades as practitioners. 

~ ~ ~

We love to hear from you! Reach out to us on  Facebook and Instagram. We also welcome your messages at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com or in our voicemail box on SpeakPipe.

You can get in touch with Jen through her website (http://www.sati.yoga).

Find Annie at  Sun & Moon Yoga Studio (https://www.sunandmoonstudio.com) on Wednesday nights (in person or online) for meditation and dharma talks.

~ ~ ~

SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga

Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

#85 Mindfulness of Standing Guided Practice31 Mar 202300:10:51

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Jen continues her series on Mindfulness of the Body variations with an exploration of standing, one of the four traditional meditation postures.

Standing practice can be a respite for many who find sitting for long stretches uncomfortable. And standing can quickly become uncomfortable itself, which his why it is a potent posture to practice with.

But mostly, this is one of Jen's favorite meditation postures because you can practice it almost anywhere you happen to be standing in line.

~

Skillful Means Podcast offers these guided practices to help you deepen into your yoga and mindfulness journey.

We welcome your comments. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, send us a note at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com, or leave us a voicemail at https://www.speakpipe.com/skillfulmeanspodcast.

You can get in touch with Jen directly at https://www.sati.yoga where she offers yoga and mindfulness classes, workshops, trainings, and IFS coaching.

~ ~ ~

SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga

Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

#84 Embodying Wonder & Whimsy17 Mar 202300:39:35

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We're back from an unplanned hiatus with our continuing series on Annie's Twelve Embodiments of Yoga. This month, Jen and Annie are chatting about the role of wonder and whimsy in practice. Jen is a little skeptical, especially with whimsy, having generally approached her practice as a serious endeavor. Listen in to see if Annie can bring her around.

Mentioned on the Show:
"Yoga and the Quest for the True Self" by Stephen Cope
"Wonder – is not precisely Knowing" by Emily Dickinson

What We're Reading:
"Let the Great World Spin" by Colum McCann
"This Side of Brightness" by Colum McCann
"Apeirogon" by Colum McCann

Murderbot Diaries by Martha C. Wells
"A Memory Called Empire" by Arkady Martine
"A Desolation Called Peace" by Arkady Martine


~ ~ ~

We love to hear from you! Reach out to us on  Facebook and Instagram. We also welcome your messages at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com or in our voicemail box on SpeakPipe.

You can get in touch with Jen through her website (http://www.sati.yoga).

Find Annie at  Sun & Moon Yoga Studio (https://www.sunandmoonstudio.com) on Wednesday nights (in person or online) for meditation and dharma talks.



~ ~ ~

SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga

Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

#83 Mindfulness of Body Posture Guided Practice03 Mar 202300:25:35

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Jen's back with a series new series of guided practices exploring different ways of working with the body to establish mindful awareness. Pulled from teachings in the Buddha's Four Foundations of Mindfulness, our hope is that cultivating mindfulness through the body will help you to find grounded stability and continuity in your connection to the present moment. 

In this first of five practices, you'll explore Mindfulness of Body Posture, a teaching that can be transferred to any shape whether you're standing, sitting, lying on the beach, or even in a yoga posture. Jen uses Half Butterfly, a simple and accessible Yin Yoga posture in this meditation. 

To skip right to the practice, jump to 5:00 or use the chapter marker. 

Props you might need:

  • block
  • yoga blanket or stiff beach towel

~

Skillful Means Podcast offers these guided practices to help you deepen into your yoga and mindfulness journey.

We welcome your comments. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, send us a note at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com, or leave us a voicemail at https://www.speakpipe.com/skillfulmeanspodcast.

You can get in touch with Jen directly at https://www.sati.yoga where she offers yoga and mindfulness classes, workshops, trainings, and IFS coaching.

~ ~ ~

SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga

Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

#82 Restoring Balance Guided Practice03 Feb 202300:13:20

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Unlike all other biological organisms who have built-in mechanisms to maintain homeostasis, human minds are at the mercy of themselves. They gallivant around, unchecked, until we choose to rein our own thoughts in.

In this guided practice, Annie offers a method for helping those galloping thoughts to gently return to a centered place in the body that can orient the mind around gentle peace.   

Meditation starts at 2:03.

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Skillful Means Podcast offers these guided practices to help you deepen into your yoga and mindfulness journey.

We welcome your comments. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, send us a note at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com, or leave us a voicemail at https://www.speakpipe.com/skillfulmeanspodcast.

You can find  Annie at https://www.sunandmoonstudio.com where she offers dharma talks and meditation on Wednesdays. 

~ ~ ~

SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga

Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

#81: Embodying Sacrifice & Spaciousness19 Jan 202300:29:03

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Continuing with our exploration of Annie's 12 Embodiments of yoga, Jen and Annie chat about sacrifice and spaciousness. With Jen feeling like sacrifice is a loaded term, they spend some time unpacking what is really expected of us when it comes to spiritual growth. In particular, they explore how sacrifice is a necessary natural process and creates the conditions for the spaciousness that promotes the ease and wellbeing we want our practice to foster. 
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We love to hear from you! Reach out to us on  Facebook and Instagram. We also welcome your messages at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com or in our voicemail box on SpeakPipe.

You can get in touch with Jen through her website (http://www.sati.yoga).

Find Annie at  Sun & Moon Yoga Studio (https://www.sunandmoonstudio.com) on Wednesday nights (in person or online) for meditation and dharma talks.



~ ~ ~

SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga

Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

#80 Laser Focus & Bright Light Guided Practice05 Jan 202300:13:35

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In this guided practice, Annie shares inspiration from recent scientific breakthroughs in nuclear fusion.

She suggests that we can turn simple inward focus into bright, shining energetic presence to generate our own little sunbursts of kindness, patience, and compassion.

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Skillful Means Podcast offers these guided practices to help you deepen into your yoga and mindfulness journey.

We welcome your comments. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, send us a note at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com, or leave us a voicemail at https://www.speakpipe.com/skillfulmeanspodcast.

You can find  Annie at https://www.sunandmoonstudio.com where she offers dharma talks and meditation on Wednesdays. 

~ ~ ~

SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga

Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

#104 Earth and Sky Guided Visualization Practice29 Apr 202500:12:34

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The Taoists believe that we can harness the stabilizing qualities of Earth Qi along with the generative qualities of  Heaven/Sky Qi to improve physical health, increase longevity, and cultivate inner harmony. 

In this guided practice, Jennifer O'Sullivan shares a visualization technique, paired with mindful breathing, to mobilize and balance these vital energies in the body.

👉 After a brief introduction, the meditation begins as 1:48. If your podcast player supports chapter markers, you can skip ahead.

Skillful Means Podcast offers these guided practices to help you deepen into your yoga and mindfulness journey.

~ ~ ~

SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga

Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

#79 Making Room for Other Guided Practice23 Nov 202200:13:03

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In this meditation, Annie guides you through a practice of making space for others, especially those who share different philosophical or political beliefs or who we find emotionally activating. Instead of trying to find common ground, Annie offers the option of rooting yourself in the present moment while inviting spacious, peaceful presence to guide you.

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Skillful Means Podcast offers these guided practices to help you deepen into your yoga and mindfulness journey.

We welcome your comments. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, send us a note at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com, or leave us a voicemail at https://www.speakpipe.com/skillfulmeanspodcast.

You can find  Annie at https://www.sunandmoonstudio.com where she offers dharma talks and meditation on Wednesdays. 

~ ~ ~

SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga

Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

#78 Embodying Courage & Practice07 Nov 202200:37:36

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Continuing our exploration of embodied qualities of Yoga, Jen & Annie discuss the nuances of Courage and how it's a necessary ingredient for our Practice.

They also share how they're getting ready for the Winter season. 

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Reach out to us on  Facebook and Instagram. We also welcome your messages at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com or in our voicemail box on SpeakPipe.

You can get in touch with Jen through her website (http://www.sati.yoga).

Find Annie at  Sun & Moon Yoga Studio (https://www.sunandmoonstudio.com) on Wednesday nights (in person or online) for meditation and dharma talks.



~ ~ ~

SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga

Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

#77 Embodied Simplicity Guided Practice14 Oct 202200:10:44

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Dovetailing on our conversations on embodiment, Annie's back with a guided practice that reframes distracting thoughts by laying a simple and straightforward path an easy breath. In this practice, Annie share's the mindfulness technique of noting, which draws compassionate attention to rumination while giving you the option of choosing not to stay there.

We hope this will be of benefit.

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Skillful Means Podcast offers these guided practices to help you deepen into your yoga and mindfulness journey.

We welcome your comments. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, send us a note at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com, or leave us a voicemail at https://www.speakpipe.com/skillfulmeanspodcast.

You can find  Annie at https://www.sunandmoonstudio.com where she offers dharma talks and meditation on Wednesdays. 

~ ~ ~

SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga

Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

#76 Embodying Quiet & Attention13 Oct 202200:41:30

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In this episode, Jen and Annie take a look at two of Annie's 12 Embodiments: quiet and attention. The sweeping conversation covers a lot of ground from inner spaciousness, meeting emotions with compassion, quietude in relationship, beginners mind, quality of attention, and is it creepy to do nothing at a coffee shop?

They also share a few "hacks" that are saving their lives right now.

Mentioned in this episode:
Alter Eco Chocolate Bars
Hungry Lady Salads by Kathleen Ashmore
Pets + Oxytocin

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Reach out to us on  Facebook and Instagram. We also welcome your messages at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com or in our voicemail box on SpeakPipe.

You can get in touch with Jen through her website (http://www.sati.yoga). 

Find Annie at  Sun & Moon Yoga Studio (https://www.sunandmoonstudio.com) on Wednesday nights (in person or online) for meditation and dharma talks.

~ ~ ~

SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga

Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

#75 Embodied Listening Guided Practice15 Sep 202200:16:25

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Join Annie Moyer as she guides you through an exploration of embodied listening, connecting you to the subtle vibrations of sound that can be felt throughout the body.

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Skillful Means Podcast offers these guided practices to help you deepen into your yoga and mindfulness journey.

We welcome your comments. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, send us a note at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com, or leave us a voicemail at https://www.speakpipe.com/skillfulmeanspodcast.

You can find  Annie at https://www.sunandmoonstudio.com where she offers dharma talks and meditation on Wednesdays. 



~ ~ ~

SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga

Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

#74 What do we mean by "embodiment?"01 Sep 202200:53:06

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The word embodiment is becoming as ubiquitous as mindfulness these days. Wondering if the word is drifting in meaning, Annie and Jen look at what embodiment is through several lens including spirituality, philosophy and psychology. They also point out ways in which something may appear to be embodied but not. 

And this is all a lead up to a series of upcoming explorations in what Annie has dubbed "The 12 Embodiments of Yoga." 

Mentioned in this episode:
"Years and Years" on HBO
"Upload" on Amazon Prime
"Futurama"
Bo Forbes
John Schumacher
"Radical Wholeness" by Philip Shepherd (Note that neither Annie nor Jen have read this book nor are we familiar with the author. So this is not an endorsement. We just mentioned it on the show. If you've read this book, we'd love to know what you think. )

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Reach out to us on  Facebook and Instagram. We also welcome your messages at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com or in our voicemail box on SpeakPipe.

You can get in touch with Jen through her website (http://www.sati.yoga). Check out her upcoming in-person class in Arlington, VA .

Find Annie at  Sun & Moon Yoga Studio (https://www.sunandmoonstudio.com) on Wednesday nights (in person or online) for meditation  and dharma talks





~ ~ ~

SMP welcomes your comments and questions at feedback@skillfulmeanspodcast.com. You can also get in touch with Jen through her website: https://www.sati.yoga

Fill out this survey to help guide the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/appM7JWCQd7Q1Hwa4/pagRTiysNido3BXqF/form

To support the show, consider a donation via Ko-Fi.

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